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3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016 %LOOUDWLI\LQJZROIGHOLVWLQJKHDGVIRUVWDWH6HQDWHYRWH By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Bureau SALEM — The fate of an envi- ronmentalist lawsuit over the removal of wolves from Oregon’s list of endangered species will soon be decided by the state Senate. Under House Bill 4040, the Leg- islature would ratify last year’s deci- VLRQE\VWDWHZLOGOLIHRI¿FLDOVWRGHO- ist wolves, effectively neutralizing D OHJDO FKDOOHQJH ¿OHG E\ VHYHUDO environmental groups in the Oregon Court of Appeals. The Senate will soon vote on HB 4040 having passed a key legislative committee on Tuesday and earlier having passed the House. Proponents of the bill, includ- ing the Oregon Farm Bureau and the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, argue that livestock producers could Environmentalists and animal rights advocates fear the delisting will lead to hunting and argue that the bill will preclude judicial review of whether the delisting decision was based on sound science, which the Legislature should not attempt to answer. State Sen. Chris Edwards, D-Eu- gene, said it’s not unprecedented for lawmakers to weigh in on thorny policy issues instead of having them hashed out during prolonged litigation. “As public policy makers, we do intervene when we believe it’s healthier to resolve a situation rather Courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife OR-3, a 3-year-old male wolf from the Imnaha pack, is shown in this image than let it happen in a courtroom,” he captured from video taken by a state employee in 2011 in Wallowa County. said. Edwards joined two Republi- be excluded from any potential legal regulators, thereby circumventing can colleagues on the Senate Com- settlement between the environmen- the public process in setting wolf mittee on Environment and Natural Resources in voting in favor of the tal plaintiffs and Oregon’s wildlife management policy. 2UHJRQELRWHFK¿VKODEHOLQJELOOGLHV The Center for Food Safety, which supported both versions By MATEUSZ approved by the U.S. Food against local regulations on of the bill, will continue to edu- PERKOWSKI and Drug Administration last genetically engineered crops, cate legislators about genetic which the Legislature approved engineering in anticipation Capital Press year. Critics of the bill argued in 2013 as part of a broader of proposals being revived in SALEM — A bill that that labeling would unneces- package of bills passed during 2017, said Amy van Saun, legal IHOORZ IRU WKH QRQSUR¿W DGYR- would require genetically sarily alarm consumers about a special session. The Oregon Farm Bureau cacy group. HQJLQHHUHG¿VKWREHODEHOHGLQ WKH VDIHW\ RI VXFK ¿VK DQG 7KH ¿VKODEHOLQJ FRPSR- Oregon has died in committee, claimed the bill was premature vigorously opposed reversing but the proposal will likely be because the FDA is still deter- this pre-emption statute, argu- nent may be rendered moot by mining whether federal label- ing it would create a patchwork 2017, depending on federal resurrected next year. House Bill 4122 was ing guidelines for such salmon RI FRQÀLFWLQJ FRXQW\ RUGL- action, said Scott Dahlman, nances across the state. Pro- policy director of Orego- approved 32-27 earlier this are appropriate. State Sen. Laurie Monnes ponents said local control was nians for Food and Shelter, an month by the state House and was referred to the Senate Anderson, the committee’s QHFHVVDU\ GXH WR LQVXI¿FLHQW industry group that opposed Committee on Health Care, chairwoman, said during a regulations on biotech crops at the bill. However, Dahlman said he which did not act on the bill Tuesday hearing that she was the state and federal levels. However, the initial lan- wouldn’t be surprised if the by the Legislature’s Tuesday generally supportive of the bill, but it was “dropped in our lap” guage of the bill was replaced biotech pre-emption issue will deadline. Supporters of the bill said only recently, so there wasn’t ZLWK WKH ¿VKODEHOLQJ SURYL- be raised during the longer leg- it would bolster Oregon’s VXI¿FLHQW WLPH WR GLVFXVV LW sions, which won the approval islative session next year. The Capital Bureau is a col- ¿VKLQJ LQGXVWU\ E\ DOORZLQJ during this year’s short legisla- of Oregon’s salmon industry but continued to face opposi- laboration between EO Media consumers to easily discern tive session. Originally, HB 4122 would tion from biotech supporters Group and Pamplin Media between local wild-caught Group. salmon and a biotech variety have lifted Oregon’s ban and food manufacturers. Bill fails to pass muster in state Senate committee bill, which passed the committee 3-2 and is now headed for a vote on the 6HQDWHÀRRU The two other Democrats on the committee — Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, and Sen. Michael Dem- brow, D-Portland — said they were uncomfortable with lawmakers try- LQJ WR LQÀXHQFH WKH OHJDO SURFHVV from the outset. Prozanski said he would have preferred a bill that would require the Oregon Cattlemen’s Associa- tion and Oregon Farm Bureau to be included in any settlement negotia- tions, rather than render the lawsuit moot. “I’m concerned about us being asked to intervene at this stage in a judicial proceeding,” he said. The Capital Bureau is a collabo- ration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. State spends more than $6.6 million on legal fees for Cover Oregon DOJ does not expect to need additional money for cases Associated Press SALEM — Oregon has paid more than $6.6 million on legal fees in ongoing litigation over the failed Cover Oregon health insur- ance exchange portal. The Statesman Journal reported that documents released to the newspaper by the state Department of Justice show payments as high as $960,900 made between May 2014 and December to attorneys rep- resenting the state. The state and Oracle Inc., the primary tech con- tractor on Cover Oregon, have been engaged in a lengthy, multi-case legal battle over who is responsi- ble for the project’s failure since 2014. Though the $6.6 million figure far exceeds the $2 million the state set aside for the lawsuits, Depart- ment of Justice spokes- woman Kristina Edmunson said Tuesday the agency does not expect to need to ask the Legislature for additional money for the cases. Ammon Bundy, others plead not guilty in Oregon refuge case Some skeptical of federal court By STEVEN DUBOIS Associated Press PORTLAND — Ammon Bundy and another 15 defen- dants pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal con- spiracy charges related to the 41-day occupation of an Ore- gon wildlife refuge. Several of the accused, however, expressed doubt that they enjoy the pre- sumption of innocence. Bundy sat at the main defense table while most of his co-defendants sat in the jury box as they listened to a government prosecutor read the indictment and U.S. District Judge Anna Brown tell them their rights. Brown reminded the defen- dants they are considered inno- cent until proven guilty. One by one, she asked them if they understood. Bundy simply said “yes,” but four co-defendants took the opportunity to express skepticism. ³,W¶V GLI¿FXOW WR XQGHUVWDQG presumption of innocence when I’ve spent the last month in a jail cell and been led around in shackles and chains,” Ryan Payne said. Another, Jason Patrick, told the judge: “You’re the federal government; you’re going to do whatever you want.” The judge tackled several procedural issues during the nearly two-hour hearing, which started with Bundy, sporting a fresh haircut, blowing a kiss toward the Odalis Sharp and her children. The family gos- pel band traveled from Kansas in January to sing at the occu- pation. One daughter, 18-year- old Victoria Sharp, was at the WUDI¿F VWRS LQ ZKLFK DXWKRUL- ties arrested Bundy and fatally shot Arizona rancher LaVoy Finicum. The judge set an April 29 trial date, though that seems likely to change. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight said KH H[SHFWV WR ¿OH D VXSHUVHG- ing indictment with additional FKDUJHVDIWHULQYHVWLJDWRUV¿QLVK H[DPLQLQJ¿UHDUPVHOHFWURQLFV American Indian artifacts and other evidence. +XQWHUHGXFDWLRQFHUWL¿FDWLRQRIIHUHG The classes cover import- and safety; hunt preparation handling and shooting with cer- WL¿HGKXQWHUHGXFDWLRQLQVWUXF- ant issues like hunter ethics and and techniques; survival; and Hunter education oppor- tors. Registering for a class or respect for private landowners; introductory bowhunting. For information, go to wildlife management and iden- tunities are available to get ¿HOGGD\FRVWV The workbook or the online WL¿FDWLRQ ¿UHDUPV KDQGOLQJ http://bit.ly/1Qh5inH FHUWL¿HG EHIRUH VSULQJ WXUNH\ season, which runs from April course must be completed inde- 15 to May 31 statewide, plus a SHQGHQWO\ SULRU WR ¿HOG GD\ youth-only season April 9-10. Field Days are as follows: Hunter education is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 5 at required for all hunters under BKS Sportsmen’s Club, 92411 the age of 18 and encouraged Abbot Road in Knappa; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9, Rainier for adults, too. B ARRY SE ARS, D .C. The Oregon Department of Rod & Gun Club, 28291 Old AU TO ACCIDEN TS Fish and Wildlife offers two Rainier Road in Rainier. W ORK -RELATED IN JU RIES Conventional classes are types of hunter education classes: a traditional class- being held from 6 to 9 p.m. D on ’t dela y! Ca ll toda y! W e bill m ost in su ra n ce room experience or indepen- March 28 and March 30 and com pa n ies in clu din g M edica re dent study, which kids can April 4 and 6 at the Rainer Rod do from home via workbook & Gun Club. 5 03 - 3 25 - 3 3 11 2935 M ARIN E DR • AS TORIA or online course. Both meth- ods take about 12 hours to complete. Independent study students can take one of three online courses or request a free work- book by emailing odfw.info@ Trusted, Caring and Affordable Dental Care state.or.us. Fees range from $13 to $29 and include mobile- friendly options. Independent study students must also sign XSIRUDQGFRPSOHWHD¿HOGGD\ ZKHUHWKH\SUDFWLFHVDIH¿UHDUP The Daily Astorian Brown warned Knight to make it snappy, saying the accused deserve a right to a speedy trial — not one in 2017. She also pressed prosecutors to start turning over FBI reports and evidentiary material to defense attorneys and their clients. “They’ve been in custody for weeks. They need information,” Brown said. She told prosecu- tors to produce at least some dis- covery material by March 4. A total of 25 people are charged in connection with the takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which began Jan. 2 and lasted until Feb. 11. The occupiers wanted the U.S. government to relin- quish public lands to locals and free two Oregon ranchers who they say were wrongly impris- RQHGIRUVHWWLQJ¿UHV Defense lawyers and their investigators plan to visit the ref- uge Thursday and Friday, their ¿UVWORRNDWWKHVFHQH7KHMXGJH denied Bundy’s request to tag along with his attorneys. One of the defendants, Ken- neth Medenbach, told the judge he plans to serve as his own law- yer and made a motion to have his case dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Brown scheduled a hearing for next week to go over those issues. 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