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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
State Democratic leaders call for Energy Department overhaul
By HILLARY BORRUD
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Democratic
leaders in the state Legislature
announced Wednesday after-
noon they will form a commit-
tee next year to consider wheth-
er to overhaul or eliminate the
state Department of Energy.
State Senate President Pe-
ter Courtney, D-Salem, and
House Speaker Tina Kotek,
D-Portland, issued a joint
statement calling for a “full
and open legislative over-
haul” of the agency. The law-
makers said they will direct
the committee to issue recom-
mendations and legislation for
the full Legislature to take up
in 2017.
“It’s time for the Legis-
lature to bring the problems sues at ODOE. Is it the struc-
at the Department of Energy ture? Is it the purpose? Is it the
into full focus and determine personnel? Is it time for the
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Department of En-
them once and for
ergy to go away?”
all,” Kotek said in
Michael Kaplan,
a written statement.
director of the Ore-
Courtney went
gon Department of
even further in his
Energy, said the agen-
written statement
cy can improve with
Wednesday after-
help from lawmakers.
noon.
“(Department of
“Session after
Energy) staff have
session we have
been working hard
had to address Senate President to move this agency
problems at the Or- Peter Courtney forward, and we be-
egon Department of
lieve we’ll be more
Energy,” Courtney said. “The successful with the Legislature’s
(business energy tax credit) help,” Kaplan said in a written
program has gotten the most statement. “We look forward to
attention, but it’s been more the opportunity to discuss the fu-
than just the BETC. We need ture of energy policy, safety, and
to get to the bottom of the is- siting in the state.”
Republicans have
called for probe
A group of Republican
state lawmakers on
Monday called for
an investigation of
allegations that em-
ployees at the De-
partment of Energy
and
Department
of Revenue vio-
lated state law on
energy tax credits,
Problems go
engaged in favor-
back years
itism and allowed House Speaker
However, prob-
some people to
Tina Kotek
lems at the agency
evade capital gains
tax. The lawmakers outlined go back years, to when staff
the allegations in a letter to lowballed the cost of the
state Attorney General Ellen controversial business ener-
Rosenblum, the state’s U.S. gy tax credit under pressure
Attorney, the FBI, the IRS and from the administration of
Marion County District Attor- then-Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Port of Ilwaco withdraws from CREST
By KATHERYN
HOUGHTON
EO Media Group
ILWACO, Wash. — The
Port of Ilwaco withdrew from
its membership with the Co-
lumbia River Estuary Study
Taskforce because they no
longer used their services, ac-
cording to the port manager.
Manager Guy Glenn noti-
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that the port was removing
their membership on Monday.
CREST is a contracting
organization that focuses on
environmental planning and
habitat restoration. The or-
ganization offers expertise in
project design, funding, man-
agement, implementation and
monitoring.
Glenn said since he began
working at the Port of Ilwaco
in 2012, he can only remem-
ber contracting with CREST’s
services once, when the Port
held a public outreach meet-
ing about updates to the dis-
covery trail in October.
“There are some good peo-
ple in their organization and
we may use their services at
a non-member price in the fu-
ture,” Glenn said.
Congress says, ‘We need your app’
The Daily Astorian
BEAVERTON — U.S. Rep.
Suzanne Bonamici invites lo-
cal high-schoolers to design an
award-winning computer app.
Her district, which in-
cludes Clatsop County, is
again participating in the
annual Congressional App
Challenge. Established by
members of the U.S. House of
Representatives, the contest is
a nationwide event designed
to encourage students to ex-
press their creativity while
participating in Science, Tech-
nology, Engineering, Arts and
Mathematics education. Stu-
dents across the country cre-
‘Creativity leads to
innovation, which we need
to grow our economy...’
— Suzanne Bonamici
U.S. representative
ate and demonstrate an app
for a mobile phone, tablet or
other computer.
“Participating in the Con-
gressional App Challenge
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so students will be engaging
both halves of the brain,” said
Bonamici, D-Ore. “Creativity
leads to innovation, which we
need to grow our economy.
As the co-chair of the Con-
gressional STEAM Caucus, I
see this challenge as a great
opportunity for students to
develop technology while
raising awareness about the
value of educating innovators
and problem solvers.”
Students entering the com-
petition must submit their
app’s source code online be-
fore Jan. 15, as well as pro-
vide a video demonstration
explaining their app and what
they learned through the com-
petition process. Winners will
be announced Feb. 15.
A panel of local experts
will review the submissions.
Winners from each con-
gressional district will be
acknowledged in a district
awards ceremony and fea-
tured on www.house.gov.
There will also be a display in
the U.S. Capitol to honor all
of the district winners.
Learn more at http://ti-
nyurl.com/htkcvf9
Comments invited on statewide trails plan
The Daily Astorian
The Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department is
inviting public comment on
a draft plan for recreational
trails.
Comments will be accept-
ed through Jan. 5.
The plan, Oregon Trails
2015: A Vision For The Fu-
ture, guides public recreation
providers in their manage-
ment of off-highway vehicle
trails, snowmobile trails, trails
for walking, hiking, bicycling
and other non-motorized trail
recreation and water trail pad-
dling routes.
In addition, the plan es-
tablishes a review process for
potential additions to the state
scenic waterway corridor. The
state’s scenic waterways pro-
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selected corridors to balance
protection of natural resourc-
es, scenic value and recreation.
The plan was developed
using public feedback gath-
ered through statistically re-
liable surveys of trail users
and non-motorized boaters,
according to the state.
Staff gathered feedback
and opinions from 7,450
randomly selected residents.
Workshops were held in 14
locations across the state to
gather additional public input
on trails issues and funding
needs.
6WDWHV DUH UHTXLUHG WR GH-
velop a trails plan to be el-
igible for matching federal
grants for trails projects. The
trails plan is used to direct
grant awards for federal-
ly-funded Recreational Trails
Program grants and the state’s
All-Terrain Vehicle grants,
ZKLFK LV ¿QDQFHG E\ QRQUH-
funded gas tax revenue and
ATV permit sales.
Comments can be made
online at http://tinyurl.com/
o3lvfah, or emailed to ter-
ry.bergerson@oregon.gov.
Comments can also be mailed
to Oregon Parks and Recre-
ation Department, 725 Sum-
mer Street NE, Suite C, Sa-
lem, OR 97301-1271, Attn:
Terry Bergerson.
County receives assistance with farms and forests
The Daily Astorian
Clatsop County will re-
ceive technical assistance
from the Oregon Department
of Land Conservation to up-
date farm and forest zoning
laws.
Except for a few minor
changes, the county’s farm
use and forest zones have not
been updated since 1993.
The Clatsop County Board
of Commissioners approved
the agreement Wednesday.
Updating the county’s farm
and forest codes will help the
county address increasingly
popular agritourism activities
such as farm-to-table dinners,
farm stands and classes.
“While these activities are
valued by the greater com-
munity, they impact adjacent
property owners and infra-
structure,” county staff wrote
the Board of Commissioners.
“What’s the right balance for
Clatsop County?”
The county was selected
by the state Department of
Land Conservation to partici-
pate in the project. The project
will create new or amend ex-
isting chapters of the zoning
laws so farm and forest uses
are consistent with state law
and the needs of the county.
There is no cost to the county.
As part of the agreement,
the county formed a farm and
forest advisory committee to
review project materials and
advise on issues throughout
the project.
In other business Wednesday:
• The Board of Commis-
sioners decided on the inter-
view process for county man-
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apply for the position is Dec.
31. Finalists will be decided
by Jan. 13, and invited for a
county tour and reception on
Jan. 28. Interviews will be
held on Jan. 29.
g r andson
Jack Gummow and
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
his mommy & daddy.
N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A
Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500
Terri Haskins Richardson
on Saturday, December 12th
at the Warrenton Community Center
from 1-4 PM
170 SW 3rd St.
Warrenton, OR
Tax credits issued to pro-
vide incentives for renew-
able energy and efficiency
projects could cost the state
$1 billion in tax revenue it
otherwise would have re-
ceived.
Then there was the state
Department of Justice in-
vestigation into whether
the Department of Energy
steered part of a contract
to Cylvia Hayes, who at
the time was the compan-
ion of former Gov. John
Kitzhaber. Hayes’ company
came in last in the bidding,
but she was not accused of
wrongdoing.
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
No remaining
environmental risk
from sunken vessel
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ic County.
The owner of Persistence
reported that there were po-
WESTPORT, Wash. — A tentially 250 gallons of diesel
sunken vessel in Westhaven and 15 gallons of oil on board,
Marina no longer poses and according to the release. When
environmental risk after U.S. WKH\ DUULYHG WR ¿QG WKH YHV-
Coast Guard personnel re- sel submerged at the pier,
moved 500 gallons of oil and responders observed a sheen
water form the vessel’s tanks.
on the water, and placed a
A report of a sinking vessel containment boom around
was received Sunday afternoon, Persistence to prevent any oil
and a vessel from the Grays from spreading.
The fuel tanks on the vessel
Harbor Coast Guard station was
launched in response, according weren’t punctured, and were
to a Coast Guard news release. emptied to prevent any oil
It’s not yet known what caused from potentially spreading into
WKHIRRWFRPPHUFLDO¿VKLQJ the water, Read said.
“Right now our main
vessel Persistence to sink, said
&RDVW*XDUG3HWW\2I¿FHU)LUVW thought process is the mitiga-
tion of any pollution and get-
Class Levi Read.
Personnel from the Coast ting that thing up off the bot-
Guard National Response tom,” he said.
Even with the tanks emp-
Center and the Washington
State Department of Ecology ty, the Coast Guard will leave
responded to the report, the the boom around the vessel to
release said. The marina is lo- prevent any residual oil from
cated just inside Grays Harbor, spreading, he added.
By CYNTHIA
WASHICKO
EO Media Group
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reopens in Willapa Bay
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by the Washington Department
OLYMPIA, Wash. — of Health show toxin levels in
:DVKLQJWRQVWDWHVKHOO¿VKPDQ- Willapa Bay crab are well be-
agers reopened the recreational low health-safety standards.
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Commercial crabbing in
after test results showed the Willapa Bay remains closed.
crab are again safe to eat.
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The Washington Depart- species found in Willapa Bay
ment of Fish and Wildlife — including oysters, hard-
announced the opening last shell clams and mussels —
week after a monthlong clo- VKRZV WKRVH VKHOO¿VK UHPDLQ
sure prompted by elevated safe to eat.
The state continues to
levels of domoic acid.
Domoic acid, a natural tox- test for domoic acid in razor
in produced by certain types of clams along Washington’s
marine algae, can be harmful coastal beaches, where dig-
or even fatal if consumed in ging has been closed this fall.
VXI¿FLHQW TXDQWLWLHV &RRNLQJ Domoic acid tends to remain
or freezing does not destroy in the fat cells of razor clams
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Levels of domoic acid in species. The state will make
Willapa Bay crabs have de- an announcement once toxin
clined over this past month, levels drop to safe levels and
said Dan Ayres, a state coastal digging can begin.
EO Media Group
12 TH AVE. & HWY. 101, SEASIDE, OR
Grandma & Grandpa
Reames are thankful for our
brand new
W A NTED
Please join our family in
celebrating the life of
ney Walter Beglau.
The Department of Energy
came under increased scrutiny
this year after news
reports revealed the
agency
wrongly
awarded millions
of dollars in tax
credits and allowed
people to ignore
state regulations on
energy tax credits.
Friday, December 11th
Roast Pork Dinner
Potatoes Augratin,
Veggie, Apple Sauce
& Salad Bar
4 ‘ til gone! $
8
Saturday,
December 12th
Dance to the
music of DJ
Dave
6pm
ASTORIA AMERICAN LEGION Post 12
11 3 2 E x c h a n g e S t r e e t • 3 2 5 - 5 7 7 1
Kiwanis
Christmas
Trees
on sale
now!
Proceeds go to Kiwanis Club,
YJKEJRWVUMKFUÇTUV
OPEN Monday-Saturday 10-8, Sunday 10-6