A18 News wallowa.com October 19, 2016 Wallowa County Chieftain Coal company dumps Morrow Paciic Project the Morrow Paciic Project in 2011 as a way to reach Asian markets via the Paciic North- west. But in 2014, the Oregon De- partment of State Lands denied a remove-ill permit needed to build the Coyote Island Termi- nal at the Port of Morrow. Ac- cording to the state’s decision, the dock would have interfered with usual and accustomed trib- al isheries. Earlier this year, Lighthouse also gained full ownership of Millennium Bulk Terminals in Longview, Washington, which would ship roughly 48.5 mil- lion tons of coal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers re- cently issued a draft Environ- mental Impact Statement of the project, which is expected to generate more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs. In addition, Lighthouse started sending coal to South Korea earlier this month through Westshore Terminals in Vancouver, British Colum- bia. As a result, Lighthouse CEO Everett King said the company has decided to move on from Morrow Paciic. “Our ability to now ship to our customers in Asia allows us to achieve our short-term goals while we continue to focus on further long-term growth at Millennium,” King said. King said the decision made by the Department of State Lands was “unprecedented,” and prevented Lighthouse from adding trade, jobs and econom- ic development in Oregon. “Though we are disappoint- ed for our Morrow Paciic Project supporters, we are very excited to commence delivery of products to our customers,” King said. Though Lighthouse has stepped aside, the Port of Mor- row will continue to ight to phen Wolfe, Wallowa Coun- ty has received more than $200,000 in grants and scholar- ships over the years. Saturday’s attendees en- joyed live and silent auctions of gun-related prizes, special drawings, door prizes, a prime rib dinner and plenty of conver- sation with friends. Scores of local business- es and individuals support the event through donations of goods and money. Name-brand manufacturers of irearms and hunting-related items, along with hunting guides from Af- rica and Alaska, donate prizes. The makeup of the crowd might surprise some. Auctioneer Luke Wanochil of Hayden Lake, Idaho, rep- resents a segment of the crowd in that he is not currently an NRA member. He is, neverthe- less, a supporter of the work of the NRA. “I love what it stands for — the Second Amend- ment,” he said. Steve Rogers of Joseph, who happens to be the Wallowa County Sheriff in his profes- sional life, attended the banquet and auction as a private citizen. He represents another segment of the crowd. He’s not a mem- ber of the NRA. He is, however, an individual with a broad view of irearm ownership. He’s got a professional understanding of the relationship between ire- arms and crime, is one of the founding members of the Ea- gle Cap Shooters Association so as to provide a safe training site for shooters, and he under- stands the rural relationship to irearms. “When I look out at this crowd I see all my friends and the people I work for,” he said. “What I see is ‘normal.’ These are just 100 percent, card carry- ing, blue-blood Americans.” The fact that many of his friends and neighbors have gun safes full of multiple ire- arms does not alarm him in the slightest. “Personally, I think the gen- eral populace should be able to own any gun they want,” Rog- ers said. “What business is it of mine to mess with people who are lawfully carrying a gun? It’s their Second Amendment right. Of course, I’m not in favor of mentally ill or criminals having guns.” Ken Hauxwell of Enter- prise, a signiicant sponsor for the Wallowa County event, has been an NRA member off and on for nearly 40 years. He recalled learning how to shoot with his grandfather, which lead to more memories of great hunting and ishing experiences. He gets to the Sec- ond Amendment after he’s put gun ownership and his relation- ship with guns into that rural, familial and responsibility-re- lated context. Port of Morrow will continue appeal for dock By George Plaven East Oregonian After ive years of develop- ment, Lighthouse Resources — the company formerly known as Ambre Energy North Ameri- ca — announced Thursday it is backing out of a $242 million project that would have shipped 8 million tons of coal per year to Asia through an enclosed ter- minal at the Port of Morrow. The port, however, is not giving up yet on building the dock and will continue to ap- peal Oregon’s decision to re- ject a key permit needed for construction in the Columbia River. Based in Salt Lake City, Lighthouse Resources owns two coal mines in the Pow- der River Basin, including the Decker Mine in Montana and Black Butte Mine in Wyoming. Lighthouse began working on FRIENDS Continued from Page A1 Half of the money from all the banquets in the state comes back to the Oregon Friends of NRA State Fund Committee from which grants and scholar- ships are funded. Grants in Wallowa County have supported shooting sports and provided donations to Di- vide Camp (a hunting camp for disabled veterans) and Creating Memories, a hunting an ishing organization for disabled peo- ple. They’ve also funded range improvements for Eagle Cap Shooters Association and the Wallowa Rod and Gun Club, scholarships for local high school seniors, youth awards for kids to visit the state capital (and maybe Washington, D.C.) and more. According to organizer Ste- E.J. Harris/East Oregonian Lighthouse Resources has abandoned their efforts to build a coal terminal at this spot at the Port of Morrow in Boardman. The Port of Morrow however is pursuing their efforts to build an export terminal on this site. build a new dock. Joe Taylor, president of the Port Commis- sion, said they have already invested around $50 million in rail infrastructure to serve the site. “This new dock will allow us to ship commodities in the same manner as our existing fa- cilities,” Taylor said. “Without this dock, hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars are at stake for Morrow and Umatilla coun- ties, and Oregon.” Gary Neal, the port’s gen- eral manager, said he feels the state’s decision to deny the dock permit was politically motivated. Coyote Island Ter- minal would be built along a stretch of river in the port’s East Beach Industrial Park, between two existing terminals: one to ship grain, and another to ship biofuels. Neal is not sure what com- modities might be handled at the new dock, but unless they build now, he said companies will continue to take their busi- ness elsewhere. “If you don’t have some- thing available, those opportu- nities pass you by,” Neal said. “It’s unfortunate we lost Light- house for the jobs and capital investment. That commodity is moving. It’s just moving through Canada now.” Chuck Sams, spokesman for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, said the tribes maintain their stance that the project would harm tribal ishing rights guar- anteed by the Treaty of 1855. “Again, we’re not against economic development in any way, unless it interferes with or infringes on our treaty rights, which are guaranteed by both the treaty and the U.S. Consti- tution,” Sams said. The Coyote Island Terminal is just one of two remaining sites for major industrial devel- opment in the John Day Pool of the Columbia River, Neal said. The Department of State Lands found the proposal did not ad- equately consider alternatives that would have less impact on the river and tribal isheries. “We just need to convince the (state) they were incor- rect,” Neal said. “I think the most important thing to me is that the NRA stands for our Second Amend- ment rights,” he said. “They are defending our rights to have freedoms and constitutional rights — and the right to have guns to protect my family. The irst amendment gave us the right to have the religion of our choice and the second gave us the right to bear arms. These are our rights — the rights that this country was founded on. In the past the real threats to the country came from outside, but I think anymore (the right to bear arms) could be necessary for protection from threats on the inside.” The ability to grasp the nu- ances of gun ownership issues is not absent in the Wallowa County Friends of the NRA crowd. But the approach to any management of those nuances is predicated on protection of Second Amendment rights. Wolfe knows the balance of individual viewpoints is what makes the Wallowa Coun- ty event such a success. The Friends of NRA are the non- proit, non-partisan branch of the NRA, so it’s no surprise that those family traditions of hunting and ishing often are mentioned irst by attendees of the event. From an economical standpoint, hunting and ishing also count for a lot nationwide. Back in 2012, Wolfe said, he did a little research on the eco- nomic impact of hunting and ishing and found the sports accounted for $38 billion in business. “In the process of protecting our Second Amendment rights we all come together from ev- ery walk of life to enjoy the camaraderie of other gun own- ers,” Wolfe said. “We have a lot of fun and we’re very grateful for all the support we receive.” “Our guys go out daily with a lot of STIHL products on their truck.” Jeff Jones | Bud Jones Landscaping ON THE JOB AND AT HOME... SAVE $ 20! DOUBLE YOUR LIMITED WARRANTY WHEN YOU PURCHASE EITHER STIHL HP ULTRA OIL (SIX BOTTLES) OR STIHL MotoMix ® PATENTED PREMIXED FUEL (ONE GALLON MINIMUM) Double limited warranty protection applies to most STIHL gasoline-powered products purchased and registered for personal non-income producing, family and household purposes only. Other restrictions apply. See dealer for details. 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