NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
AG: Wolf delisting
bill likely moots case
Brown signs bond bill to
pay for capitol renovations
By KRISTENA HANSEN
Associated Press
By HILLARY BORRUD
Capital Bureau
SALEM — The Oregon Capitol
is on track to receive a $50 million
renovation, after Gov. Kate Brown
signed legislation Tuesday to pay for
much of the project by issuing bonds.
The project is a win for Senate Pres-
ident Peter Courtney, D-Salem, who
tried unsuccessfully last year to gain
passage of a $337 million overhaul
of the Depression-era building that
ZRXOGKDYHLQFOXGHGDVHLVPLFUHWUR¿W
to help it withstand an earthquake.
The scaled-down version approved
by lawmakers earlier this month
would not protect the capitol against
an earthquake, although elements of
the project would lay the foundation
IRUDIXWXUHVHLVPLFUHWUR¿W
Relatively little of the project cost
is related to the security upgrades
Courtney cited as a top priority,
after protesters who wanted a higher
minimum wage caused at ruckus
at the capitol in February. During a
press conference earlier this month,
Courtney described the capitol as a
dangerous place for women and chil-
dren due to structural problems and a
lack of security.
Spending authority and $30 million
in bonds for the project were included
in two bills that the Legislature passed
in the waning days of the session early
this month.
The state already sank $23.8
million into the capitol renovation
project in order to plan the initial
larger project, legislative administrator
Kevin Hayden said in an interview
earlier this month. The Legislature
did not release a detailed spending
plan until Feb. 29, the day before the
state House voted on the legislation to
partially pay for it.
It was not clear where lawmakers
will get the additional $20 million to
cover the project cost.
The latest plan calls for the state to
build two new vaults under the capitol
to house electrical and mechanical
equipment, including a new boiler to
replace a system that failed in the fall.
The vaults account for a third
of the project cost and could house
VHLVPLFUHWUR¿WV\VWHPVLIODZPDNHUV
decide to move ahead with that plan
in the future. A legislative document
describes each vault as “a cornerstone
for the future seismic base isolation of
the capitol.”
Other large-ticket items in the
project range from adding two
entrances accessible to people who
use walkers or wheel chairs — only
one entrance is currently accessible
Paris Achen/Pamplin Media Group
The governor has signed a bill that provides for the sale of $50
million in bonds to pay for renovations to the Oregon State Capitol.
— to replacing leaky skylights and
caulking around all of the marble on
the exterior of the building. Hayden
said the state discovered the extent
of leaks in the existing caulking and
sealant around the marble three years
ago, when workers pressure washed
the building.
There is also $4.9 million iden-
WL¿HG IRU PLVFHOODQHRXV ³EXLOGLQJ
system modernization” work that
would supposedly be selected from
the earlier renovation plan.
Architects hired by the state esti-
mated it would cost just $143,000 to
PRYH WKH 2UHJRQ 6WDWH 3ROLFH RI¿FH
IURPWKHEDVHPHQWWRWKH¿UVWÀRRURI
the capitol, a change that Courtney has
described as a top priority to improve
security.
Hayden said other work, such as
remodeling entrances and moving
FHUWDLQVWDWHRI¿FHVZLOOIUHHXSVSDFH
if the state decides to implement metal
detectors and bag searches in the
future. “But there isn’t a plan to do
that immediately,” Hayden said.
At the March 3 press conference,
Courtney said the Oregon State
Police recently completed a report
that revealed it would be simple for
intruders to gain access to the building
after hours, when the doors are closed
to people without security badges.
Courtney said the potential for
outsiders to gain access to the Capitol
was especially worrying for women.
“This report, my wife read this and
said, ‘I’m not going back in the capitol
again,’” Courtney said during a press
conference with reporters at the end
of the legislative session in early
March. “My staff read it and said,
‘I’m a woman, I’m not coming back
in this capitol at night’ ... And it was
alarming. They actually demonstrated
how you can get into this building.
You would not believe how easy it is
to get into this building.”
However, Courtney said he would
not release the state policy report
on capitol security problems. “Go
ahead and ask for a public record,”
Courtney said. “But you’re not getting
the report. Because I don’t want this
falling into the hands of some really
bad people who can use it .”
The only vocal opponent of the
renovation plan this year was Senate
Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, R-John
Day, who wanted to scale the project
back to add only one accessible
entrance and move the state police
RI¿FH
Ferrioli said it would be better
for the state to increase the amount
RI ERQG UHYHQXH DYDLODEOH WR UHWUR¿W
public school buildings for earth-
quakes.
“Colleagues, you heard earlier in
this session the $175 million that was
allocated to school seismic upgrades
is far oversubscribed because the
need is much greater than people
anticipated,” Ferrioli said during a
6HQDWH ÀRRU VSHHFK ³6R FROOHDJXHV
dollars are needed. There is a wait list.
Children are at risk.”
Courtney also said he was
concerned about the safety of school
FKLOGUHQVSHFL¿FDOO\WKHEXVORDGVRI
children who visit the capitol.
“This building is in deplorable
condition,” Courtney told reporters.
“It’s a safety threat. It’s a health threat.
And we’re not stepping up.”
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
Didn’t receive your paper?&DOO
EHIRUHQRRQ7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\
RUEHIRUHDP6DWXUGD\
for same-day redelivery
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211
333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211
2I¿FHKRXUV0RQGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\DPWRSP
&ORVHGPDMRUKROLGD\V
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
/RFDOKRPHGHOLYHU\ 6DYLQJVRIIFRYHUSULFH
(=3D\
SHUFHQW
ZHHNV
SHUFHQW
ZHHNV
SHUFHQW
ZHHNV
SHUFHQW
(=3D\ RQH\HDUUDWHZLWKDPRQWKO\FUHGLWRUGHELWFDUGFKHFNFKDUJH
www.eastoregonian.com
To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255
or go online to www.eastoregonian.com
and click on ‘Subscribe’
(DVW2UHJRQLDQ(USPS 164-980)LVSXEOLVKHGGDLO\H[FHSW6XQGD\0RQGD\
DQG'HFE\WKH(20HGLD*URXS6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25
3HULRGLFDOVSRVWDJHSDLGDW3HQGOHWRQ25Postmaster:VHQGDGGUHVVFKDQJHVWR
(DVW2UHJRQLDQ6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25
Plenty of sunshine
Abundant
sunshine
63° 39°
66° 43°
A shower in the
afternoon
Pleasant with
clouds and sun
71° 47°
71° 46°
68° 46°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
70° 40°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
59°
58°
80° (2004)
32°
37°
18° (1954)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
Trace
1.49"
1.34"
3.86"
2.74"
3.89"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
66°
61°
80° (1994)
28°
37°
12° (1954)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
1.21"
0.83"
2.70"
1.52"
3.10"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Last
New
Mar 31
Apr 7
6:39 a.m.
7:21 p.m.
1:21 a.m.
11:02 a.m.
First
Full
Apr 13
75° 45°
74° 44°
73° 42°
Seattle
66/46
ALMANAC
Apr 21
Multimedia consultants
7HUUL%ULJJV
WEULJJV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
-HDQQH-HZHWW
MMHZHWW#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
6WHSKDQLH1HZVRP
VQHZVRP#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
'D\OH6WLQVRQ
GVWLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News:
HPDLOFRPPXQLW\#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUFDOO7DPP\0DOJHVLQL
LQ+HUPLVWRQDWRU5HQHH6WUXWKHUVLQ3HQGOHWRQDW
To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries:
HPDLOUVWUXWKHUV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUYLVLWZZZHDVWRUHJRQLDQ
FRPFRPPXQLW\DQQRXQFHPHQWV
To submit a Letter to the Editor:PDLOWR0DQDJLQJ(GLWRU'DQLHO
:DWWHQEXUJHU6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25RUHPDLO
HGLWRU#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
VSRUWV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
PMHQVHQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
REGIONAL CITIES
Today
SUNDAY
SATURDAY
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
68° 36°
NEWS
To submit news tips and press releases:FDOO
ID[HPDLOQHZV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
Real Estate Advertising: Jodi Snook
MVQRRN#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
FRIDAY
Mild with plenty
of sun
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson
MSHUNLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
Legal Advertising:$PDQGD-DFREV
DMDFREV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
Single copy price:
7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\6DWXUGD\
Forecast
THURSDAY
Corrections
The headline of a story in Tuesday’s East Oregonian mischarac-
WHUL]HGDODZVXLW¿OHGUHFHQWO\E\3RUWODQG*HQHUDO(OHFWULF3*(LV
suing the insurance companies behind a performance bond on the
utility’s 440-megawatt Carty Generating Station south of Boardman.
Infant Savannah Martin of Irrigon died May 28, 2015. The East
Oregonian had an incorrect date in a story in Tuesday’s paper.
The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and sincerely
regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the paper, please call
541-966-0818.
ClassiÀed Advertising:
FODVVL¿HGV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group
TODAY
PORTLAND — Two weeks
after the signing of new legis-
lation that upholds in state law
the delisting of the gray wolf
as endangered, Oregon’s top
attorney has now launched an
effort to end wolf advocates’
lawsuit once and for all.
Attorney General Ellen
5RVHQEOXP ¿OHG D QRWLFH ZLWK
the state appellate court on
Monday, using an attached
copy of the new law, House
%LOO DV MXVWL¿FDWLRQ IRU
why wolf advocates’ complaint
against the state is likely no
longer relevant.
This is what conservative
lawmakers hoped to accomplish
with HB 4040 — among the
most contentious bills of the year
— and what environmentalists
had feared. In December envi-
ronmentalists sued state wildlife
RI¿FLDOV RYHU WKHLU GHFLVLRQ WR
remove the gray wolf from the
state’s Endangered Species Act
list, saying the decision was
premature.
Nothing is settled yet and the
MXGJHZLOOKDYHWKH¿QDOVD\%XW
parties on both sides agree the
situation is gloomy for the wolf
advocates’ case.
“We don’t have a next step
yet,” said Arran Robertson, a
spokesman for Oregon Wild,
adding they’ll be discussing a
game-plan this week with the
other environmentalists that are
part of the suit.
The issue dates back to
November, when the Oregon
Fish and Wildlife Commission
determined the gray wolf’s
population was robust enough
to remove the species from the
state’s endangered list. Oregon
Wild, Cascadia Wildlands and
the Center for Biological Diver-
sity followed with their lawsuit,
arguing the commission used
ÀDZHG VFLHQWL¿F HYLGHQFH DQG
the delisting decision should
Spokane
Wenatchee
61/40
68/45
Tacoma
Moses
67/40
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 69/39
60/38
66/42
68/39
72/40
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
70/41
63/40 Lewiston
69/38
Astoria
62/40
64/45
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
71/45
Pendleton 56/30
The Dalles 68/36
63/39
70/40
La Grande
Salem
60/33
70/42
Albany
Corvallis 68/40
70/42
John Day
61/37
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
66/38
68/42
58/29
Caldwell
Burns
64/36
60/28
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
64
59
58
63
60
56
68
61
68
61
62
60
58
72
63
65
66
69
63
71
60
70
61
57
70
63
72
Lo
45
28
29
45
28
30
42
35
36
37
29
33
29
41
46
45
38
37
39
45
26
42
40
30
43
40
40
W
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
pc
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Thu.
Hi
62
62
65
62
64
60
71
65
70
65
66
63
61
73
61
64
68
72
66
72
67
72
63
62
71
66
74
Lo
44
31
36
46
32
32
44
38
40
40
33
36
33
45
46
46
40
39
43
49
32
44
43
34
46
45
43
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
W
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Hi
70
75
60
54
83
45
51
65
60
76
66
Lo
36
66
43
40
51
35
44
53
37
63
52
W
s
c
s
pc
s
pc
r
s
s
t
pc
Thu.
Hi
78
75
65
54
84
43
47
70
66
75
63
Lo
53
66
50
36
51
35
39
57
39
65
51
W
pc
pc
s
pc
s
sh
r
pc
pc
s
s
WINDS
Medford
72/41
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
62/29
Boardman
Pendleton
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Pleasant today with plenty
of sunshine; warmer in central parts. Clear
tonight.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Mostly sunny
and warmer today. Mainly clear tonight;
cold near the Cascades.
Western Washington: Sunshine today. Clear
tonight. Plenty of sunshine tomorrow.
Eastern Washington: Mostly sunny
today. Mainly clear tonight. Mostly sunny
tomorrow.
Cascades: Brilliant sunshine today; not as
cool. Clear tonight.
Northern California: Mostly sunny today;
not as cold in the interior mountains. Clear
and cool tonight.
Today
Thursday
NNE 4-8
NNW 4-8
VAR 3-6
NW 3-6
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
0
3
5
therefore be independently
re-examined.
That’s where HB 4040 —
backed by the Oregon Cattle-
man’s Association and others
concerned with wolves’ attacks
on livestock — comes into play.
HB 4040 essentially says
the commission did everything
it was supposed to do by law
LQ UHDFKLQJ LWV ¿QDO GHFLVLRQ WR
delist. That’s the very thing wolf
advocates want re-examined,
but with the Legislature’s seal
of approval now established
in state law, their “challenge is
likely moot,” Rosenblum wrote
LQ0RQGD\¶VFRXUW¿OLQJ
5RVHQEOXP¶V ¿OLQJ ²
submitted about a week after
the wildlife commission began
revising its wolf management
plan — stands in contrast to
the way HB 4040 was initially
portrayed at the Legislature in
early February.
In hearings, GOP lawmakers
in the Oregon House repeatedly
denied claims that the intent was
to end the lawsuit.
“Does this basically prevent
litigation? ... and the answer
that I have come up with, or the
DQVZHUWKDW,FRXOG¿QGZDVQR
it doesn’t,” Rep. Greg Baretto, a
Republican who helped sponsor
HB 4040, said during a Feb. 12
+RXVH ÀRRU VHVVLRQ ZKHQ WKH
bill was up for vote.
“They can still have their day
in court. But what this does is it’ll
DOORZ WKH /HJLVODWXUH WR DI¿UP
or agree with this commission,
this Fish and Wildlife Commis-
sion, that has basically approved
delisting, and that is what this
bill does.”
Rep. Chris Gorsek, a Demo-
FUDW ZDV DPRQJ WKH ¿UVW YRFDO
critics, who followed Baretto’s
comments during that February
ÀRRU VHVVLRQ E\ VD\LQJ ³,¶P
concerned that the Legislature is
being asked to step in a process
that could involve any endan-
gered species ... it’s not about
the wolf, it’s about due process.”
5
3
0
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: Showers and severe thunderstorms will extend from the western Gulf
Coast to the Mississippi Valley today. Rain will fall over the Upper Midwest with snow from
the central Rockies to the northern Plains.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 92° in Presidio, Texas
Low 10° in Bridgeport, Calif.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
57
74
53
60
51
76
63
53
74
73
62
65
76
45
63
70
40
50
83
78
66
79
71
64
71
66
Lo
30
62
46
47
35
65
39
42
61
55
56
54
55
25
55
45
30
32
67
69
58
62
45
49
62
49
W
s
pc
s
s
pc
t
pc
s
s
s
sh
pc
t
c
pc
s
sn
r
s
t
pc
pc
t
pc
t
pc
Thur.
Hi
60
71
64
71
48
76
65
64
80
71
62
67
71
42
66
69
45
49
82
79
70
85
60
72
77
70
Lo
34
63
56
61
32
60
42
54
68
54
34
42
47
21
41
43
25
26
69
56
42
66
38
54
47
52
W
pc
t
pc
pc
c
r
s
pc
t
r
r
r
s
pc
r
pc
r
c
pc
t
r
t
pc
s
t
s
Today
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tucson
Washington, DC
Wichita
Hi
72
74
82
57
52
76
79
57
80
72
59
70
51
55
69
45
54
70
69
48
64
64
66
67
64
78
Lo
60
65
73
53
38
61
70
45
45
42
45
52
40
39
51
30
33
45
61
35
54
50
46
43
51
43
W
pc
t
t
sh
r
c
t
s
t
t
s
pc
s
s
s
sn
sf
pc
t
sh
c
pc
s
pc
s
t
Thur.
Hi
76
78
84
56
47
74
80
69
69
56
71
76
61
65
76
43
63
73
69
53
66
65
68
69
72
66
Lo
50
50
76
33
33
52
67
57
41
34
60
54
53
54
63
21
37
48
44
36
57
50
49
45
63
38
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
r
r
pc
sh
c
r
r
pc
s
c
r
s
pc
pc
t
sf
s
s
pc
pc
pc
s
s
s
t
pc
