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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 2019)
REGION Tuesday, December 31, 2019 East Oregonian Breaching dams a complex issue By KATY NESBITT For the East Oregonian PENDLETON — A $750,000 report, which looked at the possible effects of breaching the four lower Snake River dams, summarized the issues around protecting endan- gered species while main- taining renewable energy supplies, riverine transpor- tation and irrigation. The draft report funded by the Washington Leg- islature took about three months to conclude that breaching the dams might help save orca populations, but the bigger picture is more complex. Kurt Miller, executive director of North- west RiverPartners, said breaching the dams could have negative impacts on vulnerable communities. The vast majority of Northwest RiverPartners’ members are nonprofi t util- ities, Miller said, but some are farmers, managers or port districts. He said the organization formed in 2005 as a coalition to pro- mote what its members consider smart salmon recovery. “My members are salmon advocates and we want solutions that con- sider salmon and people,” he said. The four federally owned dams on the lower Snake River are Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite. Miller said the dams not only keep energy affordable, but they are an important supply of elec- tricity where there are more and more demands. Point- ing to a symposium in Port- land last October, attended by 400 utility leaders and policymakers, Miller said securing the region’s energy sources is imperative. “Coal plants are being retired and we believe the dams are truly critical to avoid blackouts,” he said. The risk to those who Associated Press, File depend on the dams for energy is also an outcome of climate change. “Given temperature pro- jections, the region could have the same kind of issues as California,” Miller said. Even with more solar and wind farms coming online, Miller said they can’t fi ll the gap created by coal plant closures because wind and solar sources gen- erate power intermittently, and power use and supply have to be kept in balance. The advantage of using hydropower, along with solar and wind, is what Miller called the “sec- ond-by-second gap fi lling regulation.” Hydroelectric dams fulfi ll this require- ment by holding back water, and then releasing it through power-producing turbines as needed. Although the new report doesn’t guide policy, Miller said it does recommend continued regional stake- holder discussions. Greg Haller, executive director of Pacifi c Rivers, is closely following the ris- ing tide of concern around breaching or keeping the dams. He said he didn’t feel the report moved the conversation. “I feel like we didn’t need a $750,000 report to tell us it’s a divided issue,” Haller said. “It offered no solutions. Hopefully, our elected leaders will build on or move toward a solu- tion rather than rehashing the issues that are the stick- ing points.” When Haller mentioned elected offi cials, he said he was specifi cally referring to the House of Represen- tatives and momentum cre- ated by Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, who broached the topic of how the region can meet its energy needs while maintaining transportation, irrigation and securing the future of Bonneville Power Administration, which markets power produced by the four lower Snake dams. Haller said Simpson looked at the transportation con- cerns about dam removal and suggested making the railroads farmer-owned. “I am disappointed in our elected leaders in Ore- gon and Washington didn’t use Simpson’s opening to Hermiston hosting farm safety seminars SAIF offers free agriculture safety seminars Jan. 14-15 in Hermiston East Oregonian HERMISTON — Farm work is a whole lot safer than it used to be. But as far as SAIF is concerned, even one injury or illness is too many. That’s why SAIF is offer- ing 29 free ag safety semi- nars in 17 cities across Ore- gon, including Jan. 14-15 in Hermiston. “We purposely hold these in the off-season to encourage attendance,” said Courtney Merriott, senior safety management consul- tant at SAIF and presenter at this year’s seminars. “Our goal is to provide the latest safety content for the industry, so that every ag worker goes home safe and healthy each night.” Last year, more than 2,180 workers and employers attended SAIF’s seminars. This year’s seminars will focus on four topics — respi- ratory personal protective equipment, working at ele- vation, safety leadership for anyone, and incident analysis — a structured process for identifying what happened and reducing recurrence of injuries moving forward. In March, SAIF will also offer webinars online in English and, new this year, Spanish. The seminars are designed primarily for peo- ple working in agriculture but are open to anyone inter- ested in ag safety and health — they don’t have to be insured by SAIF. The Hermiston seminars will be bilingual. The Jan. 14 session will be conducted in English, while Jan. 15 will be in Spanish. The free, half-day semi- nar will be held at the Herm- iston Conference Center, 415 Soth Hwy. 395, Hermiston. All sessions will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch will be provided. Employers with small ag businesses who attend the seminar, or watch the webi- nars, will meet OSHA’s instructional requirement — one of four requirements that exempt small agricul- tural operations from ran- dom OSHA inspections. Three hours of techni- cal and one hour of business continuing education credits will be offered if approved by the Landscape Contrac- tors Board. Producer con- tinuing education credit hours for licensed insurance agents have been requested and are pending approval by the Department of Consumer and Business Services. Saagers Shoe Shop The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com 12/27-12/31 Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie Showing Wednesday @ 12p Caddyshack Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PG13) 12:10p* 3:20p* 5:50p 6:30p 9:40p Uncut Gems (R) 1:00* 4:10 7:00 9:50 Jumanji: The Next Level (PG13) 1:10p* 4:00p 6:50p 9:30p Cats (PG) 11:40* 2:10* 4:40 7:10 9:40 WINTER CLEARANCE SALE in progress! & SAVE Up 50%-70% off Women’s apparel! To 50% off Men/Women’s Shoes! Boots, flats, casuals, booties, clogs, athletic, trail shoes and boots, dress shoes, performance comfort, hiking boots and more! Huge selection of the finest comfort brands and top rated performance footwear. Richard Jewell (R) 12:00* 3:00* 8:50 Mon - Sat: 9 AM - 6 PM Sun: 12 PM - 4 PM * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 M-F man arrested on four felony charges East Oregonian The Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River near Pomeroy, Wash. A $750,000 report, which looked at the possible eff ects of breaching the four lower Snake River dams, summarized the issues around protecting endangered species while maintaining renewable energy supplies, riverine transportation and irrigation. 613 N. Main St., Milton-Freewater, OR www.saagershoeshop.com • 541-938-5162 bring together a legisla- tive solution,” Haller said. “Only Congress can make the dams go away.” With the ultimate author- ity residing in Washington, D.C., Haller said elected leaders need to forge a solu- tion that everyone can live with because the status quo isn’t working. “We still have a steel- head run in the toilet, chi- nook on a trajectory toward extinction and sockeye aren’t faring any better,” he said. As fi sh runs continue to decline, Haller said BPA struggles as well. “We are in a new kind of energy environment,” he said. “Meanwhile, I think the salmon have given all they can give, something else has to give, now.” The pivotal release of the Draft Columbia River System Operations Envi- ronmental Impact State- ment by the federal action agencies is due in February. The report will analyze the societal, environmental and economic costs and benefi ts of breaching the four lower Snake River dams. A3 MILTON-FR EEWA- TER — A Milton-Freewa- ter man was arrested on four felony charges early Satur- day morning after he tried to run from police. Michael James Met- calfe, 19, was arrested and charged with one count each of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and her- oin, along with possession of a prohibited fi rearm and vio- lation of probation. According to an email release from Milton-Free- water Police Chief Doug Boedigheimer, an offi - cer fi rst saw Metcalfe rid- ing a bicycle shortly after 1:45 a.m. on Miller Street and knew there was a felony probation violation warrant for his arrest. Metcalfe took off on foot when the offi cer attempted to contact him, the email said, and another offi cer assisted in chasing after him in a vehicle. Metcalfe refused to stop when given verbal com- mands, Boedigheimer wrote, and an offi cer deployed a taser that missed. The chase ended in the yard of the home in the 400 block of North Elizabeth Street, w h e r e Metcalfe Metcalfe resisted arrest. Non- lethal force was used to over- come Metcalfe’s resistance, according to the email. While searching Met- calfe after handcuffi ng him, offi cers found illegal nar- cotics, a black BB pistol, and “what appeared to be a fi rearms silencer,” the email said. Metcalfe was also charged with second-degree criminal mischief (vandal- ism), two counts of third-de- gree escape, two counts of resisting arrest and another of interfering with a peace offi cer. According to court doc- uments, Metcalfe previously pleaded guilty on Nov. 12 to fi rst-degree theft, a felony, for stealing a fi rearm and for unlawful possession of a fi rearm. Metcalfe is currently lodged in the Umatilla County Jail with a bail of $80,000. BRIEFLY Umatilla man sentenced for Lane County crime ALBANY — A Uma- tilla man is facing more than a decade in prison following a Lane County arson fi re in March 2019. Johnny Angel Gonzalez, 37, referred to as a “tran- sient” from Umatilla in court documents, pleaded not guilty to three counts of fi rst-degree arson in May, a Measure 11 crime carrying a mandatory minimum of seven years and six months. Gonzalez was on proba- tion for a 2018 conviction in Umatilla County when he was indicted on arson charges in Lane County for setting fi re to a recre- ational vehicle in Albany and endangering the lives of two people inside. Gonzalez was found guilty of all three arson counts during a December jury trial. He is currently lodged at Coffee Creek Intake Center in Wilson- ville. Two of the chargers were merged during the sentencing process. The Corvallis Gazette Times reported he’s facing a prison sentence of nearly 11 years with no chance of a lesser sentence for good behavior. — EO Media Group
