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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 2015)
OPINION 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 GUEST COLUMN Getting better set for the ‘Big One’ Founded in 1873 STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager End the silence D Astoria City Council vote on LNG will be timely uring the last decade of his mayoralty, Willis Van Dusen took no stand on the matter of liTue¿ed natural gas ² at SrosSec- tiYe sites uSriYer at %radZood or doZnriYer on the 6kiSanon While the &latsoS &ounty %oard of &ommissioners Zas consumed Zith diYisiYe /1* Solitics and county voters in three elections reg- istered their disaSSroval of the /1* SroMects, the silence of the $storia City Council has been curious at best, irresSonsible at Zorst 7hat is about to change $s Derrick De3ledge reSorted 7uesday, the council Zill take uS a resolution to register its disaSSroval of 2regon /1*¶s SroSosed facility 0ayor $rline /a0ear and City Councilor Cindy 3rice hoSe a council vote Zill motivate 2regon *ov .ate %roZn and 86 6en 5on Wyden to oSenly oSSose the SroMect 2regon /1*¶s foothold on the 6kiSanon is 3eter *earin¶s bad Moke on our county ² the gift that keeSs on giving $s e[ecutive director of the 3ort of $storia in , *earin signed a lease ² folloZing negligi- ble Sublic notice and discussion ² that does not reZard the 3ort, Zhile it has condemned our county to a decade of acrimony Economic colonialism is the best Zay to understand the Sredatory inter- ests of the CalSine CorS and its succes- sor, 2regon /1* 7he mega-SroMects of %ig Energy use the natural resources of a community or region to send vast amounts of money to corSorate head- Tuarters in faraZay states ,n general, the communities of ClatsoS County are negligible in these comSanies¶ eyes ,t is no secret that the real Sro¿t in this /1* terminal ² for CalSine and noZ for 2regon /1* ² is to ÀiS it $storia Councilor 5uss Warr Zill likely be casting the only ³no´ vote +e faults oSSosition to the /1* Slant for not being science-based 2f course, councilors are not scien- tists Councilors reSresent $storia citi]ens ,t is an easy surmise that a large maMority of Warr¶s constituents strongly oSSose the facility De3ledge also reSorted that ³Warr believes many oSSonents simSly µthink it¶s going to look ugly¶´ Warr is right about that $n /1* facility on the 6kiSanon Zould dramatically degrade the aesthetic of the entrance to the Columbia 5iver 7o say ³no´ to an /1* terminal is to reMect the boom-and-bust eco- nomics and environmental degra- dation that are the comSanions of %ig Energy ,t is no secret that the Zay a comSany like 2regon /1* makes money off this is to ÀiS the SroMect ,t is e[cellent that 0ayor /a0ear is scheduling this vote ,t¶s time to end the silence in City +all $ll eyes on the canaries ‘C anary in a coal mine” is a dat- ed allusion that increasingly reTuires e[Slanation in a Zorld in Zhich underground coal mining is declining ,t may be that the Shrase ³6eabirds dying on the beach” Zill come to reSlace it Canaries are famously sensitive to small concentrations of to[ic meth- ane and other gases that accumulate in coal mine tunnels, so they used to serve as living alarm systems When they fell off their cage Serches, miners kneZ they needed to evacuate imme- diately or risk death themselves 6eabirds are in nearly constant contact Zith the marine environment, sSending an average of Sercent of their lives on the Zater +ere along the rim of the 3aci¿c 2cean, they are encountering a variety of conditions unlike Zhat they have evolved Zith ³7he %lob,” a Seculiarly Zarm Satch of seaZater along hundreds of miles of the ocean-land interface from $laska to 1orthern California, has brought changes in Zeather Satterns, microscoSic life and the entire food chain 3robably related to this Zarm Zater, there is an unSrecedented bloom of algae that sometimes Sro- duces a Sotent to[in deadly to birds and mammals 3lastic contamination groZs as a Sroblem ² both in the form of familiar maritime litter and micro-Sellets that are Zidely used in everything from toothSaste to hand soaS The ocean is intrinsically haz- ardous and there¶s alZays been a lot of bird mortality %ut there noZ is more than normal The latest bad neZs on this subMect from the 1orth 3aci¿c is outlined in an $ug sto- ry on 1ational 3ublic 5adio, ³,n the stomach of a seabird, a glimSse of an ocean heating uS” tinyurlcom 6eabird6toryon135 5esearch outlined in this story shoZ maMor shifts in diet for sea- birds, along Zith Slenty of Slastic they ingest along the Zay The $rctic is changing faster than anyZhere else on earth as the oceans and atmo- sShere Zarm This hasn¶t yet throZn $leutian ,slands seabirds into crisis mode ² birds are adaStable and seabirds are more mobile than most %ut seabird SoSulations have been on a decline for a number of years Troubling die-offs can take big bites out sSecies in Must a season Here at the mouth of the Columbia, far to the south of the $leutians but on the edge of closely interlinked ocean habitats, seabird deaths and ailments are a continuing source of concern The Daily Astorian’s recent Friday E[tra feature on the Wildlife Center of the 1orth Coast Srovided readers Zith a behind-the-scenes glimSse of the rescuers Zho try to nurse birds back to health after they are found dying on beaches in ClatsoS and 3aci¿c counties 2ften, they are starving young birds unable to Sros- Ser in local Zaters that ebb and ÀoZ in terms of available nutrients 2ther individuals are tangled in ¿shing line or have sZalloZed Slastic, making it dif¿cult to digest actual food Common murres have been among the center¶s most common Satients ² about last year, Zith an e[Sectation of that many again this year Dead and dying murres and other small seabirds sometime dotted local beaches, Zith individuals every feZ feet ² a disturbing clue about an unforgiving environment The Wildlife Center deserves a lot of Sraise and suSSort for its efforts to alleviate suffering among birds that are victims of an ocean that can al- Zays be deadly, and is made even more so by human actions 0ore volunteer suSSort and funding are Zarranted for the center and related efforts elseZhere %eyond this, ongoing monitoring and research are essential to under- stand Zhat seabird mortality can tell us about all that is haSSening off our shores %ird deaths can serve as an irreSlaceable gauge of ocean condi- tions 2ld coal miners kneZ they had to keeS an eye on their canaries We Zould be foolish to ignore emerging trends for seabirds We, too, deSend on healthy oceans By U.S. REP. SUZANNE BONAMICI A lot of SeoSle read ³The 5eally %ig 2ne,” .athryn 6chulz¶s 1eZ <orker article about the Cascadia earthquake and tsunami that are forecast to strike the 3aci¿c 1orthZest The article caused shockZaves of its oZn across our region The information is not neZ to most of us here at home, but the viv- id descriStion of the risk to lives and the regional economy has generated a really big amount of an[iety in 2regon ,t¶s alarming to read that the largest natural disaster to hit 1orth Erick Bengel/The Daily Astorian File $merica might haSSen right here at home %ut as a laZmaker, , am also U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., explains the importance of in- deeSly concerned about the article¶s vesting in tsunami preparation to the fun run participants in October. reminder that Ze are noZhere as Taking measures now, she said, will not only help to ensure that SreSared as Ze can and should be more people survive, it will make it easier for cities to rebuild after given hoZ much Ze knoZ about the disaster. this threat ,n the article, 268 earthquake e[Sert Chris *old¿nger Sassed several resilience-building session Zas my biSartisan Tsunami discusses the groZing gaS betZeen bills, including Srovisions for seis- Warning, 5esearch and Education Zhat Ze knoZ and Zhat Ze should mic rehabilitation of schools and $ct 2nce it Sasses the 6enate, this other critical infrastructure $ct Zill suSSort 12$$¶s tsunami do about it The state is making Srogress, but research and community-sSecific , have made closing this gaS a the federal gov- outreach and resilience activities Sriority in my ernment can and ,t¶s a good start, but only a small Zork in Con- should do much Sart of a long list of research and gress ,¶ve suS- We can start more FE0$ outreach needs Sorted additional research, advo- and the 1ation- /ocal and state governments also by providing cated for federal al 2ceanic and need resources to assess, Slan, and investment in $ t m o s S h e r i c resSond to a Cascadia earthquake federal funding $dministration resilience, and $t an imSlementation meeting for raised aZareness for research and are engaged the 2regon 5esilience 3lan last among my col- in earthquake year, Ze discussed the imSortance development. and tsunami re- of Slanning and resSonse training leagues in Con- gress %ut there search and edu- for communities The disruStion to is still Zork to cation, but these transSortation and communications be done efforts are not nearly enough 2re- systems Zill likely mean that many 0any 2regon communities are gonians face the comSlicated task communities, Sarticularly in rural already taking action For e[amSle, of needing to SreSare for an event areas, Zill be cut off from relief ser- Cannon %each set uS cache sites in on a scale not e[Serienced in more vices Communities need to be able evacuation areas Zhere residents than years 8nfortunately, fed- to react and resSond so SeoSle are can store food, Zater, and suSSlies eral funding for hazard mitigation safely evacuated, able to shelter in in barrels /ast year, , SarticiSated and resilience is generally limited Slace, and endure Zinter Zeather, in their 5ace the Wave . Zalkrun, to events that have already occurred ¿re, medical emergencies, or food Zhich folloZed the tsunami evacu- and caused damage, like Hurricane and Zater shortages The scoSe of Zhat Ze face can ation route from the beach to the .atrina or 6uSerstorm 6andy This cache site so residents and visitors tendency to be reactive rather than seem overZhelming, but it is not are familiar Zith the route Sroactive is shortsighted, and ,¶m insurmountable , Zill continue to $t the state level, 2regon laZ- committed to doing Zhat , can to advocate for SreSaring for a Casca- dia earthquake and tsunami 6mart makers authorized The 2regon 5e- Zork on Srevention silience 3lan This comSrehensive We can start by Sroviding fed- investments noZ Zill save lives, Slan recommends Solicies to Sro- eral funding for research and de- SroSerty, and money later, and Zill tect lives and the economy during veloSment The 86 *eological helS the regional economy recover and after a Cascadia event 2regon 6urvey Must aZarded million to faster -oin me in building on this Emergency 0anagement is Zorking universities in the 3acific 1orth- momentum toZard a more resilient Zith FE0$ on Cascadia 5ising, an Zest and California for an earth- future for 2regon and the 3aci¿c earthquake and tsunami function- quake early Zarning system $nd 1orthZest al e[ercise that¶s Slanned for ne[t , am Sleased that one of the first U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, summer $nd the /egislature Must bills the 8 6 House Sassed this D-Ore., represents the 1st District. Examining the Joe Biden delusion tity as Santsuits this season of outsiders 6ome Democratic and insurgents Voters are sour on leaders and oSeratives career Soliticians, and any Soliticians seem Zould desSerately like %iden¶s career in Solitics intent on holding them- an alternative ² an al- ternative, that is, Zith sSans about uninter- selves as far back from us as better general-election ruSted years Sossible, on Sarceling them- SrosSects than a -year- Voters are anti-Wash- ington in Sarticular, and selves out in only the smallest old socialist Zith little suSSort from minorities more than of those and most controlled bits 0artin 2¶0alley hasn¶t years have been sSent in Frank Even as they imSlore us to come through He might the nation¶s caSital, as a Bruni love them and insist that Ze as Zell be an aSSarition senator from DelaZare trust them, they¶re stingy Cagey for all the imSact he¶s made 6ome- and then as the vice Sresident one else is needed Cue the %iden $sSects of his legislative record Coiled are more troubling for him noZ talk 1ot -oe %iden Where others say We Mournalists eagerly amSli- than ever before $s 1icholas Fan- too little, he says too much Where fy it, because nothing imSroves a dos noted in a recent story in The others deSend on e[travagantly narrative like the addition of an es- Times, %iden Sushed for, and later comSensated sZamis to contrive Secially colorful character We dis- croZed about, tough-on-crime leg- their authenticity and coa[ them to- ingenuously Sretend that his favor- islation in the s and s that Zard it, %iden needs helS tamSing ability ratings and other Àattering Sreceded the mass incarceration of doZn his irreSressible self Soll results have the same meaning today That Zould be a Zedge be- HoZ ,¶ve loved Zatching him as corresSonding numbers for Clin- tZeen him and the Democratic 3ar- ty¶s black voters esSecially over his decades in Sublic life ton and %ernie 6anders $nd as 6teve Eder noted in an- HoZ ,¶d hate to see him enter the They don¶t, because he¶s a hySo- Sresidential race and thetical candidate and other recent story in The Times, Sunctuate those years they¶re actual ones, %iden Zas, of necessity, an am- Zith a ¿nal defeat and it¶s the difference bassador for the ¿nancial services The route betZeen a courtshiS industry in DelaZare That hardly %iden, %iden, %iden The drumbeat in its daZn and a mar- Sositions him to Zin the favor of from his sZells, coming from riage in its dusk 2nce liberal Democrats Zho yearn for a someone has really crackdoZn on Wall 6treet all directions, even brain to moved into the house %iden has tZice before Sur- from Dick Cheney his lips is and is leaving dirty sued the Democratic nomination He recently did an in the sink, the and never Zon a single state The intervieZ Zith C11, direct and dishes electricity dims and last time, in , he got less than the ¿rst sniSSets of everything drooSs Sercent of the vote in the ,oZa Zhich Zere shoZn on swift. Even Zhile drooS- caucuses and then quickly droSSed 0onday, and offered ing, Clinton holds out %iden the folloZing $nd Zhile much about cir- counsel about ³*o for it” onto a great deal of suSSort, and This is Srobably the most comSel- she stands on the very territory that cumstances and about %iden has ling evidence that %iden shouldn¶t %iden, to get the nomination, Zould changed since then, Zhat hasn¶t, at least not significantly, is the When Cheney itches for an inter- need vention, beZare ³He¶s neither to the left of her, uncorked, uncensored quality that %iden¶s oZn moves, including a Zhere the energy of the Sarty is, nor contributed to his troubles before He rolls his eyes He reaches out scheduled aSSearance ne[t Thurs- is he neZer than her,” one Dem- day on ³The /ate 6hoZ With 6te- ocratic strategist said ³He Ser- Zith his hands He talks and talks, Shen Colbert,” further stoke sSecu- soni¿es neither Srogressivity nor in sentences that sometimes go too lation and hoSes change $nd you need to have one far, Zith Zords that haven¶t been %ut Zhile many Democrats have of the tZo ² Sreferably, both ² to Zeighed as carefully as they could be The route from his brain to his enormous resSect for him and he¶s Zin” done Slenty to deserve it, this isn¶t Clinton¶s familiarity is miti- liSs is direct and sZift 1one of the really about him ,t¶s about Hillary gated by the Sossibility that she¶d usual traf¿c cones there 6ometimes this is enervating Clinton her SresumStuousness, the make history the ¿rst Zoman in Zhole email mess, the sloSSy ad- the White House %iden has nothing 0ostly it¶s endearing For better or Zorse, it¶s not the means to a Sro- ministration of the Clinton Founda- like that going for him tion, the sense that scandals are as He¶s a Srofoundly aZkZard ¿t motion, not for this remarkable man ine[tricable from her Solitical iden- for this strange Solitical moment, at this remarkable time By FRANK BRUNI New York Times News Service M