Ban Destination Resorts within at least 3 miles of the Metolius - Karen Lillebo, Bend

To Senators Westlund, Walker, Kruse, Metsger, Morse, Rep. Dallum, Gov. Kulongoski, and Mike Carrier - Natural Resource Policy Director:)

Dear Decision-makers,

I am writing in support of SB30 to ban destination resorts from being located in or within three miles of the Metolius River Basin. The spring-fed Metolius River is a world-class resource. Reading all the federal agency reports (such as ICBEMP; Dec. 2000) describing the precarious state of fisheries throughout the entire Columbia Basin area, brings home the critical significance of the healthy populations of threatened bull trout that still exist in the Metolius River. Destination Resorts consume vast quantities of water, and their golf courses, wastewater and pavement runoff can pollute surface and ground waters.

City-scale and urban development so close to the Metolius would overwhelm the natural resources of the area. Thousands of people could live at or use the Colson Destination Resort, resulting in hundreds of additional cars driving into the Camp Sherman area. The result will be traffic jams, air pollution, over-crowded recreation sites, and damage to the fragile and unique ecology of the Metolius. Consider increasing the buffer to 10 miles to reduce impacts from any destination resorts.

Sincerely,
Karen Lillebo
Bend, Oregon