Don't Let The Developers Win This One - Marina Martinez-Cavallo, Bend

Dear Senator Westlund,

I am writing as a community member of Central Oregon and as a workforce and career education consultant, regarding SB 30 (Metolius). I want to express my overwhelming support for your senate bill. I have never written my senator before but this matter requires urgent action.

PLEASE DO NOT COMPROMISE THIS BILL!

I moved to Central Oregon a few years ago and have been visiting it quarterly for over twenty years. I have come to learn that the Metolious River Basin is a precious diamond in this land. People actually go there to restore their sanity and to remember why they live in this beautiful state. It’s not uncommon for people to call this area “a spiritual place.”

We need this senator. People need to find peace so that they can go on and deal with the changing global workplace, leaders they can’t believe in most of the time, and now the uncertainties of the global warming threat. Over 60% of marriages end in divorce, we have children taking care of their aging parents, and jobs that come and on a regular basis. We need a place that feels good and feels like “home.” In sum, this area is rehabilitative to most of us.

Quite simply, if we don’t take care of the precious landscape we have, it won’t be able to take care of us. PLEASE DON’T LET THE DEVELOPERS WIN THIS ONE! Don’t let us become another uncaring California!

Clearly, the Metolious River watershed is at risk:
• Destination resorts consume vast quantities of water (shouldn’t we be saving?)
• Their golf courses, wastewater and pavement runoff can pollute surface and ground waters (Do we NEED more than 35 golf courses in an area this size? We have SO many ways tourists can enjoy our area)
• Thousands of more visitors will crowd the unique Metolious Wild and Scenic River (I have camped here for over 20 years; I already see the pressure from too many people. It’s getting much harder for this area to bounce back)
• Damage to the sensitive riparian areas and healthy fish habitat, not to mention wildlife like river otters will occur.

Please, Please, Please CONTINUE to be our leader on this. I so appreciate that you have stepped up to the plate. I was Shocked that a legislator did, and relieved that you and Representative Dallum did.

THANK YOU

Marina Martinez- Cavallo, M.S.
Bend, Oregon