Natural Resources
LWVOR Natural Resource Positions
This is one of the three main sections of LWVOR’s advocacy positions. Also see LWVOR Positions: Issues For Action 2012 – 2013 for position and implementation history on each of the following positions.
For information on the positions of the League of Women Voters of the United States, visit the online edition of Impact on Issues.
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that natural resources should be managed as interrelated parts of life-supporting ecosystems. Resources should be conserved and protected to assure their future availability. Pollution of these resources should be controlled in order to preserve the physical, chemical and biological integrity of ecosystems and to protect public health.
2012 (Update). Natural Resource agency budgets received yet another 5-5.5% cuts this session. The League continues to work with others to advocate for enough money for these agencies to process permits adequately and to enforce our laws and rules. The Oregon Conservation Network had as one of its Priorities no more cuts to the Dept. of Environmental Quality budget.
- Air Quality
- Climate Change
- Coastal Management (and Offshore)
- Energy Conservation
- Nuclear Energy
- Hazardous Materials
- Land Use
- Parks
- Seismic Risk
- Solid Waste
- Water Quality & Quantity
- Water Resources of the Columbia River
Adopted May 1968
The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes that all segments of society (government, industry, agriculture and individual citizens) must share responsibility for improved air pollution abatement practices.
A. In more specific terms, the League supports:
1. Adequate standards for control of all sources of pollution and strict enforcement of established rules and regulations;
2. A comprehensive, coordinated program for management of air as a natural resource;
3. Adequate financing for air pollution abatement programs;
4. More research to determine causes and effects of air pollution and methods of control, better coordination of research programs, and increased sharing of information.
B. League agrees:
1. Individuals, too, must recognize their responsibility in abatement programs and be willing to accept restrictions on their own activities, particularly with respect to automobiles and backyard burning.
2. Effective public education programs are necessary if the public is to:
a. recognize the seriousness of the problem; and
b. appreciate the necessity to support improved pollution abatement.
3. In general, industry must be prepared to pay the cost of abatement for its own pollution, but members recognize the usefulness of some form of financial incentives:
a. to assist small or distressed industries; and
b. to prevent undue delay in obtaining relief from pollution.
c. The members prefer loans and direct grants over forms of tax relief.
4. Polluters should bear the cost of pollution abatement in proportion to their contribution to the problem. (Actually everyone will pay, whether in taxes, in product cost, or in bearing the consequence of inadequate pollution abatement.)
C. In considering Oregon’s relationship with other governmental units, League concludes:
1. Because both the desirable air quality and the problems of pollution vary from one area to another:
a. The state has a right to set higher standards for pollution than those set by the federal government.
b. The state has a responsibility to set higher standards for pollution when local conditions demand it.
c. Federal standards in all cases should be recognized as a minimum below which state standards cannot be set.
2. As air pollution does not recognize state boundaries, participation in interstate compacts is desirable in order to control pollution on an airshed basis.
2012. HB 4112 only received a hearing and did not pass. The League opposed HB 4112 that would have stopped vehicle inspections in the Portland and Medford airsheds. It would have harmed businesses that might need air quality permits and shifted the burden from individual vehicles to these businesses to meeting the Clean Air Act.
National Position
Offshore and Coastal Management
Adopted May 1990
The League of Women Voters of Oregon opposes oil and gas exploration and development within the state’s territorial sea, and requests the state to oppose any federal lease sales within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off the Oregon coast. The ecological integrity, renewable natural resources, and beneficial uses of Oregon’s ocean water must be protected.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon opposes exploration and development of marine minerals within the state’s territorial sea. The League supports academic research that would not adversely affect the ecological integrity, renewable natural resources, and beneficial uses of the state’s territorial sea.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports a state policy that calls on the federal government to ban the exploration and development of marine minerals with the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off the Oregon coast. Should a ban not be effected, the following must be required:
1. An unbiased, credible scientific E.I.S. should be completed prior to any offshore mineral exploration or recovery operation.
2. Offshore mineral activities should be evaluated for degradation of the marine environment, risk to ocean fisheries, and coastal erosion problems.
3. A complete socioeconomic impact statement of offshore developments effect on the states and coastal economy should be made.
The League opposes any revision, interpretation, or application of Oregon’s established marine policy that would diminish Land Conservation and Development Commission Goal 19′s strong environmental and natural resources conservation policy giving clear priority to long-term renewable resource uses.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes responsible and responsive government management of the public’s offshore natural resources shall be based upon:
1. A complete environmental assessment, cumulative impact analysis, and baseline data specific to Oregon.
2. Recognition of coastal states and local government’s rights, jurisdictions, and responsibilities to preserve and protect marine and coastal environment and economy. Federal government’s offshore activities must be consistent with Oregon’s approved Coastal Zone Management Plan.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon affirms the public’s right to be completely informed, actively involved and assured the opportunity to participate in decisions about offshore exploration and development, as well as onshore facilities that support offshore development.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon endorses adequate industry-financed oil spill contingency funds, compensation funds, and company bonding for marine mineral mining activities to cover claims for damage caused by their operations, onshore support facilities, and transporting vessels. Governments and other claimants should be reimbursed for, but not limited to, the following:
1. Oil spill clean up costs.
2. Loss of natural resources or loss of use of natural resources.
3. Impairment of earning capacity.
4. Damage to real or personal property and personal injury.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports a policy which allows the state to terminate or modify a lease for environmental endangerment or for public safety within the state’s territorial sea.
2012. SB 1510, creating a system of marine reserves for Oregon, passed. The League was silent on this bill awaiting completion of our Coastal Study.
Adopted May 1973; Educational Update 2003*
A. The members of the League of Women Voters of Oregon support state policies which promote long range planning for conservation and wise development of energy sources. The League believes the public should have an opportunity to influence decisions on the development of particular sources and the citing of specific installations. League supports:
1. A governmental agency to evaluate power needs estimates and plan source development. This agency should include representatives of:
a. utility companies,
b. the general public, and
c. all levels of government.
2. Governmental programs to provide public education and information to encourage information participation in all power decisions, both for production and conservation.
B. The League believes that in any decision to build a power plant:
1. The most important consideration is environmental quality;
2. Of lesser importance, but to be taken into account are:
a. size of electric bills and prices of goods,
b. industrial development,
c. cultural standards.
C. The League supports the following conservation measures:
1. Rate structures encouraging the wise use of energy. To this end League favors:
a. a low base rate for essential use, above this,
b. higher rates to discourage waste.
2. Government funding of research and development efforts to discover new technologies:
a. to provide efficient methods for energy production and use with minimal environmental damage,
b. emphasis should be given to renewable resources.
1. Governmental programs to provide public education and information.
2. Building codes which will specify standards of design and insulation that minimize waste of energy used for heating, cooling, and lighting.
D. The League believes that state or region should be allowed higher standards for nuclear plants than those set by the federal government.
Adopted May 1980
The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes that the nuclear power program must be managed to protect current and future generations and to maintain an environment beneficial to life.
A. Technical uncertainties must be publicly recognized and planned for,
B. Responsibility for establishing and maintaining a waste system must not be deferred to future generations, and
C. Effective coordination among all levels of government – federal, state, local – and the private sector is imperative in planning and carrying out programs for transportation, waste storage, and safety, with responsibility and authority clearly designated.
National position
Adopted May 1995; Educational Update 2002*
Citizen Participation
Citizen participation, education, communication and ongoing reevaluation are essential elements in the comprehensive planning process. Recognizing the need for effective citizen participation, the League of Women Voters of Oregon believes the following factors should be considered in establishing citizen advisory groups in all jurisdictions within the state involved in land use planning:
1. Representation on a broad socioeconomic, geographic and occupational basis.
2. Appointment for a specific project with specified goals and terms, and provision for an adequate orientation to the purposes of the agency.
3. Provision for communication among citizens, citizen advisory groups and planning agencies.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports appointment of Citizen Involvement Committees (CICs), separate from planning commissions, to assist local governing bodies with their citizens’ involvement programs.
Regional and Urban Growth
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports a system of local government based upon constitutional home rule for metropolitan districts, counties and cities. The League recognizes certain principles of good local government. These are:
1. Democratic representation and control.
2. Basic simplicity with power to plan for future growth or change.
3. Consideration of the interdependence of land use, transportation and environmental quality in all comprehensive plans.
The League supports the establishment of a regional government in an area where planning and delivery of services can be more efficiently and economically provided by such a government.
Statewide Planning
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) as the statewide planning agency. We also support the 19 statewide land use goals.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports policies that promote both conservation and development of land as a natural resource, in accordance with Oregon’s land use goals. Applying this principle, the League believes:
The state should have the prime responsibility for establishing statewide planning
goals and for supervising and coordinating comprehensive land use plans, with participation by citizens and by local and regional governments.
The state, with citizen participation, should identify, regulate and enforce areas of critical statewide concern.
Consideration of accurate information concerning water availability and quality
should be a prime factor when making land use decisions.
Taxation and assessment policies should support comprehensive land use plans.
The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports protection of private property rights commensurate with overall consideration of public health and environmental protection.
2012. HB 4032 and 4049 were referred to Ways and Means where they died in committee. Both bills were opposed by the League since they would have limited citizen access to the Land Use Board of Appeals by requiring ownership of property within a certain distance or be adversely affected by the proposed development.
The League supports renewable energy and followed rulemaking by the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to allow solar projects on farmland. We were pleased that HB 4078 did not pass that would have expanded the amount of acreage allowed and would have eliminated protections for wildlife.
There were a number of bills that would have weakened or changed our state land use laws for specific areas of the state. However, money was budgeted to the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to do rulemaking and monies were budgeted to Jackson, Josephine and Douglas Counties to prepare a petition to consider regional definitions of agricultural and forest lands. HB 4095, a bill that would have set new criteria for defining these lands was defeated.
Adopted January 1999
The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes that a parks system is an appropriate function of state government and should provide the following services:
- Acquire, protect and preserve natural, scenic, cultural, historic, and wildlife sites and other resources;
- Provide camping and a variety of other recreational opportunities, consistent with the natural environment;
- Offer interpretive and educational information and programs regarding the history, culture, and natural resources of the state and the features of specific parklands;
- Protect public ownership of beaches;
- Secure affordable and safe access to parks and ocean beaches.
PROGRAM
The LWVOR believes that to be effective the Oregon parks system must have:
- Competent personnel in sufficient numbers;
- Clear assignment of responsibility;
- Adequate, stable funding;
- Coordination with different agencies and levels of government;
- Well-defined channels for citizen input and review;
- Consideration of local concerns when consistent with statewide public interest;
- Reasonable protection from crime and vandalism;
- Cooperation and coordination with the private sector when in the public interest; and
- Long-range planning.
FUNDING
The LWVOR supports a balance and varied mixture of revenues for Oregon’s parks with the General Fund providing basic support for departmental operations. While the LWVOR believes user fees are sometimes appropriate, the League opposes them for non-intensive, brief visits. The sale of annual use permits is encouraged. Other appropriate revenue sources include but are not limited to recreational vehicle and automobile registration fees, lottery funds, and certain specific charges, such and bottle taxes. The Oregon parks system should actively seek donations of land, funds, facilities and services.
SERVICE PROVISIONS
The LWVOR advocates the efficient provision of services in state parks under state supervision and control. In general the League is opposed to the private management of parks but supports well-supervised contracts for services with a reasonable return for the Oregon parks system. Use of correction-system and volunteer labor is supported if it is well supervised.
PLANNING
The LWVOR believes that the Oregon parks system requires a long-range strategic plan that includes periodic evaluation and is adequately funded. Such a plan should give high priority to:
- Preservation and maintenance of existing parks;
- Protection and expansion of public access to ocean beaches;
- Acquisition of additional park resources;
- Provision of campground facilities and day-use areas;and
- Protection of scenic waterways.
Adopted March 1995
The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes that all levels of government share the responsibility of coordinating, implementing and funding an effective program to mitigate Oregon’s earthquake and tsunami hazards.
Priority must be given to mitigation that protects human life and safeguards critical life support systems.
The League supports:
- Educating the public about the grave significance of Oregon’s earthquake and tsunami threat and encouraging preparedness.
- Improving the safety of transportation systems and establishing alternate routes around bridges and overpasses which are likely to be unsafe after an earthquake or tsunami.
- Establishing tsunami warning signals and evacuation routes.
- Evaluating dams that threaten population centers and taking remedial actions such as reinforcing dams, and developing maps and downstream notification procedures.
LWVOR supports as essential elements of an effective earthquake and tsunami program:
A. Comprehensive education efforts:
1. All school children should be taught to understand Oregon’s earthquake and tsunami hazards and how to respond to various situations and conditions that may arise.
2. Schools’ earthquake and tsunami plans, education and drills should be monitored and analyzed for adequacy.
B. Improved preparedness:
1. Federal, state, and local chain of command should be established and fully coordinated. The emergency communication system should be enhanced and regularly tested.
2. Emergency Services should be accessible and housed in safe buildings. Citizens should be encouraged to develop emergency plans, including supply kits.
3. When citing critical facilities, tsunami run up and inundation as well as seismic factors such as severe ground shaking, liquefaction, massive landslide potential, and subsidence should be considered.
4. Geological reports identifying property at risk should be on file and accessible to the public. Property that poses extreme hazards should be designated as unbuildable.
National position
2012. The League stopped an effort (HB 4081) to allow pyrolysis to be considered recycling instead of energy recovery.
The League supported SB 1512 that will reduce the amount of mercury in lighting. Supported by industry, the bill will protect the health of our children. This bill passed with bipartisan support.
Water Water Policy – Quality and Quantity
Adopted April 2011; Replaced positions on Water Policy and Planning (adopted January 1977; revised March 1985) and Water Quality (adopted January 1969)>
The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes that water is a resource that should be managed for the benefit of the public and as sustainable habitat for all life forms. The League supports Oregon state policies and statutes that promote comprehensive long-range planning for conservation and management of ground and surface water and the improvement of water quality. Regulating agencies that govern the protection and conservation of water should be transparent and provide the public easy access to information.
The League supports management approaches that maximize interagency communication to include but are not limited to:
1. Uniform definitions of “beneficial uses” and other terminology for both quality and quantity management,
2. Coordination of activities including water allocation, measurement, monitoring/ testing, enforcement of water law and the promotion of water conservation,
3. Well-defined statutory enforcement procedures and the funding to protect water resources held in common, and
4. Recognition of the variability of local/basin/watershed quality and quantity needs.
The League recognizes the application of historic prior appropriations of water but supports modifications in order to accomplish the following:
1. Consider both in-stream and out-of-stream beneficial uses of water,
2. Facilitate changes from one beneficial use of water to another,
3. Provide incentives for water user conservation,
4. Incorporate evolving scientific understanding of natural water systems in wate management,
5. Develop priority uses for water in times of shortage, and
6. Expand protection of in-stream beneficial uses such as minimum perennial stream flow.
The League believes that the interdependence of land use planning and water planning must be recognized and required at all levels of government:
1. Local comprehensive plans, watershed plans, basin plans, state and regional plans should be coordinated and complementary.
2. Roles and responsibilities of all decision makers and agencies affecting water resource and quality issues should be clearly defined.
The League believes that all planning for ground and surface water should include consideration for both the quality of the water and the availability of water to meet the beneficial uses. Planning at all levels should consider existing water rights and current and projected uses. The League acknowledges that this may be best accomplished at the watershed/basin level if adequate funding and professional staffing are available. Basin/ watershed water management should be efficient and economical, responsive to public need, flexible to allow for changes over time, and lead to conservation and allocation of the resource in the public interest. Transfers of water between basins should require coordination with planning and water use in both basins.
The League recognizes that effective planning for water protection and use is most effective with a complete inventory of the water resource including all domestic wells and encourages moving toward this goal. Priority efforts should be directed to geographic areas with identified problems and vulnerabilities.
The League opposes degradation of all of Oregon’s surface and ground water. The League supports policies and legislation that integrate water quality into resource management and include but are not limited to standards for:
1. Potable water and drinking water treatment facilities,
2. Placement and inspection of septic tanks and alternative individual treatment systems,
3. In-stream surface water quality for recreational use, including primary contact sports, commercial and sport fishing, and habitat protection,
4. Ground water quality for recognized beneficial uses,
5. Agricultural, municipal, forestry and industrial wastewater discharge and runoff,
6. Uniform water quality testing protocols– updated as scientific methodologies improve,
7. Permitting and enforcement procedures with agency funding adequate to ensure timely compliance,
8. Adequate, well maintained sewers and sewage treatment facilities and
9. Control and treatment of runoff from non-pervious surfaces.
The League recognizes that conservation strategies for surface and ground water, including but not limited to incentives, regulations and rationing in emergency situations, are needed to meet future demand. Individuals, agriculture, municipalities, forestry and industry should be encouraged to develop practices to reduce water usage and minimize pollution. Support should be provided for upgrading and maintaining the equipment necessary for water conservation. The League supports the need to build resiliency and innovation into water planning in order to address climate change impacts.
Public involvement should be encouraged throughout the water management and planning processes. The processes should be transparent and include educational components.
The League acknowledges that all water users must share in the cost of water management. Rate payers should have primary responsibility for infrastructure maintenance, delivery and conservation. The state should have primary responsibility for planning, research, data collection and public outreach. Permit fees should be a significant contributor to the development of infrastructure.
2012. SB 1582 was passed to allow an independent scientifically-based review of wetlands delineations should the applicant object to the decision of the Dept. of State Lands. The League worked to assure the decisions continue to be determined by wetlands scientists and that a review occurs every 5 years as required by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The League continues to support the work on the Integrated Water Resources Strategy, Oregon’s first statewide water plan, and will hope for adoption of the plan by the end of 2012. The League actively participated in preparing the draft plan.
The Dept. of State Lands is considering asking permission to “assume” permitting for 404 wetlands permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The League is again involved in this discussion.
Water Resources of the Columbia River and the Columbia River Task Force
Adopted 1979
A. In order to meet the present and future water needs within the Columbia River Basin, the League of Women Voters believes comprehensive planning on a basin-wide basis for conservation, development, and management of the water is essential to the optimum utilization of our water resources. Machinery is needed which will:
1. Provide coordinated planning and administration among federal, state, and other agencies;
2. Establish a process for resolving conflicts among uses;
3. Establish procedures which provide information and an opportunity for citizen participation in policy decisions affecting the directions which water resources development will take.
B. The federal government has a necessary role in financing water resources development, but state and local governments and private users should share such costs, as far as possible, based on benefits received and the ability to pay.
C. The League of Women Voters believes that wise planning for the use of water in the Columbia River Basin requires an inventory of the water resource within the Basin.
1. This inventory should include all water-related information including:
a. ground and surface water sources,
b. viable water rights,
c. current use, and
d. projected future needs.
2. The inventory should be readily available to concerned agencies and the general public.
D. The League also believes that minimum stream flows should be established as a public right and maintained on all streams in the Columbia River Basin.
2012. The League opposed HB 4101 that directed the Water Resources Department to “aggressively pursue development of Columbia River Basin water resources.” Although HB 4101 did not pass, the Governor has stated he will work with the Water Resources Department and others to determine if winter water in the Columbia River can be allocated for agriculture.
