A8 The SpokeSman • TueSday, november 22, 2022
Redmond hosts
energy forums
BY JOE SIESS
CO Media Group
The Environmental Center hosted
its first Local Energy Forum at the
Oregon State University Extension
Service in Redmond Saturday, where
experts and members of the commu-
nity discussed topics that included
electric vehicles, energy efficient and
affordable housing, and sustainability
in schools.
Deschutes County Commissioner
Phil Chang spoke at the forum, sharing
some methods to create renewable en-
ergy that could be used locally.
Emilie Marlinghaus, of Bend, at-
tended the forum Saturday and said she
has been interested in climate change
since the 1980s.
The topic of energy is all part of ad-
dressing the climate crisis.
“I’ve always envisioned Bend being
this leader. We had this opportunity to
really think outside the box and make
bold moves,” Marlinghaus said.
“Since this is a county energy plan
the big obstacle right now is getting
support from the county commission-
ers to pass the plan.”
Marlinghaus said over the years she
has seen some pretty dramatic changes
in Bend, and is no longer certain if
Bend will become the leader she envi-
sioned. But she is hopeful.
In his presentation Chang brought
up possible opportunities for De-
schutes County to become more sus-
tainable, such as harnessing the power
within biomass and biogas processes,
which are both ways to extract energy
that otherwise would be lost. These
methods are in addition to hydro-elec-
tric and solar power, which are both
being used in Deschutes County.
In order to convince the public of the
opportunity in biomass and biogas re-
newable energy, “a lot of stars need to
be in alignment,” Chang said.
He said it is important to create in-
centives and to make the case for mak-
ing the long term investments into a
more sustainable future. Convincing
the public of the value and benefits and
providing enough subsidies to match
those benefits is all part of it, he said.
Also reminding people of how import-
ant resilience is, is another way of mak-
ing the case.
“Reminding people of how vulner-
able we are to global energy supply in-
terruptions, and the economic impacts
of that — I think that is something lots
of people get,” Chang said. “And show-
ing people the jobs that are possible…
We can create jobs and we can put our-
selves in a more economically secure
position in the long run.”
Neil Baunsgard, of the Environ-
mental Center, spoke on local policy
and transportation electrification. He
also mentioned a new round of federal
funding to the state of Oregon through
Joe Siess/The bulletin
Brian Durbin, fiscal director of the Kor Community Land Trust, discusses energy and affordable housing Saturday at the Environ-
mental Center’s first Local Energy Forum at the Oregon State University Extension Service in Redmond
the Oregon National Electric Vehicle
Infrastructure Plan.
“Within the next five years, we will
have well developed charging infra-
structure, above and beyond what we
already have, all the way up and down
Highway 97, Highway 20, Highway 26,”
Baunsgard said. “So those directions
are going to be better electrified, where
there is a charging hub at a minimum
of every 50 miles on all of those corri-
dors.”
Baunsgard said getting people to try
eclectic vehicles, whether it is an eclec-
tic bike, car or bus, is the best method
to get communities to adopt the trend.
“Change is hard, and it is right to
be skeptical and think through all the
unintended consequences. But when
people choose electric transportation,
people very rarely go back,” Baunsgard
added. “It is not new anymore, it is a
pretty exciting future.”
█
jsiess@bendbulletin.com, 541-617-7820
SPORTS
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup locally
BY NICK ROSENBERGER
Redmond Spokesman
ap photo/ricardo mazalan
Dutch supporters cheer before the World Cup, group A soccer match be-
tween Senegal and Netherlands at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha,
Qatar on Nov. 21.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off in
Qatar on Sunday, Nov. 20, with a game be-
tween host nation Qatar and Ecuador. Ec-
uador steamrolled the home team 2-0 with
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia scoring two goals
in the first 30 minutes of the game.
In the first three scheduled competitions,
the United States played against Wales on
Nov. 21 and will play England on Nov. 25
and Iran on Nov. 29. Each of the first three
games kick off at 11 a.m.
For those interested, multiple venues will
be showing the games in Redmond.
Wild Ride Brewing
Located at 332 SW 5th St., Wild Ride will
be hosting a watch party at 11 a.m. on Nov.
21, Nov. 25 and Nov. 29.
Those wearing red, white and blue will
get dollar pints off during the game.
Additionally, food carts outside will be
serving food from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. includ-
ing Shred Town, Red Road Pizza Company
(closed on Mondays) and Wild Catch.
Otto’s Landing
Located at 652 NW 6th St., Otto’s Land-
ing will also be playing World Cup matches
starting when they open at 11 a.m. on week-
days and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Like with Wild Ride, Otto’s Landing has food
carts on hand including Fresco and Fryed, John-
ny’s Supreme Street Greek Gyros and Órale!
General Duffy’s
With two buildings located off of 4th St.
that have a combined total of eight TV’s on
hand, General Duffy’s will likely be showing
the games but will also take requests to put
them on if not.
Those interested can call ahead to make
sure the games are playing.
Duffy’s has over 30 beers on tap and six food
trucks at their 1.4-acre location in downtown
Redmond including That Guy’s Bistro, Nonna’s
Cucina and Sally’s Wok.
Initiative Brewing
Initiative Brewing located at 424 NW 5th
St. will also be playing the games during
their normal business hours from 11 a.m.
to 9 p.m.
Initiative brewing has a year-round and
seasonal tap list as well as an assortment of
pub food including Bavarian pretzels, na-
chos, burgers, tacos, bowls and more for
when the World Cup calls for a little ner-
vous munching.
█
Reporter: nrosenberger@redmondspokesman.com
New details released on
controversial mountain
biking project in Ochocos
BY MICHAEL KOHN
CO Media Group
A plan to construct biking
trails in a remote area of the
Ochoco National Forest east of
Prineville has been scaled back
by the U.S. Forest Service fol-
lowing a lengthy dialogue with
bikers, equestrians and other
stakeholders who have been
watching the evolution of the
project.
Details of the new plans were
laid out in a draft environmental
assessment for the Lemon Gulch
Trails Project, which is now avail-
able for public review, according
to a news release on Thursday
from the Forest Service.
Plans to develop the new
biking trails have ignited spir-
ited debate in Prineville and the
mountain biking community of
Central Oregon. Some believe
the project will help ease ten-
sions on existing trails shared by
bikers and equestrians. Others
say building the trails will dam-
age sensitive habitat for deer, elk,
eagles, cougar and other wildlife.
Still more worry that the
project will attract hordes of
mountain biking enthusiasts to
Prineville, altering the city’s ru-
ral character in the same way
that outdoor sports transformed
Bend’s logging town image.
The project is a frequent talking
point on the Facebook group
“Don’t Bend Prineville.”
The network of bike trails is
planned for the west side of the
Lookout Mountain Ranger Dis-
trict, about 20 miles northeast
of Prineville.
The draft environmental as-
sessment compares five options,
including a “no action” alter-
native.
One alternative has just 19
miles of trail built in the area.
Another would see 51.6 miles of
new bike trails.
The Forest Service prefers
the 27.5-mile alternative, which
includes 9.8 miles of beginner
trails, 11.2 miles of intermedi-
ate trails, and 13.9 miles of ad-
vanced trails.
“It provides a much smaller
footprint than the original pro-
posal based on key issues raised
in earlier phases of the project,
as well as individual and group
meetings with permittees, com-
munity members, and elected
officials,” according to the re-
lease.
The Forest Service notes that
the 27.5-mile alternative also
“reduces trail density in some
areas specifically to address
wildlife and grazing concerns,
while still maintaining a com-
plete mix of trail opportunity.”
Slater Turner, Lookout
Mountain district ranger, said
the draft environmental assess-
ment was developed over a one-
year period and included input
from Crook County commu-
nity leaders, grazing permittees,
and tribal members of the Con-
federated Tribes of the Warm
Springs, as well as other stake-
holders and interested parties.
“We have taken great care in
incorporating a wide variety of
comments and look forward to
hearing feedback on these alter-
natives,” said Turner.
A scoping document released
in March 2021 laid out original
plans for the project, as part of
a larger proposal by trail users
interested in expanding trail
access in the Ochoco National
Forest.
The draft environmental as-
sessment is a refined version
of the scoping document after
widespread public feedback
showed cracks in the commu-
nity over the plan. The criti-
cisms are widespread, ranging
from concerns over wildlife
habitat to the perceived in-
flux of outside mountain bike
groups. Even the name of the
project has sparked contro-
versy — critics insist the area be
called Lemon Creek, not Lemon
Gulch.
In September, opponents
organized a protest in front of
the Crook County Courthouse
in Prineville, urging the Forest
Service to rethink the plans and
choose another location.
Dave Nielsen, an opponent
of the project, said reducing the
size of the complex from51.6
miles of trail to 27.5 will not
make much difference and the
area will still experience nega-
tive impacts caused by devel-
opment.
“Just as many riders and fol-
lowers will visit the complex to
ride, even if the complex is half
of that in the original proposal,”
said Nielsen, who advocates for
the “no action” alternative.
If the plan is adopted, the
use of mountain bikes would
be banned from Dec. 1 to May
1 for deer and elk winter range
protection. The project also in-
mark morical/bulletin file
A pristine singletrack trail climbs up Lookout Mountain, as seen in 2015.
cludes plans for three parking
lots located at different eleva-
tions to facilitate shuttling. Ki-
osks and vault toilets are also
planned.
The Forest Service describes
the level of development as “low
level” to maintain a “rustic char-
acter.”
While the single-track trails
would be designed for moun-
tain bike use, they would also
be available for hikers and trail
runners. Some trails would be
designed for adaptive mountain
biking equipment. Equestrian
use would be discouraged and
dogs would not be allowed on
the trails before July 1.
Kim McCarrel, an avid horse-
back rider who frequently rides
trails in Crook County, said she
applauds the Forest Service’s
efforts to create purpose-built
bike trails that “provide the
kinds of experiences many
mountain bike riders want.”
McCarrel said equestrians
will appreciate the effort to re-
distribute mountain bike use
away from Lookout Mountain
and Round Mountain trails, two
areas popular with horseback
riders. Conflicts between bikes
and horseback riders arise fre-
quently on both trails, she said.
“These trails became popular
for mountain biking (recently)
because they had nowhere else
to ride,” said McCarrel. “The
steep slopes and short sight lines
create ideal conditions for a
downhill mountain bike to in-
advertently spook a horse and
endanger its rider.”
Travis Holman, a mountain
biker and vice president of the
Central Oregon Trail Alliance,
said the 51.6-mile alternative
“would do the most to give
mountain bikers the best riding
experience and therefore pres-
ents the best chance to reduce
crowding and conflict on other
trails.”
But he also acknowledged
that the preferred alternative
“represents the best compro-
mise of those presented in the
EA.”
“We are very heartened to
see that impacts to natural and
cultural resources can be min-
imized while still providing a
valuable outdoor recreation ex-
perience,” Holman said.
“As mountain bikers, we want
everyone to have the opportu-
nity to enjoy healthy recreation
on our shared public lands
while minimizing impacts on
natural and cultural resources,
and we’re happy to see that this
can be accomplished at Lemon
Gulch,” Holman adds.
A phased construction is
planned if the project moves
forward, with an initial set of
trails installed followed by one
or two years of monitoring be-
fore the building of additional
trails.
Trail maintenance would be
conducted with help from lo-
cal trail user groups, including
Ochoco trails and Central Ore-
gon Trail Alliance.
Public comments will be ac-
cepted on the project through
Dec. 19. Those wishing to com-
ment may do so electronically
on the U.S. Forest Service web-
site (fs.usda.gov/project/?proj-
ect=58831).
█
Reporter: 541-617-7818,
mkohn@bendbulletin.com