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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2018)
State Blue Mountain Eagle A7 Wednesday, May 2, 2018 Campaign Drought emergency declared in Grant County finance reform key for Starnes Gov. Brown cites low snowpack and precipitation Independent governor candidate hopes to provide third choice By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle By Sean Hart Blue Mountain Eagle EO Media Group/Kathy Aney Gov. Kate Brown signs House Bill 4023, which increases broadband for rural schools, as education and technology leaders look on Friday at the Pendleton Technology and Trade Center. Brown has declared a drought emergency in Grant County. Oregon snow water equivalent (As of April 9) *Average annual SWE, 1981-2010 91 91 87 55 78 Weather patterns change According to the federal Natural Resources and Con- servation Service’s April 1 statewide basin report, storm systems in the Pacific North- west this winter deposited most of their snow north of the Columbia River, leaving Or- egon with only 72 percent of normal snowpack. Gov. Brown described the bleak consequences of this weather pattern in her execu- tive order. “Forecasted water condi- tions are not expected to im- prove, and drought is likely to have significant economic im- pacts on agriculture, livestock and natural resources in Grant County,” she said. “Dry con- ditions will place agricultural and livestock investments at risk, threaten natural resources and recreational and tourism activities, and subject the re- gional economy to widespread and severe damage.” The Grant County Court described similar conditions in its March 14 letter requesting a drought declaration by the governor. “Current predictions by (the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) are that seasonal drought with- in our region will persist or in- tensify and could dramatically increase wildland fire danger,” the court said. “Additionally, a large share of the county’s economy is dependent upon the agriculture sector, which is adversely affected by low Percent of median* 25-50% 51-70 71-90 91-110 65 43 59 54 39 62 47 Source: USDA NRCS Alan Kenaga/Capital Press rainfall. Our initial assessment of impacts indicates imminent and significant damages and losses to the agricultural econ- omy of Grant County.” Snowpack data According to the National Resource Conservation Ser- vice, March precipitation in the John Day Basin was 99 percent of average, and pre- cipitation from Oct. 1 to April 1 was 85 percent of average. Most streamflow forecasts in the basin for April through Sep- tember range from 49 to 81 per- cent of average. “Water managers in the basin should expect well be- low normal to below normal streamflows this summer,” NRCS said in its April 1 basin report. NRCS reported April 19 that snow water equivalent at eight of 13 SNOTEL sites in the John Day Basin averaged 60 percent of the median from 1981 through 2010. Data for other basins included Harney, 62 percent; Malheur, 57 per- cent; Klamath, 55 percent; Up- per Deschutes and Crooked, 73 percent; Rogue and Umpqua, 61 percent; Lake County and Goose Lake, 70 percent; and Owyhee 35 percent. Precipitation at the 13 SNO- TEL sites in the John Day Basin averaged 89 percent of average from 1981 through 2010. Pre- cipitation data from the basins cited above were also below average. Oregon’s first drought emer- gency of the year was declared by Gov. Brown in Klamath County March 13. As state and local officials coordinate with federal partners, conditions will be closely monitored by the state’s natural resource and public safety agencies, includ- ing the Water Resources De- partment and OEM. “For portions of Oregon, in- cluding Grant County, drought forecasts are already predicting a troubling year ahead,” Gov. Brown said. “To minimize the impacts drought, severe weath- er and wildfire conditions could have on the local economy, I’m directing state agencies to work with local and federal partners to provide assistance to the Grant County community.” Among the tools provided to water-right holders under a drought emergency are a tem- porary permit allowing the use of groundwater instead of sur- face water; an expedited pro- cess that allows a water user to change the type of use, place of use or location of a diver- sion; permission to convert all or some of a water right to an instream use for one year or the length of the drought declara- tion; special-option agreements that allow a water-right holder to provide water to another party; a temporary exchange of existing water-rights from direct flow in a stream to stored water; and the author- ity to temporarily give human consumption or stock-water- ing uses preference over other uses. Campaign finance re- form is the top issue for gubernatorial candidate Patrick Starnes of the Independent Party of Oregon. Until “big money” is removed from politics, he told the Eagle, no other reforms will have much chance of success in the current two-party system. With large donations from special interest groups fueling the cam- paigns of the Democrat and Republican parties, Starnes said voters are left with a choice of the lesser evil, rather than “a true third choice,” which he hopes to change. Starnes said he is mod- eling campaign finance reform by limiting dona- tions to his campaign to $100. He is touring the state, town by town, focusing on “solutions, not poli- tics,” he said. Lifetime political party members have approached him at events and told him they plan to vote for him, he said. “People want to re- ally change it,” he said of the political system. “They’re tired of these arguments.” Secondary priorities include open primary elections and the preven- the tion of gerrymandering, he said. A freelance cabinet- maker for 30 years with school board experience, Starnes said state politi- cians should be required to have served on school boards to learn about the issues facing communi- ties. After campaign fi- nance reform, he said the state Public Employees Retirement System could be reformed through a nonpartisan committee, which would alleviate the PERS burden on school districts and provide more dollars in class- rooms, which would lead to better graduation rates. Health care, tax and economic reforms would all follow, he said, but wouldn’t be possible un- til campaign finance was reformed. Starnes said he be- lieves the general elec- tion will be interesting because 38 percent of Oregonians are not reg- istered as Democrats or Republicans. “I know I’m a dark horse,” he said, “but oth- er dark horses have won.” corner’s HOT SH T EEK OF THE W JAIME BALLESTEROS School: Long Creek Grade: 11 Host Parents: Ed & Linda Studtmann Parents: Jose Manuel & Ginny Ballestero Sport: Track and Field Events: 400, 300 hurdles, 4x100 relay Pet e Der osier & Far r ell Clar k ar e back wit h t heir band, Last Call! What I like best about my sport: “The best part is to be with the team. I spend time with my friends and make good memories.” 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. w/ $ 3 cover char ge Coach’s Comment: “Jaime is an exchange student from Spain, so it’s his first year doing track. He has worked hard to learn his events and strives to improve his technique and increase his speed. He always has a great attitude. He likes to have fun and makes practice more enjoyable for everyone.” -Coach Linda Studtmann ay , d r u Sa t 5t h Ma y Bisnett Insurance YEARS Patrick Starnes 405 W. Main John Day 1 800 303-0419 145 E. Main Street John Day PROUD SPONSOR OF GRANT COUNTY ATHLETES 52743 55400 Gov. Kate Brown issued a drought emergency declaration for Grant County April 10 fol- lowing a March 14 request by the Grant County Court. “I find that the continuing low snowpack, lack of precip- itation, low streamflows and warming temperatures are like- ly to cause natural and econom- ic disaster conditions in Grant County, resulting in a severe, continuing drought emergency in that county during 2018,” Brown said in her executive order. The declaration followed a three-step process that be- gan with the Grant County Court’s request and underwent a review by staff at the state Water Resources Department and Office of Emergency Management. The declaration allows the Water Resources Department to offer options to water-right holders in Grant County to help them cope with conditions. 100 E. MAIN • Stoplight in John Day 55396 541-792-0425 Grant SWCD Weed Control Dept. Working for You in 2018 Thanks to the Grant County Court and Northeast Oregon Forests Resource Advisory Committee, Grant Weed Control is able to offer a 25% Cost share program for Noxious Weed Control on Private Grazing Lands, through a Title II funded Grant Project. This program will provide a maximum $5,000 of noxious weed control services with a $1,250 maximum landowner contribution to qualifying participants. To be eligible for participation, the treatment property must not be actively irrigated and must be primarily managed for livestock grazing, minimum of 20 acres in size, located within Grant County, and must contain priority noxious weed species. Applications for this limited weed control assistance opportunity will be ranked and funded according to a priority noxious weed list.. Contact the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District Office at (541) 575-1554 or visit 721 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845 for applications and additional information. The application deadline for this program is May 4th, 2018. 50943 541-523-6377 541-963-6577 541-573-6377 541-576-2160 54392
