Wednesday, May 18, 2022
A4
OPINION
VOICE of the CHIEFTAIN
State, port
need to
partner to
address
water issues
T
he list of issues voters should
be interested in is a long one,
and as events occur across
our region the need for more over-
sight of local and state government
by residents increases monthly.
A good example is a recent spe-
cial report by the Oregon Cap-
ital Chronicle regarding how
thousands of Oregonians near
Boardman live near or on an aqui-
fer that is contaminated by farm-
ing chemicals and unsafe to drink.
State officials apparently knew
about the contamination for decades
as did one of the sources of the con-
tamination — the Port of Mor-
row — yet little was done about it.
The report outlined a dismal sce-
nario where the Oregon Depart-
ment of Environmental Quality knew
about nitrate pollution in ground-
water potentially put the health of
a largely low-income, Latino pop-
ulation at risk. The report also out-
lined how very little was done to
hold the port accountable except for
fines and pacts that were violated.
That nitrates can and do infiltrate
aquifers in an area where the main
industry is agriculture isn’t a news
flash. The groundwater in Morrow
and Umatilla counties has been pol-
luted with nitrates for a long time,
and a majority of it comes from
farms. Yet, for years the port ille-
gally pumped wastewater contain-
ing nitrogen in excess of safe levels
by the state from its industrial com-
plex to area farms. The port’s excess
disposal is alleged to have made the
water even more contaminated.
The port already has been fined
by the state and certainly there
appears to be a realization by offi-
cials at the state and local level
there is a problem. That’s a good
sign, but the next big question is:
Where do we go from here?
The area’s agriculture industry is
a multi-million-dollar mechanism
that powers the local economy. Sud-
denly shutting down farms isn’t prac-
tical, realistic or very sensible.
No, the port and state regula-
tors who are supposed to keep
a close watch on such issues,
should be called to task on this
issue and as soon as possible.
Moving forward, the state and
port officials should be working in
concert to discover how to avoid
such a circumstance in the future.
These discussions need to be pub-
lic and the residents should have
the opportunity to give input. The
area’s state lawmakers also should
get involved and questions for them
should center on what they knew
about the problem, how long they
knew and what they are going to
do to help solve the problem.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Wolf stories omit
significant facts
Recent coverage on the wolf/cat-
tle situation in Wallowa County
omitted significant facts.
It failed to mention that taxpayers
compensate ranchers for confirmed and
probable losses at full fall market value,
and for confirmed and probable injuries.
It failed to mention that taxpayers
pay ranchers for extra work in protect-
ing their stock. This year, some ranch-
ers will be paid directly to do their own
range-riding, but taxpayers also pay
for hired range-riders. Last year, one
rancher received $11,713 from taxpay-
ers for extra work and was the primary
beneficiary of $5,000 paid by a conser-
vation group for range-riders. Orego-
nians also pony up for nonlethal tools
and equipment, including ATVs.
Oregon wolves are not a non-
native species and were not intro-
duced to Oregon. They came on their
own from Idaho and are the same spe-
cies as those exterminated in Oregon.
There’s an ethical side to the wolf
issue. Thousands of wolves were shot,
trapped, poisoned, strangled and blud-
geoned by livestock producers and their
agents until extinct in Oregon. This
savagery lasted 100 years and contin-
ues today. The landscape was denuded
of an apex predator and cattle pro-
liferated at great cost to the environ-
ment. The cattle are bred for weight
and lack horns and the physical agil-
ity for defense against predators. They
are wolf bait. Especially on public land,
common breeds should be replaced by
horned, agile cattle such as Corrien-
tes, a successful commercial breed. Put-
ting wolf bait out on public land and then
killing wolves for eating it is a crime.
Wolves are due thousands of cows
(and sheep) in compensation for the thou-
sands of slaughtered wolves. In expi-
ation of their sin, livestock producers
should themselves bear the cost of com-
pensation. The Oregon and national
cattlemen’s associations should col-
Congress and huge
corporations are in
control of fuel prices
The letters and comments of
recent show a high degree of self-
ishness and ignorance.
The president of the U.S., whether
Democrat or Republican, has virtu-
ally no control over fuel prices. The
U.S. is the world’s largest exporter
of fossil fuels; Congress and huge
corporations are in control!
Complaints of prices (while under-
stood) pale in contrast to the major
perils and sufferings of much of the
world. How petty do you want to be?
Boyd McAvoy
Joseph
CONTACT your REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. PRESIDENT
Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande office: 541-962-7691
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
EDITORIALS: Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Wallowa County Chieftain
editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions
of the authors and not necessarily that of the Wallowa County Chieftain.
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website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns
P.O. Box 338 • Enterprise, OR 97828
Office: 209 NW First St., Enterprise, Ore.
Phone: 541-426-4567 • Fax: 541-426-3921
Contents copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
• • •
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private
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209 NW 1st St. Enterprise, OR 97828
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Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
Member Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
USPS No. 665-100
Cliff Bentz
1239 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Medford office: 541-776-4646
REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton office: 541-278-1129
Wallowa County’s Newspaper Since 1884
VOLUME 134
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for their own compensation fund. Tax-
payers should not be responsible.
Wally Sykes
Joseph
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