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NORTHWEST East Oregonian Page 2A Friday, March 17, 2017 Reversal of Oregon’s Legislators seek ways to make GMO pre-emption debated ODOT more accountable Lawmakers told to give authority over agency director back to commission Opponents argue local restrictions create uncertainty By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Bureau SALEM — Nearly four years after barring local governments from regulating genetically engineered crops, Oregon lawmakers are thinking of reversing that policy. The Oregon Legislature pre-empted all local ordi- nances over seed in 2013 but is now considering House Bill 2469, which would create an exception allowing local restrictions for genetically engineered crops. Critics of the bill worry it will pave the way for outright bans on genetically modified crops, or GMOs, such as the prohibition passed in 2014 by Jackson County voters. Jackson County’s GMO ban was allowed to go forward because the initia- tive was already on the ballot when the state pre-emption policy was enacted. Barry Bushue, presi- dent of the Oregon Farm Bureau, said it’s unfortunate that some people would rather forbid farmers from growing certain crops rather than letting them resolve conflicts with neighbors amicably. “I urge you to reject the notion that one grower should be prioritized by the government over another,” said Bushue said at a March 16 hearing before the House Agriculture Committee. Fewer than 1 percent of organic farmers have reported losing crop value due to GMOs and none of them were in Oregon, Bushue said, citing a nation- wide USDA survey. Also, no growers have taken advantage of a medi- ation program aimed at resolving conflicts among conventional, organic and biotech crops, passed by Oregon lawmakers in 2015, he said. Steve Strauss, an Oregon By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Four former chairmen of the Oregon Transportation Commission said Wednesday that the commission should regain authority over the state trans- portation director. The suggestion was one of a handful the former chairmen gave as ways to enhance accountability for Oregon Department of Transportation projects and contracts. The chairmen were invited to speak with a new subgroup of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation Preservation and Modern- ization. The committee is charged with crafting a transportation package worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Legislative leaders hope to pass the package during the 160-day session, which began Feb. 1 in Salem. About a month ago, the leaders of the transportation package committee asked Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, to lead a team of four other lawmakers to come up with policy recommendations for making ODOT more accountable for the agency’s spending. The group invited the former OTC chairmen Wednesday to gain insight on how to improve account- ability at ODOT. The meeting was initially closed to the public, but Olson allowed a reporter to attend Wednesday. The committee’s four other topic work groups have held public meetings at the Capitol since the beginning of the session. Olson said he initially closed the meetings out of concern that the public eye would discourage frankness, but legislative leaders have committed to keeping the process open and transparent. ODOT has been criticized for its history of projects that have been overdue and over EO Media Group file photo The Oregon Legislature pre-empted all local ordinanc- es over seed in 2013 but is now considering House Bill 2469, which would create an exception allowing local restrictions for genetically engineered crops. State University professor who studies biotechnology, said lawmakers should ask themselves whether they want Oregon agriculture to be known for innovation or for exclusion. Scientists are developing new crops with gene editing, which doesn’t involve transferring DNA from one organism to another but could nonetheless be restricted under HB 2469, he said. Opponents of HB 2469 argue the possibility of local restrictions on genetically engineered crops will create uncertainty for farmers, particularly if they cultivate crops in multiple jurisdic- tions. Tim Winn, who produces biotech sugar beets in Benton County, said propo- nents of GMO bans see farmers like him as “neces- sary collateral damage.” “I urge you to please not take my options away,” he said. Supporters of the bill claim that local governments should again be permitted to set their own rules because the state government has taken no action on GMOs since the 2013 pre-emption policy was approved. “We were led to believe cross-contamination would somehow be addressed through the Department of Agriculture,” said Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, who sponsored HB 2469. The USDA has acknowl- edged that damages from GMO contamination occur but claims it lacks the authority to prevent such problems, said Amy van Saun, a legal fellow at the Center for Food Safety, a nonprofit that supports greater biotech regulation. It would be great if the state government tackled the problem, but it’s shown no such intention, she said. “It’s not coexistence when only one side bears the burden and the costs,” van Saun said. Growers of conventional and organic seed would be unreasonable to ignore the potential legal liability of selling crops contaminated with patented biotech traits, said Elise Higley, director of Our Family Farms Coali- tion, which supports HB 2469. Contaminated seed would also be rejected by buyers who want a GMO-free product, ulti- mately making it more expensive as it becomes more rare, she said. “GE farmers end up winning by default and our traditional seed supply diminishes,” Higley said. Proponents of HB 2469 also discounted arguments against local GMO ordi- nances, such as the possible confusion from various county-by-county rules. “So what if there’s a patchwork? There are all kinds of patchworks with different policies and they’re working just fine,” Higley said. Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255 before noon Tuesday through Friday or before 10 a.m. Saturday for same-day redelivery — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. 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Single copy price: $1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group REGIONAL CITIES Forecast TODAY SUNDAY SATURDAY A little afternoon rain Cloudy, a little rain; breezy 51° 45° 59° 32° MONDAY Partly sunny Some sun, then clouds and chilly PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 50° 30° 49° 35° 53° 38° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 60° 33° 51° 44° PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH LOW 51° 55° 72° (2010) 39° 35° 3° (1906) 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 0.13" 1.06" 0.66" 4.98" 3.35" 3.17" HERMISTON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH Yesterday Normals Records LOW 55° 58° 73° (1941) 39° 34° 20° (1930) 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 0.05" 0.51" 0.50" 3.97" 2.12" 2.74" SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today Last New Mar 20 Mar 27 First Apr 3 53° 35° 54° 38° Seattle 46/45 ALMANAC Yesterday Normals Records 54° 30° 7:04 a.m. 7:04 p.m. none 9:50 a.m. Full Apr 10 Today TUESDAY Occasional rain in the afternoon Spokane Wenatchee 48/43 45/36 Tacoma Moses 47/43 Lake Pullman Aberdeen Olympia Yakima 49/43 51/46 46/42 46/43 52/39 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 49/47 50/46 Lewiston 49/43 Astoria 56/47 49/44 Portland Enterprise Hermiston 51/46 Pendleton 57/47 The Dalles 51/44 51/45 51/43 La Grande Salem 61/50 55/50 Albany Corvallis 54/48 55/48 John Day 65/54 Ontario Eugene Bend 67/46 55/48 60/49 Caldwell Burns 72/51 61/41 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 49 63 60 56 61 57 55 51 51 65 63 61 59 60 53 59 67 49 51 51 61 55 48 57 50 50 52 Lo 44 46 49 50 41 47 48 46 44 54 47 50 50 50 47 50 46 42 45 46 48 50 43 47 46 46 39 W r pc r r pc pc r r r pc c pc pc c r r pc r r r r r r r r r c Hi 50 62 55 53 54 56 52 59 60 61 55 63 60 58 49 51 64 60 59 52 57 52 52 56 52 64 58 Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Lo 36 67 50 48 46 32 43 48 32 70 43 W pc c c sh pc c pc s s c pc Lo 36 28 27 41 26 25 32 29 33 31 33 29 27 41 36 37 39 33 32 36 26 33 29 25 37 36 28 W r r sh r r r r r c r r r r r r r c r r r r r r r r r r Sat. Hi 69 73 64 59 73 45 56 63 58 76 55 (in mph) Klamath Falls 63/47 Boardman Pendleton Lo 36 69 46 52 47 34 48 48 32 71 45 W s sh c c pc c c pc pc sh s REGIONAL FORECAST Coastal Oregon: Periods of rain today. Breezy tonight with periods of rain. Eastern and Central Oregon: Mainly cloudy today with a shower in spots; warmer in the south. Western Washington: Periods of rain today; any time across the south, in the afternoon elsewhere. Eastern Washington: A shower today; however, a bit of snow with little or no accumulation in the mountains. Cascades: Mostly cloudy, a little rain this afternoon. Northern California: Clouds and sun today; a couple of showers, but dry in the interior mountains. Today Saturday NNE 4-8 NNW 4-8 WSW 10-20 WSW 10-20 UV INDEX TODAY Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. 0 2 3 2 1 NEWS • To submit news tips and press releases: • call 541-966-0818 • fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com • To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News: email community@eastoregonian.com or call Tammy Malgesini at 541-564-4539 or Renee Struthers in at 541-966-0818. • To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian. com/community/announcements • To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. • To submit sports or outdoors information or tips: 541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com COMMERCIAL PRINTING Production Manager: Mike Jensen 541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. 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Advertising Director: Marissa Williams 541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com Advertising Services: Laura Jensen 541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com Multimedia Consultants: • Terri Briggs 541-278-2678 • tbriggs@eastoregonian.com • Danni Halladay 541-278-2683 • dhalladay@eastoregonian.com • Jeanne Jewett 541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com • Chris McClellan 541-966-0827 • cmcclellan@eastoregonian.com • Stephanie Newsom 541-278-2687 • snewsom@eastoregonian.com • Dayle Stinson 541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com • Audra Workman 541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 2011, Kitzhaber, then in his third term, commandeered control of the Department of Education, becoming the first governor in the nation to assume the title of superin- tendent of schools. “I think it was a huge mistake,” Foster said of taking away OTC’s oversight of the director. Foster served as commission chair from 2003 to 2007. Mike Hollern, who served on the OTC most recently from 1987 to 1993, compared the commission to a board of a company. “You are running the place, and you are responsible to the shareholders, and then all of a sudden, someone else is appointing the director,” Hollern said. Given that commissioners are volunteers and they can’t hire and fire the director, “I’m not sure it’s worth the effort,” Hollern said. Foster said a conflict within the OTC is the governor’s appointment of commissioners who also serve on the commissions of counties or are city employees. He said it’s difficult for people in those positions to be unbiased when voting on projects that could affect their regional areas. He said the governor should choose appointees with “a statewide perspective.” The former chairman, which also included Henry Hewitt and Steve Corey, also recommended tying increases to the gas tax to the consumer price index. Gas tax revenue pays for road projects in Oregon. ——— The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. budget. A recent $1 million management performance audit by New York-based McKinsey & Co. was intended to respond to that criticism and show ODOT is prepared to effectively manage an influx of new highway funding. The firm’s report, released Jan. 30, portrayed an agency lacking in dissent and accountability, wasting money and needing greater oversight and guidance. Two weeks before that, OTC chairwoman Tammy Baney, in a letter to Gov. Kate Brown in January, complained the commission needed more oversight of the director. “The director carries out the administration of the day-to-day operations,” Baney said in a January phone interview with the Pamplin Media Group/EO Media Group Capital Bureau. “There isn’t a place for us to have a voice in how that is going.” Baney requested that the governor include the OTC in the director’s performance evaluation. She apparently was unaware at the time that Director Matt Garrett has not had a performance evaluation since his tenure began in 2005, according to Garrett’s office. Until 1999, the commis- sion had authority to hire and fire the director, and the director reported to the commission. After years of pressure by Gov. John Kitzhaber, the Legislature in 1999 took that authority away and gave it to the governor, former OTC Chairman Stuart Foster told lawmakers Wednesday. Minutes from the 1999 legislative meetings on the bill give no indication of the reason for the change. In 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. ©2017 -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: A storm will spread snow and a wintry mix over the Upper Midwest with rain showers and thunderstorms farther south today. Rain will return to coastal areas from Northern California to Washington. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 95° in Imperial, Calif. Low -5° in Embarrass, Minn. 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 77 67 44 46 52 67 71 35 63 45 47 38 83 69 38 86 7 39 83 80 47 66 69 88 71 81 Lo 48 52 35 36 38 56 53 21 47 42 35 36 64 43 34 54 -12 19 69 61 36 42 34 63 56 56 W s pc s s pc pc pc s s sh sh sn c pc sn s s c pc pc sh s pc s c pc Sat. Hi 79 67 47 51 73 70 65 36 72 51 46 45 82 80 45 88 11 42 82 82 46 76 63 90 73 74 Lo 50 43 36 34 43 41 42 29 45 33 28 33 62 49 30 60 -14 32 69 59 30 48 45 64 50 54 Today W s sh r c c c r sn pc sh pc sn c s sf s s pc s pc pc s pc pc s pc 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 54 70 72 42 46 59 74 40 76 64 42 93 34 38 57 56 75 75 68 75 71 69 46 92 48 73 Lo 44 56 61 34 28 49 57 30 53 29 32 66 12 19 44 27 48 52 41 54 57 52 45 61 39 41 W sh c pc sn c sh s s c pc s s s s s pc pc pc c pc pc pc r s s pc Sat. Hi 54 71 77 44 43 65 77 38 76 58 45 95 33 39 66 73 66 67 60 80 68 65 50 94 58 72 Lo 33 46 59 27 30 35 60 30 59 42 33 65 20 29 39 44 41 50 36 51 56 53 37 60 37 55 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W s sh pc pc s pc pc sn s s sn s pc sn sh s sh sh s pc pc c r s sh s