A16
NEWS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Cycle
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Q&A
an out-of-control cost of living and
skyrocketing infl ation. Now, Governor
Brown’s administration wants to make
life even more costly for hardworking
Oregonians, all in the name of a polit-
ical agenda that is out-of-touch with
everyday people.
“This proposal is dead on arrival. As
governor, I’ll repeal it on day one.”
Kotek: “Policies like this will help
make zero-emission cars more aff ord-
able and accessible and will ultimately
help Oregonians reduce pollution,
improve air quality and save money
over time.
“I’d support adopting a policy that’s
tailored to meet Oregon’s needs.”
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Continued from Page A1
A number of jobs still
remain to be fi lled in
Monument, Spray, Mitch-
ell and Dayville from
Sunday, Sept. 11, to Fri-
day, Sept. 16. Cycle Ore-
gon will pay $500 to any
organization willing to
be a green team/cleanup
crew, $1,000 to conduct
a site teardown and clean-
ing sweep and $1,200 to
staff a rest stop or provide
a baggage unloading crew.
Bremner said there
are 14 diff erent groups
from around the county
that have elected to raise
money through signing up
for jobs during the Cycle
Oregon ride.
With
so
many
cyclists coming into
town, Bremner said it is
important to be aware
that cyclists will be rid-
ing on Highway 26 and
other local roads, mean-
ing motorists will have to
drive with caution to pre-
vent accidents.
“Just be aware that on
Sunday morning they’re
going to be leaving here,”
she said. “There’s no set
time. Everybody is on
their own schedule. …
They’ll be leaving here
probably anywhere from
7:30 (a.m.) to 9 (a.m.).”
Bremner also wants
to remind everyone that
there will be 1,000 partic-
ipants in the ride this year.
“They’re not all going to
be together. Most of them
have done this before
and Cycle Oregon is very
safety conscious. That
doesn’t mean that some-
thing isn’t going to hap-
pen, just be aware that
there is going to be a lot
of cyclists,” Bremner
said.
Bremner said she
expects Cycle Oregon
to donate over $20,000
to various local groups
and organizations for the
work they have signed
up to do in support of
the group’s 2022 ride
through Grant County.
Participants can also
be expected to spend
money at area bars,
restaurants,
grocery
stores, retail shops and
other local businesses.
“It’s a big deal,”
Bremner added. “They
do this somewhere every
year. … They’ve picked
this area because it is
beautiful.”
Drazan: “The opportunity to bring
Oregonians together is a big part of why
I’m running. When we have a Portland
focus and hard, progressive Democrat
agenda, you end up taking that agenda
and you impose it on the rural parts of
the state.
“Too often in the public policy-mak-
ing process, you have folks drive six or
eight hours to Salem and testify for two
or three minutes. No one asks them
questions and their proposals do not
change outcomes because this single
party control machine — they’ve got
the votes.
Having a Republican governor
ensures (lawmakers) have to compro-
mise. They have to listen to the stake-
holders, because if they don’t, they’ll
get a veto in my administration.”
Kotek: “For me, it is about how you
listen to people, making sure you’re out
in local communities, engaging with
local leaders.
“As speaker of the House, it was
really important for me to represent the
entire state. I made a point to encourage
my colleagues, Democrats and Repub-
licans, to visit each other’s districts.
“As governor, getting out of Salem
more often — it’s important. You bring
people together by listening. And focus-
ing on issues that I don’t think are very
partisan. Every part of this state has a
housing problem. That’s not a partisan
issue. I honestly think water’s not a par-
tisan issue. We all need water.
“So, focusing on issues that aren’t
highly politicized is a good place to
start.”
CP: What marching orders will
you give the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality?
Johnson: “Big ones. I want that
agency to stop torturing Oregonians
and to help Oregonians.
“Frequently, DEQ’s answer has
been no — to everything. I want
can-do, want-to, will-do people run-
ning state agencies. I want them to start
at yes. I want agencies with regulatory
authority to work with farmers and not
constantly be looking for fault or want-
ing to over-regulate.”
Drazan: “My favorite thing that’s
going to happen on my fi rst day is asking
all the agency heads to turn in their resig-
nations — all of them. And we’re going
to sit down and have a conversation.
“My commitment to Oregonians is to
lead in a new direction. We’re not going
to get that done if you keep the entire
bureaucratic machine crankin’ along
like nothing’s changed. I have an expec-
tation that my agency heads are expert
in the subject matter, committed to cus-
tomer service, to being problem-solvers,
to getting to ‘yes’ fi rst and ‘no’ second
and to partnering with Oregonians rather
than standing as a barrier.”
Kotek: “I think one of the biggest
issues right now is to make sure (DEQ
has) the resources and staff power to
meet current regulations.
“Nothing is more frustrating for me
than to hear someone say, ‘I want to
CP: Do you support Oregon’s
existing water rights system
under the doctrine of Prior
Appropriation, or “fi rst in time,
fi rst in right,” in which the
person with the oldest water
right on a stream has seniority
and is the last to face a shutoff ?
123rf
The Oregon Capitol is seen in the background of the Sprague Fountain.
expand my business, but it’s taking 18
months to get my new water permit or
my air permit renewed.’
“The other issue is making sure our
rulemaking processes and rules are
inclusive. Oregonians support regula-
tions that have goals.
“We believe in clean water, clean air
— we all agree on that. And things have
to be set up in a way that businesses can
function.”
CP: Oregon’s new Advanced
Clean Trucks rule requires
manufacturers to sell a certain
percentage of zero-emission
vehicles, including heavy-duty
trucks, starting with the 2024
model year. Critics say the rules
will raise truck prices and push a
fl eet of electric vehicles on rural
communities that don’t yet have
charging infrastructure. What’s
your response?
Johnson: “Well, we gotta’ slow (the
timeline) down. Where’s the infrastruc-
ture? I don’t think the technology has
caught up with the reality of what exists
on the ground. And at what cost?
“We cannot address Oregon’s minor
contribution to global climate change on
the backs of rural communities that were
asked to unfairly bear the economic cost
of implementation.”
Does Johnson support a move
toward more electric vehicles?
“Sure, sure. But we’re going faster
than it can be implemented on the
ground right now,” she said.
Drazan: “I do not support an end
position of a mandate around what
equipment is used by Oregonians.
“This move towards electric vehicles
right now doesn’t meet all the needs.
There’s not adequate charging infra-
structure. The grid can’t support it.
“You can’t put the cart before the
horse. In some cases, these political
agendas force people off of a bridge to
nowhere.”
Does Drazan support transportation
electrifi cation?
“As we move to new technologies
that are low-emissions, I would support
(voluntary) incentive-based movement
Johnson: “Our water rights system
is very complicated. Before politicians
change the system, they need to get
everybody at the table.
“We need to convene the parties and
have a conversation about: What does
changing the water rights really mean?
“But I don’t want somebody to
come away with the opinion that I’m
for changing the water rights system.
“What I’m supportive of is, if there
is a problem statement that people agree
on, what’s the statement? Is it that the
water rights system is too complicated?
Is it that some are getting deprived of
water? I would want to have some col-
lective understanding of: What are we
solving for?”
Drazan: “I support our existing
water rights system.”
Would Drazan try to maintain the
system if it was challenged?
“I would,” she said. “And just to be
clear, I don’t think any system is per-
fect. I do believe in the ability to be
fl exible. I think that needs to be a stron-
ger, more dominant characteristic of
our state government in particular, that
we’re responsive to local needs, but as
a principle, and as a construct under
which we all operate, I support the
existing system.”
Kotek: “It is the fundamental start-
ing place for how water is utilized in
the state. It is the law. It is the starting
point, yes.”
However, Kotek said she is open to
conversations about potentially chang-
ing other laws. For example, under Ore-
gon water law, if a water rights holder
does not use the full water right for fi ve
consecutive years, that user could for-
feit the right. Kotek expressed concern
over this.
“Some people say, ‘If I don’t use
my water, I will lose my rights.’ When
I listen to that, I’m like, ‘OK, does that
make sense when the third person down
the line also needs water?’ Right?” said
Kotek.
“So, how do you have thoughtful
conversations about assessing that? The
starting point is where we are today, but
with the understanding that we have to
consider perhaps some new ideas.”
in that direction,” she said.
Kotek: “If we’re going to have
new regulation(s), we have to put pub-
lic money on the table to help people
achieve conversion.
“What we all understand is, we have
to transition to cleaner engines. How do
you make that happen? I think we have
to put more urgency behind our electrifi -
cation plans as a state.
“The good thing is, with the federal
infrastructure package, we have more
resources coming down from the federal
government than we’ve ever had.
“The thing I always ask in transition
conversations is: Does the timeline work
for folks? The goal is to have it happen,
not to put something in place just to say
we put it in place. If the timeline has to
be reassessed, we have to reassess it,
‘cause the goal is to get people to cleaner
vehicles.”
CP: California air regulators
voted on Aug. 25 to phase out
vehicles that run on fossil fuel,
culminating in a total ban on
sales of new gas-powered cars,
pickup trucks and SUVs by
2035. Washington regulators
plan to follow California’s lead,
and under Gov. Kate Brown,
Oregon is also potentially poised
to follow suit. If you’re elected,
will you adopt or reject this
policy?
Johnson: “We need a government
that does things with Oregonians, not
to Oregonians.
“We need to provide more options to
reduce fossil fuel use, but I am opposed
to heavy-handed mandates that reduce
choice and drive up costs on consumers
and companies.”
“How dare the governor consider
doing this without public hearings or
legislative action. It’s just one more
assault on rural economies, farmers,
ranchers, loggers and anyone who can’t
aff ord a Tesla.”
Drazan: “Once again, bureaucrats
in the Brown administration are push-
ing a political agenda that goes well
beyond their authority.
“People are already struggling with
Coffee Break!
Puzzle solutions can be found in today’s classifieds
CLUES ACROSS
1. Grievous
7. Queens ballplayer
10. Honorable title
12. Created
13. Grillmasters do it
14. Wartime German
cargo ship
15. Cocoplum
16. Hebrew calendar
month
17. British thermal unit
18. Brews
19. One of Thor’s names
21. Decorative scarf
22. Clothes
27. -__: denotes past
28. A way to address a
lover
33. Commercial
34. Utters repeatedly
36. Google certification
(abbr.)
37. Taxis
38. Belgian village in
Antwerp
39. Talk excessively
40. Broad volcanic crater
41. Surgical instrument
44. Listens to
45. Revelation of a fact
48. Paddles
49. Heard
50. Tooth caregiver
51. Metric capacity units
17. “__ Humbug!”
18. White poplar
20. Journalist Tarbell
23. Teachers
24. One older than you
25. Long Russian river
26. Run batted in
29. Beloved Hollywood
alien
30. Holiday (informal)
CLUES DOWN
31. Furniture with open
1. Protein-rich liquids
shelves
2. Musician Clapton
32. Argued
3. Wine
35. Sino-Soviet block
4. When you hope to
(abbr.)
arrive
5. Something one can get 36. Cars have them
38. Volcanic craters
stuck in
6. Midway between east 40. Made of fermented
honey and water
and southeast
41. Shelter for mammals
7. Mothers
or birds
8. German river
42. One who utilizes
9. Israeli city __ Aviv
43. Moves swiftly on foot
10. Discharged
11. Areas near the retina 44. Builder’s trough
45. Architectural wing
12. Greek mythological
46. 12
sorceress
14. Very unpleasant smell 47. Pacific Standard Time
WORDS
Fun By The Numbers
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AGILITY
APRON
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BARK
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BREED
BRINDLE
CANINE
CAPE
CHAMPION
CLUB
CRATE
CROUP
DOCKED
DOG
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NEUTER
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SPAY
TAIL
VETERINARY
WITHERS