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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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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-
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ist wolves, effectively neutralizing
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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.
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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
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would require genetically sarily alarm consumers about a special session.
The Oregon Farm Bureau cacy group.
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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
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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-
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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.
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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
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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
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ing indictment with additional
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American Indian artifacts and
other evidence.
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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
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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.
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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
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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-
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Defense lawyers and their
investigators plan to visit the ref-
uge Thursday and Friday, their
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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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