2005 Senate Committee on Environment and Land Use

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & LAND USE

April 07, 2005 Hearing Room 343

7:00 A.M. Tapes 77 - 78

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Charlie Ringo, Chair

Sen. Jason Atkinson, Vice-Chair

Sen. Roger Beyer

MEMBERS EXCUSED: Sen. Ginny Burdick

Sen. Frank Shields

STAFF PRESENT: Matt Shields, Committee Administrator

Katie Lowry, Committee Assistant

MEASURES/ISSUES HEARD:

SB 659 – Public Hearing

SB 527 – Public Hearing

SB 731 – Public Hearing

SB 593 – Public Hearing

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 77, A
005	Chair Ringo	Calls meeting to order at 7:02 a.m. Makes opening remarks. Opens public hearing on SB 659.
SB 659 – PUBLIC HEARING
015	Rep. Brad Witt	Represents House District 31. Submits informational packet (EXHIBIT A). Reads submitted written testimony in opposition to SB 659.
070	Chair Ringo	Recesses public hearing on SB 659 and opens public hearing on SB 527.
SB 527 – PUBLIC HEARING
	Matt Shields	Committee Administrator. Submits SB 527-2 amendments (EXHIBIT B) and SB 527-3 amendments (EXHIBIT C) for the record.
075	Sen. Bill Morisette	Represents Senate District 6. Gives background information on SB 527. Submits informational packet (EXHIBIT D).
095	Sen. Doug Whitsett	Represents Senate District 28. Submits and reads written testimony on behalf of Ed Sullivan from Save Our Rural Oregon in support of SB 527 (EXHIBIT E).
165	Sen. Whitsett	Reads quote. Urges committee to pass SB 527.
177	Sen. Beyer	Asks about SB 527-2 and SB 527-3 amendments.
180	Shields	States that the -3 amendments are what have been agreed upon.
183	Chair Ringo	States that Sen. Morisette is nodding that the -3 amendments should be adopted.
184	Chair Ringo	Says that there are a lot of reasons why SB 527 makes sense. Wonders what happens when every community does not want an energy facility located there.
193	Sen. Whitsett	Responds.
220	Melyn Brock	Resident, Klamath County. Testifies in support of SB 527. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT F).
240	Chair Ringo	Asks how many acres.
241	M. Brock	Responds. Continues testimony in support of SB 527.
260	William Brock	Resident, Klamath County. Submits and reads written testimony in support of SB 527 (EXHIBIT G).
302	Chair Ringo	Asks what the potential schedule of the facility is.
304	W. Brock	Responds.
308	M. Brock	Responds.
317	Chair Ringo	Appreciates witnesses coming to Salem.
325	Gail Whitsett	Resident, Klamath Falls. Submits and reads written testimony in support of SB 527 (EXHIBIT H).
TAPE 78, A
001	Whitsett	Continues reading submitted testimony.
040	Chair Ringo	States that he has not studied this issue in any depth. Asks about rationale for siting of mentioned facility.
045	Whitsett	Explains.
050	Chair Ringo	Asks if this facility could have been sited many places in Oregon as long as it was close to a British Petroleum/AMOCO (BPA) substation.
053	Whitsett	Replies yes and explains.
057	Chair Ringo	Asks how much water the mentioned facility will use.
058	Whitsett	Responds.
067	Chair Ringo	Asks clarifying question.
068	Whitsett	Asks Sen. Whitsett to respond.
071	Sen. Whitsett	Explains.
090	Richard Allan	Partner, Ball Janik LLP, representing Portland General Electric. Submits and highlights written testimony in opposition to SB 527 (EXHIBIT I).
127	Chair Ringo	Asks about California Oregon Border (COB) facility.
128	Allan	States that he does not represent the developers of any of the three projects mentioned today. States that he will try to answer questions.
133	Chair Ringo	Asks about facility in the Klamath Falls area.
135	Allan	Responds.
153	Allan	Continues testimony in opposition to SB 527.
250	Allan	Continues testimony in opposition to SB 527.
297	Mike Grainey	Director, Department of Energy. Testifies in opposition to SB 527. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT J).
375	John Sundquist	Resident, Coburg. States for the record that he is in support of SB 527. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT K).
380	James Thompson	Resident, Turner. Testifies in support of SB 527. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT L).
TAPE 77, B
008	Chair Ringo	Asks if witness wants some control over his community.
009	Thompson	Responds. Continues testimony in support of SB 527.
019	Roger Hamilton	Resident, Eugene. Testifies in support of SB 527. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT M).
048	Lisa Arkin	Resident, Lane County. Testifies in support of SB 527. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT N).
The following prepared testimony is submitted for the record without public testimony:
	Jim Lockard	Coburg Rural Fire District Board of Directors. Submits written testimony on SB 527 (EXHIBIT O).
	Arya Behbehani-Divers	Citizen. Submits written testimony on SB 527 (EXHIBIT P).
	Gary Bauer	Manager of Government Affairs, Northwest Natural. Submits written testimony on SB 527 (EXHIBIT Q).
	Shawn Miller	PacifiCorp and PPM Energy. Submits written testimony in opposition to SB 527 (EXHIBIT R).
	Kitty Piercy	Mayor, City of Eugene. Submits written testimony in support of SB 527 (EXHIBIT S).
080	Chair Ringo	Closes public hearing on SB 527. Opens public hearing on SB 731.
SB 731 – PUBLIC HEARING
095	Rep. Jackie Dingfelder	Represents House District 45. Testifies in support of SB 731. Discusses SB 731-1 amendments which are submitted by staff for the record (EXHIBIT T).
144	Sen. Doug Whitsett	Represents Senate District 28. Testifies in opposition to SB 731.
173	Chair Ringo	Appreciates Sen. Whitsett’s testimony. Makes remarks about water.
180	Rep. Dingfelder	Discusses the -1 amendments.
185	Chair Ringo	Closes public hearing on SB 731 and says that it will be continued at the meeting on Friday, April 8, 2005. Opens public hearing on SB 593.
SB 593 – PUBLIC HEARING
	Matt Shields	Committee Administrator. Submits SB 593-1 amendments for the record (EXHIBIT U).
195	Justin Martin	Defenders of Wildlife. Submits and highlights written testimony (EXHIBIT V).
209	Cheryl Humman	Defenders of Wildlife. Gives background information on SB 593.
223	Chair Ringo	Hopes that SB 593 will be moved out of committee on Friday, April 8, 2005.
226	Chair Ringo	Closes public hearing on SB 593. States that the work session for SB 593 will be carried over to meeting on Friday, April 8, 2005. Re-Opens public hearing on SB 659.
SB 659 – PUBLIC HEARING
250	Greg Miller	Chair, Board of Directors, Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI). Introduces those with him.
265	Chair Ringo	States that the committee needs to adjourn very shortly in order to allow the next committee to begin, but that the witnesses could follow up with him after the meeting.
268	Miller	Submits and highlights written testimony in opposition to SB 659 (EXHIBIT W). Submits book titled Oregon’s Forest Protection Laws (EXHIBIT X).
293	Chair Ringo	Discusses harvest tax. States that this year, it is anticipated that a significant amount of general fund dollars will be spent on fighting forest fires. Wonders if it would be a better priority to take the money that is currently going to OFRI and use it for other purposes such as fighting fires.
305	Miller	Responds. Mentions HB 2327.
320	Carol Whipple	Board of Directors, OFRI. Submits and reads written testimony on SB 659 (EXHIBIT Y).
380	Chair Ringo	States that SB 659 will be carried over to the meeting on Friday, April 8, 2005.
385	Mari Ann Gest	The Wild Salmon Center. Testifies in support of SB 659. Mentions HB 2327. Submits written testimony (EXHIBIT Z).
TAPE 78, B
003	Chuck Willer	Director, Coast Range Association. Testifies in support of SB 659.
025	George Brown	Dean Emeritus, College of Forestry, Oregon State University and Director Emeritus, Forest Research Laboratory, Oregon State University. Testifies in opposition to SB 659.
044	Sen. Beyer	Makes comment on taxes.
047	Chair Ringo	Responds.
The following prepared testimony is submitted for the record without public testimony:
	Daniel A. Williams	Vice President for Administration, University of Oregon. Submits written testimony on SB 659 (EXHIBIT AA).
	Jim Geisinger	Executive Vice President, Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. Submits written testimony in opposition to SB 659 (EXHIBIT BB).
	Hal Salwasser	Dean, College of Forestry, Oregon State University. Submits written testimony on SB 659 (EXHIBIT CC).
	Ted Lorensen	Assistant State Forester, Oregon Department of Forestry. Submits written testimony on SB 659 (EXHIBIT DD).
	Leslie Lehmann	Executive Director, OFRI. Submits informational packet on SB 659 (EXHIBIT EE).
055	Chair Ringo	Closes public hearing on SB 659 and adjourns meeting at 8:29 a.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A. SB 659, informational packet, Rep. Brad Witt, 6 pp

B. SB 527, -2 amendments, Staff, 6 pp

C. SB 527, -3 amendments, Staff, 7 pp

D. SB 527, informational packet, Sen. Bill Morisette, 7 pp

E. SB 527, written testimony of Ed Sullivan, Sen. Doug Whitsett, 2 pp

F. SB 527, written testimony, Melyn Brock, 3 pp

G. SB 527, written testimony, William Brock, 1 p

H. SB 527, written testimony, Gail Whitsett, 6 pp

I. SB 527, written testimony, Richard Allan, 6 pp

J. SB 527, written testimony, Mike Grainey, 3 pp

K. SB 527, written testimony, John Sundquist, 1 p

L. SB 527, written testimony, James Thompson, 3 pp

M. SB 527, written testimony, Roger Hamilton, 3 pp

N. SB 527, written testimony, Lisa Arkin, 6 pp

O. SB 527, written testimony, Jim Lockard, 3 pp

P. SB 527, written testimony, Arya Behbehani-Divers, 2 pp

Q. SB 527, written testimony, Gary Bauer, 2 pp

R. SB 527, written testimony, Shawn Miller, 2 pp

S. SB 527, written testimony, Kitty Piercy, 2 pp

T. SB 731, -1 amendments, Staff, 2 pp

U. SB 593, -1 amendments, Staff, 1 p

V. SB 593, written testimony, Justin Martin, 2 pp

W. SB 659, written testimony, Greg Miller, 2 pp

X. SB 659, book, Greg Miller, oversized

Y. SB 659, written testimony, Carol Whipple, 1 p

Z. SB 659, written testimony, Mari Anne Gest, 2 pp

AA. SB 659, written testimony, Daniel A. Williams, 2 pp

BB. SB 659, written testimony, Jim Geisinger, 1 p

CC. SB 659, written testimony, Hal Salwasser, 2 pp

DD.SB 659, written testimony, Ted Lorensen, 2 pp

EE.SB 659, informational packet, Leslie Lehmann, 100 pp