Early morning on Waldo Lake in central Oregon.

In 2010, the Oregon State Marine Board prohibited the use of internal combustion motors on Waldo Lake in response to a broad public call to preserve the unique water purity of the lake.  Today, the Oregon State Marine Board is considering reversing that decision due to pressure from a small group of motorboat users and seaplane owners.

Waldo Lake is bordered on three sides by Wilderness and the other side by old growth forest. It is now one of the few large lakes that offers a quiet semi-primitive nature experience to hikers and campers. It is one of the purest lakes in the world with visibility that exceeds Crater Lake. This makes it a world treasure. Gas motors create a real risk of pollution from usage and fuel spills that can destroy this unique treasure, a risk that is unacceptable. There are numerous options for motorized recreation nearby on Odell Lake, Crescent Lake, Davis Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir, Wickiup Reservoir, and Cultus Lake.

Click here to learn more.

TAKE ACTION!
 Click here to send an e-mail to the Marine Board and Governor Kitzhaber!
[Stay tuned, we'll provide the link to this shortly.]

If you have more time, consider sending personalized letters or submitting a letter to the editor to the newspapers listed below.  These actions take a bit more time, but can be more effective in making your voice heard than just clicking on the e-mail link above.

Write or call:

• The Marine Board
  • Email: marine.board@state.or.us. In subject line put: Scott Brewen, Director. cc: Randy Henry, Operations Policy Analyst
  • USPS: Oregon State Marine Board, PO Box 14145, Salem, OR 97309-5065
  • Phone: 503-378-8587 (Hours: 8am – 5pm), Fax: 503-378-4597
• Governor Kitzhaber
  • Email contact form: http://www.oregon.gov/Gov/contact.shtml
  • USPS: Governor Kitzhaber, 160 State Capitol, 900 Court Street, Salem, OR 97301-4047
  • Governor’s Citizens’ Representative, Message Line: 503-378-4582, Fax: 503-378-6827
• Bend Bulletin
  • “My Nickel’s Worth”: limit 250 words, include address and day phone for verification.
  • Email: bulletin@bendbulletin.com
  • Fax: 541 385-5804
• The Source Weekly
  • Letters to Editor: go to their web page to submit - www.tsweekly.com/contact-us/Letter-to-Editor.html?catid=12
    
• The Oregonian
  • Letters to Editor: limit 150 words, include address and day phone for verification.
  • Email: letters@oregonian.com
  • Fax: 503 294-4193

Talking Points

Here are some recommended talking points for your letter, email, or phone call (open these bullets in a pdf file for printing here - Motor Ban Talking Points):

• Waldo is one of the purest lakes in the world with visibility that exceeds Crater Lake. This makes it a stunning world treasure. The presence of gas motors creates real risk of pollution from usage and fuel spills that are likely inevitable. This risk is unacceptable.
• Waldo is bordered on three sides by designated wilderness and the other side is old growth forest managed by the Forest Service as primitive area with no motorized access. The character of current Waldo Lake experiences would be irreparably altered by the presence of motorized craft.
• Over 10 years of work went into the creation of the motor ban on Waldo with all the major stakeholders participating, and the public supports the ban by a wide margin.
• Waldo is the only large body of water in the state with a motor ban that allows a quiet experience uninterrupted by the noise from gas motors. This is a unique and valued experience that is highly prized by the public.
• Visitors have many options for motorized recreation in the central Cascades including Odell Lake, Crescent Lake, Davis Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir, Wickiup Reservoir, Cultus Lake, and several others. With such diverse access to motorized recreation already available, adding Waldo Lake would have little positive economic impact on local businesses.
• The idea that Waldo is needed for float plane operations is nonsensical considering all the available nearby landing options listed in the previous point. Float planes landing and taking off from Waldo would completely destroy the quiet experience currently available there.
• Waldo has been managed as a semi-primitive camping area from the outset, and is widely used by sailors, kayakers, hikers, mountain bikers, and campers who cherish the opportunity to have an area that is free of noise from gas motors.

In 2011, the Port of St. Helens along the Columbia River, and the Port of Coos Bay on the southern Oregon Coast, revealed they were in confidential negotiations with unnamed coal companies seeking to export tens of millions of tons of coal to Asia. The Ports have kept the plans secret for months.

But things have been heating up recently. In late December, the Oregon Department of State Lands approved a controversial dredging in north spit of Coos Bay necessary for huge ships that export coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG). On January 18, a coalition of conservation groups and local citizens appealed the decision, arguing that the dredging would cause significant harm to water quality in Coos Bay, and that environmental and public health impacts of exporting LNG and coal were never considered. Read the coalition press release.

Meanwhile, the Port of St. Helens has announced a public meeting to hear from two companies vying to build a coal export terminal on the Columbia River. This is in addition to a coal export terminal proposed for the Washington side of the river in Longview, and another in Bellingham, WA. Read the press release on St. Helens’ coal export plans.

The Sierra Club is fighting multiple coal export plans in the Pacific Northwest as well as plans to export LNG.

Intern Rachel Langley addresses a crowd at a joint Sierra Club/Occupy Portland rally to hold corporate polluters accountable.

Internship Supervisor
Laura Stevens, Sierra Club Associate Organizing Representative for the Beyond Coal Campaign

Coal-Free Northwest Campaign

The Sierra Club is leading groundbreaking regional efforts to make the Pacific Northwest a coal-free zone, including leading in the recent success of putting Oregon’s largest polluter, the Boardman coal-fired power plant, on the path to transition no later than 2020.  The Coal Free Northwest Campaign involves a variety of grassroots, communications, and legal strategies end the use of coal-fired electricity and prevent the mining and export of U.S. coal offshore through Northwest ports.

The internship will primarily be focused on various aspects involved in stopping proposed coal export terminal proposals in southern Washington and Oregon.  This is an exciting effort – the new frontier of unraveling the coal industry’s grip on our local communities and our politics, aimed toward building a movement that achieves healthy communities, equity, and justice.  It is a critical component to creating a truly Coal-Free Northwest, and is an important linchpinforimpacting the global flow of coal as a fuel source.

Beyond our work regionally to stop coal exports, this is a critical yearforboth defending the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Clean Air Act, as well as urging the support of strong rulemakings from the EPA on air and water quality standards that would protect our health from the pollution from coal’s life cycle, and interns will dedicate a portion of their time towards these federal issues.

Roles and expectations

Interns will play an active and important role in the local, national and global effort to move away from coal to clean energy.  This is a tremendous opportunity to gain experience around environmental campaigning.  Interns will also gain insight into the structure, operations, and methods of one of the country’s most effective conservation non-profits.

We ask that interns commit to a minimum of 15 hours per week for 10 weeks (not necessarily consecutive), with the exception of the Grassroots Outreach Internship position which has more flexibility for shorter hours and shorter time commitments.  You may choose to arrange for college credit for your internship.  Internships typically correspond with a semester or term schedule, or with summer vacation.

Internship Areas of Focus

Interns will typically spend approximately half of their time on campaign priorities and half of their time in a specialized realm of campaign activities chosen together by the intern and supervisor.  We encourage applicants with experience, coursework, or a strong interest in the environment, grassroots organizing, or any of the areas of focus listed below to apply.  Internship areas of focus may include:

• Community Organizing
• Communications and Media
• Environmental Policy and Research
• Public Health and Safety
• Sustainable Business/Sustainable Economy
• Grassroots Outreach

To apply please send cover letter and resume to Laura Stevens at laura.stevens@sierraclub.org
Ph: 503.238.0442×305 Office: 1821 SE Ankeny St. Portland, OR 97214    Questions are welcome!

Visit: http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/coalexport/

We’re currently fighting three proposed coal export terminals in Oregon — the Ports of St. Helens, Coos Bay, and Morrow. These dirty and destructive projects would bring coal trains and barges through the Columbia River Gorge, and coal trains through Portland, Eugene, and many more communities–spewing toxic coal dust and diesel pollution, clogging our rail lines and holding up traffic, and stoking the climate crisis all the way.  If you are interested in getting involved in the campaign to stop coal exports in Oregon please contact Laura Stevens at 503-238-0442 x 305 or laura.stevens@sierraclub.org.  The Oregon Beyond Coal Task Force meets every fourth Tuesday  from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Sierra Club office in Portland at 1821 SE Ankeny St.

This year we have much to celebrate.  We’ve brought an and to an era of burning coal for electricty in Oregon.  We’ve helped homeowners across the state invest in rooftop solar and energy efficiency projects for their homes.  We’ve stopped the development of liquefied natural gas facilities and pipelines along Oregon’s coast.  We held the line during a challenging state legislative session– fighting to protect Oregon’s wolves and advance energy efficiency programs that will create jobs and save money for schools.  And, we led the fight against efforts to ramp up unsustainable logging on our state lands.

Here’s a look back at a few of our key success in 2011 and a look at the struggles we’ll contineu to face in 2012.  For a more complete review of our successes in 2011, check out the annual report that we released last month!

AN END TO AN ERA OF BURNING COAL FOR ELECTRICITY IN OREGON

After years of effort from the Sierra Club and our allies, the Pacific Northwest’s only two coal plants and biggest sources of harmful air pollution are on the path to being phased out.

In September, a federal judge approved a settlement agreement between the Sierra Club and Portland General Electric addressing the company’s violations of the Clean Air Act at the company’s coal plant in Boardman, Oregon. The agreement secures a court enforceable shutdown date of 2020 for Oregon’s only coal fired power plant, significant reductions in haze causing pollution in the near term, and the creation of a $2.5 million fund for restoration in the Columbia River Gorge and Hells Canyon, air pollution reduction, and the deployment of distributed renewable energy such as rooftop solar panels.

With a date-certain phaseout plan for Oregon’s only coal plant, the Sierra Club is now focusing on helping people across Oregon be part of shaping Oregon’s renewable energy future. Over the summer, our members have installed over 100,000 watts of solar on their roofs through our Go Solar with the Sierra Club Program! We have also reached out to thousands of homeowners to sign them up for Clean Energy Works, a program to weatherize homes across Oregon.

In 2010 we also worked with the Sierra Club’s Washington Chapter and other allies to secure a coal-free future for the Pacific Northwest.  On the heals of the announcement that the Portland General Electric’s Boardman coal plant would be shut down, the Governor of Washington announced a deal to close the Transalta coal plant in Centralia, Washington (just 90 miles north of Portland) in two phases beginning in 2020. One boiler for the 1,460 MW plant will close in 2020, the other in 2025, with interim pollution controls for haze being installed in 2013. Additionally, the company proposing to export as much as 80 million tons of coal from the Port of Longview across the Columbia River from Oregon has withdrawn its permits after getting caught misrepresenting the scope and impacts of its operation.

We will remain vigilant in 2012 to stop a variety of potential coal export schemes from Columbia River ports in Oregon and Washington.

DEFEATING LNG TERMINALS AND PIPELINES IN OREGON

In 2011, the Sierra Club and our allies defeated multiple proposals for liquified natural gas (LN G) terminals on Oregon’s coast and hundreds of miles of LNG-related pipleline that would have harmed forests, farms, and waterways across our state.

The year got off to a great start with a major decision on January 12.  The Clatsop County Commission voted 4-1 to withdraw its previous approval for 41 miles of gas pipeline intended to serve the proposed Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal near Astoria. Sierra Club volunteers were actively involved in efforts to influence Clatop County decision-makers, and the vote wass a major setback for LNG development on the Columbia River – it was the first vote for three new commissioners swept in last November in a tide of anti-LNG sentiment. Then, in another victory in the struggle to prevent LNG development in Oregon, on March 9th, the Clatsop County Commission voted 4-1 to revoke Oregon LNG’s land use approval for its controversial pipeline and LNG import terminal.

Similarly, the federal Ninth Circuit Court on March 2nd threw out Bradwood Landing LNG’s license, finally killing its proposed LNG import terminal 20 miles up the Columbia River in Astoria. In late March, thanks to the tireless work and actions of thousands of Sierra Club members and citizens across the state, NW Natural Gas finally withdrew plans for the controversial Palomar Gas Transmission line which would have crossed the Mt. Hood National Forest and was initially proposed to import LNG from the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG terminal.

But, we weren’t just working to stop natural gas pipeline in Oregon!  In November, President Obama made a decision to delay the development of the Keystone XL Pipeline. This massive pipeline would bring oil mined from the tar sands underneath the wild boreal forests of Alberta to oil refineries on the Texas Gulf coast, further hooking the US on the dirtiest of fossil fuels. The Sierra Club was instrumental in this effort, participating in events from Portland to Washington, DC.

Nonetheless, LNG companies are now moving full steam ahead on plans to export gas from Wyoming and Colorado overseas through Oregon’s ports.  For example, Jordan Cove Energy plans to export from Coos Bay and build more than 200 miles of pipeline across wild rivers and old growth forests in southwest Oregon.  Similarly, the Oregon LNG company is eyeing export from a proposed site near Astoria, which could revive the 217-mile Palomar Pipeline that would stretch from central Oregon to the Pacific Coast. The Sierra Club will remain vigilant in 2012 to block these LNG export proposals.

PROTECTING OREGON’S STATE FORESTS

In 2011, the Sierra Club and our friends at the Wild Salmon Center, Northwest Steelheaders Association, and Trout Unlimited turned the tide in the effort to protect core wildlife and salmon habitat in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests.

In May, following intense efforts to educate Clatstop County Citizens about the value of their state forest lands, the Clatsop County Commission voted to send a letter to the Oregon Board of Forestry calling for them to use the ‘best available science’ in decision making and pressing for a more balanced approach to management in the Clatsop State Forest than what was decribed in a draft 10-year implementation plan developed by the Department of Forestry.  Because Clatsop County receives the most money from logging state forests, their stand for sound science and balance is significant, and marked a break from neighboring Tillamook County which has called for weakening forest protection rules. In the days before the Commission vote, the Sierra Club organized a community meeting attended by local members and supporters, many of whom later testified before the Commission in a hearing attended by roughly 200 people – one of the largest in Clatsop County history!

The Clatsop County letter also came about two weeks after a scathing report from OSU’s Institute for Natural Resources on the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) draft plans which noted that the ODF consistently failed to used the ‘best available science.’

And, in November, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber issued a call to the Oregon Board of Forestry to create first-ever protected conservation areas on state forests. Such conservation areas would be managed primarily for values like clean water, fish, wildlife, and recreation. The Board of Forestry is now considering creating such protected areas as part of its work plan for 2012. Currently, Oregon’s state owned forests contain no significant areas off-limits from logging and roadbuilding for the long term, a fact the Sierra Club has been working to change. Over the past year, we have collected over 1200 signatures on a petition calling for the creation of state forest conservation areas, led hikes to state forest areas deserving of greater protection, and testified at numerous Board of Forestry meetings to help change management on state lands.

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BANNING THE BAG IN PORTLAND AND CORVALLIS

In late July, the Portland City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that prohibits plastic shopping bags at checkstands of major grocers and certain big-box stores. The new rules took effect October 15. Mayor Sam Adams introduced the ban after the 2011 Legislature declined to enact Oregon-wide restrictions. Sierra Club staff and volunteers worked with our partner organizations to lobby and testify before the City Council in favor of this ordinance. Click here to learn more.

Similarly, in April the Sierra Club volunteers in Corvallis submitted to their City Council a Resolution in support of Senate Bill 536, which would ban single-use checkout bags. The Council passed the resolution on April 4th with a vote of 8 to 1. After the state legislature failed to act, Sierra Club volunteers launched a high profile campaign to ban disposable bags in Corvallis.  The ban is now being reviewed by a committee established by the Council and will be voted on in 2012.

STOPPING OLD GROWTH LOGGING

After years of denial, in 2011 the Bureau of Land Management finally conceded that it’s Western Oregon Plan Revision was fatally flawed. Originally proposed by the Bush administration to double logging across over 2 million acres of public land, the BLM’s Western Oregon Plan Revision (WOPR) would have significantly increased clearcutting in old growth forests.

But in early July, the BLM finally conceded that the WOPR (pronounced ‘whopper’) is fatally flawed in a court filing in response to timber industry litigation to put the plan back in effect. Though Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar originally voided the WOPR in 2009, calling it legally indefensible, the timber industry won recent court rulings to put it back in effect, and until this week, it was unclear how the Obama administration would react. The Sierra Club has campaigned for years to stop the WOPR, which was originally approved by the outgoing Bush administration amidst a cloud of political tampering from the White House.

FIGHTING FOR ENDANGERED COLUMBIA RIVER SALMON

In early August, for the third time, federal judge James Redden rebuked the federal government’s inadequate plans to restore Columbia and Snake River salmon. In a case the Sierra Club has been involved in for years, the judged referred to the federal government’s “lack of, or at best, marginal compliance” with the Endangered Species Act and called their plan “neither a reasonable, nor a prudent, course of action.” The judge has ordered the government to present plans that include a wide range of options, including breaching salmon killing dams on the Snake River, by 2013.

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Want to help us succeed in 2012?

Please consider making a donation to the Oregon Chapter.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR DONATION TODAY!

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John Seager, president of Population Connection, spoke at PSU on December 8th on caring for 7 billion earthlings. Photo by Roger Cole.

By Sierra Club volunteer Ramona Rex

This October the earth’s population hit 7 billion, with one billion people added to the planet since 1999.  Global population was only 1.6 billion at the beginning of the 20^th century, and climbed to 6.1 billion by the year 2000.  The Oregon Chapter hosted a program Thursday evening December 8^th focused on the impact this growing number of people has on the planet, “7 billion: It’s Time to Talk”. The event featured Mr. John Seager, President of Population Connection, and 2 films; “Mother: Caring for 7 Billion” and “Growthbusters: Hooked on Growth”.

Rather than a gloom and doom handwringing session, the evening provided information about how we can meet the challenges presented by more people on the planet.  There are 3 things that everyone should know about the population issue, according to Mr. Seager.  Firstly, we know how to address population growth; contraception works.  In fact, John pointed out that contraception is one of the most significant technological discoveries of the 20th century, granting women the opportunity to control their fertility.  Contraception is cost effective as compared to other technological ‘fixes’ proposed to halt environmental degradation.  Finally, women especially want to control the trajectory of their lives by using contraception to plan when and how many children they have. Women thus gain greater opportunities for education and career development, and most often choose on their own to limit their family size.

Both films reinforce Mr. Seager’s core message of improving access to contraception worldwide and empowering women, while at the same time challenge the notion of endless economic growth and consumption in the industrialized nations. “Mother: Caring for 7 billion” features Beth, a child rights activist, as she meets with Zinet, a young woman from a large family in Ethiopia.  Zinet cares for her HIV infected niece, milks goats, helps care for her family, and attends university classes.  Zinet found the courage to persuade her father to allow her to study, rather than enter into marriage at an early age. “Growthbusters: Hooked on Growth” follows Dave Gardner, an anti-growth activist in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as he reviews the negative environmental impact of unending economic growth and advocates for an alternative way of living.

The Sierra Club Global Population and Environment Program’s mission is to educate Club members and the general public on the benefits of educating girls, empowering women, and reducing consumption.  As we provide access to education, economic opportunity and reproductive health care to women around the globe, we also gain the best chance of stabilizing human population, and protecting the environment worldwide.

www.sierraclub.org/population

Mother: Caring for the 7 Billion
http://www.motherthefilm.com/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth
http://www.growthbusters.org/

We have one of the most beautiful and productive oceans in the world, but Oregon is the only state on the Pacific Ocean that does not have a marine reserve or a National Marine Sanctuary!

Join us in protecting a small piece of Oregon’s Ocean for the future.  Take Action! Please write your letter urging  Governor Kitzhaber to Designate Oregon’s Marine Reserves Today! These letters need to be in the office of Governor Kitzhaber by the legislative dead line of December 5.

For more information or to get involved in our campaign, please contact Debra Higbee at dwhigbe@juno.com.

Nestle wants to bottle and sell water from this publicly owned spring in the Columbia River Gorge.

Nestlé is the largest food company in the world and the largest water bottling company in the US. As of yet, they have no water bottling plants in the Pacific Northwest – but that could change soon. Since 2009, Nestlé has sought to secure water from the publicly owned Oxbow Springs in the Columbia River Gorge in order to bottle it along with tap water from the City of Cascade Locks.

Please contact Governor Kitzhaber and urge him to weigh in with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to withdraw its Oxbow Springs water exchange permit, and call his citizen comment line at 503-378-4582.

Background:

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) holds the water rights for Oxbow Springs in the Columbia River Gorge, which it currently uses for a fish hatchery. To enable Nestlé to bottle and sell the spring water, ODFW has proposed creating a water exchange with the City of Cascade Locks: ODFW would get access to Cascade Locks’ municipal water (to use for its hatchery) and Cascade Locks would get access to the spring water which it would in turn sell to Nestlé (at the municipal water rate).

This water exchange is key for Nestlé being able to bottle water from Oxbow Springs.

ODFW’s water exchange permit proposal has to be approved by the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) which has indicated it will make a decision on the permit as early as mid December. Several organizations and a number of concerned Oregonians have already contacted OWRD asking it to deny the permit.

These organizations (which include the Sierra Club) are now urging Governor Kitzhaber to weigh in by asking ODFW to withdraw its Oxbow Springs water exchange permit.  If ODFW does so it would put an end to Nestlé’s ability to bottle Oxbow Spring’s water and Nestlé would most likely abandon its attempt to build the bottling plant in Cascades Locks.

Bottled water from any source, especially for single use bottles, has many negative environmental and human health consequences.  A typical single-use bottle uses three times the amount of water it holds and ¼ the petroleum to produce. Though some of the bottles can be recycled, many of them end up in our landfills, lakes, streams and oceans, where they never fully decompose.  Typically, the water in the bottles is no safer than what comes out of our taps, and is often the same exact thing. Also, as climate change continues, fresh clean water is growing more scarce. It is important to preserve existing clean fresh water sources that may need to be used in the future as current municipal sources face climate related impacts.

Nestlé has reported that the proposed water bottling plant in the Gorge would require 200 truck trips every day, driving through the small town of Cascade Locks and the Columbia River Gorge. These trips will increase both air and noise pollution in Columbia Gorge, as well as the endangering the tourism that Cascade Locks and nearby areas rely on.

Lend your voice to the effort to convince ODFW to withdraw its Oxbow Springs water exchange permit by emailing Governor Kitzhaber today, and calling his citizen comment line at 503-378-4582.

[Portland]: The Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced its endorsement of Suzanne Bonamici (D) in the January 31, 2012 special election in Oregon’s First Congressional District.

“We are very pleased to announce today that the Sierra Club officially endorses Suzanne Bonamici for Congress,” said Christine Lewis, the Oregon Chapter Political Chair. “She has a strong track record on environmental issues, and we are confident that she will continue work to protect Oregon’s environment and natural resources in Congress, for our families and for our future.”

Suzanne Bonamici’s record as a State Representative and State Senator is one of distinction amongst environmental champions. A stalwart supporter of renewable energy, alternative transportation, healthy communities, and sustainable planning, she made her mark as chief sponsor of 2009’s SB 637, working with a broad group of stakeholders for over a year to pass legislation requiring school districts to adopt Integrated Pest Management, protecting school children from toxic pesticide exposure and improving air and water quality on school grounds.

“We are deeply grateful to Suzanne for her work protecting children in Oregon schools from dangerous toxins”, said Borden Beck, chair of the Oregon Chapter Sierra Club and a middle school teacher.”She is a true environmental champion who will fight to protect Oregon’s clean air, clean water and special places.”

The Sierra Club also noted Bonamici’s record on opposing a provision in legislation in 2011 to expedite permitting of liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipelines. Two separate LNG terminals and hundreds of miles of pipeline have been proposed for the first Congressional District in recent years, posing a major threat to small farms, orchards, forests, and dozens of rivers and streams along the way. New plans to export LNG could ultimately harm Oregon families and businesses by raising energy costs. “Suzanne has taken bold stands in support of small farmers, small woodlot owners, and Oregon’s rivers and streams, working hard to stop efforts to expedite harmful LNG export pipelines,” said Lewis.

The Sierra Club also noted that Rob Cornilles failed to respond to the request from the Sierra Club to answer questions about his stances on several key environmental issues important to First Congressional District voters. The Sierra Club engaged in an endorsement process during the special primary and multiple candidates participated. “The conclusion we drew is that Rob Cornilles simply does not see the importance of protecting Oregon’s environment, and has no plan to create green jobs, grow sustainable economic development, or stand up to his own party’s constant attacks on clean air and clean water,” said Lewis.

Along with the endorsement, the Sierra Club will lend volunteer strength to the Bonamici campaign, drawing on thousands of members who reside in the district.

“We pledge to do all we can to help ensure Suzanne Bonamici is elected to Congress,” added Beck. ” Sierra Club volunteers will contact voters on her behalf, knock on doors, and speak to the public about her exemplary environmental record. We look forward to a victory party for the environment on election night and to many more years of Suzanne fighting for the environment as a member of Congress.”

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Looking down on small creek that feeds into the Alsea River. Photo by Ricardo Small.

By Irene Schoppy, outings leader and outings chair of the Marys Peak Group

On November 6, a group of 15 people from the Corvallis area enjoyed a November morning at Clemens Park in Benton County learning about salmon with Karen Hans, fish biologist for the Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Karen spent some time talking about the salmon life cycle, and describing how female salmon pick just the right spot in a river to lay their eggs.  The gravel in the stream bed needs to be just the right size, not too big and not too small.

We then hiked along the North Fork Trail, a short trail right along the Alsea River.  We were in search of salmon and our efforts paid off.  We saw a female salmon scouting out a spot along the river, but no males were in view at the time.  Karen explained the importance of streamside vegetation and the riparian corridor.

After watching the female salmon we continued on to a smaller side creek where we saw some rehabilitation work that was done a few years ago.  A large log was placed on the streamside and into the stream to help create a pool.  Downed wood in the streams and rivers are very helpful to the fish, even though it might not look clean and neat to us.

This event was so popular that there was a waiting list, and Karen was nice enough to go out with us again 2 weeks later, tailoring that outing more towards the younger generation. The Marys Peak Group of the Sierra Club has a diverse outings program, check out their calendar for upcoming outings: http://oregon.sierraclub.org/groups/marys_peak/events/

This event will be held on December 8th at Portland State University Smith Memorial Student Union, Room 101 Parkway North (1825 S.W. Broadway).  Our guest speaker for the evening will be Mr. John Seager, President of Population Connection.  We’ll also be viewing 2 short films, “Mother: Caring for 7 billion”, and “Growthbusters”.

Click on the image to download the event flyer!

THE EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 

WHEN:
December  8, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Portland State University Smith Memorial Student Union, Room 101 Parkway North (1825 S.W. Broadway)

WHO:
Mr. John Seager, President of Population Connection

WHAT:
6:30 p.m.  Doors open, light refreshments will be served
7:00 p.m.  Welcome by John Seager, President of Population Connection
7:30 p.m.  Film “Mother: Caring for 7 Billion” http://www.motherthefilm.com
8:30 p.m.  Q & A with John Seager
9:00 p.m.  Film “Growthbusters” http://growthbusters.com

The first summer steelhead reared naturally in the Crooked or Middle Deschutes to return from the ocean following its migration downstream through Lake Billy Chinook and the new Round Butte Dam downstream fish facility as a smolt in 2010. Captured Oct. 6, 2011 at the Pelton Fish Trap.

By Merry Ann Moore, executive committee member of our Juniper (Bend area) Group

Several dozen Central Oregonians interested in local native fish reintroduction and related land conservation recently heard from representatives of The Deschutes Collaborative about efforts to bring salmon and steelhead back last week (November 8).  The Collaborative, four Central Oregon organizations working together to protect land and restore rivers for anadromous fish, noted that the multi-million dollar fish tower erected in Lake Billy Chinook is working to help these fish on their migration to the ocean.   The first steelhead and salmon, released as fry in the last three years in Whychus and the Metolius, are returning successfully as adults.

“Those that are making it back are the Michael Jordans of fish,” noted Scott McCaulou of the Deschutes River Conservancy, alluding to the daunting barriers they’ve overcome to follow their ancient instinct to return to home waters to spawn.   The barriers to reestablishing sustainable wild stocks of salmon and steelhead in theDeschutes, Metolius, Crooked and Whychus Creek include dams, unscreened irrigation diversions, insufficient flow levels, development on floodplains, degraded habitat and water temperatures that are too warm.

Panelists (l to r) Scott McCaulou/Deschutes River Conservancy, Zak Boone/Deschutes Land Trust, and Chris Gannon/Crooked River Watershed Council, update Sierra Club on native fish restoration efforts. The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is also part of The Deschutes Collaborative.

But several very large-scale Collaborative conservation projects demonstrate that there is progress, and it’s not too late to restore and maintain the watershed conditions necessary for successful salmon and steelhead reintroduction.   Such efforts include improvements on the Crooked River Central dam, new screens on Whychus that keep  fish in the main channel and out of irrigation canals, acquisition of Rimrock Ranch and WhychusCanyonlands to preserve riparian areas, and ongoing work at Camp Polk Meadow in Sisters.  Upcoming: implementation of the North Unit Irrigation District water supply initiative, which DRC describes as one of the most ambitious conservation efforts ever inOregon.  The project’s goal is to eventually eliminate the pumping of water from theCrookedRiver for agriculture.  It aims to improve river flows while assuring adequate water for the 60,000 acres of productive farmland inJeffersonCounty, and will include piping of canals to reduce water lost to evaporation and seepage.

Zak Boone of the Deschutes Land Trust reported on the long-term vision for trails along Whychus Creek, potentially running from Sisters downstream through the Land Trust’s “steelhead stronghold” through Camp Polk Meadow to Rimrock Ranch, and potentially on to the confluence with theDeschutesRiver.  If a Land Trust proposal to purchase and create a community forest east of Sisters–theSkylineForest—comes to fruition, this potential trail system could one day extend all the way toBend.

After the slideshow, Juniper Group Ex Com member Dave Stowe recalled his grandmother telling stories of catching steelhead in Sisters proper.   It’s inspiring to think that sometime in the next three to five years, Sisters residents could again see adult steelhead swimming in Whychus Creek downtown.

Massive open pit coal mine in the Powder River Basin along the Wyoming/Montana border. Coal is dirty business.

Pacificorp, Oregon’s second largest utility, is hooked on coal.

The company has plans to continue long-term operation of multiple dirty coal plants to provide energy to its Oregon customers, retrofitting ancient coal facilities despite the cost to consumers and the benefits of switching to clean energy.

In filings before the Oregon Public Utility Commission in its 2011 ‘integrated resource plan,’ the company has made it clear it will keep burning dirty coal long into the future, diverting ratepayer money away from renewable energy and energy efficiency and into costly investments that will extend the life of a number of their coal plants.

Pacificorp’s coal problem is so bad, Oregon regulators are starting to take a hard look at the company’s plans and are poised to make a decision as soon as December 6 that could force the company to seek alternatives to continuing to operate its coal fleet in perpetuity – alternatives like shutting some of the dirtiest plants down and replacing them with renewable energy and investments in energy efficiency.

Unlike Portland General Electric, which has agreed to close its Boardman coal plant in 2020 rather than extend its life by decades, Pacificorp does not operate any coal plants in Oregon. However, it either owns or gets power from burning coal and coal mining in states like Utah, Wyoming, and Montana, supplying Oregonians across the state with dirty energy.

Concerned about Pacificorp’s addiction to dirty coal?

Write a letter to the editor of the Oregonian newspaper:

Here are some key points to make:

1) Pacificorp is doing Oregon customers a disservice by spending ratepayer money burning coal rather than investing in clean alternatives.

2) The company should provide more details on the costs and risks associated with continuing to burn coal, rather than closing old plants and investing money in cleaner alternatives, like generating renewable energy in Oregon.

3) The Oregon Public Utility Commission should reject Pacificorp’s latest plans to invest in dirty coal. Portland General Electric did the right thing by closing their dirty Boardman coal plant, Pacificorp should do the same.

4) Pacificorp should be investing Oregon ratepayer money into projects that create Oregon jobs through energy efficiency and home weatherization, as well as developing new renewable energy sources.

Here’s how to send a letter to the Oregonian:

Letters to the editor, The Oregonian
1320 S.W. Broadway
Portland, Or., 97201

Or e-mail to: letters@oregonian.com

They may also be faxed to (503) 294-4193.

Please limit letters to 150 words. Please include your full address and daytime phone number, for verification only. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Sierra Club activists protest the Keystone tar sands pipeline at Pioneer Courthouse in Portland in solidarity with thousands outside the White House on November 6.

After months of input from hundreds of thousands of people, and recent protests from the White House to Portland, the Obama administration has decided to reevaluate the environmental review of the dirty Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. This massive pipeline would bring oil mined from the tar sands underneath the wild boreal forests of Alberta to oil refineries on the Texas Gulf coast, further hooking the US on the dirtiest of fossil fuels.

Send a thank you note to President Obama to taking action to delay the Keystone pipeline!

In Portland on November 6, Sierra Club activists rallied in solidarity with a simultaneous protest against the Keystone pipeline in Washington, DC, which drew some 12,000 people to the White House.

Here’s a recap from one of the organizers of the Portland event, Ted Gleichman, co-chair of the Oregon Chapter Sierra Club’s anti-LNG committee:

Alberta vs. Ontario: What does that mean for the energy and climate future of Oregon?

First, Alberta: This past Sunday, November 6, the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club was the key grass-roots environmental group working with Occupy Portland in a peaceful and enthusiastic rally and march against the Keystone XL pipeline proposal.

This pipeline would take the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet, the Alberta Tar Sands, 1,700 miles across the Midwest and the Ogallala Aquifer to Texas Gulf Coast refineries.  Whether it would then be burned in our vehicles or exported to China, it would be the most drastic contribution to irreversible global warming of anything we could do in North America.  A sour deal on every level, this pipeline must be stopped.

Sierra Club volunteers, with staff support, worked with Occupiers to demonstrate West Coast solidarity with “Hands Around the White House,” where 12,000 people demonstrated three and four deep to urge President Obama to stand against further exploitation of the Tar Sands – one year to the day before the 2012 general election.

The Portland event completely encircled the downtown block of the historic Pioneer Courthouse, at the busiest transit intersection in the city.  The 250 demonstrators, fully compliant with free-speech laws, chanted and sang for an hour on a beautiful clear afternoon.

Previously, we’d heard from six speakers, including me and Bonnie McKinlay of the Chapter Beyond Coal campaign.  We were among the 1,252 people arrested at the Tar Sands Action protests at the White House in late August and early September.

We focused on the future at our Portland event: More than 100 people signed up for more involvement, and we passed out 200 brochures on ways people can get involved with all types of Club activities and other organizations that share Sierra Club values.

And now we’ve learned that President Obama has heard enough of our urgent message to at least delay the pipeline for additional environmental review for a year and a half – well after the 2012 voting.

And that’s where Ontario comes in.  They’ve taken the opposite path from Alberta.  Instead of drowning their eggs in a basket of toxic fossil fuel waste, they are hatching renewable chickens!

In 2010, Ontario passed the first true “feed-in tariff” program in North American, where utilities are required to pay folks who generate renewable energy a guaranteed contract price that lets them finance their equipment and generate a fair return on investment. Oregon currently has a small-scale pilot feed-in tariff, which has been highly successful, and needs to be improved and expanded.

Through its program, in just one year, the Ontario Green Energy & Green Economy Act has generated five thousand megawatts of renewable-energy capacity and created more than 40,000 jobs.  Most new solar photovoltaic and other renewable-energy systems are being installed in small- and medium-sized configurations, on individual homes and public buildings, on churches and farms and factories.  Many are being done as community-based projects with many neighbors or tribal members participating in common: even renters can own a piece of a solar system!

As a result of this dramatic explosion of clean energy and green jobs, Ontario will close all of their coal-fired power plants by 2014!

Here in Oregon, the Sierra Club is once again leading the way.  Chapter leaders have developed a strategic alliance with Oregonians for Renewable Energy Policy (OREP), a leading non-profit working on a feed-in tariff program for our state, and other clean energy organizations.  The groups plan to influence the development of the Governor’s 10-year energy plan, including a hoped for expansion of Oregon’s small-scale pilot feed-in tariff program.

The Oregon Sierra Club is also leading the way on energy efficiency. Working with Clean Energy Works Oregon, the Oregon Chapter is promoting deep weatherization: a powerful remodeling program that allows homeowners to cut energy use dramatically while improving the livability, comfort, and value of their homes.  This program provides for loans that are repaid through utility bills, providing convenience to the homeowner and security to the lender.

Overall, the Oregon Chapter Sierra Club is showing the way on both the positive and the negative: stepping out front to stop destructive efforts like the Keystone XL, coal export, and LNG terminals and pipelines – and simultaneously taking concrete, practical steps to create the sensible clean energy future and good local jobs we all know we need.

Alberta vs. Ontario?  We’re choosing Ontario!

Little North Fork Wilson River, Tillamook State Forest

In remarks to the Oregon Board of Forestry on Thursday, November 3, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber called for the designation of protected ‘conservation areas’ on state forests. The Sierra Club, Wild Salmon Center and Northwest Steelheaders issued a joint statement in support of this effort. In his speech, the Governor also addressed the problems with the massive increase in the export of whole, raw logs from private lands to Asia over the past few years, and the need for collaborative restoration approaches on federal land. A link to the full text of the Governor’s remarks can be found at the bottom of this post.

Governor Kitzhaber Outlines Vision for Conservation Areas on State Forests at Oregon Board of Forestry Meeting

Conservation and Fish Protection Groups Testify in Support

Forest Grove, OR: In remarks to the Oregon Board of Forestry today, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber outlined a vision that included the creation of areas on state forests managed primarily for conservation values. The Governor urged the Board to “establish areas managed primarily for conservation on state forests” and to “consider ways of establishing and managing these areas that provide certainty and improved habitat and species recovery outcomes, restoration jobs and other economic benefits such as recreation.” The Governor issued a challenge to the Board to “provide a visible and durable conservation area commitment in a scientifically meaningful manner.”

The remarks came before a Board discussion on its draft 2012 state forest work plan, used to focus agency planning and management activities. During the work plan discussion, conservation and fish protection organizations testified in support of protections for high-priority conservation areas in the Tillamook, Clatsop and other state forests in the 2012 state forest work plan. These groups are advocating that the Board use its authority to designate protected areas around key salmon and terrestrial anchor habitats that provide habitat for threatened wild fish and wildlife, high value recreation lands, and other values, such as carbon sequestration.

The Board of Forestry and State Forester had been discussing the creation of conservation areas, and after public testimony and discussion, they agreed to include the issue in the 2012 work plan to put a higher emphasis on the issue.

Also during the meeting, the Board agreed to maintain the current definition of Greatest Permanent Value (GPV). In early 2012, the board will conclude a three year process in which some members of the board had tried to change the definition of GPV to place timber harvest above all other values of Oregon’s state forests, including environmental and recreational values.

Currently, the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests contain no significant tracts of land off limits to logging and road-building. Earlier this year, an independent science review by Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources said the Department of Forestry’s plans to increase clearcutting and reduce protections for fish was not based on the best available science.

“We need to maintain balance in state forest management,” said Bob Van Dyk of the Wild Salmon Center. “We support the Governor’s call to protect key conservation areas to ensure the long-term health of these forests, while making sure that timber production occurs without trumping all other values.”

The Sierra Club presented a stack of more than 1,250 names of state forest users who signed a petition this summer calling for the creation of permanent protected areas on state forests. The statement read: “As part of a balanced plan, the undersigned endorse the designation of permanently protected conservation areas in Oregon’s state forests to ensure clean water, enhance wild salmon habitat, protect endangered species, store carbon, and provide for wildland hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, and biking.”

“We believe that all Oregonians want to ensure that clean water, wild salmon, recreational opportunities and other environmental values are protected on state lands,” said Ivan Maluski with the Sierra Club. “We believe moving forward with protecting key conservation areas on state lands is the right approach.”

Fish conservation groups pointed to the economic value of healthy fisheries emanating from state forest lands. “Fishing is a key economic driver in Northwest Oregon,” said Russell Bassett of the Association of Northwest Steelheaders. “Unless we strategically protect key salmon habitat and the forests that surround them, we can’t ensure the health of these fisheries for the long term. Thankfully, Governor Kitzhaber has provided the right direction to the Board to better protect key salmon streams.”

The groups pointed to a 2009 research report funded by Travel Oregon and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife called “Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing, and Shellfishing in Oregon” which showed that these activities generated $136.5 million in economic activity in Tillamook and Clatsop Counties in 2008 alone.

In addition to anchoring globally important wild salmon and steelhead runs, the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests provide abundant wildlife habitat, air and water purification, flood and climate regulation, carbon sequestration, wetlands, air quality, world class recreation opportunities, and diverse forest products. More than 400,000 people get some or all of their water supply from rivers flowing from the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests.

The full text of Governor Kitzhaber’s speech to the Board of Forestry can be found at http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/media_room/speeches/s2011/testimony_boardofforestry_110311.shtml.

PROTECTING UTAH’S CANYONLANDS
AND RED ROCK COUNTRY!
. 

For years, Sierra Club volunteers across the country have partnered with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) to protect the remaining wild desert lands of southern Utah.  Next week, the Oregon Chapter’s High Desert Committee is hosting a free special event with SUWA —  an evening of photos and information about efforts to protect Utah’s Canyonlands and Red Rock country.

Brooke Williams is on staff with SUWA and has a long history with efforts to protect wilderness in Utah. He will be presenting a slide show of stunning images of the currently unprotected areas in Utah most of us are largely unfamiliar with. This is not a National Park photo tour but will instead focus on those areas with wilderness values that are more off the beaten path. He will also focus on some of the threats to these areas and SUWA’s current campaign to protect them.

This event is not a fundraiser (it’s FREE) but rather is intended to help build support for desert wilderness protection and connect people with like-minded interests.

Many of the issues and struggles to protect wildlands in Utah are mirrored by our own challenges to protect the vast Owyhee Canyonlands of SE Oregon. As Sierra Club members we should have an interest in both efforts. Some snacks and libations will be available.

Please RSVP if possible to borden.beck@oregon.sierraclub.org

If you cannot attend, click here to learn more about the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Texas Butte Roadless Area, Umatilla National Forest, Oregon

In a long-awaited decision, a federal appeals court has finally reinstated the national roadless area conservation rule, which protects roadless areas on National Forests from new roadbuilding and logging.

Initially adopted by the Clinton administration after extensive public comment in 2001, the roadless rule protects over 58 million acres of national forestland nationwide, including approximately 2 million acres here in Oregon.

The decade long court battles brought by the timber industry over the roadless rule are a potent reminder of the need for Congress to act to permanently set these areas aside from future development, roadbuilding and logging. The following is the Sierra Club’s press release on this important victory:

20s and 30s Snowshoe trip to Ghost Ridge last winter.

It’s finally Fall in Oregon and the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club is re-invigorating our 20s & 30s Section!  The 20s & 30s Section seeks to provide an opportunity for active adults between the ages of 18 and 39 to meet and participate in fun outdoor and social activities in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Because our section is also committed to protecting the special places in which we hike, in addition to outings, we will provide an outlet for our “young Sierrans” to get more involved with conservation and other issues through action, such as attending lectures or writing letters to key decision-makers while we are out hiking. You can also get involved by volunteering as we are also looking for help planning/leading future events.

In the past, the Section held regular hikes and other get-togethers for non-members and existing Sierra Club members alike.  A sampling of events from the past include a snowshoe on Ghost Ridge, a hike to Mirror Lake and Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain (with added bonus of huckleberry picking!), and movie nights.

We hope  to continue this tradition with at least 1 event per month.  Please take a look at some of our upcoming events below.  Attending any of the Section’s outings is free and you don’t have to be a Sierra Club member to attend any of our events.

Picking huckleberries on a 20s and 30s outing to Mirror Lake last fall.

For more information, feel free to contact Jenny at j.bedellstiles@gmail.com and Jessica at bellaj1018@gmail.com.  We hope you’ll join us on our next event!

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UPCOMING EVENTS

20s and 30s Hike to Eagle Creek
Saturday, October 29
Leader: David Becker

Let’s go do the quintessential Columbia Gorge hike!  This 6 mile hike, with 600 feet of elevation gain, offers the most gorgeous scenery per mile of anywhere in the gorge. Rich in history of all kinds, this hike starts at the oldest campground on public lands, then winds its way up a canyon carved by water over the course of thousands of years.  The trail, hewn into the rock by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930′s, will take us past some of the most impressive waterfalls in the gorge.  With luck, the salmon will be running and we’ll bear witness to their cycle of life that has been repeated for thousands of years.

On Saturday, October 29, we’ll meet in the southeast corner of the parking garage at the Gateway Transit Center in East Portland at 10am.  Folks who want, can arrange car pooling, then we’ll proceed to the trail head, where this Sierra Club event will officially begin.  I like to hike at a slow enough pace that we can enjoy the scenery.  We’ll stop to enjoy the scenery and will likely take the trail to Punch Bowl falls, so we can see it up close.  We’ll have lunch somewhere along the way, and turn around at High Bridge.

It’s October in Oregon, so please come prepared for cool, rainy temperatures.  Come with appropriate rain gear, and minimize cotton clothing.  The hike is moderately difficult. We’ll go just over six miles with 600 feet of elevation gain.  We’ll take plenty of breaks.  Please bring a lunch, snacks and water.  If you have a whistle and a flashlight or head lamp, bring them too.  The 10 essentials are always highly recommended.  These include navigation, whistle, water filtration, extra food and water, something to start fire, and a few other things.  You can find more information here: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/ten+essentials.html.

The trail is very narrow in spots, with steep drop offs.  For this reason, we’re unable to accommodate dogs on this trip.

PLEASE NOTE: This hike is organized by the Oregon Sierra Club’s “20’s and 30’s section” as an opportunity for young people to meet others who share their values and learn more about the Sierra Club in Oregon.  This event is appropriate for individuals who are between 18 and 39 years old.

Click here to visit our meetup site and RSVP!

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20s and 30s Hike to Silver Falls State Park
Sunday, November 20
Leaders: Christine Lewis, Brian Pasko, and Kim Kelly

Love waterfalls?  This moderate 6.9 mile hike with 700 feet of elevation gain is guaranteed to thrill hikers and photographers alike with its forested canyons and ten spectacular waterfalls, many more than 100 feet high.  You can read more and see photos of this hike here: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/silverfalls_trailmap.pdf and http://web.oregon.com/hiking/silver_falls.cfm

On Sunday, November 20, we’ll meet at the Sierra Club Office (1821 SE Ankeny Street in Portland) at 9am.  Folks who want can arrange car pooling, then we’ll proceed to the trail head (about an hour and a half drive from Portland), where this Sierra Club event will officially begin at approximately 11am.  We’ll plan to keep a moderate pace with plenty of breaks and time to enjoy and photograph the waterfalls, and if there is interest we’ll have dinner together at a nearby restaurant in Silver Falls after our hike.

It’s November in Oregon, so please come prepared for cool, rainy temperatures.  Come with appropriate rain gear, dress in layers, and minimize cotton clothing.  Bring plenty of water and a lunch to eat along the way. Silver Falls State Park does not permit dogs on this trail, so your dog will have to wait for our next outing!  The 10 essentials are always highly recommended.  These include navigation, whistle, water filtration, extra food and water, something to start fire, and a few other things.  You can find more information here: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/ten+essentials.html.

PLEASE NOTE: This hike is organized by the Oregon Sierra Club’s “20’s and 30’s section” as an opportunity for young people to meet others who share their values and learn more about the Sierra Club in Oregon.  This event is appropriate for individuals who are between 18 and 39 years old.

And on occasion there might even be a spontaneous karaoke performance at one of our events!

Click here to visit our meetup site and RSVP!

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20s and 30s Hike to Gillette Lake and Greenleaf Overlook
Saturday, December 10
Leaders: Jessica Bell and David Becker

One of the great things about living in Oregon is year-round hiking!  This moderate 8 mile hike with 600 feet of elevation gain along the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington will take us through a unique, jumbled landscape with an interesting geologic history.  About 700 years ago, a huge slide not only left behind the distinctive towering cliffs seen on mountains like Table and Hamilton but also dumped an enormous amount of rock and debris at the their base.  This debris covered several square miles and even temporarily blocked the Columbia River.  The river broke through, but the remaining rocks and boulders created a major rapids that eventually gave the city of “Cascade” Locks (and the entire “Cascade” Mountain Range) its name.  Besides the awesome geologic history of the area, this hike provides us a close-up view of a recent clear-cut and the devastation that it leaves behind.  Fortunately, its not long before we come back into the forest and visiting a pretty little lake before reaching our destination, a nice viewpoint overlooking the Oregon side of the Gorge.  (Part of this description borrowed from Douglas Lorain’s “Afoot and Afield Portland/Vancouver, 2008).  You can read more and see photos of this hike here: http://nwhiker.com/CGNSAHike32.html.

On Saturday, December 10, we’ll meet in the southeast corner of the garage at the Gateway Transit Center in East Portland at 9am.  Folks who want can arrange car pooling, then we’ll proceed to the trail head (about an hour’s drive from Portland), where this Sierra Club event will officially begin at approximately 10:30am.  We’ll plan to keep a moderate pace with plenty of breaks and time to enjoy and photograph the scenery,, and if there is interest we’ll have dinner together at a nearby restaurant in Cascade Locks or at Edgefield after our hike.

It’s December in Oregon, so please come prepared for cold, rainy, and possibly snowy and icy conditions.  Come with appropriate rain gear, dress in layers, and avoid cotton clothing.  Bring plenty of water and a lunch to eat along the way. Dogs are welcome as long as they are well-behaved and can be on a leash at all times.  Please remember – your dog is your responsibility.  The 10 essentials are always highly recommended.  These include navigation, whistle, water filtration, extra food and water, something to start fire, and a few other things.  You can find more information here: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/ten+essentials.html.

PLEASE NOTE: This hike is organized by the Oregon Sierra Club’s “20’s and 30’s section” as an opportunity for young people to meet others who share their values and learn more about the Sierra Club in Oregon.  This event is appropriate for individuals who are between 18 and 39 years old.

Click here to visit our meetup site and RSVP!

The 20s and 30s crew at the top of Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain

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20s and 30s Snowshoe trip to Ghost Ridge
Saturday, January 28
Leaders: Brian Pasko and Kim Kelly

Are you in your 20′s and 30′s and looking to hang out with other young people who share your environmental and progressive values? Then, plan to join Kim Kelly, Brian Pasko for a snowshoeing adventure on Mt. Hood! Never snowshoed before? You won’t be alone, and there’s no better chance to learn!

On Saturday, January 28th, we’ll meet at the Sierra Club Office (1821 SE Ankeny Street in Portland) at 9am.  Folks who want can arrange car pooling, then we’ll head into Sandy so that folks who need them can get snow passes and rent snowshoes at the Winter Fox Shop (Snowshoes and poles rent for $12/day).  From there we’ll head to the Barlow Pass Snow Park (snow pass required for those who drive) where the Sierra Club event will begin.

This trip will be about 5 miles round trip with about 800 feet of elevation gain.  We will definitely be walking uphill, so be prepared to exercise, but we’ll keep a moderate pace and take plenty of breaks.  At the top you’ll be rewarded with a front and center view of Mt. Hood as well as Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sisters on a clear day. We’ll have a blast on the Mountain, and then stop for dinner at one of the great restaurants in Sandy on the way back down to Portland.
This snowshoe trip is best on clear days – if it’s cloudy, the trip leaders will come prepared with a different snowshoe route of about the same length and elevation gain.  Be sure to dress in layers, bring sunglasses and sunscreen, plenty of water and snacks. Well behaved dogs are welcome with the permission of the outings leaders.  Please RSVP to Brian Pasko at brian.pasko@sierraclub.org.

PLEASE NOTE: This hike is organized by the Oregon Sierra Club’s “20’s and 30’s section” as an opportunity for young people to meet others who share their values and learn more about the Sierra Club in Oregon.  This event is appropriate for individuals who are between 18 and 39 years old.

 Click here to visit our meetup site and RSVP!

By Steve Pedery and Brian Pasko 

In The Oregonian’s Sept. 27 editorial “Howls aside, stick to the wolf plan,” the editors supported the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s decision to kill two of the four surviving wolves of the Imnaha Pack, arguing that if no one is happy, it must be the right call.

Given that Oregon’s endangered wolf population has plummeted from 21 to 12 in a single year and this decision would functionally exterminate Oregon’s first wolf pack, the editors’ argument just doesn’t hold water.

The choice made by the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue the kill orders, and Gov. John Kitzhaber’s support for this verdict, put politics ahead of conservation and ignored the will of the overwhelming majority of Oregonians, who flooded the department’s offices with calls and emails.

Click here to read the full opinion editorial on oregonlive.com.