Search Results

by Toni Lampkin The census has been completed and information is being tabulated for redistricting purposes. There are many recorded webinars at Census.gov. Some recent offerings are the Exploring Census Data series (includes topics such as How Americans Spend Leisure Time, Using Census Data to Buy a House and Small and Minority Owned Business), Bracing for the 2021 Hurricane Season, Recent Cross Country Commuting Patterns and Elevating Our Culture Using Census Data. There is something for everyone! Take a look when you have some time.

by Amelia Nestler Contact your local league for ways to participate in member consensus! https://www.lwvor.org/local-leagues End of October: Local Leagues should plan to complete their consensus. Mid-November: Local Pesticides/Biocides consensus reports are due to LWVOR November: the study committee will tabulate consensus results December: the LWVOR Member Agreement Committee drafts a position statement January ’22: LWVOR Board approves the position The use of pesticides is a balancing act between advantages and disadvantages. To understand both beneficial and adverse impacts requires a broad overview of prevailing policy and the effects that policy has had. This study reviews the environmental and health costs and benefits of pesticide use, the current state of regulation at federal, state and local levels, and the practices and precautions presently in place for their use. It reviews potential improvements to regulations and changes to practices that could improve outcomes and protect the environment and human health while maintaining a stable, safe and reliable supply of foods and other farmed products. Five key areas of pesticide development, use and policy were identified for review and potential improvements: • Education, training and labeling • Transparency and information gathering • Funding, research, and evaluation • Adaptive management and Integrated Pest Management • Burden of proof and the precautionary principle.

Was anybody really surprised that Oregon legislators couldn’t agree on redistricting? We’re guessing you weren’t. It’s too political. There’s too much at stake — control of the Legislature and the majority of Oregon’s seats in Congress. Democrats have that clinched for now and perhaps for the future. Read More...

Immigration - Claudia Keith Immigration: This recent 9/26 ‘Effort could create a path to citizenship for undocumented Oregon farmworkers’, Statesman Journal news article highlights congressional possible path to citizenship status for Oregon undocumented farmworkers ‘ “…Because of these failed efforts, advocates and congressional Democrats are trying to create paths to citizenship through reconciliation, a budgetary process that makes it easier for legislation to pass in the Senate…” Refugee: Oregon is one of 35 states proactively welcoming Afghan refugees. The Governor was very clear in August. ’Governor Kate Brown Issues Statement on Welcoming Afghan Refugees ‘ ’Oregon stands ready to help the federal government resettle Afghan refugee families’. “Oregon lawmakers call for the US to allow more Afghan refugees into the state, Sen. Kayse Jama and Rep. Khanh Pham say Oregon is well-poised to help those fleeing Afghanistan as the Taliban takes over.’ Hate Crimes: ‘Reports of hate crimes to Oregon police shot up 59% last year’ “Reports of hate crimes in Oregon rose from 170 incidents in 2019 to 271 incidents in 2020. Law enforcement agencies in Oregon documented a 59% increase in reported hate crimes last year, according to data the FBI collected from law enforcement agencies across the state. The number of victims climbed to roughly 360 last year, from approximately 242 in 2019. Because of the way the FBI collects the data, a small number of victims can be counted more than once if the perpetrator committed the crime because they perceived the victim to be part of multiple protected classes. Nationally, hate crimes reports rose to their highest levels in more than a decade. “They reflect likely both an increase in reporting as well as an increase incidents,” said Kiran Ramsey, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Portland field office….” Youth at Risk: This Brookings report highlights Oregon and 2 other states choosing not to report on a Youth Risk Behavior Survey. DATA ON TRANSGENDER STUDENTS FROM THE YRBS “We explored data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The CDC, in partnership with states and school districts, has administered the YRBS and related surveys since the early 1990s to monitor the health and well-being of U.S. high school students in most states.” (Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington did not participate in 2019.) Gun Safety - Marge Easley Gun safety supporters breathed a sigh of relief when petitioners for IP 301, a referendum to repeal SB 554, failed to gather sufficient signatures by the deadline of September 24, thus allowing the law to go into effect on September 25. The law requires firearms to be securely stored when not in use, prohibits firearms at the State Capitol and PDX, and allows schools and universities to prohibit firearms. Housing - Nancy Donovan The most pressing problem facing Oregon renters is the potential for mass evictions. These will leave many families and individuals without a safe and stable place to live and exacerbate Oregon’s homelessness problem. Up until recently, tenants were protected by eviction moratoria but those have expired. The statewide moratorium ended on June 30. The Oregon legislature provided a safe harbor under SB 278. Tenants who submit an application for rent assistance to an agency serving their community are protected from receiving a termination notice for non-payment of rent or eviction proceedings for 90 days in Multnomah County or 60 days in the rest of the state. The federal government allocated $204 million to Oregon for the rent assistance program. Unfortunately, social service agencies throughout the state have been slow to process assistance applications due to complicated requirements, lack of staff, and software issues. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) recently contracted with a new vendor, Public Partnerships LLC, to help process rental assistance applications. OHCS Director Margaret Salazar is encouraging community agencies to focus on outreach to renters so they are aware the assistance is available while the new vendor handles the processing. Other states are experiencing similar challenges. Beginning on Sept. 30, the U.S. Department of Treasury can start to reclaim unused funds from states unable to distribute the resources. The OHCS Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the status of applications in process. Oregonians facing eviction can find out if they’re eligible for emergency rent assistance by visiting the state’s website or dialing 211 to speak with someone about what options are available. Homeowners will benefit from the foreclosure moratorium extension ordered by Governor Brown, giving homeowners until December 31, 2021 to work with their lenders to evaluate viable reinstatement and loss mitigation options, outlined in HB 2009.

By Claudia Keith Climate Emergency Coordinator and Climate Emergency portfolio team members: Julie Chapman, Shirley Weathers, Cathy Frischmann, Josie Koehne, Kathy Moyd, Robin Tokmakian and Greg Martin Climate Emergency Highlights Federal Both the Biden administration and bipartisan Congressional proposed Build Back Better: $1.2T and $3.5 T infrastructure bill and reconciliation package, if passed in any form, will significantly affect Climate Change mitigation and adaptation funding and policy in Oregon. Senator Merkley, Wyden and our House (D) Congressional team including Rep DeFazio (chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee) have been very supportive of these policies. Find details HERE. The Democratic caucus current version may include adding a price on carbon policy amendment. 2021 White House Deputy Director for Climate and Environment, OSU faculty and recent NOAA Director, Dr Jane Lubchenco, recommends this short 4-minute congressional public hearing presentation by Dr Leah Stokes. Recent national news: NPR: ‘The Battle Over Biden's Infrastructure Bill Continues‘. ‘Pelosi Vows to Pass $1T Bill, Move Ahead on Larger Measure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has moved a vote on a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill to later in the week as Democratic leaders shore up support for the measure.’ EENews: ‘Path on Infrastructure, Climate elusive after Biden meetings.’ Brookings: ‘THE AVENUE ‘Five ways regional leaders can prepare future infrastructure workers now’. “Federal policymakers are on the verge of advancing two historic pieces of legislation: a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. The infrastructure bill contains generational investments in transportation, water, energy, and other systems to improve the environment and boost the economy—at spending levels not seen since the New Deal. The reconciliation package goes a step further, aiming to address a variety of climate, education, health care, and other priorities….” Mark your calendars Attend as a League Observer, interested citizen, and/or view recorded agency and commission meetings, including new reports and studies. ​ ODF Climate Carbon Plan Updates DEQ Climate GHG Program Updates Oregon Global Warming Commission: Meetings ODOE , DLCD Land Use and Transportation planning Agency and Commissions ​ Find updates across many agencies at the State of Oregon “Action on Climate Change”. Find weekly 2021 updates at Oregon Greenhouse Emissions Program. DOE weekly blog updates HERE. New Oregon Dept of Energy (ODOE) Report HERE. ​ Clean Energy Kathy Moyd Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Rulemaking For up-to-date links for a program, check the list under “Proposed Rules 2021” Climate Protection Program The League has been following the Climate Protection Program, which originated from the “cap and reduce” directive in the Governor’s Executive Order 20-04. Draft rules were issued for public comment on August 4. A DEQ public hearing on the Draft Rules was conducted on August 22 and one with the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) is scheduled for Sept. 30. The League plans to present verbal testimony at the September 30 hearing and written testimony by October 4. Cleaner Air Oregon Air Toxics Alignment The League was the only speaker at the July 22 public hearing.The approved verbal text was incorporated in a letter. It has not yet been scheduled for approval at the EQC. Clean Trucks Rule Two public hearings were conducted on September 16. The League opted not to testify because the California Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rules to be adopted by Oregon had not been completed. It has not yet been scheduled for approval at the EQC. Clean Fuels Program Expansion 2022 The expansion of the Clean Fuels program in response to the Governor’s Executive Order 20-04 will be kicking off with a listening session on Wednesday, October 13, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Landfill Methane Rules The rules are on the Environmental Quality Commission agenda for adoption on October 1. Although the League certainly supports the control of methane from landfills, we opted not to testify because it was not clear why the California rules were not accepted completely, leaving the possibility that some small rural landfills would unnecessarily be included. Oregon Regional Haze Plan 2018 – 2028 The proposed plan has been published, with one public hearing scheduled for Oct. 25. Forestry Josie Koehne (find a consolidated Forestry report in the NR LR) ​ Climate/Transportation Julie Chapman Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) The Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rulemaking advisory committee (RAC) met on 9/15/21. The rules apply to the eight metropolitan regions of Oregon. The work session focused on equity, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit planning to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). VMT refers to getting people out of personal vehicles by providing safe and convenient alternatives. In part, this transition relies on densification of housing and centering resources for those communities. A large packet of complex rules was distributed to the RAC, with a short lead time before the meeting. Several RAC members from small jurisdictions/organizations commented that they lack staff/expertise to expeditiously review the rules prior to the meeting. Draft rules are expected by the Oct 15 meeting; final RAC meeting and review Nov 16; anticipate revisions subsequent to that. Regional hearings will be held 10/25: Southern Oregon (register here), 10/26: Bend, Corvallis, Albany (register here), 10/27: Salem, Eugene, Keizer, Springfield (register here), and 10/28: Portland Metro (register here). Participants are welcome to attend the event most convenient for them. Implications for Portland Metro: no scenario planning (already done); Metro’s Climate Smart Program may be used for modeling elsewhere. The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) will clarify Climate Friendly Area draft rule applicability for Portland Metro’s cities and counties that have yet to adopt town and regional center boundaries. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) received an update on the CFEC Rulemaking on 9/23/21. Discussion centered around the structure of the rules, with a tension between prescriptive and outcome-based models. Prescriptive rules detail the design and process of how to comply with regulations. Outcome-based rules allow for more flexibility in meeting clearly defined objectives and may be more acceptable and sensitive to local communities needs, but require more ongoing oversight (i.e., more staff time) by DLCD. The critical and measurable goal for the Climate Friendly Areas (CFA) is reduction in VMT. The rules require designation of CFAs by 2023 for larger cities, and by 2024 for smaller local governments. CFA’s promote mixed-use development, increased residential density, and designations for building heights and setbacks from property lines. There are special standards for parking, pedestrian, bike, transit and street infrastructure. The Oregon legislature provided $768,000 to support local planning and one additional DLCD staff to provide metropolitan planning guidance. A “pot” of $500 million for housing funding must be allocated in the next 22 months; additional federal money may also be appropriated. Associated actions: Community engagement/outreach and engagement of underserved populations; Analysis of housing capacity to meet requirement that at least 30% of needed housing is located within CFAs to justify Urban Growth Boundary expansion; Plan for fair & equitable housing outcomes, including consideration of and mitigation for displacement; Adoption of development standards (zoning requirements); Adoption of climate-friendly comprehensive plan. Excellent public testimony followed the DLCD presentation, lauded by Commissioner Jacobsen for its effective use of linked testimonies by planning advocates (Jonathan Harker, retired Gresham city planner, Ariel Nelson, League of Oregon Cities, and Mary Kyle McCurdy, One Thousand Friends). Commissioners endorsed additional support for RAC participants, to clarify “planningese”/technical jargon and to schedule additional meetings with deeper dives into complex rules sections. Our Children’s Trust - Claudia Keith Here is a recent Sept interview by UN and Max dos Santos, ‘No Denying It episode 4: Kyne Introduces Mat dos Santos | | UN News’. ‘In the fourth episode of the UN climate action podcast No Denying It, drag performer, social media star, and mathematics communicator Kyne introduces Managing Attorney at Our Children’s Trust, Mat dos Santos. Mx. dos Santos and their colleagues oversee a legal program that brings climate litigation on behalf of youth in federal and state courts in the United States, and tribunals across the globe.’ And a good article in Nature.com 08 September 2021 on the Climate Litigation topic: ‘Climate science is supporting lawsuits that could help save the world’ Governments have failed to slow climate change quickly enough, so activists are using courts to compel countries and companies to act — increasingly with help from forefront science.’ World Economic Forum: Preventing – ECOCIDE ‘With legal and environmental experts pushing to criminalize the destruction of the environment, “ecocide” could have major consequences for both government and business. How could a new legal definition transform climate action?’ Climate Emergency Team Volunteer Opportunities Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: 1) Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA, 2) Clean Buildings, 3) Public Health Climate adaptation, 4) Regional Solutions Infrastructure, 5) State Procurement Practices (Dept. of Admin. Services), 6) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets, 7) Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment, 8) Join Julie, DOT/Transportation with a focus on DLCD/LCD Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities – a major program across multiple agencies. and a priority focus on a just transition, ie; 9) Climate and Environmental Justice. We all collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics.

by Peggy Lynch, Coordinator Air Quality: DEQ is asking for public comment on their Regional Haze 2021 Regional Implementation Plan. See the rulemaking page: 2018-2028 State Implementation Plan. The comment period closes on Nov. 1, 2021 at 4 p.m. Budgets/Revenue: The next Revenue Forecast is November 17. For more information, see the Oregon Economic Analysis. The 2021 legislature set aside $50 million for general use and 10 Special Purpose Appropriations of almost $500 million to address various anticipated emergencies or assumed expenses by the Emergency Board. The Emergency Board meets when the Legislature is not in session. The last Revenue Forecast added $700 million for the legislature to consider in 2022. Climate (Claudia Keith and Team): See Climate Report in a separate Legislative Report section. See the Forestry section in this report for forest climate work, the Coastal section and the Land Use section related to other agency work. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues (Christine Moffitt and Peggy Lynch): The Territorial Sea Plan, Part Three Section E and Appendix C are now available for Review. The draft amendment of the Rocky Habitat Site Designation Proposal is now available for review. A cover letter describing materials for review is available on the Oregon Ocean Information website. The public comment period extends to October 18, 2021. Amendments to Goal 18 related to continued requests for adding riprap to private property along the ocean are also being discussed. There may be changes to the Goal to protect Hwy 101 as we see increased king tides and storms damaging the road. We are less supportive of changes to the Goal to allow indiscriminate installation of riprap that may affect a neighbor’s property or destabilize our public beaches. Oregon’s forward-thinking, internationally known early actions to adapt to and mitigate for a changing ocean are highlighted in a special issue of Coastal Management Journal. The special issue was recently published online by the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification of which Oregon is a founding member. A marine heat wave is projected to hit Oregon within the next month, causing have higher temperatures than normal for West Coast water. Listen to this OBP “Think out Loud” program. Peggy Joyce was our coastal legislative volunteer a couple of years ago. She has been nominated by the Governor to serve on the Ocean Policy Advisory Council. The Senate Rules Committee will meet in November to consider the appointment. Dept. OF Environmental Quality (DEQ) (Josie Koehne and Peggy Lynch): Both DEQ and the Oregon Dept. of Forestry have drafted a new Memorandum of Understanding MOU related to the nexus between the federal Clean Water Act which DEQ is to implement in Oregon and forest practices under the purview of the Dept. of Forestry. The League provided testimony in support while making it clear that Oregon’s waters need to be protected. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries(DOGAMI) (Peggy Lynch): State Geologist Brad Avy has retired. Sarah Lewis has been named interim DOGAMI leader. Elliott State Forest (Peggy Lynch): There has been a flurry of activity around the Elliott State Forest this past month. After the Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Director announced that Oregon State University (OSU), while continuing to be interested in creating a research forest, will be searching for an alternate ownership and management model from having OSU own the Elliott. Focus has now moved to possible creation of a public corporation or some model reflecting the South Slough National Estuarine Reserve model. The League has concerns about either of those ideas but are willing to listen and learn more. The Advisory Committee met on Sept. 8 where a proposal to create a public corporation was presented and on Sept. 22 where the discussion turned to establishing a relationship more like the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (SSNERR), meeting information on the Elliott webpage. The League worked with others to assure that the SSNERR continued to be under DSL and the State Land Board. That process might fit the Elliott, but it does NOT take DSL off the hook for management or budget decisions—something I believe the Land Board was looking for. There was also no mention of how the Common School Fund would be reimbursed for the $120 million still owed from the last appraisal. OSU is suggesting it needs $17 million in infrastructure to house staff on or near the Elliott and $10 million in operating expenses the first three years (before they can gain revenue from timber harvest) in their management plan. While this discussion is on-going, progress is being made to consider a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Elliott. The latest draft plan is now available. A proposed HCP will need to be forwarded to federal agencies for a final public review which could take from six months to two years. Read the Elliott HCP Administrative Draft – September 2021. Watch the September 23, 2021 Elliott Advisory Committee Meeting on YouTube. HCP presentations. Public meetings have been set for Sept. 27 and Oct. 6. (See webpage.) During each info session, the DSL and OSU project team will provide updates on the habitat conservation plan, public ownership, forest management planning, decoupling, and more. Each session will also include time for questions and input. Emergency Services: October 21 will be the Great Shake Out – an annual emergency exercise that all responders participate in and Oregonians need to consider as well. Although focused on “the Big One”, a catastrophic earthquake, it is also time to be 2-Weeks Ready for any emergency. Forestry (Josie Koehne, James Cannon and Peggy Lynch): A flurry of rulemaking meetings is in progress currently that will define details of implementing the comprehensive wildfire bill, SB 762, to provide for wildfire risk reduction, response and recovery, with programs related to defensible space, prescribed fire (the Burn Manager Program), landscape resiliency and community emergency preparedness. A fiscal summary of all elements can be found here. One SB 762 rulemaking committee (RAC), the Statewide Fire Risk Mapping RAC, requires development of a statewide wildfire risk map to be developed by the Department of Forestry in collaboration with Oregon State University. The RAC includes members of the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, other state agencies, local governments, tribes, and other public bodies with additional information sources. As part of the bill approval deal, another RAC had 100 days from its first Zoom meeting on Sept 7 to come up with a definition for the wildland urban interface, or WUI, and establish criteria to identify and classify the WUI. The RAC recommends the WUI definition to be based on the international definition of the WUI based on ODF’s recommendations: “that geographical area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels.” The League provided testimony in support of the international WUI definition and sent a members’ Action Alert. Public hearings were held with a final decision to be made by the Board of Forestry by Oct. 27. The risk mapping and WUI definition rulemaking committees will now meet jointly, starting September 30 from 9AM - 1PM, and will meet every two weeks intermittently through February 10, to more clearly define criteria to develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide wildfire risk map, including wildland-urban interface boundaries and five fire risk classes by June 30, 2022. The final rules will include an appeals process for property owners since these maps will guide future rules on action needed around the defensible space for the most at-risk properties. Those rules will be determined by the State Fire Marshal. In addition, a Certified Burn Manager RAC met August 18 and September 15 led by ODF’s Tim Holschbach. Rules must be complete by November 30. These meetings are thoughtful deliberations about who will use the program and what skill levels will be required for different types of certification and geographic areas for prescribed burns. Videos of all these rulemaking deliberations can be found here. All meetings are open to the public and have public comment opportunities. To access meetings, visit the RAC webpage for the Zoom links and sign up to receive meeting reminders and agendas. Written comments or questions about any aspect of SB 762 implementation may be submitted by email to sb762.rulemaking@oregon.gov. Board of Forestry: Governor Brown nominated retired USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Forester Liz Agpaoa to the Board of Forestry on September 1. Her nomination is awaiting Senate confirmation, now scheduled for November Legislative Days.This appointment and others have been postponed due to redistricting mapping delays and COVID in the Legislature. Liz Agpaoa began her work in 1979 as a district biologist at the Willamette National Forest in Oregon and has a passion for ecology. The Board of Forestry met September 8 to hear public comments on ODF’s draft Climate Change and Carbon Plan. The LWVOR provided comments on July 28 and again on September 3. The League commented about positive improvements in the second draft, but also pointed out elements where an independent consultant, PSU’s Oregon Consensus, had consolidated stakeholder feedback, but this feedback had not been incorporated into the latest revision: “There was a shared desire expressed among different stakeholders to assist and help shape the future of ODF’s policy and operations related to carbon and climate change.” Another League comment was “Climate Smart Forestry Management is not merely an extension of sustainable management, a term that is also not clearly defined, as “sustainable” is not merely replacing and replanting the same tree species as was harvested…there needs to be a more complete and thorough explanation of “climate smart forestry” upfront, not developed later in the plan….Because climate smart forestry is a guiding principle, the LWVOR thinks the wording for the first principle should read “All forest management activities should be planned in light of both present and future impacts from climate change.” We commented that the plan needed to “Include more specificity with regards to metrics, goals, accountability measures, and implementation timelines as part of this plan” This comment was brought up by many other stakeholders. ODF acknowledged receipt of our comments. We look forward to seeing a new draft in the next few months. Other topics discussed on Sept. 8 included an update on wildfires including costs to date, and a progress report on the implementation plan developed by ODF’s financial consultant, MGO. The Board of Forestry will have a 2-day virtual retreat on October 6 and 7, an informal event for members of the Board and agency leadership to fulfill retreat objectives, connect on planning matters, and discuss work for the future. See the agenda and packet. Objectives are for the Board to: Connect with each other and discuss leadership effectiveness and desired working relationship in support of sound public policy decision making, Tee up the Board’s future review and update of the Forest Program for Oregon, Engage with ODF’s Executive Team on current and future strategic initiatives, and Discuss Board priorities and Board work plan items for the upcoming two years and provide thoughts to inform the 2023-2025 biennium. There will be no opportunity for the public to provide comment or testimony during the meeting, but both days of the retreat will be livestreamed on the ODF youtube channel. HCP and FMP: The Oregon Department of Forestry is continuing to work on a Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for State Forests and the lands they manage to protect the covered endangered species on their lands that must be protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, to be developed in conjunction with a Companion Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan, not updated since 2010. An Alternate Habitat Conservation Plan with three goals has been proposed by some Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee members, David Yamamoto and John Sweet. They are presenting their alternate plan to other county commissioners to gather support. The plan has had no public hearings or public input to date, nor has it been reviewed by state biologists and other ODF specialists. Their plan calls for more land devoted to timber harvest to increase revenue for the counties by reducing the size of the habitat conservation areas (ACAs) that are designated in the current draft plan for spotted owl habitat, and calls for more reductions in the barred owl population that compete for the same habitat. Currently the schedule is for a final draft expected to be approved by the Board of Forestry in February of 2023. That draft will be submitted to federal agencies for a federal process (taking up to 2 years) with additional public comments before it is finalized. In the meantime, in a separate process, an HCP for private forests is under negotiation by 25 timber and conservation groups under an agreement signed in February 2020, through a Memo of Understanding (now known as the Private Forest Accord). Delivery of this much-anticipated plan is expected by the end of October. Hopefully it will include an adaptive management component that involves a rigorous look at efficacy of existing and future forest practice regulation, and a science-driven process for analyzing the need for any changes. See additional details in our last report. New legislation during the 2021 session regarding improvements to the Forest Practices Act or other regulation was put on hold awaiting outcome of the Private Forest Accord draft agreement. Legislation is expected in 2022 to memorialize the Accord agreement. Separately, SB 1602 (2020) required the department to improve their public notification system (FERNS) related to forestry work including aerial spraying and improving their data on water points of diversion in Oregon. To implement those requirements, ODF is working with the Water Resources Dept. to locate and map those water points. They are also providing helicopter pesticide application and communication training opportunities: Nov. 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. Meeting link: https://odf.zoom.us/j/96592108915 Meeting ID: 965 9210 8915 or Nov. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. Meeting link: https://odf.zoom.us/j/93765787796 Meeting ID: 937 6578 7796. The training will explain how to use E-Notification to notify for helicopter pesticide applications and register to receive operations updates. The SB 1602 summary provides background about the law. For more information contact Josh Barnard, Interim Division Chief, Private Forests Division (Josh.W.BARNARD@oregon.gov). New helicopter pesticide applications and neighborly communications procedures will be effective December 15, 2021. MOU between ODF and DEQ: A new, revised Memorandum of Understanding between ODF and DEQ has been developed and is under review with input from the public. The MOU spells out roles and responsibilities of the two agencies in collaborating to improve drinking water standards to meet the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements. Oregon has lost federal funding for failing to meet EPA’s standards for drinking water quality. The MOU clarifies responsibilities of the two agencies to implement the CWA. DEQ is responsible for setting the limits on water pollutants allowed, called TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Loads). These TMDLS will be used to determine if the current regulations of the Forest Practices Act are adequate to protect the state’s watershed drainage areas. The League provided testimony in support, submitted September 25. The public has until Sept. 30 to comment. Land Use/Housing (Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Peggy Lynch and the Climate Team): The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) continues to receive reports on the implementation of HB 2001 (2019). See their past meeting materials to learn more. The Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) staff will facilitate a public review of the Draft Policy Agenda (the department’s 2021-23 work plan) from Sept. 27, 2021, through Oct. 14, 2021. The League often comments on this work. DLCD is the convenor for the state’s Climate Change Adaptation among a broad group of state agencies. This work will be on-going. The League has suggested that this work be used by all 24 state agencies as they develop their 2023 budget proposals. The League supports another program, the on-going Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities rulemaking. See more about this in the Climate Report. As the League follows HB 2003 (2019) work, we learned a bit more about the process at the local level. A previous bill required rent burdened communities to hold annual open houses. It also required that cities submit annual reports to DLCD on the number of permitted and produced housing units. HB 2003 now requires cities to complete a “pre-HPS Survey” 24-months prior to completion of their Housing Production Strategy (HPS). This survey is basically for cities to compile and report all of the housing production activities they are working on currently as a precursor to the work of their scheduled Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) and HPS. The HPS timing is tied to the HNA deadline established by LCDC. The rules for engagement and discussion surrounding the HPS push cities to think holistically about their housing policy and not in a vacuum. The League is concerned that local jurisdictions are not looking holistically at the many new state requirements placed on them related to how we plan our cities for a climate-stressed future. For more information, go to the DLCD housing website. A pilot Regional Housing Needs Analysis (RHNA) was part of HB 2003 (2019). The League has concerns about the “regions” currently designated and the lack of substantial data outside of Metro and Central Oregon. Budget Notes were included in HB 5006: Budget Note #4 and #8: OHCS and DLCD are to provide an initial legislative report no later than February 1, 2022 and a final legislative report no later than December 31, 2022 on efforts to develop a legislative proposal for incorporation of a Regional Housing Needs Analysis into future state and local planning processes. The issue of Systems Development Charges (SDCs) and who should pay for infrastructure needs for new development and that cost burden on “affordable housing” was discussed during consideration of HB 3040 (2021)., which now requires OHSC to conduct a study with other agencies and local governments to provide a broad review of the history, purposes and calculations of SDCs. A preliminary report is due in Dec. 2021 with a final report due by June of 2022. SDCs became a greater revenue source when Oregonians passed property tax limitation measures in the 1990s, reducing local government revenue. The League continues to be a member of the Oregon Housing Alliance. Members attend regular meetings to discuss past and future legislation and programs. See also the Housing Report in other sections of this Legislative Report. Northwest Energy Coalition (NWEC) (Robin Tokmakian): The Northwest Power and Planning Council will hold hearings soon. See below for an opportunity to learn more from NWEC of which the League is a member. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the region’s official power planning agency, has just released its draft 2021 Northwest Power Plan. The public now has until November 19 to submit written comments, and several opportunities to testify at public hearings (virtually): · September 27, 4-6pm Pacific, 5-7pm Mountain, hosted by Montana · October 7, 5-7pm Pacific, 6-8pm Mountain, hosted by Washington · October 12, 1:30-3:30pm Pacific, 2:30-4:30pm Mountain, hosted by Oregon · October 14, 4-6pm Pacific, 5-7pm Mountain, hosted by Idaho The Council’s power plan is important. It helps determine how much clean energy and energy efficiency we use by providing a blueprint for power system decisions throughout the region. It guides the Bonneville Power Administration’s choice of resources to meet public utilities’ needs and establishes benchmarks for long-term plans of both public and investor-owned utilities. The 2021 Northwest Power Plan comes at a critical time. The region needs to replace the energy and capacity services from retiring fossil fuel resources and meet aggressive economy-wide greenhouse gas reduction goals in Washington and Oregon, while maintaining reliability and affordability. As we begin to see the impacts of climate change on the grid, the importance of having a clean, flexible, and resilient power system has never been greater. The NWEC is providing an Oct. 6 opportunity to learn more about the 2021 Northwest Power Plan and how to get involved. The NWEC will review the plan, its strengths and drawbacks– and provide information and talking points you can use to send in comments or participate in a public comment hearing on the Draft. Webinar #2 - Hosted by the NW Energy Coalition, October 6 12:00pm – 1:30pm PT. Register! The webinar is designed to be one hour and they are reserving extra Q&A time for those who want to go more in depth. Radioactive Waste (Shirley Weathers): The League will participate in rulemaking to implement SB 246 (2021), Radioactive Waste Disposal Definitions and Enforcement. There are tentatively six meetings scheduled with the first meeting on Oct. 19. Recycling: Since Governor Kate Brown signed the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (SB 582-2021) into law on August 6, DEQ has been developing an implementation plan, estimated timeline and other resources to support implementation of the new law and inform interested parties. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2022, and the start-up phase will span multiple years with extensive planning, research, rulemaking and stakeholder engagement. DEQ will keep interested stakeholders informed and seek input through several different channels throughout the first few years of implementation. More details about engagement opportunities Transportation: The Malheur County Development Corp. last week got Americold's signature on a 20-year lease to operate the Treasure Valley Reload Center near Nyssa. Work on the facility will begin in November. The taxpayer-funded shipping center is designed to cut onion shippers costs, now relying on trucking or unreliable rail service to move their product. The rail shipping center will function through a partnership between onion shippers, the county, Union Pacific Railroad and Americold, a national warehousing company. See Malheur Enterprise.com for stories about this important public investment. Another transload facility is being built near Millersburg off I-5. Toxics (Amelia Nestler): See our Pesticides and other Biocides study. Local Leagues will reach consensus on the study to adopt advocacy positions based on this important educational work. See your local League to be a part of developing these positions! Water (Peggy Lynch and Amelia Nestler): The Water Resources Dept. (WRD) received a huge infusion of staff positions and program changes with the 2021 session. With on-going drought and their long-term responsibilities, they are working toward hiring the appropriate staff and addressing things like an update of the Integrated Water Resources Strategy, the 100-year water vision and a number of rulemakings and work groups that they will need to accomplish in less than 2 years. The League has been supportive and it is now time to review the department’s Place-Based Planning program. The Planning Assessment will include an evaluation of the program which now has 4 pilot projects. The Assessment results will be used to guide future approaches and support for water resources planning efforts.The scope of the Planning Assessment was described to the Water Resources Commission in June 2020. Click here to view the presentation. View a one-page handout describing the Planning Assessment. View a one-page summary of the place-based planning evaluation. WRD received Budget Note #9 in HB 5006 (2021): WRD is directed to use provided funding to contract with Oregon Consensus to convene a workgroup comprised of a balanced membership including, but not limited to, conservation groups, agricultural water users, municipal water users, environmental justice organizations, tribal interests and state agencies including WRD and ODFW to consider regional water management opportunities that build on the 100-Year Water Vision and further the goals of the Integrated Water Resources Strategy. The League had concerns around regional water planning if Oregon counties were to be responsible for making decisions around our statewide water laws. This Budget Note and monies allocated provides opportunities to have a broad discussion before any such regional program is adopted. Water in Oregon belongs to all of us. A Work Group has been formed by Rep. Anna Williams to find consensus related to HB 2594 (2021) which did not pass but would have provided more protection to drinking water streams and other sources. See Forestry (above) related to work on SB 1602 from 2020 and the MOU being considered between DEQ and ODF. Another Work Group around water measurement is attempting to find a compromise between the need for good data and those concerned with the need to measure the water they are legally using. The League supported HB 2145 (2021), the agency’s modernization of well construction bill, and worked to add a well repair fund to the bill similar to the on-site septic program at DEQ. The bill approved a fee increase for “start cards” to help pay for this work and the legislature provided more than $2 million in the new fund. Rulemaking is needed to set criteria for allocating the funds. Members might be interested in reading this comprehensive Oregon Water Futures Report. Amelia Nestler serves as the League’s statutory member of OHA’s Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC). The committee meets quarterly to consider issues around drinking water systems serving Oregonians. Among the issues being considered are systems affected by the wildfires, including possible benzene contamination and new rules for very small water systems where staff is needed to manage drinking water requirements. Oregon’s nine federally recognized Indian tribes have asked to be included in Oregon’s water plans as stated in a letter to Governor Brown dated Sept. 21. “As Oregon’s “water vision” initiative moves forward, and to ensure that our voices will be clearly heard in all that process might entail, the tribes request the following: By executive order, establish a “Tribe-Agency Water Vision Task Force” to include representation from Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and the nine state agencies identified in Oregon’s Water Resources Strategy. The goal of this group would be to fully coordinate the vision and goals of a holistic water vision. Collaborate with each of our tribes to develop specific recommendations for the water plan. Each of our sovereign tribes may have unique, specific interests pertinent to water resources and/or water infrastructure within their ancestral areas.” With the on-going drought throughout Oregon, League members may want to check the U.S. Drought Monitor map, updated every Thursday, at least during the summer season. And here’s the counties in Oregon for which a drought declaration has been approved. This last week Curry County declared a drought emergency which the Governor will need to consider. It’s been good to see a bit of rain this September, but it will take a lot more to remove Oregon from our serious multi-year drought situation. Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. We have also seen beach closures this late summer, many of which may be related to failing septic systems along the coast. Wildfires (Joyce Chapman and Peggy Lynch): We are pleased to report that Oregon’s communities are seeing some recovery after the Sept. 2020 wildfires. The policy changes and infusion of monies by the legislature and the federal government have helped some homes and businesses return. There is, however, much work to be done. There are still many people living in motels, RVs, FEMA trailers and may well also be living in tents, particularly in Jackson County where manufactured and mobile home parks burned. Jackson County reports the debris removal estimate was 18 months, but it got done in 8 months. There is discussion around FEMA trailers as they usually have a deadline for use. Oregon will need to apply for an extension to keep them in use here. Both the Lane Electric and Consumers Power Co-Ops have been awarded federal funds to replace and perhaps upgrade their facilities damaged in Sept. 2020 wildfires. The Oregon Dept. of Energy is working on the best way to spend the $10 million they were allocated to help upgrade new homes or provide other building money for permits and other assistance. Rulemaking is needed to clarify the allocation criteria. That is also true with other monies. Agencies need to set clear and fair criteria to assure taxpayer dollars are spent as anticipated AND that Oregonians can get back into homes in their communities. For example, Marion County officials are planning to build 32 houses in the Santiam Canyon to provide short-term shelter for people displaced by the Beachie Creek Fire last summer. The county will use wildfire recovery funds approved during the 2021 legislative session for buying and installing the houses, which will be split across two sites – a group of cabins at North Santiam State Park and a so-called “tiny home village” in Gates, Matt Lawyer, a policy analyst for the Marion County Board of Commissioners, said at a recent board meeting. Here is an impressive but sad tour of the Santiam Canyon—before and after the Sept. 2020 fires. Lest we forget, there has also been a 2021 fire season. As of Sept. 16, 174 residences, one business and 294 other structures have burned. Most of the homes were lost in Klamath County’s Bootleg Fire. ODF suppression costs are $122 million gross and $59.5 million net ((following FEMA and other Federal agencies’ reimbursements). Oregon State Fire Marshal suppression costs are $21 million, as of Sept. 13. See the Forestry section for information about SB 762 and forestry actions. The Oregon Dept. of Forestry provides wildfires information during the season. Go here to get the most up to date information on 2021 wildfires. Here is the ODF wildfire blog. A new online TOOL, released by the Oregon Department of Forestry, allows residents to track current wildfire risk to their exact location anywhere in Oregon. The tool, part of the Oregon Explorer website, uses a variety of data to calculate how high risk is for any given location. Wildlife: Want to know which plants attract pollinators? Here’s an OSU Extension Service video. Volunteers Needed: You can see the names of League volunteers who covered one or more issues above. Volunteers are needed to participate in rulemaking to implement the bills passed in the 2021 session and to follow 2022 legislation in 2022, a short 5-week session starting Feb. 1st. If not actually serving on a rules advisory committee (RAC), you could simply monitor and report back on their work. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com. Training will be offered.

by Josie Koehne, Coordinator Since the close of session in June and our Sine Die report on September 14, there is little to report since the Legislature has not been in session, and the committees that were to convene on September 22-25 were canceled due to a case of Covid in the state Legislature, as well as an extension of the Special Redistricting Session, not yet concluded due to disagreements concerning the CD maps. However, the Department of Revenue (DOR) has put out a draft Revenue’s 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, and is seeking public input in a virtual open house as part of its Strategic Plan Update from September 23—October 6. The plan includes a description of its mission, vision and values. The DOR is “committed to bringing in the revenue that Oregon counts on, whether it's through tax programs we administer, supporting our partners’ revenue collection efforts, or collecting on debts owed the state of Oregon. Our mission, vision, and values define our purpose and guide our work. The plan has four priorities for 2021-2017: 1) ensuring dignity and inclusion for all, 2) making it simpler to work with us, 3) training and preparing our workforce for the future, and 4) enhancing data access and use. It describes where the 54 revenue streams come from (31 tax programs, 8 fee programs, and 15 administrative or pass-through programs) that the department administers, and where the revenue goes to provide services to Oregonians. To do the planning, DOR conducted numerous surveys and workshops and developed metrics to evaluate and measure success over time for each of its 13 goals. These are: Goal 1: Create and implement a Racial Equity Plan. Measure success according to guidance from the Governor and DAS for state agency racial equity plans. Goal 2: Create and use Racial Equity Impact Statements. Measure success according to guidance from the Governor and DAS for state agency racial impact statements. Goal 3: Upgrade to modern call center and phone systems. Measure success based on incoming call data, and customer service satisfaction ratings. Goal 4: Improve online services. Measure success based on incoming call data, customer surveys, and GenTax analytics. Goal 5: Improve website features and functionality. Measure success based on incoming call data, customer surveys, and Google Analytics. Goal 6: Improve the quality of correspondence. Measure success based on customer surveys and customer service satisfaction ratings. Goal 7: Accept all payments for all programs regardless of a customer’s access point. Measure success based on customer surveys and customer service satisfaction ratings. Goal 8: Enhance employee training. Measure success based on employee training data. Goal 9: Ensure new managers have the tools they need to succeed. Measure success based on employee training data. Goal 10: Facilitate knowledge transfer and cross-training. Measure success based on employee training. Goal 11: Improve data literacy. Measure success based on surveys of customers' perception of their ability to read, work with, analyze, and communicate with data. Goal 12: Develop data governance. Measure success based on surveys of customers' perception of whether data is usable, accessible, and protected. Goal 13: Create and execute a data strategy. Complete and adopt a data strategy and implement a data strategy lifecycle. The department seems to have gone through a rigorous self-evaluation process. We think the plan is excellent, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. “The State of Oregon is committed to establishing strong leadership to eradicate racial and other forms of disparities in all aspects of state government. We look to center equity in budgeting, planning, procurement, and policymaking. We work to strengthen public involvement through community engagement, access to information, and decision-making opportunities. We work to improve equitable access to our services, programs, and resources. We work to foster an inclusive workplace culture.”

by Norman Turrill, Coordinator Redistricting The special session of the Legislative Assembly concluded Monday, the deadline, with passage of the legislative and congressional maps proposed by the supermajority Democrats. The session dragged on without agreement for almost a week! The drama was all about the congressional redistricting bill, SB 881, which the Senate passed along party lines. The original version would have produced 4 safe Democratic districts, one Democratic leaning district, and one safe Republican district. The most egregious district would have been CD 3 stretching from the Willamette River in Portland to Bend in central Oregon. Four CDs would radiate from the Portland area, clearly a gerrymander. Republicans were clearly unhappy with the original bill, but a possible walkout was made moot when an undisclosed person in the Capitol tested positive for COVID-19, delaying a House session until Saturday morning. In the meantime, Democrats tried to lure Republicans with a -3 SB 881 amendment, which would have produced 3 safe Democratic districts, one Democratic leaning district, one swing district, and one safe Republican district. This plan’s most egregious feature was that three CDs crossed the Cascade Mountains, Oregon’s largest geographic barrier, and four CDs would still radiate from the Portland area. After a game of chicken where most Republicans did not show up and denied a Saturday session quorum, the -3 amendment ultimately passed the House Monday on party-line votes. The Senate had to repass SB 881 with a party-line vote before final adjournment. The legislative redistricting bill, SB 882, was by comparison relatively non-controversial; although, all Senate and House Republicans and two Democrats still voted against it. Various redistricting evaluation services rated the proposal as fairly well drawn. The People Not Politicians coalition decided Monday to go ahead with gathering the first 1000 signatures to qualify IP 34 for the ballot title process. Lawsuits have been threatened, so stay tuned! Campaign Finance Reform Because the legislature failed to adopt any campaign finance reform bill to implement the Measure 107 constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2020, a collaboration of organizations, including the LWVOR and organized by Honest Elections Oregon, have been meeting with stakeholders to draft an initiative petition for the 2022 ballot. Election Topics Two referendums to repeal HB 2681 about cleaning voter rolls and HB 3291 to repeal the election day postmark bill failed to collect enough signatures.

by Anne Nesse LWVOR would like to clear up some media mis-information about temporarily revising Oregon’s High School graduation requirements, with a more accurate OPB report. “So what has actually changed since signing SB 744 in the 2021 Legislative Session? The short answer is, not much.” “Senate Bill 744 orders a review of state graduation requirements and suspends a requirement that Oregon 2022, 2023, and 2024 students show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills in order to graduate. Oregon students still have to pass their high school classes and earn 24 credits to graduate. State tests are coming back this year after two years' absence, with state summative assessments scheduled for early 2022. But with the removal of the Essential Skills requirement, high school students no longer have to reach a certain score, or turn in a portfolio of work samples.” We are now on hold till our Department of Education works on better guidelines than just one test or set of materials, to determine our student’s abilities upon graduation. “Districts have already started sharing ODE’s notice form to alert parents.” Several legislators pointed out that the Covid Pandemic provided us with an “opportunity” to re-assess how we were actually evaluating student’s basic abilities.

Public Hearings Sept. 22, 23 and 24 Date: September 16, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator The League of Women Voters of Oregon supported SB 762, the omnibus wildfire bill. Now agencies are writing the rules to implement the bill. The Board of Forestry has opened a public comment period, from now through October 1, on whether the state should adopt the WUI definition that is most commonly used throughout the United States, especially in the West, and by the federal government - the “International Wildfire Urban Interface Code” definition: “that geographical area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels”. As a reminder: on the final day of the 2021 session, the legislature passed Oregon’s first comprehensive, forward-looking wildfire preparedness and resiliency bill, Senate Bill 762. This bill is a critical step for Oregon to increase community preparedness, reduce future wildfire risk, and build resiliency to withstand the increasing severity and frequency of wildfires in Oregon. Now it is time to implement SB 762 – the bill requires several state agencies to take actions and make investments towards achieving that wildfire resiliency. The Oregon Board of Forestry is currently in the process of adopting a definition of “wildland urban interface” (WUI) – this is the foundational definition on which much of the state’s wildfire preparedness investments, regulations, and guidance will be based. The Board needs to hear from you – how have Oregon’s recent wildfires impacted your life, and what do you expect from the state to better prepare Oregon & all Oregonians for the future? Right now, the Board especially needs to hear that: Oregon should adopt the International WUI Code Definition: “that geographical area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels”. Adopting a scientifically sound, comprehensive, and nationally recognized WUI definition based on best practices is essential to protect life, property, and firefighter safety in the wake of increasingly extreme and dangerous wildfire conditions. The International WUI Code definition is nationally recognized and used in professional applications at the local, state, and federal level. Nearly every western state, and many states across the nation, have already adopted all or part of the International WUI Code. The International WUI definition is recognized by the Council of Western State Foresters, federal agencies, fire managers, and other government and professional bodies. The 2020 wildfire season in Oregon burned over 1 million acres and destroyed more than 4000 homes. One-sixth of Oregonians were under evacuation orders! Oregon must improve our wildfire response systems, and the status quo of unfunded and inconsistent WUI approaches is no longer acceptable. IN 2021, over 850,000 acres and over 160 residences have already burned in Oregon, and the fire season is not yet over. Oregon needs a consistent and clear definition that is recognized by scientists, fire managers, and government bodies, not a one-off definition that risks unintended consequences and could allow interests to game the process. Having a nationally recognized WUI definition is important to ensure Oregon is eligible to secure federal funds for programs related to the WUI. Customized issues will be addressed in the extensive WUI criteria development process that will follow the adoption of the WUI definition, to account for unique local circumstances and features. Adopting this definition is simply the foundational starting point, which will be detailed and refined in additional public processes over the next 5 months. This rule is the first step in implementing SB 762. Another rulemaking committee is developing the set of specific maps identifying which properties are most at risk. Look for opportunities to comment on those maps in the coming months. For now, we support this foundational definition as work continues to refine the work specifically for a diverse Oregon. Send your experiences and comments to the Board of Forestry at: sb762.rulemaking@oregon.gov You can also speak at one of three public hearings by logging into the below zoom links and indicating you want to testify: Sept. 22, 2021, 2 p.m., Zoom meeting Sept. 23, 2021, 7 p.m., Zoom meeting Sept. 24, 2021, 9 a.m., Zoom meeting To learn more about this WUI rulemaking process, go to: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/board/Pages/rac.aspx

Dear LWVOR Members, Welcome to fall, with cooler weather and harvests. There is plenty for League members to do this September despite being between major election cycles. You can virtually attend and testify in redistricting hearings next week! Join the Pesticides study discussions. National Voter Registration Day 2021 is September 28. A virtual October Fall Workshop is in the works. Please read on for details and more news: Oregon’s redistricting is our current Top Priority Issue Studies updates, and Pesticide consensus links Voter Education, Ranked Choice Voting, and National Voter Registration Day Reserve your evenings October 13-15 and part of Saturday the 16th for the Fall Workshop Please welcome our new VOTER editor--Connie Bozarth--from Corvallis! Action is wrapping up the post-session Sine Die report Recommended reading: Six Grandfathers Mountain, (aka Mt Rushmore). Please keep in touch, be well, stay safe. Let’s dig in and get back to work! Becky Gladstone, LWVOR President Redistricting Important redistricting events are happening right now that may alter the power of our votes for the next decade. If that sounds like overreaching, please watch the LWVOR Redistricting webinar and see our Redistricting page for details, including the timeline. Act now! Midnight, September 2, tomorrow, is the deadline. Apply here. If the legislative redistricting process fails, the SoS may convene a Secretary of State’s Redistricting People’s Commission. This is not the Independent Redistricting Commission we tried to get on the ballot. Legislative (virtual) redistricting hearings are next week! Attend your congressional district’s hearing and testify; register on the Oregon State Redistricting Page. The Brennan Center offers 6 Tips for Making Effective Comments at a Redistricting Hearing. Catch up by reading the August LWVOR Redistricting news. Studies Update The Election Systems study update is ready to begin expert interviews. The committee has sent a proposed scope to the board for adoption. Email our staff to join the committee for the 1985 Child Care position study update. Please read the LWVOR Pesticides and Biocides study. It’s posted with consensus questions and the study timeline. The goal is to complete consensus by the end of October. Local leagues have paper copies to borrow to read or copy, and our office has a few extra print copies which you can request from lwvor@lwvor.org. Please check with your local League for your consensus meetings or join Portland’s consensus meetings, summarized from Judy Froemke, LWVPDX Discussion Units Coordinator: LWVPDX will hold a Pesticides panel discussion on Sept 14th (attendance limited). They will post the video by Sept. 17th at LWVPDX.org. Any Oregon League members are welcome to participate in one of the Portland League’s six (ZOOM) Discussion Units for the LWVOR Pesticides and Other Biocides study. Review the consensus questions before discussions. Contact these Leaders to participate in a consensus meeting: Thursday, September 16th, 1-3 pm - Lynn Baker, DU 4 Leader Dr. Amelia Nestler, study chair, will attend Monday, September 20th, 1-3 pm - Tia Wulff, DU 7 Leader Dr. Amelia Nestler will attend Wednesday, September 22, 7-9 pm - Jean Trygstad, DU 1 Leader as of 8-16-21, awaiting speaker confirmation Monday, September 27th, 10-noon - Barbara Bryd, DU 2 Leader Paula Grisafi, study co-chair will attend Monday, September 27th, 7-9 pm - Olivia Smith, DU 3 Leader as of 8-16-21, awaiting speaker confirmation This DU will continue to meet on Zoom (not in someone's home post-pandemic). Some regular participants live outside the Portland area. Tuesday, September 28th, 9:30-11:30 am - Carolyn Buppert, DU 6 Leader Paula Grisafi, study co-chair will attend Voter Education/Service News LWVOR seeks a Voter Education Chair. The Voter Education Chair leads strong teams: local League Voter Ed Reps, Vote411.org, Voters’ Guide and Video Voters’ Guide production, social media campaigns, and Ballot Measure Researchers and Editors. If you have organizational skills, please contact me, b.gladstone@lwvor.org. Initiative campaigns are evaluating timing for the critical 2022 elections. We need to be organized now. Check out the great social media Voter Service news coverage, links at the bottom of this newsletter. Register NOW to help and get free materials for this year’s September 28th National Voter Registration Day. Washington Monthly reports on America's Best Colleges for Student Voting. I urge members to contact local colleges to learn what our schools are doing and to push for improved voter registration and GOTV. Hats off to the Washington County Unit for its work on Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Read about it in the Fall VOTER! Fall Workshop Please reserve time for the Fall Workshop, October 13-16. We are thrilled to announce that our Keynote speaker will be Professor Garrett Epps, LL.M, J.D., returning after headlining our 2015 LWVOR Convention. The LWV of Oakland, CA will present a workshop on volunteering, and Will Miller will speak about Oregon’s native communities. We are discussing arrangements for how to deal with civil discourse and intervening and redirecting polarized conversations. Our usual one-day workshop is being reconfigured to reduce Zoom fatigue. The virtual sessions are spread over several evenings and culminating with Saturday’s workshop and keynote address. Look for more information and registration in the next few weeks. LWVOR Communications Welcome our new VOTER Editor, Connie Bozarth, from the Corvallis League. We hope you will enjoy it! We will take a serious look this year at the effectiveness of our communications for members and other audiences. I have learned that some members feel very disconnected, which is of deep concern because we are also a social organization. My sense is that with all of today’s stresses, members miss the personal connection we all need and value. We gather online communications analytics and are exploring new ways to improve communications and information access. Expect short surveys to assess member needs; we hope you will participate. We look forward to hearing from you. Action News Our Action team is completing the 2021 Oregon legislative session Sine Die report, held until after the Governor’s final actions. Our advocates will be attending this month’s special session. We continue ongoing campaign coalition work for campaign finance reform and redistricting, and participate in numerous state Task Forces, Work Groups, and Commissions. Please see our website for news from our more than 25 advocates. Recommended Reading This month we’re looking at several articles and a video to prepare for the Fall Workshop. Take Another Look! In case you missed it and can use a refresher, this is Professor Epps, our Fall Workshop Keynote speaker. He has a dry sense of humor. I almost missed his aside about US Constitution authors referring to “Congreff.” 😊 The 14th Amendment: The Framing of America’s Second Constitution. Finally, some thought-provoking reading offers perspective on the less well known history of Mt. Rushmore (from three online friends). It reminded me that we must be open to questioning our veneration or tolerance of memorials as we learn of their complicated contexts. From National Geographic: “The heartbreaking, controversial history of Mount Rushmore. Tourists flock to South Dakota’s massive presidential portraits. How they got there is a complex tale of land grabs, egos, and foiled movie scenes.” From Washington Post: The creator of Mount Rushmore’s forgotten ties to white supremacy. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum was deeply involved with the Ku Klux Klan while designing a Stone Mountain, Ga. Confederate memorial. From Native Hope, The Six Grandfathers Before It Was Known as Mount Rushmore. “Part II in a series of articles that attempt to give more perspective into the truths our history books are avoiding.” It has been fun recommending reading from members and local League book groups, along with mine. Please send your recommendations! In closing, I saw a social media comment about President Biden’s Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, praising her “Intellect, confidence, empathy, preparation, patience, wit, a straight razor woman.” With this in mind, let’s commit to renewing our energy, with hope that our challenges will ease as we address them intelligently, especially during COVID and the current fire season. Thank you for reading this newsletter. Please be safe and keep in touch. Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR

The League of Women Voters of Oregon is still hard at work with statewide redistricting efforts. Look for these important developments and events in the next several weeks. The August 12 (Early) Census Data Release The U.S. Census Bureau will release the first local level results from the 2020 Census on August 12, ahead of the previous target date of August 16. States use these data on race, Hispanic origin, the voting-age population, and other demographic characteristics to redraw the boundaries of their congressional and state legislative districts. A federal census news conference on August 12 will provide initial analysis of the first local level 2020 Census results including: population change, race, ethnicity, voting-age population, and housing occupancy status. Learn more about the conference and find access links here. Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Announces “People’s Commission” Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan has announced a new “People’s Commission” to advise her on redistricting. This People’s Commission will convene only if the Legislature misses its September 27 legislative redistricting deadline, imposing the Oregon Constitutional requirement for Secretary Fagan to conduct redistricting. If convened, the Commissioners can advise Secretary Fagan and her staff as they conduct public hearings and fulfill the Secretary of State’s constitutional duty in legislative redistricting. Quoted from Secretary Fagan’s August 5 press release: “Today, redistricting is the Legislature’s job. While I am optimistic they will pass a redistricting bill by the September 27 deadline, I owe it to Oregonians to be ready to go if they don’t,” said Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. “I made a commitment to Oregonians to convene a People’s Commission to advise me on redistricting and that is exactly what I am preparing to do.” Oregonians seeking to serve on Oregon’s People’s Commission must complete the application at the Oregon Secretary of State’s website by September 2nd. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and must be an Oregon resident since at least April 1, 2020. Additional information and the application for Oregon‘s People’s Commission can be found here. Redistricting Webinar on August 25 Oregon’s redistricting process is underway and we’re days away from receiving the population data to build our new state legislative and congressional districts for the next decade. Are you and your organization ready to engage in the process to create fair districts? Are you ready to testify or submit written testimony, critique the legislature’s draft redistricting maps, and even submit your own maps, at the early September hearings? Join us for a virtual information session. We will answer your questions and discuss what you need to know, including key deadlines coming in the next few weeks, your opportunities to be heard, an explanation of ESRI (the free publicly available map-drawing tool), the impact of “differential privacy”, and more. Be involved, be ready, and be there on Wednesday, August 25 to learn more. Event sponsored by LWVOR, Common Cause and other coalition members. Hearings on Proposed Redistricting Maps Once the needed redistricting data arrives on August 12, legislative committees will spend several weeks developing draft congressional and legislative maps. Starting in September, the committees plan to embark on a statewide tour to gather feedback and learn about communities of interest. The following meetings have been tentatively scheduled, though they are subject to change. Locations to be determined. September 8 – Bend at 5:30 PM September 9 – Eugene at 5:30 PM September 10 – Salem at 9:00 AM September 10 – Oregon City/North Clackamas County at 3:00 PM September 11 – Central Portland at 9:00 AM September 11 – Hillsboro/Beaverton at 3:00 PM September 13 – Oregon Capitol at 9:00 AM and 1:00 and 5:30 PM Check our frequently updated redistricting page for location updates and related news on Oregon’s upcoming legislative redistricting hearings.

Click below to read the President's Message.

Use the Download link below to view the President's Message for June 1, 2021.

Written by Dr. Ron Jarmin, U.S. Census Bureau Acting Director Since releasing the apportionment results in April, we’ve had several teams working hard on the next set of 2020 Census data — the redistricting data. These data play an important role in our democracy and will begin to illuminate the changes to the local and demographic makeup of our nation over the last decade. These data include the first sub-state population counts and demographic characteristics from the census, information that states typically use for redistricting — the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries based on where their populations have increased or decreased. Although redistricting is a state function, the U.S. Census Bureau performs an important role in the process — providing quality data to the states from the census that states may choose to use in redistricting. Read full article here.

At Convention in May of this year, LWVOR adopted a forestry position adapted from the League of Women Voters of Washington State. Read here: https://www.lwvor.org/forestry-position

Written by Barbara Klein, Action Chair of League of Women Voters of Rogue Valley. In criticizing the idea of creating an independent redistricting commission, Oregon House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner recently said “The most representative body is a 90-person Legislature, elected and accountable to the people, rather than a hastily convened 15-20 person commission” (“Top Democrats unlikely to allow public hearing on Oregon independent redistricting proposal,” June 10). My personal experience during 2001 and 2011 redistricting efforts in Arizona show that Smith Warner appears to have the wrong idea of how independent redistricting commissions work. Read the full article here.

Contact your State Representative to oppose SB 16, a bill that allows housing with septic systems and wells in farmland Date: June 12, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator Please email or phone your representatives requesting a NO vote on the House floor against SB 16 ASAP. The League’s testimony is here to help explain our reasons for our opposition. LWVOR has strong positions in support of our land use planning program and water quality and quantity. SB 16 would allow 100 homes somewhere among 55,000 acres of farmland outside of the City of Ontario. In recent years, Ontario has expanded its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) to bring in about 600 acres from its urban reserve, leaving about 1500 acres still available in the Ontario Urban Reserve, in addition to vacant residential lands already in the Ontario UGB. Advocates argue that Idaho’s doing this so Oregon needs to do the same. That’s not the Oregon Way! We are in a severe drought in all of Oregon. These homes would be allowed to have water wells that will draw from a groundwater which we don’t know exist. Certainly, the limited water in farmland should go to their vital agricultural industry—critical to Malheur County’s economy. As mentioned in our letter, the taxpayers in Oregon are being asked to help domestic well owners in Harney County this session—to the tune of $500,000! Will we be setting up that same need in a few years for these homes? You can access the testimony of all sides here. This bill will have a Work Session on Monday, June 14, in House Rules. It is likely to move to the House floor with a vote as early as Tuesday, June 15. A NO Vote is needed. We are now in the final weeks of the session. The Oregon legislature 2021 regular session must end by June 27 and this bill only needs to pass the House chamber to be enrolled. Please email or call now and ask your Representative to Vote NO!

By Lisa Medway Jun 13, 2021 01:00 AM - Reposted from Mail Tribune When I moved to the Rogue Valley in the summer of 2018, the only person I knew was my Realtor. Within one month of my rebirth as an Oregonian, a familiar name from my way-distant past began popping up in the news every day: Jeff Golden. Jeff moved to Oregon 50 years before I did. He was running for state senator to represent the 3rd District — my district. Jeff and I went to high school together. Or, to be more accurate, we attended the same high school. He had triple the IQ, double the GPA, was student body president, and was voted “Brainiest” in his senior year. I was in the Spanish Club and school plays. We never met. I voted for Jeff Golden for student body president at Beverly Hills High School and again in 2018 for state senator. He won both elections. Besides his top-notch education (Harvard, Stanford), Jeff is an author, outdoorsman, producer, TV host (PBS series “Immense Possibilities”), husband, father, conservationist and protector of Planet Earth. Senator Golden holds virtual town hall meetings (the first Thursday of the month at 5 p.m.), and it was during the February 2021 town hall that he touted the League of Women Voters: a venerable, nonpartisan, can-do organization that’s been around for 101 years. When the town hall ended, I joined the LWV of Rogue Valley. The “League” (its short-hand nickname) was founded by a key leader of the American suffrage movement, Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947), as a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit and educational organization to celebrate women getting the right to vote in 1920. Her vital role led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Today, the LWV has thousands of members in all 50 states and 700 communities across the USA. My first encounter with the LWV of RV was in a ZOOM meeting in March. My reaction was: “OMG! These overachievers are super-smart and more well informed than most hosts on MSNBC. “Energizer Bunny” Margie Peterson is the president of the LWV-RV and our spokesperson. She reminded us that “we are one voice.” Brilliant Barbara Klein is the action chair and head of local issues. Lovely and patient Jackie Clary, membership coordinator, was my LWV “doula” who introduced me to the whirlwind world of the LWV. Sage member Bill Walsh (yes, there are many male members — it’s 2021 people!) summed-up the No. 1 goal of the League: “Our job is to urge lawmakers to do what’s best for the common good.” The way in which the league succeeds cannot be better illustrated than by the indefatigable work of Shirley Weathers, climate change coordinator for the LWV-RV and LWV Oregon, along with a team of league members from Klamath, Coos Bay and Umpqua. I love a good David and Goliath story — this one’s fantastic. Shirley and her team of superheroes helped get the Canada-based energy behemoth Pembina to drop its application to build a natural gas pipeline. The Jordan Cove Energy Project was, thanks partly to Ms. Weathers and the other leagues, thwarted after 10-plus years of dogged effort and unrelenting persistence. Along with everything good, fair and kind it stands for and strives to accomplish, the League of Women (and men) Voters continues, among a litany of other important issues, to protect and defend Oregon: its beauty and natural resources. And I still have never met Jeff Golden. Lisa Medway lives in Medford.

Contact your Senator and Representative to support SB 762 A, the omnibus wildfire bill! Date: June 9, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator Josie Koehne, Forestry Portfolio Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator Please email, or phone your representatives requesting support for SB 762 A ASAP. SB 762 A will prepare Oregon for the future related to wildfire preparedness and will provide appropriate resources to fight fires when they happen. The bill provides a section-by-section roadmap to help Oregonians prepare for the future of Oregon’s forests and our nearby cities and towns. Requires electric utilities plans Requires development of a statewide map of wildfire risk Addresses the need for defensible space around homes at risk Addresses the need for wildfire hazard mitigation building codes on new construction Recognizes the need to support communities impacted by smoke Requires an update to our statewide emergency plan for wildfire emergencies Includes a treatment program to reduce wildfire risk by targeted thinning Creates a NEW Wildfire Workforce Corps to train youth and young adults for future careers in a variety of important outdoor opportunities Establishes a Small Woodland Owners Grant Program Addresses the need for wildfire response capacity Requires rules to identify the wildland urban interface in Oregon as is done in all other western states (See map.) Establishes a Wildfire Program Advisory Council and State Program Director Because this is a big bill, the Staff Measure Summary might be helpful. And the League is part of a larger group providing a website with a list of other advocates for this comprehensive but very important wildfire bill. We are now in the final weeks of the session. The Oregon legislature 2021 regular session must end by June 27 and bills must be heard in both chambers to be enacted. Please email or call now!