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A3 THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2019 SeaWorld publishes decades of orca data to help wild whales By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press SEATTLE — The endan- gered killer whales of the Pacifi c Northwest live very different lives from orcas in captivity. They swim up to 100 miles a day in pursuit of salmon, instead of being fed a steady diet of baitfi sh and multivitamins. Their playful splashing awes and enter- tains kayakers and passen- gers on Washington state ferries instead of paying theme park customers. But the captive whales are nevertheless providing a boon to researchers urgently trying to save wild whales in the Northwest. SeaWorld, which dis- plays orcas at its parks in California, Texas and Flor- ida, has recently published data from thousands of rou- tine blood tests of its killer whales over two decades, revealing the most compre- hensive picture yet of what a healthy whale looks like. The information could guide how and whether scientists intervene to help sick or stranded whales in the wild. “For us, collecting blood from free-ranging killer whales is exceedingly dif- fi cult, so it’s something we would rarely ever do,” said Deborah Fauquier, a veter- inary medical offi cer at the National Marine Fisheries Service. “Having partners that are in the managed-care community that can provide us with blood values from those animals is very useful. It’s giving us a very robust baseline data set that we haven’t had previously for these whales.” The roundup of killer whales for theme-park dis- play in the 1960s and ‘70s was devastating for the Pacifi c Northwest’s resi- dent orcas: At least 13 were killed and 45 kept to awe and entertain paying crowds around the world, accord- ing to the Center for Whale Research on Washington’s San Juan Island. Only one of those orcas survives: Lolita, at the Miami Seaquarium. Washington state eventu- ally sued SeaWorld to stop the hunts. Today, 17 of Sea- World’s 20 whales were born in captivity, including some descended from orcas captured near Iceland; the company hasn’t collected a wild orca in more than 40 years. Under public pressure, it ended its captive breed- ing program and is replac- ing trained orca shows with what it describes as “more educational experiences where guests can still enjoy and marvel at the majesty and power of the whales.” It took decades for the so-called southern resident killer whales, which spend several months every sum- mer and fall in the marine waters between Washington state and Canada, to recover from the hunts. By the mid- 1990s, their population reached 98. Half a century later, the orcas are struggling against different threats: pollution, vessel noise and, most seri- ously, starvation from a dearth of Chinook salmon, their preferred prey. There are just 75 left, and research- ers say they’re on the verge of extinction. Gov. Jay Inslee has pro- posed $1.1 billion in spend- ing to help the whales, with much of the money going toward protecting and restoring salmon habitat. The National Marine Fish- eries Service, also known as NOAA Fisheries, is planning to propose expanded habitat protections this year for the whales’ foraging areas off the Washington, Oregon and California coasts. SeaWorld has also boosted its efforts to help the southern resident orcas, pledging $10 million to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Killer Whale Research and Conservation Program. “Our stance is to do research with our animals to try to help this population now, and that’s what we’re doing,” said Todd Robeck, SeaWorld’s vice president of conservation research. “That’s why I got into what I do — to try to help animals in the wild.” Robeck is one of the lead authors on the review of SeaWorld’s data, which included results of more than 2,800 blood tests on 32 whales from 1993 to 2013. Data from sick and preg- nant whales were excluded to obtain a standard range for blood values, including cholesterol, platelet count, triglycerides and many other metrics. The whales were trained to present the under- side of their tails for the blood draws, which were taken once or twice a month. Housing: HB 2001 is part of a set of bills Kotek is championing Continued from Page A1 Zika said. Rep. Ron Noble, R-Carl- ton, who was part of a work group Kotek con- vened to hone the proposal, described his committee vote as a “courtesy yes.” He thinks the bill is better than it was, but he’s still not sold on idea of the state requiring local governments to loosen their land use rules. “It’s a hammer, as opposed to a carrot,” Noble said. The League of Oregon Cities still isn’t on board either, lobbyist Erin Doyle said, but it does think HB 2001 has improved by giv- ing cities more control and more time to implement changes. Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian In Clatsop County, a housing study concluded many newer homes are not aff ordable for families with an average income. “There’s only so much we can do that we drive our- selves as public agencies — only so much housing that we can build,” Marsh said. “We really need to look at ways that we can be effec- tive in the private realm, in helping people to stay in their homes, upgrade their homes and not lose them.” interest deduction. Keny-Guyer wants to kill the mortgage inter- est deduction for second homes, as well as limit it for the state’s top earners. Set of bills Households with at least HB 2001 is part of a set $200,000 in annual adjusted of bills Kotek is champi- gross income would only be oning. House Bill 2002 is able to claim a portion of the a more technical bill that deduction; those making an aims to preserve subsidized adjusted quarter-million or Money an issue low-income housing. House more wouldn’t be able to Programs cost money, claim it at all. Bill 2003 would compel cities to permit affordable though. Budget-writers in Estimates suggest Keny- housing on residential land the Legislature are already Guyer’s proposal, House that they own. It would also combing through spread- Bill 3349, would raise about require them to create more sheets trying to fi nd sav- $160 million during the detailed reports on their ings, as key Democrats in next biennium. Keny-Guyer housing needs and strategies Salem concede that the state wants that revenue to be will have to make diffi cult spent on affordable housing to address them. Taken together, those decisions to cut existing and homelessness. three bills would spend services, let alone add new “It’s hard for me to more than $4.5 million ones. imagine worse places for out of the state’s general “I think it’s real easy from this money to go than the fund — largely for techni- an advocate standpoint to wealthiest Oregonians,” cal assistance to help local really passionately hone in Keny-Guyer said. “I’m governments with planning on one program or feature,” going to fi ght like the dick- — and authorize up to $25 said Rep. Dan Rayfi eld, ens to have it go to hous- million in lottery bonds for D-Corvallis, who co-chairs ing and the most vulnerable an affordable housing populations.” preservation fund. Republicans, even Kotek’s trilogy of those on Keny-Guyer’s ‘IT’S HARD FOR ME bills have grabbed most committee and sympa- TO IMAGINE WORSE thetic to her cause, are of the attention around housing. But there are skeptical. PLACES FOR THIS other proposals under Zika pointed out consideration. MONEY TO GO THAN that if HB 3349 passes, House Bill 2228, the Legislature could THE WEALTHIEST proposed by Rep. later decide to redirect David Gomberg, those mortgage inter- OREGONIANS. I’M D-Otis, would allo- est deduction savings GOING TO FIGHT cate $2.5 million for — or it could slash the housing-related tech- deduction further, so LIKE THE DICKENS nical assistance from it wouldn’t just affect the state to cities and the 4% of Oregon tax- TO HAVE IT GO TO counties. It’s intended payers with more than HOUSING AND THE to help small and rural $200,000 in adjusted communities, which gross income. Noble MOST VULNERABLE often have just one said if the state does planner on their payroll slap limits on who POPULATIONS.’ or under contract. can claim the mort- Another set of bills State Rep. Alissa gage interest deduc- Keny-Guyer, D-Portland put forward by Rep. tion, he wants them to Pam Marsh, D-Ash- be indexed to infl ation. land, would focus on Conservatives have manufactured homes, which the Ways and Means Com- zeroed in on legislation she describes as “natu- mittee. “But then also — like HB 3349 as an exam- rally occurring affordable looking at what’s the holis- ple of Democrats, who hold housing.” tic sense — if you were to House and Senate superma- “Typically, it’s less fund that, what does that jorities this year, trying to expensive and more acces- take away elsewhere in the tax their way out of a sticky sible to people of lower budget?” situation with the state bud- incomes,” Marsh said. Keny-Guyer said she get. Battle lines are already Marsh’s legislation it’s frustrating to help craft being drawn over a $2 bil- would let people living in an policies that she believes lion tax plan to fund K-12 old mobile home take out a will help Oregonians, only and early childhood educa- state loan to buy a new one, to watch as the Ways and tion; other proposals, like a provide state grants for old Means Committee set them payroll tax to pay for family mobile homes to be hauled aside for lack of money. It’s and medical leave insurance away and disposed, and set happened to her before, and and a sweeping plan to curb up another loan program she hopes this year will be greenhouse gas emissions, intended to keep mobile different. have also earned the scorn home parks open and afford- “The big message that of many business owners, able for residents. I keep hearing this session especially outside the Port- She has also put forward is if you want funding, you land area. House Bill 2802, which have to come up with (reve- Kotek said this week would make up to $13 mil- nue),” Keny-Guyer said. that in the context of those lion available in grants to Her solution: Pare back political fi ghts, she doesn’t help low-income residents what she calls Oregon’s think the Legislature will with major home repairs. largest housing subsidy, a need to limit the mortgage Gomberg, Keny-Guyer and tax break for homeown- interest deduction. Raising ers known as the mortgage taxes would require Demo- Noble are co-sponsors. crats to fl ex their superma- jorities, since 18 senators and 36 representatives must approve for a tax increase to pass. She’s hoping to fi nd money for affordable hous- ing elsewhere in the budget. If the Legislature were to cap the deduction, though, Kotek thinks Keny-Guyer has the right intent. “I think we would have to dedicate it to things that are helping us with our housing crisis,” Kotek said. “Otherwise, I think it would be a hard thing to defend, because I think peo- ple understand the nexus between that particular tax break and fi nding some money to pay for housing.” Legislators already have passed rent control legisla- tion that Gov. Kate Brown signed into law — it did not require supermajority approval — and last week, the governor signed off on another housing-related bill. House Bill 3336 allows Redmond to expand its urban growth boundary to build up to 485 homes. Half of those homes would be for low-income residents. “It’s part of a pilot proj- ect that we did,” Zika said. “Not only will it help Red- mond, I think once this has been implemented and we see that cities can grow affordable housing units, then maybe we can spread it out to all the rest of the cities.” Experimental efforts Legislators could approve other experimen- tal efforts to provide more housing in other areas. Noble’s House Bill 2997 is tailored for McMinn- ville, allowing the city to test a broader form of inclu- sionary zoning than Oregon allows in other cities. If it becomes law, McMinnville could pass an ordinance requiring that within a new development of at least 20 apartments or houses, at least one-fi fth would have to be built and maintained as affordable housing. The bill passed the House last week 51-8. Tom Schauer, McMinn- ville city planner, described the proposal as a pilot proj- ect for his city. Noble said he doesn’t know if it will accomplish much, but he thinks it’s worth a shot. “We need to look at stimulating supply to deal with our long-term housing issues, but we need to come up with something to deal with the short term,” Noble said. “We still have people on the street. We still have people that spend way too much money on housing.” WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 David Shifrin Headliner Friday April 26, 7pm Tickets $20/30/40 Box Office 503-325-5922 x55 www.libertyastoria.org The Classical Series Deborah Mayer With Cary Lewis Saturday May 4th, 7pm Tickets $20/30/40 Box Office 503-325-5922 x55 libertyastoria.org
