[Sen to the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources and Reps. Boone, Merkley and Rosenbaum:]
It is devoutly to be wished that you will support SB 30 to preserve the Metolius Basin. We believe there are enough destination resorts in Oregon and we don' need another in theMetolius Basin is one of them. This bill should be passed without compromise.
The Metolius River has been enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year because of it's quiet beauty, clear water and magnificent forests. It has remained this way because it is mostly federal land well managed by the US Forest Service. The private inholdings are mostly occupied by small cabins and houses on large lots and the locals, about 250 residents, are good stewards of the land. Their presence does not degrade the area. Large destination resorts with hundreds of homes and rental units would destroy the charm of the village and absolutely affect the ambiance of the Wild and Scenic river. The developers' and Jefferson county's desire for money should not be allowed to carry the day on this issue. Central Oregon is chock-a-block with destination resorts which in actuality are towns outside the urban growth boundaries of Bend, Redmond, Sisters, etc.
The proposed resort on the east boundary of the Metolius Basin would be many times larger than Sisters only 10 miles away. The impact on water, roads, traffic, schools, wildlife habitat would be huge! The smaller proposed resort is right smack in the middle of Forest Service land. The Deschutes Forest Plan recognizes the special values of the basin and Sisters Ranger District does an excellent job implementing the plan. This private 627 acre parcel should be part of the National Forest and certainly not some sort of major development dressed in ecological clothes.
Your support is strongly urged. If paved and developed, Oregon will have lost a natural treasure which connot be reclaimed.
D.W. McBride, MD and Family
Bend, OR
Gambier, OH
Showing posts with label Clem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clem. Show all posts
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Keep This Little Chunk Of Heaven - Tracy Campbell, Bend
[Sent to the House Committee and Agriculture and Natural Resources and Reps. Boone, Merkley, and Rosenbaum:]
I am writing to support SB 30 that will preserve the Metolius Basin.
I was born and raised in Oregon and have lived in Bend for the past 30 years.
I fully appreciate the challenge in balancing growth and the beauty of the natural resources Oregon has to offer; and can I just request that we keep this “little chunk of heaven” as it is. We have PLENTY of resorts in the Central Oregon Area
Tracy Campbell
Bend, OR
I am writing to support SB 30 that will preserve the Metolius Basin.
I was born and raised in Oregon and have lived in Bend for the past 30 years.
I fully appreciate the challenge in balancing growth and the beauty of the natural resources Oregon has to offer; and can I just request that we keep this “little chunk of heaven” as it is. We have PLENTY of resorts in the Central Oregon Area
Tracy Campbell
Bend, OR
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
SB 30 ~ Transformed vision to Save the Metolius - Anne Bigelow, Seattle, WA
Dear Representative
Thank you for supporting SB 30 to save the Metolius by preventing destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. Large-scale developments would surely harm the delicately balanced ecology, irreversibly draining the Basin of the very values the resorts would exploit. Save this lovely, irreplaceable river for us all to enjoy.
Sincerely,
Anne M. Stevens
Seattle, WA
Thank you for supporting SB 30 to save the Metolius by preventing destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. Large-scale developments would surely harm the delicately balanced ecology, irreversibly draining the Basin of the very values the resorts would exploit. Save this lovely, irreplaceable river for us all to enjoy.
Sincerely,
Anne M. Stevens
Seattle, WA
Support SB 30 In The House - Marie Sheahan Brown (Camp Sherman) and Leslie Ann Brown McMillan (Brooklyn, NY)
[Sent to the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources and Reps. Boone, Merkley, and Rosenbaum:]
Please support SB 30 to Save the Metolius by preventing destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. Large-scale developments would surely harm the delicately balanced ecology, irreversibly draining the Basin of the very values the resorts would exploit.
Your constituents have different visions for the Metolius Basin. Those who see a private economic resource to be rightfully developed, strain to deny the adverse consequences to the ecosystem. Others, with nothing to gain economically, see an enormous threat to a natural treasure held in common by all citizens. Which vision will prevail?
Opposing visions are an old story in the Metolius Basin. Some years ago, Becky Johnson ~ stateswoman of Oregon, beloved elder of the Metolius Basin ~ told us a story. Becky passed on early this year, at 93. We’ll try to do justice to her story of transformed vision.
Her father-in-law, S. O. Johnson’s, first view of the Metolius River headwaters took his breath away. In his mind’s eye, he saw a mill pond, a saw mill, and a cash crop of giant ponderosa timber all around. Mr. Johnson was seeing through lenses of the era. He bought 160 acres around the Metolius River headwaters for $16,000 in 1924.
Before that, in the late 1800s, T. Egenton Hogg had a green glint in his eye ~ the glint of cash. He envisioned railroad tracks and trains running from the Oregon coast into Central Oregon over the Santiam Pass. With transcontinental vision, he could see trainload after trainload hauling giant Oregon lumber to the East. Mr. Hogg’s railroad scheme crumbled, tainted with suspected misuse of investors’ funds. Perhaps, too, potential investors were rightly skeptical to sink money into a railroad built on the crumbly volcanic rock of Santiam Pass. Even today, great chunks of highway are prone to tumble down the hillside. The possibility of a railroad died out only after 1930, when the Portland and Southeastern Railroad filed for a right of way across “Hogg Pass,” which evidently was never granted.
Meanwhile, S. O. Johnson was experiencing transformed vision. Instead of an industry with raw materials all around, he began to see a sacred mystery of exquisite and delicate beauty, to be protected yet shared. He transmitted this vision to his son, Sam, to whom he sold the property for $1 in 1934. S. O. Johnson chose to serve as statesman for the common good instead of henchman to the Almighty Dollar.
Sam and Becky Johnson, and now their daughters, kept the tradition of statesmanship, generosity, and preservation of a Creation not their own. As just one example, thousands of people each year can view majestic Mt. Jefferson from the Headwaters of the Metolius, without much harm, thanks to the scenic easement the Johnsons donated to the Forest Service in 1971.
You can't have a full-blown river coming out of the base of Black Butte, and smaller springs downstream, unless you have a large, uninterrupted groundwater supply. Tourists along the banks up and down stream are one thing, but source disruptions are quite another.
In recent years, Becky worried because she saw the springs at the headwaters diminishing. We are distressed to see similar dwindling of the spring we know best, a few miles downstream. IT JUST CAN’T BE RIGHT to allow destination resorts in the Metolius Basin, with thousands of homes and possibly golf courses sucking up unprecedented and inconceivable quantities of this diminishing groundwater.
We don’t need to spell out the lesson in this story for Oregon Representatives who choose to serve as stateswomen and statesmen protecting the common good.
As inheritors of scarce private acres in the Metolius Basin, we know some might see us as selfishly wishing to preserve for ourselves a unique treasure. On the contrary, fly-fishers, rafters, hikers, bird watchers and other unknown visitors often pass through our undeveloped fence-free forest; we simply trust them to respect it. Like most Metolius property owners, for generations our family has saved the Metolius for countless others by remaining alert to forces that would diminish it for all.
That we happen to own land does not cancel out the harm threatened by giant destination resorts that would alter the Metolius beyond recognition. We urge you to support SB 30, with a vision to Save the Metolius and its irreplaceable values for all of the people.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
Leslie Ann Brown McMillan
Brooklyn, NY
Please support SB 30 to Save the Metolius by preventing destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. Large-scale developments would surely harm the delicately balanced ecology, irreversibly draining the Basin of the very values the resorts would exploit.
Your constituents have different visions for the Metolius Basin. Those who see a private economic resource to be rightfully developed, strain to deny the adverse consequences to the ecosystem. Others, with nothing to gain economically, see an enormous threat to a natural treasure held in common by all citizens. Which vision will prevail?
Opposing visions are an old story in the Metolius Basin. Some years ago, Becky Johnson ~ stateswoman of Oregon, beloved elder of the Metolius Basin ~ told us a story. Becky passed on early this year, at 93. We’ll try to do justice to her story of transformed vision.
Her father-in-law, S. O. Johnson’s, first view of the Metolius River headwaters took his breath away. In his mind’s eye, he saw a mill pond, a saw mill, and a cash crop of giant ponderosa timber all around. Mr. Johnson was seeing through lenses of the era. He bought 160 acres around the Metolius River headwaters for $16,000 in 1924.
Before that, in the late 1800s, T. Egenton Hogg had a green glint in his eye ~ the glint of cash. He envisioned railroad tracks and trains running from the Oregon coast into Central Oregon over the Santiam Pass. With transcontinental vision, he could see trainload after trainload hauling giant Oregon lumber to the East. Mr. Hogg’s railroad scheme crumbled, tainted with suspected misuse of investors’ funds. Perhaps, too, potential investors were rightly skeptical to sink money into a railroad built on the crumbly volcanic rock of Santiam Pass. Even today, great chunks of highway are prone to tumble down the hillside. The possibility of a railroad died out only after 1930, when the Portland and Southeastern Railroad filed for a right of way across “Hogg Pass,” which evidently was never granted.
Meanwhile, S. O. Johnson was experiencing transformed vision. Instead of an industry with raw materials all around, he began to see a sacred mystery of exquisite and delicate beauty, to be protected yet shared. He transmitted this vision to his son, Sam, to whom he sold the property for $1 in 1934. S. O. Johnson chose to serve as statesman for the common good instead of henchman to the Almighty Dollar.
Sam and Becky Johnson, and now their daughters, kept the tradition of statesmanship, generosity, and preservation of a Creation not their own. As just one example, thousands of people each year can view majestic Mt. Jefferson from the Headwaters of the Metolius, without much harm, thanks to the scenic easement the Johnsons donated to the Forest Service in 1971.
You can't have a full-blown river coming out of the base of Black Butte, and smaller springs downstream, unless you have a large, uninterrupted groundwater supply. Tourists along the banks up and down stream are one thing, but source disruptions are quite another.
In recent years, Becky worried because she saw the springs at the headwaters diminishing. We are distressed to see similar dwindling of the spring we know best, a few miles downstream. IT JUST CAN’T BE RIGHT to allow destination resorts in the Metolius Basin, with thousands of homes and possibly golf courses sucking up unprecedented and inconceivable quantities of this diminishing groundwater.
We don’t need to spell out the lesson in this story for Oregon Representatives who choose to serve as stateswomen and statesmen protecting the common good.
As inheritors of scarce private acres in the Metolius Basin, we know some might see us as selfishly wishing to preserve for ourselves a unique treasure. On the contrary, fly-fishers, rafters, hikers, bird watchers and other unknown visitors often pass through our undeveloped fence-free forest; we simply trust them to respect it. Like most Metolius property owners, for generations our family has saved the Metolius for countless others by remaining alert to forces that would diminish it for all.
That we happen to own land does not cancel out the harm threatened by giant destination resorts that would alter the Metolius beyond recognition. We urge you to support SB 30, with a vision to Save the Metolius and its irreplaceable values for all of the people.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
Leslie Ann Brown McMillan
Brooklyn, NY
Monday, May 21, 2007
Support From Rainland Fly Casters - Walt Weber, Astoria
[Sent to House Committee on Agriculture and National Resources and Rep. Merkley]
I support SB 30. My concern about these developments is the potential for adverse impacts on Lake Cr., downstream in the Metolius R. and Fly Cr. The T/E Bull Trout in the Metolius R. and tributaries need very cold water to complete their life cycle. The T/E Redband Rainbow Trout could be adversely impacted by changes in groundwater flows or pollution from the development in that area. Lake Cr. water quality maintenance is very important in view of the proposed reintroduction of Sockeye Salmon into the watershed. They are also dependent on cold, clean water and Lake Cr. is the only conduit to the key Suttle Lake rearing area and Suttle Lake spawning tributaries. I am the Conservation Director for the Astoria based conservation group, Rainland Fly Casters. I am also a Native Fish Society River Steward. I worked out the Bend ODFW office from 1988-1993 so am somewhat familiar with the Metolius basin. Thank you for consideration of my comments.
Walt Weber.
I support SB 30. My concern about these developments is the potential for adverse impacts on Lake Cr., downstream in the Metolius R. and Fly Cr. The T/E Bull Trout in the Metolius R. and tributaries need very cold water to complete their life cycle. The T/E Redband Rainbow Trout could be adversely impacted by changes in groundwater flows or pollution from the development in that area. Lake Cr. water quality maintenance is very important in view of the proposed reintroduction of Sockeye Salmon into the watershed. They are also dependent on cold, clean water and Lake Cr. is the only conduit to the key Suttle Lake rearing area and Suttle Lake spawning tributaries. I am the Conservation Director for the Astoria based conservation group, Rainland Fly Casters. I am also a Native Fish Society River Steward. I worked out the Bend ODFW office from 1988-1993 so am somewhat familiar with the Metolius basin. Thank you for consideration of my comments.
Walt Weber.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Magical In Its Mood - Steve and Kathy Bachelder, Portland
Dear Distinguished House Leadership and Members of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee,
The Metolius River Basin is recognized as one of the most special places in the country, if not world. A river of unmatched beauty, magical in its mood and pristine character. If you have any doubts about this, please drive over there and take a stroll along its banks- it will be impossible for you to not want to protect it!
Allowing destination resorts nearby will tarnish it with overuse, fertilizer run-off, litter, noise and general degradation of what is Oregon's crown jewel of quiet beauty. We cannot allow such a precious resource to be swallowed up just for the sake of Jefferson County tax revenues and developers' profits!
And speaking of that, are you aware that the sudden change in Jefferson County development rules last year could increas the value of the two developers' holdings overnight by perhaps as much as a hundredfold? For example, Dutch Pacific purchased its square mile just a year and a half ago for $1.1 million. Shortly thereafter, the development rules change made it worth at least $100 million once it sells individual lots. (250 lots times $400,000) The Green Ridge development is ten times larger (worth $1 billion?).
The legions of lobbyists and lawyers money like that can field are hard to fight, and hard for a county with its own economic problems to resist. But it's a big county with lots of private developable land that does not threaten a national treasure. Please support SB 30 and encourage development where it is less harmful.
Thank you,
Steve and Kathy Bachelder
Portland, OR
The Metolius River Basin is recognized as one of the most special places in the country, if not world. A river of unmatched beauty, magical in its mood and pristine character. If you have any doubts about this, please drive over there and take a stroll along its banks- it will be impossible for you to not want to protect it!
Allowing destination resorts nearby will tarnish it with overuse, fertilizer run-off, litter, noise and general degradation of what is Oregon's crown jewel of quiet beauty. We cannot allow such a precious resource to be swallowed up just for the sake of Jefferson County tax revenues and developers' profits!
And speaking of that, are you aware that the sudden change in Jefferson County development rules last year could increas the value of the two developers' holdings overnight by perhaps as much as a hundredfold? For example, Dutch Pacific purchased its square mile just a year and a half ago for $1.1 million. Shortly thereafter, the development rules change made it worth at least $100 million once it sells individual lots. (250 lots times $400,000) The Green Ridge development is ten times larger (worth $1 billion?).
The legions of lobbyists and lawyers money like that can field are hard to fight, and hard for a county with its own economic problems to resist. But it's a big county with lots of private developable land that does not threaten a national treasure. Please support SB 30 and encourage development where it is less harmful.
Thank you,
Steve and Kathy Bachelder
Portland, OR
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Metolius: A Much Needed Break After Harvest - Pat Malone, Philomath OR
Chair Walker and Members of the committee:
[Hand Delivered]
My name is Pat Malone and I live at 24048 Maxfield Creek Road. Philomath, Oregon 97370. I am here today in support of Senate Bill 30. My Father and Grandfather were wheat ranchers in the Antelope area of Wasco County. They started coming to vacation on the Metolius River over one hundred years ago. It was a much needed break after the hay season and before the wheat harvest. My brother and I grew up on stories of the river and the annual trek there.
A good part of my motivation for getting up early today and putting aside the work I planned to do is to represent those that came before me and are no longer alive. The Metolius was special to them and the current generation has a responsibility to take care of this unique and special area.
I started going to Camp Sherman when I was a little kid in the early 1950’s. I remember lots of hiking along the Metolius, the lush grass, the ponderosa pine, the spectacular colors of Wizard Falls and the coldest water I have ever been in.
My wife and I took our kids to the Metolius many times as they were growing up and hope that this tradition will continue when they have children. The Metolius is a very special place for my family that needs our stewardship so that Oregonians today and in the future can enjoy its wonders.
Please pass SB 30 as quickly as possible.
Thank you.
Pat Malone
Philomath, Oregon
[Hand Delivered]
My name is Pat Malone and I live at 24048 Maxfield Creek Road. Philomath, Oregon 97370. I am here today in support of Senate Bill 30. My Father and Grandfather were wheat ranchers in the Antelope area of Wasco County. They started coming to vacation on the Metolius River over one hundred years ago. It was a much needed break after the hay season and before the wheat harvest. My brother and I grew up on stories of the river and the annual trek there.
A good part of my motivation for getting up early today and putting aside the work I planned to do is to represent those that came before me and are no longer alive. The Metolius was special to them and the current generation has a responsibility to take care of this unique and special area.
I started going to Camp Sherman when I was a little kid in the early 1950’s. I remember lots of hiking along the Metolius, the lush grass, the ponderosa pine, the spectacular colors of Wizard Falls and the coldest water I have ever been in.
My wife and I took our kids to the Metolius many times as they were growing up and hope that this tradition will continue when they have children. The Metolius is a very special place for my family that needs our stewardship so that Oregonians today and in the future can enjoy its wonders.
Please pass SB 30 as quickly as possible.
Thank you.
Pat Malone
Philomath, Oregon
