North Coast
Citizen Serving North Tillamook County since 1996
NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM
JANUARY 25, 2024
$1.50 VOLUME 31 NO. 2
OCSR prepares for new water tower plaza WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor
The new water tower and plaza will stand on the southside of the tracks, opposite the town, in Garibaldi.
STIA considers future WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor As the tenth anniversary of its creation approaches, the Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency board began weighing the agency’s future as the trail progresses on January 18. The board also began a discussion about minimum trail standards for the Salmonberry now that the trail will be built to a lower standard to prioritize a speedy opening. The meeting began with an update from the Salmonberry Trail Foundation’s Executive Director Caroline Fitchett about recent progress on the trail. Fitchett said that funding had recently been awarded for an 1,800-foot section of demonstration trail in Wheeler and that the foundation is working with Tillamook County to apply for federal RAISE grants, which could contribute up to $25 million in funding. After Fitchett’s presentation, the board moved into a discussion of the agency’s history and future. The Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency (STIA) was formed in 2015, following a study of the governing model for 27 other trails across the country. STIA consists of representatives from Tillamook and Washington Counties’ governments and other special districts and organizations that have an interest in the trail, including the Salmonberry Trail Foundation. The agency was formed with a ten-year mandate and was intended to get the ball rolling on the trail, with the focus being securing a lease for the land from the Port of Tillamook Bay, which they did in 2018. When the ten-year anniversary of the agency’s foundation comes next year, the board will need to
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decide whether to maintain the intergovernmental agency approach to the trail’s management or dissolve itself and move to a new model. Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata, who is also a board member of STIA and has been involved in the trail project since its early days, discussed the possible paths forward for the trail. Cafferata said that in the leadup to STIA’s formation in 2015, partner agencies had worked with Oregon Solutions to explore the different models for managing the trail, finding four options in the study of other trails across the country. Those options were a special district model, where an independent government agency is set up to manage the trail, a lead agency model, where a government agency like Oregon Department of Forestry or Parks and Recreation takes responsibility for the trail, a nonprofit model, where a nonprofit agency is responsible for the trail, and the intergovernmental agency model, which the Salmonberry has been using. Bill Baertlein, former Tillamook County commissioner and STIA board member said that he would favor dissolving the intergovernmental agency, transferring the lease to the Salmonberry Trail Foundation and allowing them to manage the trail’s future development. Baertlein said that STIA had been formed to help get over the hurdle of securing land for the project and that with that task complete, the quarterly board meetings and lack of staff for the agency would slow the project’s progress moving forward. There was not much discussion about the issue beyond that and the board has until summer 2025 to decide about the path forward. Following that conversation, Michael Neunzert, the chair of the Salmonberry Trail Foundation’s Working and Planning Committee, gave a presentation about minimum trail standards. At the group’s last meeting in October, Neunzert first brought up the possibility of building the trail to a lower design standard than
had been initially envisioned to speed its opening. The initial vision for the trail called for an 82mile, paved path extending from Banks to Tillamook, with a price tag of more than $40 million. By using gravel and reducing the minimum acceptable width of the trail, Neunzert said that the trail could be opened to the public much faster and upgraded to a higher standard in the future as more funding became available. At January’s meeting, Neunzert discussed the minimum trail standards that he and other members of the working and planning committee have been discussing with partner agencies. Neunzert said that there would be three different minimum standards for different sections of the trail to reflect their different characteristics. The coastal section of the trail would be built to a minimum standard of a rail with trail project, sharing a right of way with Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad and having a minimum width of 36 inches. The backcountry section of the trail would be built as a railed trail, meaning that the existing railway infrastructure would be left, with gravel added to help hikers and bikers walk or ride in the railbed and a minimum width of 18 inches. The sections of the trail in Washington County would be built to a higher, rail-to-trail standard, with a minimum width of eight feet. In addition to these physical requirements, Neunzert said it is also important for STIA and the trail foundation to ensure that the organizations with whom they partner to build the trail have sufficient liability insurance, a plan to operate the trail after completion and can meet other requirements. The minimum trail standards have been reviewed by Washington County’s government, but not Tillamook’s. Finally, the board approved a signage policy that will allow for the installation of signs warning the public that the trail is not open and that users are liable for anything that happens if they use it.
The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad is getting ready to break ground on a nearly $400,000 project to add a new plaza with a water tower, telegraph office and phone booth in Garibaldi. The new plaza is the first step in a plan to reimagine the railroad’s facilities in the town and increase their operations, with a new depot and learning center planned next to pave the way for twotrain operations. ”This is going to be super, super fun for us and also for the area because it’s going to increase a lot of the local aesthetic,” said Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad (OCSR) Director Racheal Aldridge. Construction on the new plaza is expected to begin in late April or early May when weather improves, and OCSR staff will be doing much of the work themselves. The plaza will be located on the south side of the tracks, east of third street, in front of the Old Mill RV Park and Event Center. The new water tower will stand 29 feet 9 inches tall with a capacity of 8,000 gallons and will serve as the water source for the railroad’s steam engines, removing the current reliance on a nearby SEE OCSR PAGE A3
Rockaway Beach council holds first reading for STR ordinance WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor The Rockaway Beach city council held the first reading for a proposed ordinance regulating short-term rental properties in the city at their meeting on January 10, with citizens voicing concerns over the proposal. The council also approved the posting of “no access” signs on beach access paths across the city and approved two community grants totaling $5,577.50 to the Friends of Rockaway Beach Library. Councilors have been working on the new ordinance for short-term rental (STR) properties for several months and the proposal would allow the council to establish a cap on the properties in the city. The cap would be set in a separate resolution by the council and the plan is to vote on a cap between the time the ordinance is approved and the time it takes effect, according to City Manager Luke Shepard. The ordinance would also establish waitlists for property owners desiring a license and one for those with homes under construction at the time of the ordinance’s passing that had been envisioned as shortterm rentals. A handful of citizens spoke at the meeting, with most voicing reservations about the proposed ordinance and its effects on the community. A real estate agent said that it would hurt those looking to sell their homes in the community, while several owners of STRs said they did not believe it would address the community’s housing shortage and might have unintended consequences. Councilor Kristine Hayes, who had recused herself because of her ownership of an STR, commented as a private citizen, saying that Rockaway Beach was a tourismfocused community. Hayes pointed out that the town’s comprehensive plan had been written for a resort residential town and that the new ordinance could hurt that industry. Only one commenter spoke in favor of the ordinance, saying that their block had been transformed by STRs, raising safety concerns and
removing the neighborhood feel. The second reading for the ordinance will be held at February’s city council meeting, after which the council will vote on the ordinance. If it is passed by the council, it will go into effect March 15. The “no access” signs for the city’s beach accesses were necessitated by recent changes to the landscape surrounding recreational immunity in Oregon following recent legal decisions. A district court ruling in a case involving a woman who fell on a path accessing a beach in the City of Newport found that the use of access trails was not inherently recreational. This meant that recreational immunity did not automatically shield governments from litigation in cases involving access trails and that juries would have to determine whether immunity existed on a case-by-case basis. This led to a scramble by city and county governments across Oregon in recent months to mitigate their risk after Citycounty Insurance Services (CIS), which insures many government entities in the state, advised closing access paths while further review was undertaken. Rockaway Beach’s councilors approved staff to post signs indicating that the city’s many beach access trails were not open for public use, although there will be no enforcement of the closures. The city’s staff will work to create an inventory of the trails and work needed to upgrade them, which they will bring to city council to formulate a maintenance plan for the city’s trails. The Friends of Rockaway Beach Library were awarded two community grants totaling $5,577.50 to help upgrade the library’s flagpole and carry out further mailings to increase the library’s patronage. Councilor Penny Cheek was reelected council president for the second consecutive year and the council established an advisory committee for a forthcoming Sourcewater Protection Plan, with membership open to members of the public.
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January 24, 2024
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Commissioners declare state of emergency WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor Tillamook’s board of county commissioners declared a state of emergency on January 17, in response to a winter storm that battered the area on January 13 and 14. Commissioners also approved a $3.47 million bridge project on Sand Lake Road, a $40,000 culvert repair on Blaine Road, wage increases for non-unionized and elected county staff, awarded $25,000 to the Pacific City-Nestucca Valley Chamber of Commerce and continued a decision on the dissolution of the Beaver Water District. The declaration of emergency was issued in response to the winter storm that covered much of Tillamook County in a sheet of ice and sent temperatures plunging over the weekend. The declaration will allow the county to more easily access state and federal funding to offset the cost of response and recovery to the storm. Tillamook County Emergency Director Randy Thorpe said that he had already been in contact with the state about the declaration and that he expected it would take several weeks to assess the damage. He also noted that Community
Rocks on Netarts Bay were coated in ice by the recent winter weather. Photo by Celeste Colasurdo Action Resource Enterprises would be eligible to receive funding to help offset the cost of staffing its warming center.
Funding for the $3.47 million repair to a bridge on Sand Lake Road between its intersection with Cape Lookout Road and Galloway Road is primarily coming from the federal government, which is contributing 90% against a 10% match from the county. Tillamook County Public Works Director Chris Laity said that the project would now begin design and permitting and that he expected construction to take place in 2028. The repair to the culvert at milepost 10.3 on Blaine Road will be completed using polyurethane foam that will help to secure the culvert by filling voids around it and preventing subsidence of the road running over it. Non-unionized and elected officials will both receive a 2% cost of living
adjustment effective as of January 1, with another 3% bump to come on July 1. The increases match those approved last week for county workers represented by AFSCME. The grant of $25,000 in transient lodging tax funds to the Pacific City-Nestucca Valley Chamber of Commerce will allow the group to hire a full-time employee to staff the south county visitors’ center at Kiawanda Community Center in Pacific City. The chamber used to run a welcome center in Cloverdale with a part-time employee but discontinued the offering when finding staff became untenable. Thanks to its recent success, the Kiawanda Community Center will be matching the grant from the county to fully fund the new position.
When hired, the staffer will work to organize events and activities at the visitors’ center and give information to visitors. After concluding the rest of their agenda, the commissioners held a public hearing on the dissolution of the Beaver water district. The dissolution saga began in August when the secretary of state’s office informed the county that the water district was three years behind on its audits. This tardiness automatically triggered the dissolution process, with an initial public hearing held on November 1. After receiving notice of the dissolution, the district’s board hired a new staff member, Heidi Reed, to address the district’s issues. At the November hearing, Reed said that she had been
in contact with the secretary of state’s office and was working to find auditors to complete the necessary work. Commissioners agreed to continue the hearing until January to allow work to progress. At the hearing on January 17, Reed said that the district’s audits had now been completed through fiscal year 2021 and submitted to the secretary of state’s office. Reed said she is still working to find an auditor to complete the final two audits but that she has been in contact with several and has kept the secretary of state’s office apprised of the progress. Commissioners voted to continue the hearing again, setting the next hearing date for April 3, to allow Reed more time to complete the audits.
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Art for the Heart: A Community Celebration of the Heart and Artist Reception Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, 1–3 p.m. North County Recreation District (NCRD) 38155 9th St., Nehalem Please join us for the artist reception featuring artwork for sale by local artists, live music by Ivan Danalich, classical guitarist, and delicious, heart-healthy refreshments. All ages are welcome. The show will be on display at the NCRD gallery throughout February. You may purchase artwork in advance of the reception through the NCRD office. Art pieces will be marked as sold and may be taken home Friday, March 1 during NCRD business hours. Questions? McLainAL@ah.org.
January 24, 2024
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‘Into the Muck! Estuary Management, Monitoring, and Restoration On the Nehalem’ program Feb. 6 On February 6th at 6 p.m., come get ‘Into the Muck’ and learn about our Nehalem River estuary! Home to birds, beasts, and all manner of slippery things, estuaries are one of the most productive ecosystems on earth. They provide critical environmental and economic benefits and host uniquely adapted plant and animal communities that thrive in this zone where the freshwater and saltwater mix. The
Nehalem estuary spans more than 2,700 acres and hosts diverse habitats from freshwater streams to critically threatened Spruce swamp (historically one of the most common coastal habitats in Oregon), tidal sloughs, salt marsh and more! The Lower Nehalem Community Trust is hosting this educational presentation in partnership with Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, Oregon Shores Conservation
Coalition and the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council. Come learn about estuaries and the management, monitoring and restoration happening right here on the Nehalem. We hope you can join us for a fun evening of learning. The event will be held Tuesday, February 6 at the North County Recreation District (NCRD) Kitchen and Gallery, located at 36155 9th St, Nehalem, OR. Doors
open at 5:30 p.m. for refreshments. The presentation will start at 6 p.m. The presentation will also be available to watch live via Zoom. Registration for this event is encouraged: https://bit.ly/ IntotheMuck. This event is part of a series of events happening in conjunction with the 13th Biennial Nehalem Estuary Cleanup which takes place this year on March 9. Don’t miss the chance to join 100+ volun-
teers heading out to sections of the Nehalem River Estuary to remove trash and recyclables, culminating in an afternoon celebration with food, music and socializing! The following events are free and open to all. We encourage you to participate in education, action and art for our estuary! February 6th, 6 p.m. at NCRD Kitchen & Gallery (6155 9th St, Nehalem) Estuary Panel Discussion: ‘Into the Muck - Estuary
Management, Monitoring, and Restoration on the Nehalem’ REGISTRATION February 11th, 10 a.m.noon at Alder Creek Farm (35955 Underhill Lane, Nehalem) Explore Nature: Seed Bomb Making and Riparian Planting (Family Friendly!) Registration coming soon at https://www.explorenaturetillamookcoast.com/ events/.
Adventist Health Tillamook 14th Annual North County Pie Day Auction and Feast scheduled Presents ‘Art for the Heart’ It’s the 14th Annual North County Pie Day. This annual and fun event takes place on Saturday January 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the White Clover Grange in Nehalem (36585 Highway 53) and is a fundraiser for the Grange building fund. Fifteen dollars ($5 for children 10 and under) opens the door to a fast-paced pie auction with the funny and entertaining Susan Tone returning for her 6th year as auctioneer. The auction features two dozen creative, delicious, and impressive pies from local bakers, chefs, and restaurants. And after the auction, there will be a pie and ice cream feast—fruit pies, custard pies, savory pies, vegan pies, gluten-free pies, and various pies-but-notpies – all of them will be at this event. In
addition, the incredible Liz Cole will kick off the festivities with her traditional and always compelling performance of “Ode to Pie.” Join your community on Saturday, January 27. Doors open at 2:30 pm and the auction starts at 3. There’s nothing better to get you through a winter’s afternoon than bidding on a delicious, locally made pie and then celebrating by eating lots of great pie and ice cream, all while supporting the White Clover Grange. Continue the ongoing work of maintaining our 103-year-old building as a functional community resource! Find more information about the White Clover Grange at www.whiteclovergrange.org and on Facebook.
Equipment problem causing repeated 9-1-1 outages fixed STAFF REPORT An equipment problem that had caused repeated service disruptions for Tillamook’s 9-1-1 dispatch center was fixed on January 9, returning the system to good repair. The problem had existed in equipment owned by Lumen, the telecommunications company that serves Tillamook, and necessitated a convoluted response to
n OCSR Continued from Page A1 fire hydrant. The tower will be painted a bright, brownish red according to OCSR Superintendent Samuel Aldridge and may carry OCSR branding. Garibaldi’s old telegraph office, constructed in 1938 and purchased and moved to its current location by the Lions’ Club in 1963, will have a new foundation added and serve as an office for OCSR staff. The plaza will be covered in pavers and feature planters with local plants and plaques detailing them, as well as an antique phone booth. 16 parking spaces will also be added adjacent to the plaza, as well as a ramp to add ADA accessibility to the plaza. The project is expected to be complete for a grand opening to the public in May 2025 and has a price tag of just under $400,000. A $100,000 grant from Travel Oregon and $75,000 transient lodging tax grant from Tillamook County are the largest sources of funding, with the rest coming from private donations and a portion from OCSR’s funds. Samuel said that the
maintain 9-1-1 service in the county. Tillamook 9-1-1 Administrator Tiffany Miller said that the issues, which began in the last quarter of 2023, were not related to Tillamook 9-1-1 but rather an issue at Lumen’s office in Sheridan. Miller said that during the outages, her office had relied on a disaster recovery plan that sees calls to 9-1-1 in Tillamook County routed railway plans to apply for a second transient lodging tax grant from the county and that the labor by railroad staff was helping to keep the budget relatively low. The project is happening concurrently with $150,000 in upgrades to the railroad’s street crossings that are being undertaken by the Oregon Department of Transportation as part of their Highway 101 project in Garibaldi. The crossing at Third Street has already been improved, with new sidewalks but a straighter alignment is still to come, as well as an improved crossing at seventh street. After the water tower plaza is complete, OCSR will shift focus to the west side of Third Street and begin fundraising to build a new plaza and depot there. Plans for the depot, modeled after a Southern Pacific depot from the turn of the last century, include a restroom for guests, ticket window, gift shop and educational space. The project has a much larger price tag, estimated at $1.8 million in 2022, and Racheal and Samuel said that they believe the successful completion of the water tower plaza project will help to open new funding sources for that project. Both projects are part
to Washington County’s dispatch center. Washington County dispatchers then relay the call to a Tillamook dispatcher using either their cell phone or an internetbased telephone service. After repeated outages in the final months of 2023 and several in the first week of 2024, Lumen replaced the defective equipment in Sheridan in two hours on January 9, per a statement from the company. of the railroad’s long-term plan to continue growing its operations and increasing the number of people they serve, with the number of passengers surpassing 50,000 in 2023. The biggest limiting factor for the railroad’s future growth is capacity on trains during the peak season and serving more passengers will require the ability to run multiple trains simultaneously, which the railroad currently does not have.
Exhibition and Silent Auction Adventist Health Tillamook announces the “Art for the Heart” art exhibition and silent auction, an event dedicated to promoting heart health awareness in our community with an afternoon of art and music. Your participation not only supports local artists but also helps promote heart health in our community. This unique event combines the beauty of art with the importance of heart health, and everyone is invited to join in the celebration. Date and Time: February 4, 2024, from 1 to 3 p.m. Location: North County Recreation District (NCRD) Gallery, 36155 9th St., Nehalem, Oregon
Featuring Artwork for sale by local artists, live music by classical guitarist Ivan Danilich, and delicious, heart-healthy refreshments.
Artwork Sale and Silent Auction Art lovers can purchase artwork before the February 4 event or throughout February through the NCRD As part of the projects, a runaround will be added in Garibaldi, allowing two trains to operate at the same time, while the new water tower and other facilities will further facilitate expansion. While Racheal and Samuel said that they didn’t expect the depot project to be complete until 2028, at the earliest, they are working to increase the OCSR’s offerings in the interim. This year, a St.
office. Pieces will be marked as sold and can be collected on March 1 during NCRD business hours. A portion of the proceeds from art sales will be generously donated to support fitness scholarships at NCRD. This initiative aims to contribute positively to the heart health of our North County neighbors.
The “Art for the Heart” show will be on display at the NCRD gallery throughout the month of February, offering everyone a chance to appreciate the art and contribute to a noble cause.
Since 1973, Adventist Health Tillamook is a faithbased, nonprofit healthcare organization that includes: a 25-bed critical access medical center located in Tillamook, Oregon; the largest hospitalbased ambulance service in Oregon with four stations located throughout Tillamook County; and rural health clinics and urgent care medical offices serving the northern Oregon coast as well as the communities of Sheridan, Vernonia, Estacada and Welches. Adventist Health Tillamook employs over 550 associates and healthcare providers and is part of Adventist Health, a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities in California, Hawaii and Oregon. For more information about Adventist Health Tillamook, visit AdventistHealthTillamook.org.
Patrick’s Day train will run on March 16 for those over 21 to celebrate the holiday, while an Easter Train and Christmas Party Train are also scheduled. The railroad is also interested in expanding its area of operations, with sights set on repairing a bridge at Larson Cove in Bay City to allow trains to run south to Kilchis Point soon. OCSR is also working on securing funding to
repair two bridges east of Wheeler, over the Nehalem River and Fall Creek, with the ultimate goal of allowing trains to run to the confluence of the Salmonberry and Nehalem rivers. For those wishing to support the ongoing water tower plaza project or the forthcoming depot project, information about commemorative pavers and benches and others ways to donate are available at oregoncoastscenic.org.
All Ages Welcome This event is open to art enthusiasts of all ages. It’s not just an art exhibition; it’s a community gathering to celebrate heart health and the talents of our local artists.
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January 24, 2024
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The January 10 City Council meeting saw the adoption of four resolutions concerning drinking water safety for Rockaway Beach. The four resolutions are interconnected in important ways, but one in particular is worthy of attention: Resolution 2024-07, which establishes a Sourcewater Protection Plan Development Advisory Committee. The advisory committee established by this resolution will consist of five members who, in the words of the resolution, “are served by the Rockaway Beach Water
District.” At least four of these members are required to be residents of Rockaway Beach. This is meant to make it possible for owners of Rockaway businesses who live outside the city to participate. The committee is charged with providing community input during the development of the city’s Sourcewater Protection Plan. The committee will meet at least four times during the development of the plan. Once the plan is completed and has been approved by City Council, the committee will be dissolved. The city is currently accepting applications for committee members. To download the application, go to the city’s web site, https://corb. us/, and click on the button in the left-hand column reading Water Protection Advisory Committee Application. The deadline for submitting an application is February 6, 2024.
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Three other resolutions concern water safety. Resolution 2024-02 authorizes a safe drinking water revolving loan fund grant contract for source water protection. This $50,000 fund is linked to Resolution 2024-05, which authorizes GSI Water Solution to contribute to the drinking water protection plan for Rockaway Beach. It further authorizes city manager Luke Shepard to execute a professional services agreement with GSI. GSI describes themselves as “a specialized groundwater, environmental, and water resources consulting firm” that has worked for clients in the Pacific Northwest and California, as well as internationally. Resolution 2024-06 rings in another organization, Sustainable Northwest. This group provides project management services around the issues of watershed acquisition, easements and land
transfer. They have experience throughout the state and have worked with the North Coast Land Conservancy on watershed protection efforts in Clatsop County. Like Resolution 2024-05, this also authorizes City Manager Shepard to execute a professional services agreement with Sustainable Northwest. The urgency of proceeding with a sourcewater protection plan for our Jetty Creek watershed will be the subject of a talk on Saturday, February 3, at 2 p.m. at St. Mary by the Sea, 275 S. Pacific. Hosted by North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection (https://healthywatershed.org/), the talk features Chuck Willer, longtime codirector of the Coast Range Association. Chuck’s talk will stress the importance of community ownership and management of watersheds and will offer ways to promote this ownership. Over the past 20 years,
the Jetty Creek watershed has lost 90% of its forest canopy, making it one of the most extensively logged watersheds on the coast. This leads to two immediate concerns around Jetty Creek. First is the increased turbidity (that is, soil particles suspended in the creek water) made possible by the elimination of mature trees in the upper reaches of the watershed. This puts a strain on filtration systems to make the water safe for drinking. This situation resulted in the Oregon Health Authority requiring the establishment of a new water treatment plant in 2009, at a cost of $2.4 million. In addition, the high quantity of chlorine required to disinfect turbid water is known to create trihalomethanes (THMs). The National Toxicology Program describes THMs as “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” The second concern
is pesticide and herbicide residue. In 2013, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality detected pesticide residues in untreated drinking water in Rockaway Beach after aerial spraying in the watershed. A 2021 study from Portland State University found that the types of pesticides used in forestry have been detected in shellfish on the Oregon Coast, as streams drain into the ocean. Chuck’s talk will offer ways residents can get involved in watershed protection. This is the first of three planned programs to be held by NCCWP, co-sponsored by the City of Rockaway Beach. I will publish the dates, times, and location for the future events as they become available. Sincere thanks to city government for taking steps to address this vital concern.
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Conversation with a conservationist Oregon’s timber future
WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor As the Oregon Board of Forestry nears a decision on a habitat conservation plan for western Oregon state forests, the Headlight Herald sat down with the Wild Salmon Center’s Oregon Policy Program Manager Michael Lang to discuss the plan, forest conservation and the recent Hampton sawmill closure in Banks. Lang said that the conservation plan was a good starting point, although he and other conservationists would like to see a plan to help species recover and questioned Hampton blaming the Banks closure on declining harvests.
“For the preservation of state forests for greatest permanent value for all Oregonians we think there’s a lot more we can do,” Lang said. “For our public lands, for our state forest, having a species recovery plan is where we want to end up long term.” When discussing the new habitat conservation plan (HCP) for state forests, Lang says that the past failures of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to meet conservation goals have shown the need for the plan. In particular, Lang points to a performance metric passed by the board of forestry over a decade ago that called for state forests to contain 30%
complex layered habitat. That habitat is characterized by a mix of tree species and ages that create a multi-layered canopy. Since 2013, ODF has surveyed the percentage of state forests meeting that goal biannually, and Lang said that from a baseline of 13% in 2013, state forests had declined to only 11% complex layered habitat by last year, with only 8% in the Tillamook State Forest. “That was put in place over ten years ago, yet the ODF kept selling timber and not trying to comply and obtain that goal and get more habitat in the forest,” Lang said. “I think that’s good background to show why an HCP is needed at this point and
2024
that ODF realizes that.” As for the proposed HCP, Lang said that it is a step in the right direction but said that he would like to see ODF go further and adopt plans that would help endangered species recover. “The HCP is just a start, it’s to stop the decline of endangered species,” Lang said, mentioning that he would like to see increased buffers on headwater streams and more protections for mature tree stands next to habitat conservation areas. Lang also said that the angst among counties and special districts that rely on state forest timber revenues to fund their budgets was valid. He noted his group’s support for a bill last year that would have created a task force of government leaders, timber
industry representatives, conservationists and other stakeholders to address the issue, which was ultimately not passed. “The reason why that bill didn’t pass is because the timber industry opposed it,” Lang said, noting that he suspected the opposition came from a fear that the proposed funding solution would be a tax on timber. Lang said it wasn’t his or the conservation community’s place to propose alternate funding sources but said that he would look at the history of funding in the state, mentioning the timber severance tax that was eliminated in the early 1990s. “We ought to take a look at how we got here and look at remedies for how to take the burden off
our state forests that have been overharvested for years,” Lang said. Lang also discussed the recently announced closure of Hampton Lumber’s sawmill in Banks, questioning the blame being placed on declining state forest harvests. Lang noted that Hampton recently completed $150 million in upgrades to their sawmill in Willamina and purchased large tracts land in Washington, belying the argument that poor business prospects caused the closure. “It looks like they’re shifting their business models and expanding mills where they need to and then closing their oldest mill and blaming it on the HCP and that doesn’t square with the facts,” Lang said.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM
For more information about the Tillamook PUD Community Support Grant Program and to apply, visit www.tpud.org or stop by the Tillamook PUD office. Applications are due by 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2024.
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PO Box 433 1115 Pacific Ave Tillamook, OR 97141 www.tpud.org
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