4A |
WEDNESDAY EDITION
| JUNE 19, 2019
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
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Siuslaw News
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Letters to the Editor policy
Senator Roblan gives mixed message on environment
(Editor’s Note: Viewpoint sub-
missions on this and other topics are
always welcome as part of our goal to
encourage community discussion and
exchange of perspectives.)
T
here are two catastrophic
threats to our environ-
ment, one from plastics and
the other from a manmade
climate crisis. Both of these
threats have been addressed
in the Oregon State Legisla-
ture.
How has our state Senator
Arnie Roblan addressed these
threats?
First, I’d like to thank Sena-
tor Roblan for his vote to ban
plastic bags. This is a much
needed action as Oregon joins
other states.
But I was dismayed and very
disappointed when Senator
Roblan joined with Republi-
cans to defeat a statewide ban
on Styrofoam. We in Florence
worked very hard to get the
city to ban polystyrenes and
eventually were successful, al-
though only for a limited type
of packaging. Our hopes were
that a statewide ban would fill
in where our City failed in its
coverage.
Guest Viewpoint
By Michael Allen
Florence
I have picked up trash sever-
al times a year along Highway
126 and on our beaches. In
addition to plastic bags I found
lots of Styrofoam packaging,
all of which would have found
its way to our river and ocean.
Senator Roblan explained
that his “no” vote “was in re-
sponse to the concerns of rural
communities and schools,
specifically on the unintend-
ed impact this would have on
their disposal programs.”
Unfortunately, he did not
consider the overriding need
to maintain a safe environment
for all Oregon residents.
There may be a second
time Senator Roblan deserts
his Democratic colleagues
and constituents. It has been
widely reported that Senator
Roblan is uncertain about
his support of the “cap and
invest” bill, HB 2020, which
addresses the climate crisis.
HB 2020 passed the House
30-24, despite Representative
Caddy McKeown’s “no” vote.
The vote will be a much closer
in the Senate making Sena-
tor Roblan’s vote all the more
important.
It is my hope that Senator
Roblan will do what’s right to
protect us from the harmful
effects of Styrofoam and the
existential threat of climate
change.
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the edi-
tor as part of a community discussion of issues on
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Political/Election Letters:
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As with all letters and advertising content, the
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er, general manager and editor, reserves the right
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criteria.
Email letters to:
nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com
WHERE TO WRITE
Pres. Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments:
202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Oregon Gov.
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, Ore. 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line:
503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office
Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
www.merkley.senate.gov
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio
(4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416
541-269-2609
541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan
(Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@
oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep.
Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email: rep.caddymckeown
@oregonlegislature.gov
West Lane County
Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email: Jay.Bozievich@
co.lane.or.us