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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 2015)
A12 News Blue Mountain Eagle Ferrioli demands ODOT director’s resignation W HAT ’ S H APPENING The deadline for What’s Happening items is 5 p.m. Friday. Call Cheryl at the Eagle, 541-575-0710. THURSDAY, NOV. 26 Leader says faulty emissions data foiled transportation package Capital Bureau EO Media Group Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, on Nov. 18 called for the director of the Department of Transportation to resign. ter the hearing. “In June, following the im- plosion of transportation ne- gotiations, I demanded Gov. Brown immediately request the resignation of Director Garrett due to gross incom- petency at best and dishonest manipulation at worst,” Ferri- oli said in a written statement. “Whether Director Garrett knew the numbers ODOT provided the workgroup were wrong or he simply failed to provide the updated numbers in his possession, his decision to surprise workgroup mem- bers with new numbers in a public hearing without any advance warning led to the demise of a critical, bipartisan transportation infrastructure package for Oregonians that would have resulted in real carbon reduction.” Records obtained by Ferri- oli’s of¿ ce showed as early as June 8, Garrett and Brown’s sustainable communities and transportation policy adviser Karmen Fore received emails from ODOT staff with lower carbon reduction estimates. Amanda Pietz, manager of ODOT’s transportation plan- ning unit, wrote in the email that a computer model had predicted that $400 million in technological improve- ments to improve traf¿ c À ow could reduce carbon emis- sions by 2.02 million metric tons over a decade. Nonetheless, transpor- tation of¿ cials continued to provide documents to the bi- partisan group of lawmakers negotiating the transportation package — known as the Gang of Eight — that showed the state could achieve the same 2.02 million metric ton reduction in carbon emissions at half the price, $200 million over a decade. The ODOT estimates con- tinued to sink lower, with Garrett passing along an up- dated prediction of 0.87 mil- lion metric tons in carbon re- duction from $200 million in transportation improvements in a June 10 email to Fore and Brown’s energy policy advis- er Margi Hoffman. However, ODOT and the governor’s advisers continued to tell law- makers in updated brie¿ ng documents that they could achieve 2.02 million metric tons in carbon reductions for $200 million. On the eve of the legisla- tive hearing on the transpor- tation package, Garrett asked his staff to double-check the numbers. Angela Crow- ley-Koch, legislative di- rector for the Oregon En- vironmental Council, also questioned the calculations in an email to ODOT assistant director Travis Brouwer that evening. WHAT’S HAPPENING Free Thanksgiving dinners By Hillary Borrud SALEM — Oregon Sen- ate Minority Leader Ted Fer- rioli, R-John Day, on Nov. 18 called for the state’s top trans- portation of¿ cial to resign. Ferrioli accused Oregon Department of Transportation director Matthew Garrett and advisers to Gov. Kate Brown of withholding key carbon emissions information from Democratic and Republican lawmakers who were nego- tiating a transportation fund- ing package earlier this year. Ferrioli cited public records released by ODOT and the Governor’s Of¿ ce. Lawmakers gave up on the transportation funding proposal after Garrett re- vealed during the ¿ rst public hearing June 24 that the plan would result in a smaller car- bon emissions reduction than originally projected. ODOT staff had predicted smaller carbon reductions more than two weeks before the hearing, but did not pass that ¿ gure to lawmakers, according to emails released by Ferrioli’s of¿ ce. Lawmakers have contin- ued to question the transpor- tation agency’s management in recent months, and Brown acknowledged last week that ODOT needs to reassure lawmakers it is operating ef- ¿ ciently in order to build sup- port for a possible 2017 trans- portation funding package. The emissions calculations were a critical component of the 2015 transportation ne- gotiations. Republicans had said they would only support an increase in the gas tax if Democrats agreed to repeal the state’s low-carbon fuel standard, which takes effect in January and is supposed to reduce carbon emissions from transportation by up to 10 percent — 7.7 million metric tons — over the next decade. Democrats said they would only consider replac- ing the fuel standard with a plan that would result in at least an equal reduction in carbon emissions. ODOT staff provided estimates that the state could achieve that through a package of alter- native fuel incentives and spending to improve public transit and reduce traf¿ c con- gestion. One part of the plan in par- ticular resulted in immediate skepticism by environmen- talists: proposed technolog- ical improvements in traf¿ c À ows that were supposed to cut carbon emissions by 2.02 million metric tons over a decade. Together with other components of the plan, these improvements were supposed to reduce carbon emissions by as much as 9.1 million to 11.22 million metric tons over a decade. Garrett said on June 24 the technological improve- ments would yield roughly 20 percent of the amount calcu- lated originally for the bipar- tisan group, which meant the transportation package would no longer achieve the same amount of carbon reductions predicted from the low-car- bon fuel standard. Ferrioli revealed on Wednesday that he had also asked the governor to seek Garrett’s resignation soon af- Wednesday, November 25, 2015 1 p.m., Teen Center, Prai- rie City Everyone is welcome to a free, traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. For more information, or to arrange for a ride, call Prairie Baptist Church at 541-820- 3696. 1-4 p.m., John Day Elks Lodge A free holiday meal with ham, turkey and all the trim- mings will be offered. Contri- butions of side dishes and des- serts are welcome. The lounge will be open for pool, shufÀ e- board, card games and foot- ball on big screen TVs. Home deliveries are available for seniors, veterans and disabled people who live in John Day, Canyon City, Mt. Vernon and Prairie City. Call the lodge in advance to make arrange- ments. Volunteers are also needed to help cook, set up, clean up and deliver meals. For more information, call the lodge at 541-575-1824. future date. TUES.-WED. DEC. 1-2 Spay and neuter clinic John Day River Veteri- nary Center Dogs will be done on Tuesday and cats on Wednes- day. The veterinary center is at 59989 Highway 26, west of John Day. Call 541-932-4428 for more information. FRIDAY, DEC. 4 Carrie Young Memorial 5:30 p.m., John Day Elks Lodge The annual by-donation spaghetti dinner, which in- cludes silent and live auctions, supports the elderly in Grant County. Proceeds go toward the purchase of gifts and every day living items for patients in local assisted living facilities, plus 150 home-bound elderly and handicapped people. To donate or for more informa- tion, contact Lucie Immoos at 541-620-2098. SATURDAY, DEC. 5 Two holiday bazaars 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Grant County Fairgrounds, John Day The Blue Mountain Hospi- tal Auxiliary bazaar will be in Trowbridge Pavilion, and the fairgrounds bazaar will be in Keerins Hall. Together, they feature dozens of vendors of- fering an array of crafts and other goods. There will be several gift drawings in Keer- ins Hall, and soup and pie will be available in the Pavilion. Santa Claus will be there too, so bring your camera. Call the fair of¿ ce, 541-575-1900. SATURDAY, NOV. 28 Canyon City holiday bazaar 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Canyon City Community Hall Vendors will be selling a variety of goodies including handcrafted items, gifts in a Mar, Mewelry, ¿ ne art, furniture and more. MONDAY, NOV. 30 Fair board planning meeting 5:30 p.m., Keerins Hall- north room, Grant County Fairgrounds, John Day The Grant County Fair Board will hold a planning meeting to discuss the ¿ nan- cial future of the Grant Coun- ty Fairgrounds, to be present- ed to the County Court at a Open Tuesday - Saturday Call for hours Now open for breakfast Wed-Sat 6:30am 02980 Christmas Gifts for All Vintage Jewelry Western Wall Decor Sunday Only HOLIDAY SALE 10% & Much More OFF ALL GIFTS Friday, Nov. 27th ALL DAY Reserve your HOLIDAY PARTY today! OUTPOST RESTAURANT 201 West Main • John Day 541.575.0250 03023 03007 st December 1 , 2013 November 29, 2015 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Our Entire Stock”