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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 2015)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015 Boatyard: Port’s 2001 business plan Toledo expands didn’t envision cargo, such as logs boatyard, while Astoria’s closes Continued from Page 1A Pleasing the state The Port decided to close the boatyard to stop copper pollution and build rapport with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which recently placed the Port under the more restrictive 7LHU,,SHUPLWGHVLJQDWLRQDI- ter outfalls near piers 3 and 1 tested high in copper over the SDVWWZR\HDUV.QLJKWVDLG The Port submitted a plan to reroute stormwater from throughout its central water- IURQW WR D FHQWUDOL]HG ELR¿O- tration system on the western HGJH RI 3LHU '(4 DFFHSW- ed the plan and mandated the Port implement it by June %XWWKHGHFLVLRQWR close the boatyard surprised even DEQ, whose represen- tatives said the plan explicitly included running a boatyard RQ3LHU “The only violation is if WKH\ GRQ¶W SXW LQ WUHDWPHQW´ VDLG-HQQLIHU:HDYHUDVWRUP- ZDWHUVSHFLDOLVWZLWK'(4 The Port provided a clear treatment plan and was con- ¿GHQW LQ LWV DELOLW\ WR ORZHU copper content in stormwa- ter, she said, but the system’s placement on the western edge of Pier 3 depends on negotiations with the Oregon Department of State Lands, which owns the property and leases it to the Port for stor- DJH DSL spokeswoman Julie Curtis said her agency has received no correspondence from the Port about changing the use of the land to use it for VWRUPZDWHUWUHDWPHQW Not in the plans The Port’s 2001 strategic business plan didn’t envision cargo, such as logs, but it did include a boatyard, which RSHQHG LQ %\ LW had enticed businesses like (QJOXQG 0DULQH ,QGXVWUL- DO 6XSSO\ &ROXPELD 3DFL¿F 0DULQH :RUNV DQG %RUQVWHLQ Seafoods to spend big to PRYHQHDUHUWRLW ³:H VSHQW PLOOLRQ WR FRORFDWHQHDURQH´VDLG$Q- By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian The Astoria boatyard is seen on Pier 3 surrounded by logs. YHORSPHQWVLQFH0DUFK adding that he’s currently looking into the Port’s obliga- WLRQVRQ3LHU Astoria Forest Products :HVWHUOXQG H[SRUWHG logs off of Pier 1 and used a log-sorting yard and debarker RII/HZLVDQG&ODUN5RDG,W had a minimal impact on and slowly warmed over other waterfront tenants and local RI¿FLDOV But by April, amid con- tinuing litigation with China 1DWLRQDO %XLOGLQJ 0DWHULDOV JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian :HVWHUOXQG EHFDPH RSHUD- Tom Brownson, vice commodore of the Astoria Yacht tionally defunct and trans- Club, paints the hull of his sailboat, Cantana, at the Asto- IHUUHG LWV OHDVH WR 0XUSK\ ria boatyard Sunday. Overseas USA LLC, which does business locally as Asto- drew Bornstein, a co-owner of strategic plan that included ULD)RUHVW3URGXFWV Bornstein Seafood, during a the potential for log exports “This operation, we need 3RUWWHQDQWPHHWLQJ7KXUVGD\ RIIRISLHUVDQG the full 20-some acres to Pier 3 is collateral on a To include log yard opera- PDNH LW ZRUN´ VDLG $)3¶V PLOOLRQVWDWHORDQIURP tions on Pier 3, Business Or- <DUG 0DQDJHU 'DYH 'DJJHWW Business Oregon the Port took HJRQ¶V 3RUWV 0DQDJHU 'DYH during an August interview, out in 2006 to help Bornstein +DUODQ VDLG KLV DJHQF\ VWLS- ZKHQ WKH FRPSDQ\ ZDV ¿UVW Seafoods move from down- ulated that the Port set aside designing a space for a de- town Astoria to its new plant 10 percent of gross revenues EDUNHU RQ 3LHU +H DGGHG DWWKHIRRWRI3LHU$VWLSX- from logs to pay for infra- that it was in the Port’s plans lation of that loan was that the structure improvements on to move the boatyard and Port follow its 2001 strategic Pier 3 to make it a deep wa- FOHDU3LHUIRUORJV SODQLQFOXGLQJDERDW\DUG That interview, and most ter shipping facility and take ,Q WKH ODWH V :HVW- pressure off surrounding ten- actions on Pier 3, predate HUOXQG /RJ +DQGOHUV DS- DQWV Knight, who said he’s never proached the Port about a log +DUODQVDLGWKHVWDWHKDVQ¶W heard of any connection from debarker, sorting yard and ex- received an accounting of the the Port Commission that ties SRUWGRFNRQ3LHU%\ Port’s gross revenues or the the closure of the boatyard to the Port had approved a new amount put into Pier 3’s rede- DQLQFUHDVHLQWKHORJ\DUG Canceled:µ:HGRQ¶WOLNHORVLQJHYHQWV¶ Continued from Page 1A sion and be accompanied by a OHJDOJXDUGLDQRUFKDSHURQH to be focused on facilitating communication and aware- community’s “shared respon- ness on all facets of healthy The price of sibility to create safe environ- sexuality for youth in our cancellation ments for youth that include FRPPXQLW\´WKHHPDLOVWDWHV Convention center con- ³:KLOHZHUHPDLQFOHDULQRXU access to the best information DYDLODEOHDERXWGLI¿FXOWWRSLFV´ tracts normally include a vision, we feel current condi- “As a community, we $1,000 fee if an event is can- tions have shifted the setting discredit our effectiveness celed within 12 months of its and our ability to offer open, when we fall prey to fear and VFKHGXOHG GDWH ,Q WKLV FDVH safe and honest conversations VKDPH´ WKH FROXPQ VWDWHG because of the center’s long- DERXWVH[XDOLW\´ “Our actions become barriers time relationship with the cli- ,QDGGLWLRQWKHHPDLOVWDWHV to understanding when we ent, the cancellation fee was the organizers value their rela- attempt to manage person- waived as a courtesy, said tionship with the Seaside com- al discomforts by silencing Russ Vandenberg, the center’s munity and “cannot, in good GLVFXVVLRQ :H HQFRXUDJH JHQHUDOPDQDJHU7KDWFRXUWH- conscience, hold a conference ongoing conversations about sy often is extended to long- when we believe conference adolescent sexuality devoid term customers, or the fee participants and our Seaside is applied to future a future partners may be put in uncom- RIIHDUDQGVKDPH´ During the 2014 con- booking, which wasn’t done fortable or unpleasant situa- ference, a keynote speaker in this instance, said Director WLRQV´ discussed abstinence and a RI6DOHV*UHWFKHQ'DUQHOO The city received some The organizers “weren’t pressure to cancel the event workshop was conducted on it; other sessions addressed YHU\ VSHFL¿F´ DQG ³GLGQ¶W a few months ago, but Sea- healthy relationship skills; JR LQWR DQ\ GHWDLO´ DERXW side City Council chose to and discussions centered on why they were cancel- not breach its contract with 9DQGHQEHUJ VDLG the group and to allow use of \RXWKDGXOW FRPPXQLFDWLRQ LQJ The conference is intended for The Oregon Teen Pregnan- WKHFHQWHUWKLV\HDU7KHFRQ- educators, health personnel, cy Task Force’s email an- vention center staff did not counselors, social and youth nouncing the cancellation receive that pressure, Vanden- service workers, parents, teen referenced the more than 30 EHUJVDLG+HEHOLHYHVLW¶VXQ- parent program staff, commu- years the conference “has fortunate the event was can- nity members and teens, ac- provided valuable content and FHOHG ³:H GRQ¶W OLNH ORVLQJ FRUGLQJ WR WKH HYHQW ZHEVLWH discussion to inform and en- HYHQWV´KHVDLG³:H¶UHKHUH A majority of attendees in the gage public educators, health WRGULYHHFRQRPLFLPSDFW:H past have been older than 18; professionals, parents and weren’t hoping they would those younger than 18 had to \RXWK´ FDQFHO E\ DQ\ PHDQV :H have written parental permis- “Our mission continues don’t judge clients or judge what they bring into the build- LQJ,IZHJRWLQWRWKHEXVLQHVV of starting to judge clients and what they did, it wouldn’t be SURIHVVLRQDORQRXUSDUW´ The group’s rental fees for 2015 were $1,125, but Dar- nell said it “is hard to specu- late what the revenue loss is H[DFWO\´ ³:H GRQ¶W NQRZ ZKDW their food and beverage costs would be, as they hadn’t or- GHUHGLW\HW´VKHVDLG :KLOH WKH\ DUH SXUVXLQJ other groups to use the center, 9DQGHQEHUJVDLG³,W¶VXQOLNH- ly someone will, because of WKHVKRUWWLPHIUDPH´ ,QGLYLGXDOV ZKR KDG SDLG their registration fees will be refunded and cashed checks will be reimbursed, according WRWKHWDVNIRUFH ³:H UHPDLQ GHGLFDWHG WR our mission and will carefully consider how to continue our work in a positive, respectful PDQQHU´ WKH WDVN IRUFH VDLG “Thank you for your contin- XHGVXSSRUW´ Event organizers have not said if or when the confer- ence will take place in the IXWXUH )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ about the conference, visit RUHJRQDVFRUJRUWKHHYHQW¶V )DFHERRNSDJH Council: ‘The more people know about WKHLUZDWHUWKHPRUHWKH\FDUHDERXWLW¶ support the city’s efforts to manage the watershed, said “Certainly forest harvest- Voelke, noting that Cannon ing can be a part of the stew- Beach residents approved a ardship plan, but it can be part bond measure to purchase land of a conservation approach LQWKH(FROD&UHHNZDWHUVKHG rather than revenue produc- She also cited Astoria’s effort LQJ´VKHVDLG to protect its forest through the ,QVWHDGRIFOHDUFXWWLQJDQG use of carbon credits, which replanting trees that eventu- could result in $1 million in 10 ally become uniform in size, \HDUVIRUWKHFLW\ the management plan would ³:H DUH WKH SHRSOH GULQN- be more selective in the trees LQJWKHZDWHU´VKHVDLG³2I- harvested, leaving room for ten, the more people know smaller trees to grow and pro- about their water, where their WHFWVWUHDPEDQNVVKHVDLG water comes from, the more Local residents might also WKH\ FDUH DERXW LW ,I WKH\ Continued from Page 1A know more about the ‘why,’ the more they are willing to VXSSRUWLW 0D\RU 'RQ /DUVRQ DQG Councilors Jay Barber and Don Johnson said they sup- ported Voelke’s suggestion and wanted to explore the idea further with the land con- servancy and the watershed FRXQFLO ,Q RWKHU EXVLQHVV WKH council: +HDUG D FRPSODLQW IURP D:DKDQQD5RDGUHVLGHQWWKDW his neighbor had cut down a VWDQGRIWUHHVZLWKRXW¿UVWRE- taining permission from the city; +HDUGDUHTXHVWIURPWKH Seaside Elks Lodge that the lodge be excluded from pay- ing fees into the Downtown 0DLQWHQDQFH'LVWULFWEHFDXVH LWLVDQRQSUR¿WRUJDQL]DWLRQ +HDUG DQ DQQXDO UHSRUW on the Seaside Public Library from library Director Esther 0REHUJDQG • Presented a plaque to for- mer Councilor Stubby Lyons, thanking him for his public service both on and off of the &LW\&RXQFLO :KLOH WKH 3RUW RI $VWRULD approaches the closure of its boatyard, the Port of Toledo is spending more than $6 million WRH[SDQGLWVIDFLOLWLHV ,W¶VUHSODFLQJDÀRDWLQJGU\ dock, making room for a 300- ton travel lift to take larger boats and hiring more staff to deal with the increasing num- EHU RI ERDWV %HUJHUVRQ &RQ- struction of Astoria is doing PXFKRIWKHZRUN Toledo’s director, Bud Shoemake, said the expansion is in response to a lack of other haulouts along the coast and in support of local businesses OLNH<DTXLQD%RDW(TXLSPHQW ³:H¶UHVXSSO\LQJWKHLQIUD- structure for these businesses WR H[SDQG´ VDLG 6KRHPDNH about Toledo’s marine indus- trial cluster, adding that the project will give Toledo the largest capacity lift on the Oregon Coast and allow for several boats to be hauled out DQG ZRUNHG RQ DW D WLPH +H previously estimated that the boatyard’s expansion would support 50 positions locally, between merchants and his VWDIIDQGDERXWVWDWHZLGH Getting community sup- port for the project, said Shoe- make, was key to making it ZRUNDVZDVWKHPLOOLRQ Toledo received last year from the state’s Connect Oregon V infrastructure grant program to IXQGPRVWRIWKHH[SDQVLRQ :DVKLQJWRQ VHHPV WR EH doing good with its boatyards and boat-building, said Shoe- make, but there’s a shrink- age of yards down south and the disappearance of private yards like the heavily polluted $VWRULD 0DULQH &RQVWUXFWLRQ &RPSDQ\ ,Q :DVKLQJ- WRQ EHFDPH WKH ¿UVW VWDWH LQ the nation to ban copper-based bottom paints on recreation- al boats 65 feet and under by &DOLIRUQLDKDVORRNHGDW VLPLODUUHVWULFWLRQV Enforcement Tom Brownson, an Astoria Yacht Club member who uses Astoria’s boatyard on Pier 3, readily admitted that there’s FRSSHUFRPLQJIURPLW “The stuff’s here for a UHDVRQ´KHVDLG³,W¶VDFRP- bination of people not follow- ing the rules, and the Port not FOHDQLQJXS´ The rules of the boatyard — tarps under boats, no spray painting or sandblasting with- out DEQ and Port approval, vacuum sanders, daily clean- ing, no washing outside the wash down pad, no discharge RI ÀXLGV GULS SDQV IRU SDLQW — are posted along the work DUHDV Port staff is good about en- forcing rules during the week, said Brownson, but there’s QRERG\ RQ WKH ZHHNHQG +H added that much of the issue is ¿QDQFLDOSODFLQJPXFKRIWKH blame on mismanagement by the Port Commission regard- LQJWKH\DUG %RDW\DUG 0DQDJHU 6WHYH Barkemeyer, who Shoemake said had called him trying to ¿QG SODFHV IRU ERDWV EHIRUH Astoria’s closure, declined to EHLQWHUYLHZHGIRUWKHVWRU\ Everyone’s taken short cuts, said Port of Astoria Di- rector Jim Knight in an ad- dress Thursday to tenants questioning the closure of the boatyard, including boat own- HUVDQG3RUWVWDII Shoemake said his boat- yard employs similar mea- sures to contain pollutants at its boatyard, using the Best 0DQDJHPHQW3UDFWLFHVODLGRXW by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, along ZLWKLWVIUHHDGYLFH But controlling pollutants at his boatyard, said Shoe- PDNHLVDWHDPHIIRUW³,W¶VDOO about educating boaters and staff; you can’t let it go for a GD\´ Despite his own project, Shoemake said he hopes Asto- ria, Coos Bay and other ports H[SDQG WKHLU ERDW\DUGV WR ¿OO WKH GHPDQG ³7KHUH¶V PRUH URRPRXWWKHUHIRUDOORIXV´ KHVDLG³:H¶UHWLUHGRIVHHLQJ RXUPRQH\JRWR6HDWWOH´ Injunction: ‘The whole case should be moot at this point’ Continued from Page 1A plaintiff fishermen and for the future of compe- tition in three of the four largest seafood markets RQ WKH :HVW &RDVW´ 0L- FKDHO+DJOXQGD3RUWODQG attorney representing the fishermen, including Dennis Rankin of Rankin Fish in Astoria, said in an HPDLO³,IWKLVFDVHUHVXOWV in a permanent injunc- tion, Ocean Gold Sea- foods will be free and in- dependent and what have been highly concentrated markets will be signifi- cantly improved by more robust competition that benefits both fishermen and American consum- HUV´ Daniel Occhipinti, Pacific Seafood’s gen- eral counsel and director of government affairs, said the legal challenge should be moot since the acquisition of Ocean *ROGKDVEHHQFDQFHOHG “The preliminary in- junction was entered to prevent a transaction that was already termi- QDWHGRYHUDPRQWKDJR´ KHVDLGLQDQHPDLO³7KH whole case should be PRRWDWWKLVSRLQW´ Pacific Seafood had argued in court that the commercial fishermen did not have an antitrust injury because they do not sell fish or shrimp to Pacific Seafood or 2FHDQ*ROG But Judge Panner held that under the um- brella theory of antitrust injury other seafood processors could follow Pacific Seafood’s lead RQ SULFHV 7KH MXGJH found that the fishermen have shown a reasonable probability that Pacific Seafood’s acquisition of Ocean Gold would sub- stantially lessen compe- tition in the buyer’s mar- NHWIRUILVKDQGVKULPS Commercial fish- ermen had previously challenged Pacific Sea- food, alleging monopo- listic business practic- es, in a federal antitrust lawsuit that was settled LQ As part of the settle- ment, Pacific Seafood agreed to end its exclu- sive marketing arrange- ment with Ocean Gold when it expires next \HDU The federal court has noted that Pacific Seafood was in negoti- ations to acquire Ocean Gold during the previ- ous lawsuit, but dropped plans after the fishermen moved for a temporary UHVWUDLQLQJRUGHU The Attorney Gener- al’s office, in its brief with the court, said the state “continues to be concerned about the po- tential consolidation of the seafood production PDUNHW “The public interest supports maintaining competition in the mar- ket to best ensure choice and competitive pur- chase prices for fisher- men’s catches, as well as competitive sales prices for the products offered by Pacific Seafood and 2FHDQ*ROG´