Green $$ In Gov’s Transportation Plan

November 10, 2008
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The headlines will scream about higher gas taxes and vehicle fees, but there’s much more than that in Governor Kulongoski’s brand new plan for transportation in the state.

There’s a lot of green ideas in it too. The Governor wants to move the state in the direction of more electric vehicles, reducing congestion, and making people pay for fees and insurance based on how many miles they drive.

Let’s look at each of these areas.

Electric Vehicles: The plan calls for spending $8 million a year on infrastructure for electric vehicles. He wants to phase out tax credits for hybrids and increase them on vehicles that produce less carbon. He also wants to create a new category for EV’s. Right now, so called low-speed neighborhood vehicles can’t go faster than 25-mph. He wants to create a medium speed category which would make these kinds of cars more practical for people who want to travel beyond the neighborhood.

Pay Per Miles Driven: Imagine that someday you won’t have to pay a gas tax. Instead, you’ll be charged a fee based on how many miles you drive each year. ODOT tested a pilot program not too long ago. Kulongoski wants the state to work with automakers to develop the technology that’s needed to put such a program into place. The governor says the state can’t rely on gas taxes forever, and wants to replace it with a pay per miles program.

He wants to extend tax credits for pay-as-you-go car insurance. Instead of paying a flat fee for the year, your premiums could rise and fall based on how many miles you drive. Kulongoski says that people with these types of insurance plans reduce their miles an average 5%-15% a year. They end up saving an average 25% on premiums.

Other Ideas: The plan calls for setting up a pilot program to test congestion pricing. In other words, you’ll have to pay higher fees for driving during rush hours.

It sets aside money for non-highway funding, such as light rail.

You’ve probably seen his proposals for raising vehicle registration fees. Among them, a $100 charge for the first time a car gets an Oregon title. That would be reduced to $50 if the car gets more than 30 miles-per-gallon.

It also calls for planning to reduce miles driven by people in metropolitan areas, but cuts rural areas some slack because often have to drive farther for goods, services and jobs.

For more details about the plan visit this link, it opens up a PDF file.
Jobs and Transportation Act 2009

Save Them From Logging, Lose Them To Fires

November 8, 2008
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If the Bush Administration has its way, we’re about to say goodbye to the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) of 1994. (See our story, “Logging Plan On Hold For Now“.)

So the recent news about the NWFP seems bittersweet and ironic. A new study from the Pacific Northwest Research Station shows, that when it comes to old-growth forests, the NWFP did what it was supposed to do. Researchers say the 1994 plan “significantly reduced” logging on old-growth federal forests. It also says logging of old-growth forests on privately owned land also declined since 1994.

That’s the bittersweet part of the story.

So here’s the ironic part. Old-growth forests now have a new enemy, wildfires. The study says that in some areas of the Northwest, so much of these forests have been lost to fires that their acreage has decreased. This is despite the drastic cutbacks in logging. It puts the blame on climate change, warmer spring and summer seasons plus earlier snowmelt. It warns that losses to fire could double by the end of the century.

Wind Farm Backlash In Umatilla County

November 8, 2008
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Seems like not everyone is crazy about the new crop of wind turbines that are growing like crazy in eastern Oregon.

According to the East Oregonian, the city council of Milton-Freewater went on the record to voice its concerns that too many wind mills will ruin the town’s view of the Blue Mountains. The article says those scenic views are one of the town’s selling points for attracting new business.

The council is also worried about all the money its spent to develop an area of town known as the South Hill. The plan is to put new homes in the South Hill area instead of taking up valuable farm land on the valley floor. South Hill is also a potential wind farm site.

There’s no question in our minds that huge wind farms have a dramatic impact on the landscape. We recently drove through northern Wasco County. It’d been several years since our last visit, and we were surprised by how much larger the wind farms in the area had grown. The sight of wind turbines, one next to another, for miles and miles, was a little bit eerie. It’ll be interesting to see if other areas of eastern Oregon start to say, “we’ve had enough.”

New Groundfish Rules Approved

November 8, 2008
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No surprise as the Feds approve a new management plan for groundfish on the West Coast. But, fishermen were able to change the rules in a way that allows them to keep more of the catch.

What the Pacific Fishery Management Council did was to create a quota system for individual boats, rather that one big quota covering everyone. The current system creates a big “race for the finish line” as fisherman rush to the ocean to catch as much as they can before the quota runs out. The new system allows them to fish at their own pace, waiting for better weather, better fishing conditions, or even a better price in the marketplace.

The changes had widespread support, except for one rule that guaranteed 20% of the harvest to processing companies. Fishermen complained that it gave processors too much control over prices. Processors said they needed the guaranteed supply to protect their investments in their businesses.

What the Council did was to split the difference. Processors will still get 20% of the whiting catch. Fisherman get to keep everything else.

Logging Plan On Hold For Now

November 8, 2008
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Conservation groups got the break they wanted from the Bureau Of Land Management (BLM).

This week, BLM agreed to a 30-day period for more public comment on the new logging plan for western Oregon. Oregon Wild, Earthjustice and a handful of other groups sued the agency when it appeared BLM was going to implement the plan without another comment period.

There’s a hitch to this. BLM is calling this a “Public Protest Period” which puts limits on what issues can be raised at this late stage of the game. You can protest decisions made on issues that were already considered in the planning process, but you can’t bring up new complaints.

The new logging plan, formally known as the Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR) opens up 2.6 million acres of federal forests to more logging. The amount of timber harvested under WOPR could double.

BLM is facing a year end deadline to put a new plan into place. The Clinton administration scaled back logging in western Oregon when it created the Northwest Forest Plan in 1994. But the timber industry sued. It reached a settlement with BLM that the new plan would be completed by December 2008.

New Fishing Rules Due Next Week

October 31, 2008
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Big changes are coming to the west coast fishing industry.

Next week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) is expect to approve a new quota system for groundfish. Supporters say it will lead to a dramatic rebound in the ocean, reduce the waste of unwanted fish, and generally make the harvest more sustainable.

So what’s all the fuss about?

Some basics; we’re talking groundfish here. This includes species such as sole, cod and rockfish (better known as red snapper). This doesn’t include salmon, which has dominated the headlines for the past couple of years.

Next, a look at the current rules. The feds set an overall quota for the season. Each boat is allowed to catch as much as it can until the quota is filled. It’s not quite that simple, of course, but you get the picture.

Under the new rules, each boat gets an individual quota. Once that quota is filled, the boat is done for the season even if other boats are not. Plus, the owner can sell or trade his quota with other fishermen.

The rules are based on a system used in British Columbia which has seen a big turnaround in fishing stocks since it went into effect in 1997.

The big sticking point? The proposed rules set aside 20% of the quotas for processors. Processors argue they need a guaranteed supply to protect the investment they made in their plants and equipment. Others, including the Environmental Defense Fund say that gives processors too much control over prices.

The meetings start this weekend and run until Friday.

For more information visit:
Pacific Fishery Management Council: November 2208 Briefing Book

Become A Whale Expert

October 30, 2008
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Ever wonder what it takes to become a volunteer for Oregon’s Whale Watching weeks?

You’ll have to take some formal training, and the next opportunity for that is Nov. 22 and 23 in Newport.

It takes place at the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the lead trainer is Dr. Bruce Mate of OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute. He’ll kick things off Saturday morning with such topics as Gray Whale biology and natural history.

The cost is amazingly cheap. Advanced registration is $20 and the same day cost is $25. If you want to camp, Oregon Parks and Recreation has set aside free camping at nearby South Beach and Beverly Beach state parks.

Morris Grover, who coordinates the session, says attending this conference entitles you to life long privileges as a volunteer for the “Whale Watching Spoken Here” program. The next two periods run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. And then it resumes March 21-28 of next year.

You can get more information here:
Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center

Or by calling the center at 541-765-3304.

Or you can even e-mail Morris directly at morris.grover@state.or.us