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Wallowa County Chieftain News wallowa.com May 4, 2016 A5 Barreto accused of misleading on wolf bill Two other lawmakers named in ethics complaint By George Plaven East Oregonian The environmental group Cascadia Wildlands is accus- ing three Oregon lawmakers, including Rep. Greg Barreto, of knowingly misrepresent- ing a bill that ratiied the state’s decision to remove gray wolves from the endan- gered species list. Barreto, a Republican from Cove, introduced House Bill 4040 during the short legislative session earlier this year. The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife had previ- ously determined wolves no longer need endangered spe- cies protections, and the Fish and Wildlife Commission followed through with del- isting wolves in November 2015. HB 4040 effectively gave the Legislature’s stamp of approval, and Gov. Kate Brown signed off on the bill in March. But in order to secure votes for the bill, Cascadia Wildlands argues Barreto — along with Reps. Brad Witt, D-Clatskanie, and Sal Es- quivel, R-Medford — made false statements that HB 4040 would not affect a judi- cial review of the wolf delis- ting decision. Nick Cady, the legal director for the organi- zation, iled an ethics com- plaint Monday against the representatives. “There’s a real concern this bill passed through the House with a fundamental misunderstanding of what it does,” Cady said. “Salem can be somewhat of a black box. File photo Rep. Greg Barreto, R-Cove, introduces himself to the rest of the Education Committee during a meeting on the first day of the 2015 Oregon Legislative Session in Salem. ... We perceived this as pretty egregious.” Cascadia Wildlands, Ore- gon Wild and the Center for Biological Diversity had all requested a judicial review of the delisting decision. The case was tossed by the Oregon Court of Appeals on April 22, which cited HB 4040. Cady claims the bill’s sole purpose was to block their review, despite claims from Barreto, Witt and Es- quivel. According to the com- plaint, Barreto said during a Feb. 4 hearing that the bill “does nothing more than shore up the decision by the Fish and Wildlife Commis- sion,” and “Our objective in this is not to usurp the author- ity of the commission. It is only to shore up the decision that they have made and to make the (wolf) plan a work- able plan as was written.” He also sent a written document to colleagues stating the bill had no language precluding judicial review. However, on Feb. 16, the Legislative Counsel Commit- tee issued a report to Sen. Mi- chael Dembrow, D-Portland, stating that the only legal ef- fect of HB 4040 was to “val- idate any real or perceived irregularities” in ODFW’s decision under state law. “In essence, the only ef- fect of the bill was to pre- clude judicial review of the commission’s delisting deci- sion,” the complaint reads. HB 4040 passed the House 33-23, and the Senate 17-11. Since then, ODFW shot and killed four wolves from the Imnaha Pack in northeast Or- egon for frequently attacking livestock in the area. There is still no legal hunting of wolves allowed in Oregon. Barreto said he had not seen the complaint as of Monday morning, but reiter- ated the intent of the bill was to afirm what ODFW had al- ready done. “All we did was say yes, we agree with Fish and Wild- life,” Barreto said. “If that precludes their lawsuit, then so be it.” Rep. Esquivel also said that he had not received a copy of the complaint, but was not worried about it be- cause he did nothing wrong. “We didn’t intentionally try to mislead anyone,” Es- quivel said. “It’s our opinion, and our opinion’s our opin- ion.” Witt also said on Monday afternoon that Cady’s allega- tions were baseless, and that lawmakers fully vetted the legislation during the last two annual legislative sessions. “It said, in essence, that the procedures (ODFW) un- dertook in making the deter- mination to delist were ad- equate and suficient,” Witt said. “But we didn’t make any determination beyond that. It would have been in- appropriate for us to have done so.” Environmentalists had asked for a review of the delisting decision because they argued it was not made with sound science, and had not been independently re- viewed, as required by state law. Cady said they are push- ing to have the case reconsid- ered by the Court of Appeals. “To be very clear, the (wolf) recovery is going very successfully,” he said. “Our MEDICARE BIRTHDAY RULE If you have a Medicare Supplement Plan you have 30 days after your birthday to compare & apply for a new Supplement Plan. Call Kathleen or Katie TODAY to discuss your options for a lower Medigap premium. 541-426-4208 Locally owned & operated 616 W. North Street, Enterprise Wallowa County HEALTH LINE VOICES Bridge move to force Highway 82 delays Continued from Page A4 At the ballot in March, 90 percent of Malheur County voters opposed the idea. In the poll of likely Multnomah County voters, 69 percent agreed that Con- gress should get a voice in the decision. Polls show the feeling is the same in urban and rural Oregon. This land belongs to everyone — not just members of select interest groups. We all deserve a voice in the future of our land. This is an extreme overreach of presidential power. The people of the Oregon need to stand and be heard from Malheur County to Multnomah County. It is our land and our Voice. Rancher Linda Bentz lives in Juntura and is a Wallowa County Chieftain The Oregon Department of Transportation is warn- ing Wallowa County drivers that they may experience de- lays along Highway 82 near Minam either Tuesday or Wednesday (May 10-11) as crews move the Deer Creek Road bridge (crossing the Wallowa River) to Wallowa. ODOT Public Informa- tion Oficer Tom Strandberg said Tuesday that the exact day of the move is yet to be determined and that crews likely will move parts of the bridge in two separate trips, with a stop for trafic relief each time at the Minam truck scales. Transport of the bridge parts will require the use of both lanes of the highway and motorists should expect up to a 20-minute delay during transport. The 100-year-old Deer Creek Bridge is scheduled for replacement. The exist- ing bridge — 20 feet wide and 110 feet long — will be installed as a footbridge crossing the Wallowa River, connecting Wallowa Union Railroad property to the Nez Perce Tribe’s Tamkaliks grounds. frustration is more just the pushback this species’ recov- ery is getting from state leg- islators and various lobbying interests.” Oregon’s wolf population had grown to at least 110 an- imals by the end of 2015, a 36 percent increase over the previous year. Capital Bureau Reporter Hillary Borrud contributed to this report. 519 W. North Street, Enterprise 541.426.3413 Mon-Thurs 9 to Noon/1-5pm; Fri. 9-1 Keycode Entry Weight Room • Cardio Women’s Circuit • Tanning 202 W. Main, Enterprise 541-426-0313 Specializing in Anti-Aging Skin Therapy Customized Facials Waxing Services, Brow Sculpting Body Polish-Back Facials High-Perfomance Products 541-398-0759 | Located @ beecrowbee 01 Main Joseph STK #33516. WAS $36,895. NOW $34,866.45 AFTER $2,028.55 ROGERS DISCOUNT. 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