NEWS
TV BUTTE QUARRY FIGHT
SENT BACK TO THE
COUNTY COMMISSION
Mine opponents celebrate
decision by the Land Use Board of Appeals
A
SPONSORED CONTENT
BY CAMILLA MORTENSEN
small group of citizens fighting a proposed gravel mine on the edge of Oakridge
say they have won a victory in their battle against the Old Hazeldell Quarry. On
Jan. 8, the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) handed down its final
opinion on Save TV Butte’s appeal of a mine that had been approved by the Lane
County Commission’s board majority. LUBA remanded the mine decision to the
county.
The decision on Old Hazeldell, a mine backed by Ed King of King Estate Winery, had
been noted as an “opinion of interest” by the Land Conservation and Development Com-
mission in July because it is a “major, controversial mining operation,” according to an
LCDC director’s report.
Kathy Pokorny of Save TV Butte, whose name appeared on the appeal, says, “We are
just so shocked that we actually succeeded.” She adds, “It may not be the final word on
saving TV Butte, but we’re going to take a moment to celebrate this success!”
Pokorny stresses her concern about the silica dust she says the mine could generate
“blowing over the whole town, and there’s already a problem with PM 2.5.”
PM 2.5 refers to bits of particulate matter so small they are easily inhaled. They can
cause respiratory health problems. According to the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency,
since the Environmental Protection Agency changed the federal standards for PM 2.5 lev-
els in the air in 2006, Oakridge has been unable to meet the standards.
The LUBA decision supported Save TV Butte’s contention that emissions of the fine
particulate dust were not properly addressed or mitigated in the quarry’s application, nor
were some other potential offsite impacts, according to Kevin Matthews.
Matthews is a community and land use advocate who is running for a seat on the Lane
County Commission. He has been working with Save TV Butte to stop the quarry. “We
won on most of the points,” Matthews says, adding of LUBA, “the judges kind of like to
find something on both sides.”
In addition to the PM 2.5 issue, Matthews says LUBA agreed with Save TV Butte that
Lane County’s conditions of approval would have failed to prevent groundwater runoff
into an old municipal dumpsite that could spread contamination.
LUBA also agreed that the actual area of rock removal, known as the “inventoried
resource area for the mine,” must be shrunk from 107 to 46 acres, he says, and that the
county’s approval of 61 acres outside the gravel resource for mine operations was done
improperly, and would have to be redone.
“County staff didn’t ever clearly define their terms,” Matthews says, “and as a result
they took the complicated very logically strict Goal 5 resources rules and applied those
rules in a sloppy way to the entire mine application area.”
Mining and natural resources fall under Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals and Guide-
lines, and Goal 5 covers more than a dozen “resources,” including wildlife habitats, his-
toric places and aggregate (gravel), according to the Oregon Department of Land Conser-
vation and Development. The goal lumps together natural resources to be preserved, such
as waterways and wildlife habitat, with natural resources to be exploited, such as gravel.
The biggest LUBA finding with potential implications for protecting other Lane County
wild areas from development, Matthews says, is that the proposed mine area on TV Butte
is in fact “significant big game habitat” under Goal 5.
“Two competing resources is a discretionary decision,” Matthews says. “The County
Commission cannot say ‘That’s the way the rules are.’”
Save TV Butte has called the Lane County Commission’s vote to approve the quarry a
“rubber-stamp” decision.
With LUBA’s decision, the issue now goes back to the county, though both sides have
the option for judicial review of the opinion and have 21 days to file an appeal with the
Oregon Court of Appeals.
Quarry spokesman Phil Donovan takes a different view than Save TV Butte on the
LUBA decision. He tells EW in a statement, “We are pleased with LUBA’s findings on the
substantive legal issues.”
Donovan writes, “Lane County was affirmed on the key points and has clear direction
from LUBA as to the necessary corrections. As most people know, Oregon’s land use laws
are very thorough, and a remand of this kind is pretty par for the course.”
“Some of the issues are as simple as fixing typos,” Donovan says. “In others, more
evidence is required.”
He says the quarry will work with the county to make the fixes, and that “we’re comfort-
able that the board will find the basis for re-adoption on remand.”
Pokorney says the grassroots Save TV Butte is still fundraising for its legal fight. Those
wishing to donate can contact zkpokorny@gmail.com.
Cooking
Technology
THE CASE FOR CAST IRON
W
hile our landfi lls continue to fi ll with useless plastic
lifespan products, some consumers are considering
sustainable, long term lifestyle products. Cast iron
cookware falls into the latter category and is often
handed down from one generation to the next. It is
durable and offers merits than other cookware lacks. Cast iron simply
has soul — it provides even heat distribution and retains heat more uni-
formly than any other cookware. Folks with iron defi ciencies appreciate
increased iron absorption cooking with cast iron.
A well-seasoned cast iron skillet means no nonstick coatings, no dead
birds and superior taste. Yes, pans treated with non-stick polytetrafl u-
orethylene (PTFE) coatings are associated with aviary deaths caused
by fumes generated from over-heated Tefl on™, Innovex 75T, Ther-
omSpot T, as well as other non-stick coatings. Degradation of PTFE
has been shown to be toxic to humans too, documented in The Lancet
as early as 1951. A well-seasoned cast iron pan means less oil required
for healthy heart recipes.
Consumer cast iron cookware seems to be morphing into four cate-
gories: Utilitarian, artisan, collectible and scrounged. Utilitarian cast
iron can be found at big box retailers, sporting goods and hardware
stores. All of these are good places to locate imported and domes-
tic quality cast iron at economy pricing. China is the world leader in
economical priced, thin cast iron casting. Lodge Manufacturing Com-
pany has been churning U.S. pig iron into reliable cookware for over
100 years.
Borough Furnace, Finex and Field are examples of the new artisan
cast iron cookware movement. Their missions are to develop heir-
loom cookware, meant to pass down to our next generations. Finex is
based in Portland, Oregon. These new cast iron fi rms were inspired
by the high quality of early American cast iron cookware (Erie, Gris-
wold, Wagner and others). Finex handcrafted cookware carries a good
forever guarantee.
Collectable cast iron is for deep-pocketed zealots. Rare or high-end
Griswold single piece can cost as much as the price of a quality used
car. Unfortunately, many of these collectors are compulsive hoarders,
that don’t cook or enjoy their cookware, rather are speculators. Chuck
Wafford authored The Book of Griswold and Wagner right here in
Lane County and has been an important national and local cast iron
authority and icon of area collectors for decades. Antique shops, col-
lectible shows, Craigslist and eBay are good resources for collector
cookware.
Frugal cast iron cookware enthusiasts typically frequent garage sales,
junk shops, pawn shops, thrift stores, Craigslist’s and other haunts
to scrounge bargain iron. There can be great satisfaction in restoring
old iron. It is tedious and messy, and akin to dental work, but re-
warding. There are numerous methods that range from vinegar baths,
scrape, grind and polish methods, traditional heated oven cleaning
techniques, electrolysis baths and other cleaning methods. After the
cast iron is cleaned and hopefully the patina is still intact, the next step
is to season the cookware for years of use and enjoyment.
SilverFire is a local off grid stove and cookware retailer, and carries
a variety of vintage, collectable and Finex artisan cast iron cookware.
2472 Willamette Street, Eugene
(541) 485-7114
www.silverfi re.us
eugeneweekly.com • January 25, 2018
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