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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 2016)
OFF PAGE ONE STANDOFF: Tribe has guaranteed access to the refuge Page 8A East Oregonian Continued from 1A Saturday at the nature preserve in eastern Oregon’s high desert country. Authori- ties have made no attempt to remove them. At a community meeting attended by hundreds of people in Burns on Wednesday evening, cheers erupted when Harney County Sheriff David Ward said it was time for the group at the refuge to “pick up and go home.” “We can work through it like adults, peacefully, with a united front,” Ward said. The standoff in rural Oregon is a continuation of a long-running dispute over federal policies covering the use of public lands, including grazing. The federal government controls about half of all land in the West. For example, it owns 53 percent of Oregon, 85 percent of Nevada and 66 percent of Utah, according to the Congressional Research Service. The Bundy family is their presence at refuge. Jarvis Kennedy, a tribal council member, said: “We don’t need these guys here. They need to go home and get out of here.” Randy Eardley, a Bureau of Land Management spokesman, said Bundy’s call for control of the land to be transferred makes no sense. “It is frustrating when I hear the demand that we AP Photo/Rick Bowmer return the land to the people, Residents raise their hands as Harney County Sheriff because it is in the people’s David Ward addresses their concerns at a community hand — the people own it,” meeting at the Harney County fairgrounds Wednesday Eardley said. “Everybody in in Burns. the United States owns that among many people in the Among those groups are land. ... We manage it the best we can for its owners, :HVWZKRFRQWHQGORFDORI¿- Native Americans. cials could do a better job of The Burns Paiute tribe the people, and whether it’s managing public lands than has guaranteed access to the for recreating, for grazing, the federal government. refuge for activities that are for energy and mineral devel- “It is our goal to get the important to their culture, opment.” Bundy’s group, calling logger back to logging, the including gathering a plant rancher back to ranching,” used for making traditional itself Citizens for Constitu- Ammon Bundy said Tuesday. baskets and seeds that are tional Freedom, says it wants The argument is rejected used for making bread. The an inquiry into whether by those who say the WULEH DOVR KXQWV DQG ¿VKHV the government is forcing ranchers off their land after U.S. government is better there. equipped to manage public Rodrique said the armed Dwight Hammond and his lands for all those who want occupiers are “desecrating son, Steven, reported back to to make use of them. one of our sacred sites” with prison Monday. STOVES: 8QFHUWL¿HGVWRYHVSURGXFHWLPHVDVPXFKSROOXWLRQDVFHUWL¿HG program’s launch in 1991 until 2007, but wood smoke of the program. An inven- still causes respiratory tory back in the mid-’90s distress when the air is cold revealed that approximately and stagnant. Commission XQFHUWL¿HG VWRYHV member Robert Maranville existed within Pendleton’s is a respiratory therapist urban growth boundary. at St. Anthony Hospital. “We think there are at During a recent inversion, he least 400 stoves left out treated a stream of people for there,” Klaus said. breathing issues. The uncertainty comes “We had some bad air because not everyone who quality days and I was JRWULGRIDQLQHI¿FLHQWVWRYH extraordinarily busy over applied for a no-interest loan. the weekend,” Maranville Oregon regulation requires said. “The ER was busy with removal and destruction of multiple patients having XQFHUWL¿HG VWRYHV DQG ¿UH- breathing problems.” place inserts before a home Those who aren’t sure can be bought or sold. Some whether their stoves meet of those sellers didn’t access emission standards can look the program. for a sticker on their stove DeBolt said wood smoke emblazoned with the name FRQWDLQV ¿QH SDUWLFXODWHV of either the Environmental that can get into people’s Protection Agency or the respiratory systems and Oregon Department of Envi- aggravate lung diseases ronmental Quality. such as asthma and trigger To nail down just how lung infections. Children, many stoves remain in teenagers, older adults and Pendleton, the city recently people with chronic lung launched a survey on its and heart disease are most website. Residents of Pend- vulnerable. leton and the surrounding Hoehna produced a graph DUHD DUH HQFRXUDJHG WR ¿OO that shows particulate matter out a short questionnaire. steadily decreasing since the The answers will give the Continued from 1A commission an idea of how many stoves remain within city limits or lurk just outside town. The commission welcomes responses for people outside the growth boundary because the city is considering geographically expanding the program. Each stove removed is a victory, said Oregon DEQ Air Quality Specialist Larry Calkins, who is based in Pendleton and advises the commission. ³(DFK XQFHUWL¿HG VWRYH that comes out of a home will EHQH¿W DLU TXDOLW\´ &DONLQV said. “On poor ventilation days, smoke in the air stays right at the ground’s surface where people breathe.” $Q XQFHUWL¿HG VWRYH produces 11 times as much SROOXWLRQDVDFHUWL¿HGVWRYH he said. Calkins applauded the city for offering the loans. “Pendleton is pretty unique in Oregon,” he said. “I’ve been trying to push Pendleton’s program to other areas of the state.” The city council approved $20,000 for this year’s SURJUDP ² WKDW¶V ¿YH possible replacements. Here’s the way the program works: Go to the city’s building department and apply. Select a replace- ment heating system from a city-approved list. Select a contractor. Meet all permit and inspection requirements. 3URYLGHUHFHLSWVDQGDFHUWL¿- cate from Pendleton Sanitary Service that the stove was disposed of properly. The to-do list sounds grueling, but is fairly simple, said Hoehna. The contractor generally hauls away the old stove and secures the certif- icate. Pendleton Sanitary Service recycles the metal. Maranville encouraged those don’t think their stove doesn’t make that much difference in air quality. “You might think it’s just one little stove,” he said, “but when everybody does it, it has a big effect.” To take the city’s Wood Stove Utilization Survey, go to www.pendleton.or.us and look for the survey under News & Announcements. ——— Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@eastoregonian.com or call 541-966-0810. DEPOT: Environmental study of land nearing public comment phase GH¿QLWLRQV IRU GHHGV LV ³ percent done.” But the water though, he could not say. The requires what he dubbed “an Army makes sure to cross Oregon solution.” every “t,” Smith said, and The military wanted the he works to answer all the Oregon National Guard on questions or concerns the the site to have 80 percent feds have. of the water rights, Smith The land is at the inter- said, and the Columbia sections of Interstate 84, Development Authority Interstate 82 and the Union would have the remaining 20 3DFL¿F 5DLOURDG 6PLWK VDLG percent. Smith said without the location is prime for water there will not be much industrial development. The developing. authority wants the land Rather than haggle with clean, free of charge and with Washington, he said he asked an adequate water supply. the National Guard about the The environmental study water, and the guard would of the land is nearing the be good with 20 percent. public comment phase, he Smith said he has a meeting said, and a surveying for legal next week with the Guard to Continued from 1A hash out water distribution. The basic layout would provide the Guard with 20 percent, the CDA with 80 percent and an agreement to provide more to the Guard if needed. Smith said when the land comes under local control he would have more freedom to ramp up recruiting businesses to the site. The interest, he said, is there. “I’ve had several real leads, very legitimate leads, some of these are Fortune 500 companies,” he said. “Others are alternative energy companies, primarily in the solar sector.” Some prominent local KITZHABER: Donations were unusual in their size, concentration co-founder Phil Knight and its CEO Mark Parker, as well the means at my disposal to as four members of the UO GHOLYHU WKH ¿QDQFLDO VXSSRUW Board of Trustees. needed for the champion- The donations came at ships” in a video message he a busy time in Kitzhaber’s sent — along with then-Sec- 2014 re-election bid: Other retary of State Kate Brown money was pouring in as — with TrackTown’s team to the November election the International Association approached. But the donations of Athletics Federations bid were unusual in their size and meeting in Monaco in late concentration, and because November. many of the donors had not )RU WKH ¿UVW WLPH LQ WKDW given to Kitzhaber in at least video, Kitzhaber endorsed a the past decade for which VSHFL¿FDPRXQWWKHIXOO Oregon keeps disclosures million. Getting the governor online. to publicly state the $40 Knight, who donated million was a priority for $250,000, had not personally TrackTown, Porter’s emails given to Kitzhaber in that show. time. A registered Republican, What happened between he backed Kitzhaber’s GOP Kitzhaber’s initial resistance opponent, Chris Dudley, in and his endorsement? His 2010 with $400,000. Parker’s campaign coffers were GRQDWLRQZDVKLV¿UVW swamped with donations to a state politician. Nike’s from people who want the $65,000 to Kitzhaber during track world championships those 42 days dwarfed the held at the UO’s Hayward $22,500 it gave to him during Field. the entire 2010 election cycle. The emails show that Among the UO trustees, Kitzhaber’s apparent reversal Chuck Lillis, the board coincided with almost chairman and an infrequent $400,000 in campaign contri- political donor, gave $10,000 butions he received during a to Kitzhaber. He and his 42-day period in September wife contributed $1,000 to and October 2014 from Kitzhaber in 2010. Connie athletic apparel giant Nike, its %DOOPHUJDYHKHU¿UVW Continued from 1A political donation in Oregon. Allyn Ford gave $5,000 and Joe Gonyea III gave $2,500, though both trustees are much more frequent political donors. The donations came at a crucial time for Kitzhaber. Polling showed that he had a big lead over his GOP chal- lenger, Dennis Richardson, when the donations started, but his campaign was rocked in early October by allegations of ethics violations related WRKLV¿DQFHH&\OYLD+D\HV which ultimately led to his February 2015 resignation. In recent weeks, Track- Town and Lananna have found themselves defending the IAAF’s April 2015 decision to award the 2021 championships to Eugene without a formal bidding process, after the IAAF awarded the 2019 event to Doha. French police are investigating alleged bribery in the IAAF, and the Eugene award itself. The revelation that Sebastian Coe, the new IAAF president, had been for years receiving undisclosed annual payments of $150,000 IURP1LNHDSRWHQWLDOFRQÀLFW of interest, have sent shock- waves through the sport. businesses also have expressed interest in moving or setting up new operations on the depot lands. And Smith said he sees a way the development authority could help schools DQG QRQSUR¿WV 7KH GHSRW EXLOGLQJV DUH ¿OOHG ZLWK TXDOLW\ RI¿FH IXUQLWXUH WKH Army left behind. “Literally, they just walked away from it,” he said. “There’s like 300 desks out there, brand new.” Once the CDA is in charge, he said, he would like WR ¿QG D ZD\ WR KDYH ORFDO VFKRROVDQGVRPHQRQSUR¿WV EHQH¿WIURPWKHIXUQLWXUHDQG equipment. Thursday, January 7, 2016 Whose land is it? What do outdoor enthusiasts say? The open spaces of the BOISE, Idaho — An West have miles of streams armed group occupying the WR¿VKWUDLOVWRKLNHPRXQ- headquarters of a national tains to climb and areas to wildlife refuge in Oregon traverse on snowmobiles. recreationists’ wants the federal govern- Among ment to relinquish about biggest fears is being shut 300 square miles to local out. In northern Idaho, resi- control so it can be opened up for ranching, mining, dents so far have torpedoed a proposed land swap logging and other uses. Birders covet the same between a timber company land for its many migrating and the U.S. Forest Service species that use refuge over concerns about losing marshland as a key resting access to part of a national place. Anglers, hunters and forest. What does the govern- wildlife watchers also are drawn to the high desert ment say? U.S. agencies manage terrain. The competition most of the public land between the different and try to balance the interests is emblematic of a different interests, but much larger struggle in the they frequently become West, playing out in federal lightning rods with their courts, state legislatures decisions challenged in court. and Congress. Employees of the At its core, the dispute comes down to personal Forest Service, Bureau of values: Recreationists’ and Land Management, Fish environmentalists’ views and Wildlife Service, and on open spaces clash with National Park Service traditional uses that have WHQGWRKDYHDQDI¿QLW\IRU sustained rural communi- open spaces and a belief in public service, said John ties for generations. Freemuth, a Boise State What’s at stake? About a million square University professor and miles of public land public lands expert. Who’s the heavy- managed by the federal government, mostly in weight? Congress. U.S. the West, according to the Congressional Research lawmakers could turn over federal lands to local Service. What do business control, but state efforts so far have failed. interests say? A strategy has emerged Many of those who depend on the land for in recent years in which their livelihood argue that members of Congress slip wildlife holds more weight land-use amendments into than people. They some- critical budget bills. For times frame their outlook example, U.S. Rep. Mike in patriotic or religious Simpson, R-Idaho, and U.S. terms and say federal land Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mon- managers who impose tana, attached a so-called limits are shutting down rider in 2011 that stripped lumber mills, cutting off federal protections for gray cattle grazing, preventing wolves in their states. As a result, environ- mining and destroying a way of life in the rural mental groups have become increasingly watchful. But West. They say that could be their push to weaken the solved by turning public 1872 mining law has failed, lands over to locals who as have industry efforts to would be better caretakers weaken the Endangered Species Act. than far-off bureaucrats. Is compromise They do have some protections, including an possible? Yes. After more than a 1872 mining law that still offers miners low-cost decade of effort, Simpson this summer shepherded access to federal land. Congress a What do environmen- through compromise bill that talists say? Many environmental created a 430-square-mile groups say mining, logging federal wilderness in some and ranching have run of central Idaho’s most roughshod for decades on pristine country. It limits public land and left a legacy development in some areas of pollution for taxpayers but opens it up in others. It got help passing after to clean up. They say the industries have wiped out President Barack Obama old-growth forests and signaled that the area would overgrazed landscapes be designated a national made vulnerable to inva- monument if the bill stalled. In another compromise, sive species. C o n s e r v a t i o n i s t s federal land critics and DFFXVH IHGHUDO RI¿FLDOV RI ranchers supported an order allowing the practices that by Interior Secretary Sally have scarred the West and Jewell last year that aimed failing to enforce laws. The WRVWRSZLOG¿UHV Republican Idaho Gov. most widely recognized is the Endangered Species C.L. “Butch” Otter, a critic Act, famously used to of federal land policy, has OLPLWORJJLQJLQWKH3DFL¿F praised the order. So have Northwest to protect ranchers, who partnered forests that are home to ZLWKIHGHUDO¿UH¿JKWHUVLQD spotted owls and marbled plan to respond quickly to blazes. murrelets. By KEITH RIDLER Associated Press
