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East Oregonian
Thursday, July 5, 2018
CHRISTOPHER RUSH
Publisher
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
DANIEL WATTENBURGER
Managing Editor
TIM TRAINOR
Opinion Page Editor
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Clean water shouldn’t be taken for granted
O
regon is known for its pristine
drinking water — so good that some
corporations want to bottle it for
sale. But a new threat has emerged: toxins
produced by algae blooms.
State and local officials were caught
off-guard in late May when cyanotoxins
were discovered for the first time in treated
drinking water in Oregon — Salem’s water
supply.
Officials were slow to alert the public,
and their initial announcements created
confusion. Residents were outraged, and
rightly so.
Most people could drink the water
without becoming ill, but the botched
communications left them wondering how
public officials would respond in the event
of a true disaster, such as a devastating
earthquake. Since then, the state and city
of Salem have gotten their act together. To
her credit, Gov. Kate Brown soon pushed
the issue by declaring an emergency —
an administrative action that allowed the
Oregon National Guard to provide water
and enabled other state agencies to help out.
Last week, the Oregon Health Authority
issued temporary rules requiring as many
as 200 water suppliers around the state to
regularly test for cyanobacteria — harmful
algae blooms — and alert the public when
cyanotoxins are found.
“In an era of climate change that we’re
seeing, these kinds of things are likely to
be more frequent, longer lasting, more
About cyanotoxins
Location: Since 2013, harmful algal blooms have been found at various
times in Baker, Coos, Clackamas, Clatsop, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson,
Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow and
Multnomah counties. However, most Oregon lakes and rivers are not
regularly monitored for cyanotoxins.
Appearance: Algal blooms generally appear as thick foam or scum on
the water surface. They may resemble pea soup. They can be bright green,
bluish-green, white or brownish-red.
Exposure: Cyanotoxins can be ingested, whether accidentally while
swimming or by drinking the tainted water. Inhalation is a low risk.
Cyanotoxins cannot be absorbed through the skin but can create a skin
rash.
Health effects: Symptoms can include numbness, tingling and dizziness
that can lead to difficulty breathing or heart problems and require
immediate medical attention. Skin irritation, weakness, diarrhea, nausea,
cramps and fainting should also receive medical attention if they persist or
get worse.
Vulnerable people and pets: When cyanotoxins are present in
recreational water, children and pets are at increased risk for exposure due
to their small size and high level of activity. In drinking water, cyanotoxins
create a greater risk to children under age 6, adults age 65 and older,
people with compromised immune systems or liver conditions, pregnant or
nursing mothers, people on dialysis and other medically fragile individuals,
as well as pets.
Other facts: Typical camping or home-use water filters do not remove
cyanotoxins. Boiling may increase their concentration.
Source: Oregon Health Authority
intense, and it’s an emerging threat we need
to respond to,” OHA Director Patrick Allen
said.
The rules took effect Sunday, July 1,
and will last for the rest of the year while
permanent regulations are written.
Too little research has been done on
toxic algal blooms and their health effects
on humans, but the OHA was smart to act.
As for our state’s capital, Salem
was ahead of the curve in testing for
cyanotoxins. Few Oregon lakes and rivers
are monitored routinely for the harmful
algae blooms and resulting toxins, which
can cause symptoms similar to food
poisoning.
Still, the blooms have been found in 16
Oregon counties — including the Willow
Creek Reservoir near Heppner — during
the past five years.
Drinking water for Salem and several
other communities comes from the South
Santiam River. The river flows from Detroit
Lake, a popular recreation area that has
been under on-and-off health advisories for
algal blooms this year.
The city of Salem finally ended its water
advisory on July 3 and on July 4 began
permanently treating its drinking water
for cyanotoxins. For weeks, Salem had
operated round-the-clock water distribution
sites while installing and testing the
treatment process.
Meanwhile, Douglas County recently
issued a permanent health advisory about
potential cyanotoxins in the South Umpqua
River and Lawson Bar. Klamath County has
as well.
Oregon’s healthy, plentiful water has
been in sharp contrast to much of the world.
But we dare not take it for granted.
OTHER VIEWS
Donald Trump’s mainstream
immigration policy
P
OTHER VIEWS
It’s hotter than it looks
The Eugene Register-Guard
A
Roseburg mother was charged with
second-degree manslaughter earlier
this month when her 21-month-old
daughter died after being left unattended
in a vehicle for several hours; the mother
said she thought she had left her baby at day
care.
Even on mild days — it was only about
80 degrees in Roseburg — temperatures
inside a vehicle can rise by more than 20
degrees in 15 minutes. Children have died
in parked cars when outside temperatures
were as low as 63 degrees.
Leaving windows partially open makes
little difference, nor is parking in the shade
a reliable safeguard, according to a Univer-
sity of California at San Diego study, which
found that a child’s body temperature could
reach 104 degrees in less than two hours,
even in the shade.
An Oregon law that went into effect last
year absolves bystanders of liability for
damage if they enter a car to rescue a child
or pet they believe is in imminent dan-
ger. But no one should rely on bystanders
to keep a child from harm. The only way
to prevent needless deaths of children, and
pets, is to never leave either unattended in
a parked car in warm weather, not even for
what is expected to be just a short errand.
This includes guarding against accidentally
leaving a child in a car — by putting a purse
or other needed item next to a child in the
back seat, for example.
So far this year, 18 children have died
from heat stroke in the United States after
being left in cars. That is 18 too many.
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande office: 541-962-7691
REPRESENTATIVES
Greg Barreto, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-38
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton office: 541-278-1129
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Greg Walden
185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
La Grande office: 541-624-2400
SENATOR
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the
East Oregonian editorial board. Other
columns, letters and cartoons on this page
express the opinions of the authors and
not necessarily that of the East Oregonian.
erhaps no Trump policy has
exchange. “Mostly they want
provoked more emotional
people who cross the border
reaction than the practice of
illegally to be turned around and
separating illegal border crossers
returned home efficiently.”
from the children they brought with
Penn’s polling found other
them to the United States. There’s
results broadly favorable to the
no need to recount the number
Trump approach to immigration.
of times critics have called the
For example, Penn asked, “Do
Byron
you think we need stricter or looser
president a Nazi, or a fascist, or just
York
enforcement of our immigration
plain cruel.
Comment
laws?” Seventy percent said
The administration has now
stricter, while 30 percent said
stopped the separation policy. But it
plans to continue prosecuting illegal border looser.
Penn asked whether respondents
crossers and, when those crossers bring
“support or oppose building a combination
children illegally into the United States,
of physical and electronic barriers across
will “detain families together during the
the U.S.-Mexico border.” Sixty percent
pendency of immigration proceedings,”
supported the barriers, while 40 percent
according to an administration court filing
did not. Sixty-one percent said current
in California.
border security is inadequate.
That, of course, will not satisfy the
Finally, Penn found widespread support
critics, and legal challenges are sure to
for the fundamental provisions of the
follow. But if a new poll is correct, it
immigration bills, based on Trump’s “four
appears the Trump administration, after
pillars,” that were recently rejected by
an enormously damaging few weeks,
the House of Representatives. “Would
has ended up squarely on the side of the
you favor or oppose a congressional deal
majority of American voters.
that gives undocumented immigrants
The new survey is a Harvard-Harris
brought here by their parents work permits
Poll, by former Clinton pollster and
and a path to citizenship in exchange
strategist Mark Penn. It was conducted in
for increasing merit preference over
late June with 1,448 registered voters.
On the issue of separations, Penn began preference for relatives, eliminating the
diversity visa lottery, and funding barrier
with a threshold question: “Do you think
security on the U.S.-Mexico border?” Penn
that people who make it across our border
asked. Sixty-three percent supported the
illegally should be allowed to stay in the
plan, while 37 percent opposed.
country or sent home?” Sixty-four percent
“Overall, Americans want to show
said they should be sent home. Thirty-
compassion for those that are here, but
six percent said they should be allowed to
want much tougher enforcement of
stay.
immigration laws,” Penn said.
Then Penn asked: “Do you think that
Reading Penn’s questions, and the
parents with children who make it across
respondents’ answers, it was hard not to
our border illegally should be allowed to
think of the presidency of Bill Clinton,
stay in the country or sent home?” The
for whom Penn worked in the 1990s.
presence of children made little difference
Clinton’s relatively tough stance on illegal
in the result: 61 percent said they should
immigration reflected Democratic thinking
be sent home, while 39 percent said they
of the time. Penn’s questions still do,
should be allowed to stay.
at least in the way they are worded. “In
The vast majority — 88 percent —
these polls I try to be as detailed in the
opposed separating illegal immigrant
policy questions as I was polling for six
families while they are in the U.S., and
years for President Clinton,” Penn said,
they blamed the Trump administration for
“because public opinion in America is far
the policy. On the other hand, 55 percent
more nuanced than people realize — small
said illegal immigrant families should be
held in custody “until a judge reviews their changes in policy make a big difference.”
But Bill Clinton left office in 2001,
case” — essentially the new Trump family
in the faraway pre-progressive days of
detention policy.
the Democratic Party. Today, the party’s
Put the numbers together, and a
position on immigration has moved so far
substantial majority said illegal border
left that it is unrecognizable to some old-
crossers, and the children they brought,
should be returned to their home countries. style Clinton Democrats. And if Penn’s
findings are correct, most Americans
To that end, 80 percent favored hiring
are now closer to President Trump than
more immigration judges “to process
present-day Democratic leaders.
people in custody faster.”
■
“They (poll respondents) rejected
Byron York is chief political correspon-
family separation while narrowly favoring
dent for The Washington Examiner.
family detention,” Penn said in an email
The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the
newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual
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city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published.
Send letters to managing editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.