Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2015)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Sage grouse decision: New paradigm W hile some critics question whether ranchers who enter into voluntary conservation plans to aid the greater sage grouse have given up too much, a listing of the bird under the Endangered Species Act would have been a disaster. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided not to add the greater sage grouse to the endangered species list. That’s good news for ranchers and others in the western natural resources community. In making the announcement, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell credited voluntary and collaborative measures to protect and improve greater sage grouse habitat on public and private land across the West. But with Oregon ranchers providing a key early model, producers, private landowners and public agencies adopted agreements most believe will protect sage grouse habitat while still allowing work on the land. More than 100 Oregon ranchers signed voluntary conservation agreements with USFWS in which they took steps to improve habitat in exchange for 30 years protection from additional regulation even if the bird had been listed. Private landowners in other states followed suit, and public agencies such as the BLM revised their management plans. Those revisions added restrictions on everyone who use public lands. On the whole, we think these new restrictions are less intrusive than what would have happened if the sage grouse were listed. Some environmental groups say the sage grouse can’t survive without the more stringent protections provided by the Endangered Species Act. Oil and gas interests say the voluntary conservation plans on private lands and mandatory efforts on public lands are too restrictive for energy production. At the same time, there are carve outs for a proposed transmission line for electricity produced by wind generators, a resource favored by the administration. Though for different ends, both sides have threatened litigation. It should be noted that it was a lawsuit brought by environmentalists to force the government to make a decision on a sage grouse listing that provided the impetus for the collaborative efforts and reworked land use plans now at issue. Some members of Congress say the Obama administration has successfully put even private lands under the government’s thumb, what some believe was the goal from the start. Litigation is an inevitable byproduct of any decision on an environmental issue. Congressional displeasure is also a near certainty. All of this will play out over time. We would not suggest that voluntary conservation plans and the government efforts have not changed the West. Clearly, there is a new paradigm. But ranchers and other natural resource advocates need to remember that they have more options under the current conditions than they would had the sage grouse been listed. That would change the West in ways that would make grazing and other productive use of public and private lands all but impossible in many cases. The challenge now is to ensure measures taken thus far maintain sage grouse habitat and lead to an increase in the population. The only way to thwart litigation or renewed political pressure for a listing — and thus more onerous restrictions — is to actually save the sage grouse. W HERE TO WRITE GRANT COUNTY Grant County Courthouse — 201 S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541- 575-2248. Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax: 541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu- rylink.net. Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville 97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541- 987-2187. Email:?dville@ortelco.net John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day, 97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541- 575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net. /RQJ&UHHN — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421- 3075. Email: info@cityoÀongcreek.com. Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monu- ment 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934- 2025. Email: monument@oregontrail.net. 0W9HUQRQ — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net. Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax: 820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net. Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca 97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161. Email: cityseneca@centurytel.net. SALEM *RY.DWH%URZQ' — 254 State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378- 3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www. governor.state.or.us/governor.html. 6WDWH5HS&OLII%HQW]5-Ontario (Dis- trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state. or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/ Blue Mountain EAGLE P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY home.htm. 6WDWH6HQ7HG)HUULROL5 — (District 30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen. tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@aol. com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www. leg.state.or.us/ferrioli. Oregon Legislative Information — (For updates on bills, services, capitol or messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313. WASHINGTON, D.C. 7KH:KLWH+RXVH 1600 Pennsylva- nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch- board: 202-456-1414. 866HQ5RQ:\GHQ D — 516 Hart Senate Of¿ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email: wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website: http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717. 866HQ-HII0HUNOH\'— 313 Hart Senate Of¿ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email: senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202- 228-3997. Oregon of¿ces include One World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St., Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; and 310 S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR 97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278- 1129. Fax: 503-326-2990. 865HS*UHJ:DOGHQ5 — (Second District) 1404 Longworth Building, Wash- ington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730. No direct e-mail because of spam. Website: www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225-5774. Medford of¿ce: 14 North Central, Suite 112, Medford, OR 97501. Phone: 541-776-4646. Fax: 541-779-0204. Pending Bills: For information on bills in Congress, Phone: 202-225-1772. BPA reduces rebates for upgrading windows For over a decade Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative’s (OTEC) En- ergy Services team (ES) has enthu- siastically helped members lower their electric bills and conserve en- ergy by upgrading from old, leaky ZLQGRZV WR KLJK HI¿FLHQF\ PRG- els with a u-value of .30 or better. OTEC members who took advan- WDJH RI %3$¶V ¿QDQFLDO LQFHQWLYHV VDWLV¿HG WKH SURJUDP FULWHULD E\ proving their primary installed heat source was electric and they were purchasing new windows that with low u-value ratings. So, what is a u-value? Windows are rated according to the degree of heat loss measured from the middle of the pane going outward; hence, the lower the U-factor, the better the window insulates the building. The U.S. government standardized the rating method and now requires this information to be posted on all QHZ ZLQGRZ SURGXFWV +LJK HI¿- ciency windows can be double or WULSOH SDQH DUJRQ JDV RU DLU ¿OOHG or a myriad of other types that meet QHZHI¿FLHQF\UDWLQJVEXWWKHNH\ is to check and compare u-values. Unfortunately, BPA recently an- nounced the window program will be changing as of October 2015 and the rebate will be greatly re- duced, almost half of what it has been. This decision came following a study performed by the Regional Technical Forum (RTF), a commit- tee formed by the NW Power and Conservation Council, and only Susie Snyder after years of monitoring the actu- DOVDYLQJVGHULYHGIURPUHWUR¿WWLQJ windows as compared to what was originally projected. The RTF’s pri- mary job is to develop standards to verify and evaluate conserva- tion savings. This group of experts keeps the Council and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) up- dated on whether changes need to be made to any conservation pro- gram, so the funding is put to best use. Unfortunately, this one did not live up to the expectation, so future rebates will be cut in half of what they have been, with the likelihood the program will be phased out alto- gether in the near future. Although, the change may lower participation for the future, many of OTEC’s members have already EHQH¿WHG IURP WKH SURJUDP $QG lthough, the change may lower participation for the future, many of OTEC’s members have already benefitted from the program. And, regardless, it’s still a good idea to remove leaky windows and replace them with higher efficient models. regardless, it’s still a good idea to remove leaky windows and replace WKHP ZLWK KLJKHU HI¿FLHQW PRGHOV OTEC’s ES team will continue to be enthusiastic about helping mem- bers make smart energy choices and ¿QG ZD\V WR PDNH WKH PHPEHU¶V project affordable. Call us for more information about other rebates that help you to conserve. “Enthusiasm is the electricity of life.” – Gordon Parks Susie Snyder is a 15-year em- ployee of OTEC, has a B.A. in Business and is a NWPPA Ferti¿ed Home Energy Auditor/Inspector. She has been helping OTEC mem- bers ¿nd Zays to conserYe energy for oYer years. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Wood use has increased tures, fences, bridges, etc., one may apply for a personal use wood per- mit from the ranger on the district Dear Editor: where the wood is located. The cost The Grant County Public For- LVWKHVDPHDV¿UHZRRGDQGOLPLWHG est Commission working with the to sixteen cords or 8,000 board feet Forest Service has seen an increase and must have personal use tags af- from ten cords to sixteen cords of ¿[HGWRWKHORDG ¿UHZRRG SHU KRXVHKROG DQG EHLQJ Forest Service personnel from able to utilize ATV’s in retrieving small sales may be required to in- wood. Equipment to load wood has spect the trees prior to the removal. also been authorized. It is imperative anyone that wants A recent addition to citizens’ use to use the personal use wood per- of the abundant dead wood on the mit contact a Forest Service Rang- Malheur Forest is a “personal use er and be thoroughly familiar with wood permit.” Dead trees can now the “terms and conditions” of the be hauled in longer lengths than permit before participating in the eight feet and sawn into lumber for program. personal use. Dave Traylor Recognizing the need for people John Dayy to have building material for struc- Forest Service: Take Sierra Club to court To the Editor: Perhaps I’m being too sensitive, but it’s just too bad to see all those trees become smoke in the sky and not a resource sold in timber sales going to a local mill. Now, you know, before this sal- vage log sale can reach a mill, they must pass the roadblock of the Cal- ifornians from Club Sierra. My suggestion to the Forest Service is, group your lawyers together, and take Club Sierra to FRXUWWRSD\DSDUWRIWKHIRUHVW¿UH expense. W. Toop Canyon City L etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a telephone number so they can be reached for questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244. Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM E DITOR .................................... EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ K RISTINA K REGER , KRISTINA @ BMEAGLE . COM E DITORIAL A SSISTANT ................ C HERYL H OEFLER , CHERYL @ BMEAGLE . COM C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION A By Susie Snyder For EO Media Group 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County .....................................$40 Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51 Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery Periodicals Postage Paid at John 'D\DQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRIÀFHV POSTMASTER send address changes to: Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 USPS 226-340 ZZZ0\(DJOH1HZVFRP Copyright © 2015 Blue Mountain Eagle All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping or information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission of the publisher. ZZZIDFHERRNFRP0\(DJOH1HZV @MyEagleNews