A16
STATE
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Dozens of Oregon groups sign letter supporting River Democracy Act
By MICHAEL KOHN
The Bulletin
BEND — A plan to pro-
tect thousands of miles of
rivers and streams in Ore-
gon received renewed atten-
tion last week when doz-
ens of organizations banded
together to encourage politi-
cians to speed up the passage
of the bill.
Seventy-fi ve
organiza-
tions across the state sent a
joint letter to Oregon Demo-
cratic Sens. Ron Wyden and
Jeff Merkley urging them
to pass the River Democ-
racy Act. The letter is signed
mainly by conservation
groups and outdoor sporting
and fi shing organizations.
If passed, the bill would
add nearly 4,700 miles of
rivers and streams in Ore-
gon to the Wild and Sce-
nic Rivers System. The fed-
eral designation, created in
1968, protects rivers and
develops them for tourism,
just as national parks and
national forests protect des-
ignated areas of land. Rivers
can be listed as having wild,
scenic or recreational value.
Wyden and Merkley intro-
duced the River Democracy
Act, Senate Bill 192, in Feb-
ruary 2021. More than 15,000
streams and rivers were nom-
inated by Oregonians for
inclusion in the act after
Wyden called on state resi-
dents to suggest their favorite
waterways in 2019. In Bend,
one nomination came from
a group of sixth-graders at
Pacifi c Crest Middle School.
But the bill has its detrac-
tors too. In January, U.S.
Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario,
spoke out against the act on
the fl oor of the U.S. House
of Representatives, declaring
that it will create a wildfi re
risk in Oregon’s watersheds.
Bentz argued that the act
puts forests at risk because
it allows prescribed burns
without conducting thinning
operations.
The American Forest
Resources Council, which
represents logging interests,
is among the groups that
defend Bentz’s position.
“We continue to oppose
the River Democracy Act
Mark Morical/Bulletin fi le
Tumalo Creek fl ows west of Bend in this 2021 photo. The River
Democracy Act in Congress would add nearly 4,700 miles of
designated wild and scenic rivers across Oregon. It also calls
for widening protective stream buff ers from a quarter-mile to
a half-mile on both sides.
because it will increase the
risk of severe wildfi res,
threaten our communities,
impede public access and
impact multiple uses of pub-
lic lands,” said Nick Smith,
the council’s public aff airs
director. “Catastrophic wild-
fi res including subsequent
erosion and sedimentation
pose the greatest threat to
watersheds and rivers and
water quantity and quality.”
Smith said more manage-
ment of federal lands will
help reduce wildfi re.
“Rather than imposing
more arbitrary designations
and restrictions on federal
lands, Oregon’s federal rep-
resentatives should focus on
giving public lands manag-
ers more resources and tools
to proactively reduce wild-
fi re risks, maintain access
and protect our forests, riv-
ers, and communities,” said
Smith.
Wyden’s
offi ce
has
pushed back against the argu-
ment that forests will be at a
greater risk for fi re, stating
that the bill requires agencies
to implement a fi re risk-re-
duction plan across a half-
mile corridor on either side
of a river or stream.
The letter sent last week
was supported by riverkeeper
groups, guiding associations,
watershed councils and pad-
dling clubs, among others.
“Although our groups rep-
resent a wide variety of inter-
ests, purposes, and people
across the state, we all have
at least one thing in common
— a love of Oregon’s rivers,”
stated a portion of the letter.
“They provide us with clean
drinking water, our favorite
swimming holes and places
to take our families fi shing
and boating.”
The designations would
add protection for fi sh, wild-
life, clean drinking water
and recreation in watersheds
including the Deschutes,
Metolius, McKenzie and
others.
The next step for the act is
a vote by the Senate Energy
and Natural Resources Com-
mittee, which is chaired by
West Virginia Sen. Joe Man-
chin, a Democrat.
Wyden told The Bulletin
that public lands bills tend to
get a close look at the end of
the year, and he is preparing
to have it voted on in the Sen-
ate by that time. His offi ce is
in communication with Man-
chin specifi cally to seek the
necessary votes to get the bill
passed.
“In terms of public lands,
we’re going to fairly soon
have some mark-ups, where
the legislation is formally
considered and pulling out all
the stops for it,” said Wyden.
“We are getting all the small
businesses from rural Oregon
behind it and we are pleased
about the coalition coming
together.”
Firearms training, magazine capacity measure qualifi es for statewide vote
By PETER WONG
Oregon Capital Bureau
Oregon voters will decide
Nov. 8 whether to require
fi rearms training and ban
high-capacity ammunition
magazines.
The Oregon Elections
Division said a ballot initia-
tive to do so has qualifi ed
for the general election. The
state validated 131,671 of the
160,498 petition signatures
(82%) submitted by spon-
sors. The number was more
than the 112,020 required,
based on 6% of the votes cast
for governor in the 2018 elec-
tion, a standard fi xed by the
Oregon Constitution.
Voters will see a total of
four measures on the gen-
eral election ballot, two ini-
tiatives that qualifi ed by peti-
tion and two constitutional
amendments referred by the
Legislature.
This measure would limit
ammunition magazines to 10
rounds each. In addition to
the limit, the measure would
require people to undergo
classroom and live-fi re train-
ing before they obtain a fi re-
arms permit and complete
background checks. (Cur-
rent law allows a purchaser
to obtain a gun even if the
check is incomplete after
three days; the measure
would compel the check to
be completed.)
Lift Every Voice Oregon,
the movement that sponsored
it and a second potential mea-
sure, was way behind at the
end of May when an initial
round of 2,500 signatures
was submitted.
But two mass shootings
outside Oregon resulted in a
surge of petition volunteers
and signatures before the
July 8 deadline.
Ten Black people were
shot dead May 14 in a super-
market in Buff alo, and 19
children and two teach-
ers died 10 days later at
Robb Elementary School in
Uvalde, Texas.
The Rev. Dr. W.J. Mark
Knutson, pastor of Augustana
Lutheran Church in Portland,
said those events helped pro-
duced more than 1,000 new
volunteers and 150,000 more
signatures.
“People were saying they
could not sit anymore, so
we had 1,000 new volun-
teers come forward to join
the 500,” Knutson said in an
interview earlier in July. “A
t
R
E
u
T
o
N
t
f is WI
e
l
e
b D th
t
’
n
Do he COL
in t
lot were parents with chil-
dren — it was pretty amaz-
ing. They are learning about
democracy.
“The process is as import-
ant as the result — demo-
cratic action by the people.
In this nation right now, we
need to see democracy at
work.”
Movement
leaders
shelved a second ballot mea-
sure that would have banned
some assault weapons. Knut-
son said leaders hope to pres-
ent it as a bill to the 2023 Leg-
islature, which opens Jan. 9.
The measure joins three
others on the general election
ballot.
The other initiative, which
has already qualifi ed, would
bar lawmakers from seeking
re-election if they have 10 or
more absences not excused
by the House speaker or Sen-
ate president. That initia-
tive was put forth by public
employee unions and oth-
ers in response to walkouts
by Republican legislative
minorities in 2019, 2020 and
2021.
The measure would
change the Oregon Consti-
tution, which requires two-
thirds of lawmakers — 40 of
60 in the House, 20 of 30 in
the Senate — to be present
for the chambers to conduct
business. Most legislative
chambers, and the U.S. Con-
gress, require a simple major-
ity of members.
Oregon’s 2020 walkouts
forced the majority Demo-
crats to scuttle proposed cli-
mate-change legislation and
shut down the short session.
(Republican senators walked
out for one day in 2021;
Republicans in the House
were deterred from doing so
by a 2021 rule that set a max-
imum daily fi ne of $500 for
an unexcused absence.)
The other measures,
both constitutional amend-
ments, were referred by the
2021 Legislature. One would
defi ne health care as a right;
the other would remove
slavery as a punishment for
crime.
The Elections Division
will assign numbers to all
four measures. They will be
accomplished by explanatory
statements and fi scal analy-
ses — those are done by pan-
els — plus advocacy state-
ments submitted and paid for
by supporters and opponents.
The Legislature writes state-
ments for its own referrals.
Watch out
Wallowa County
The Frogmen
are coming!
What’s tougher
than a cowboy?
A FROGMAN!
PACIFIC NW UDT/SEAL
CHAPTER REUNION
SEPTEMBER 8 - 11 2022
WALLOWA COUNTY, OR.
ORDER NOW!
It’s time to place your wood
burning stove orders
Delivery: 12-14 week’s out
ANTON’S
HOME &
SPIRITS
Navy SEAL’s. (An acronym for Sea, Air, and Land; also known as “Frogmen”).
Have earned a reputation that’s renowned. In some circles, even feared. The most
elite community in Navy Special Warfare. Very possibly the toughest, most highly
trained military group that ever existed. No mission is routine. There are soldiers
and there are warriors. Navy SEALs are trained to succeed. Taking out key targets.
Conducting reconnaissance for future military actions. Standing ready to
neutralize the threat of terrorism around the world. A legacy of achievement.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy directed the US Navy to establish SEAL Teams
One and Two. Their mission: conduct counter guerilla warfare and clandestine
operations in the maritime and riverine environments of Vietnam. Since then,
SEALs have operated around the world, including Grenada, the Persian Gulf,
Panama, the Middle East, Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, and Liberia. During peace and
war. Their impact has directly contributed to the security of our country – and the
demise of our enemies. Now, a group of these guys from the Pacific NW (WA, OR,
ID, MT) Chapter (roughly 200, counting wives and girlfriends (but not both)
will be in your County the weekend of Sept. 8-11
“The only easy day was yesterday.”
The main POC for this event is Jack James (CDR, USN, Ret,) who
served in the Navy SEALs from 1973 to 2007 (BUD/S Class 70,
graduating 23 Feb 73). Phone: (360) 509-2985.
DAV VSO: Jack is also a volunteer with the Disabled
American Veterans (DAV) as a Veteran Service Officer (VSO). He
enjoys working with the awesome Veterans of Wallowa County,
to help them navigate the VA Disability system, by filling out
the proper VA Forms and forwarding them through the DAV
system to the VA Headquarters. Please call him at the same Jack B. James (The Jackal)
CDR, USN, Ret., US NAVY SEAL
phone number above if you need help. Thank you.