What on earth is happening to Oregon?
We can't update the Bottle Bill to include ALL beverage containers???
We can't update the deposit to 10 cents???
What has happened to our spine?
We're afraid to tax tobacco???
We'll sacrifice medical services for kids because Big Tobacco objects???
What has happened to our spine?
We're afraid to charge a reasonable amount for vehicle registration???
We're not able to maintain our roads and bridges for lack of funds???
What has happened to our spine?
We're willing to give away our most precious pieces of natural
sanctuary to developers???
We're willing to give up the Metolius Basin???!!!
What has happened to our spine?
We're willing to give up our farmland, our land use planning, our
signature foresight that has made us world renowned???
We got sold a bill of goods by developers and think that now we're
stuck with it?
Where's the spine to reverse a devastating decision made on bad
information and a gutwrenching (but very slick) media campaign?
At the beginning of this legislative session there was hope that
finally, FINALLY! things would turn around and we'd see some progress
on the things that matter so much to Oregonians. Why has it all
seemed to stall out?
And one last thing -- WHAT were they thinking in the Senate when they
passed the Pedestrian Hand-wave law??? Talk about inviting chaos and
crashes, this one has to top them all. Please don't let that one go
into law.
Please pull out all the stops and get this legislature to do what's
right by Oregon, now, in this session. SB 30 and Measure 37 are
disasters that can't be reversed later. Please make us proud and
grateful to be Oregonians again.
Thanks,
Carol Routh
Portland OR
Showing posts with label Kruse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kruse. Show all posts
Monday, April 30, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Written Testimony - Sage Wood
[To the Senate Committee and Education and General Government:]
My name is Sage Wood Fox and I would like to save the Metolius River because I catch frogs, fish – big fish, grasshoppers, and everything that a kid like me would like to catch. And it is a very sacred place to me because I love going there. And if it’s developed, there will be thousands of people ruining it. And it is no fair because I may be only 9 years old, but I should have the authority to have what people who are about 40 years or older used to have when they were kids just like me. And my grandfather and baby sister’s ashes are buried here and it would not be sacred any longer because it would be just like a miniature city and that makes nothing special because there’s gas, houses, cars, and tons of people. It would be a very ugly place to live in.
The county government is doing nothing, simply nothing, to save the river. And it is very mean of the county government to do that because they are listening to the people who would get the money. Of course, they would say, yes, let’s build tons of houses, because they get tons and tons of money.
Metolius is one of the only places that I get my favorite food, like fish and wild strawberries. My baby brother, Nicholas, will be very mad if the government lets the developers build all those houses, because Nicholas will not get to see what I saw and wish to see later, and he will be very disappointed.
So I hope you can protect this beautiful place so that Nicholas and my children and grandchildren will experience what my mom and I have experienced.
Sage Wood
Eugene, OR
My name is Sage Wood Fox and I would like to save the Metolius River because I catch frogs, fish – big fish, grasshoppers, and everything that a kid like me would like to catch. And it is a very sacred place to me because I love going there. And if it’s developed, there will be thousands of people ruining it. And it is no fair because I may be only 9 years old, but I should have the authority to have what people who are about 40 years or older used to have when they were kids just like me. And my grandfather and baby sister’s ashes are buried here and it would not be sacred any longer because it would be just like a miniature city and that makes nothing special because there’s gas, houses, cars, and tons of people. It would be a very ugly place to live in.
The county government is doing nothing, simply nothing, to save the river. And it is very mean of the county government to do that because they are listening to the people who would get the money. Of course, they would say, yes, let’s build tons of houses, because they get tons and tons of money.
Metolius is one of the only places that I get my favorite food, like fish and wild strawberries. My baby brother, Nicholas, will be very mad if the government lets the developers build all those houses, because Nicholas will not get to see what I saw and wish to see later, and he will be very disappointed.
So I hope you can protect this beautiful place so that Nicholas and my children and grandchildren will experience what my mom and I have experienced.
Sage Wood
Eugene, OR
Written Testimony - Mary Wood, Eugene
[To the Senate C0mmittee on Education and General Government:]
My name is Mary Christina Wood. I have come to testify in support of SB 30. Senators, if there is one way of describing the Metolius River, it is a quiet, peaceful, timeless river that runs like a thread through generations of Oregonians, and back to time immemorial for native people of the Basin. When a river provides the kind of quiet solitude that the Metolius has for eons, it becomes sacred.
I come before you this evening as a fourth generation on the Metolius with ties to this river on two sides of my family. And I bring my son, Sage, and my baby Nicholas, as representatives of a fifth generation on the river.
My grandfather General Lamar Tooze Sr., with his wife, Marie, bought a cabin in Camp Sherman in 1946. My other grandfather, Erskine Wood, bought property along the Metolius in 1918 and built a small camp with four little open huts, a one-room log cabin, an open cookhouse, and a fire pit. Today the Wood Camp looks exactly as it did in 1918. My siblings and I donated 30 acres of meadow and islands in the river to the Nature Conservancy.
Aside from the landowners in the Basin, families across Oregon take comfort in knowing that the Metolius today is still much like it was when their parents or grandparents first experienced it. You can’t say that about many places any more. My little children walk and fish along the banks, just like I did. Around the campfire we talk about our ancestors almost as if they are right there with us.
There is a strengthening, eternal pulse to the Metolius. Our family tells the story of General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt during World War II. Marshall was a close friend of my grandfather. During the anxious weeks leading up to D-Day, General Marshall asked my grandfather to bring him to the Wood Camp for a few days. He explained why only much later. He had sought out the quiet waters of the Metolius to gain courage and fortitude for what this nation was about to face. On June 6, 1944, when our American troops landed on the shores of Normandy to beat back the Nazi tide that was rolling across Europe, the waters of the Metolius gave grounding and conviction to this country’s highest commander.
A professor from Boston wrote to you yesterday describing the Metolius as “an unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. . . .” It should not surprise you that many Oregon families, including my own, have buried or scattered the ashes of their loved ones in the Metolius Basin. It is one of the only places left where one can be amidst the lasting peace of Nature.
And so, Senators, when I am asked to testify on these proposals for destination resorts that would bring homes and roads and golf courses and crowds of people to this basin, you might as well ask my opinion on child abuse or robbery. These proposals shock the conscience. They are the work of predatory developers driven by vicious greed to annihilate the quietude of the Metolius Basin. If these are strong words, I am sorry, but you will probably hear many strong words from the citizens of Oregon tonight because the Metolius is inseparable from the memory of loved ones who have sat on its banks though time. The citizens of Oregon will fight for the Metolius until we secure its safety forever, because its waters carry our childrens’ legacy.
The proposed legislation, SB 30, is not about private property. It’s about public property. The people of Oregon own the river, the air, the wildlife and the forests that are threatened with these resort proposals. The developers’ private property rights do not overcome the legislature’s responsibility to protect legacy public resources. As the Supreme Court said in 1907, and again just two weeks ago, “[T]he state has an interest independent of and behind the titles of its citizens, in all the earth and air within its domain. It has the last word as to whether its mountains shall be stripped of their forests and its inhabitants shall breathe pure air.”
I brought my son, Sage, here to testify. He sees Nature being destroyed all around him. There are few things more disheartening and depressing to a little boy than to bear witness to such destruction. He asks me, why is government allowing this? Is there any end to it? Why won’t I be able to enjoy the Nature that you had growing up? The only thing I keep saying to him is that the government does have the obligation to protect places like the Metolius for the people, forever -- and that government has gone far astray, but that there will be those heroes, like the sponsors of SB 30, joined by every other Senator and Representative in the Oregon legislature, I hope, who will have the courage in their hearts to do what is right towards our descendants, and not give away public treasures like the Metolius Basin to people like the Lundgrens and the Colsons who would line their pockets by stealing what is most precious from the generations following us.
I’d like to leave you with a few lines from a poem that my great-grandfather, Charles Erskine Scott Wood, wrote in 1921 as he was sitting on the banks of the Metolius River at our Camp. He was a lawyer, and an author, and about 70 years old when he wrote this poem. He loved the river and bequeathed it poetically to future generations. We read this poem as we laid my father’s ashes to rest on the banks of the Metolius.
I Charles Erskine Scott Wood,
Make now my last sure will and testament
For those grandchildren who share with me this solitude
And whom I must too shortly leave.
To my grandchildren,
I give all trout in the Metolius. . .
I give them mornings on the river-bank,
Song of the river when the new sun shines. . .
And the solemn discourse of the pines
At evening when the melting shadows fall
And Peace sits on the bank with folded wings’
The birds all [offering] a good-night call,
And deep in dusk a yellow warbler sings,
The river is for your delight.
Senators, if your great-grandchildren can wake up on the banks of the Metolius River 100 years from now, and there are still fish in the waters, tall standing pines leaning in the breeze, and quiet all around, they will know that you – you personally -- secured their precious Metolius Endowment for them to also hand down for all generations to come.
Mary Wood
Eugene, OR
My name is Mary Christina Wood. I have come to testify in support of SB 30. Senators, if there is one way of describing the Metolius River, it is a quiet, peaceful, timeless river that runs like a thread through generations of Oregonians, and back to time immemorial for native people of the Basin. When a river provides the kind of quiet solitude that the Metolius has for eons, it becomes sacred.
I come before you this evening as a fourth generation on the Metolius with ties to this river on two sides of my family. And I bring my son, Sage, and my baby Nicholas, as representatives of a fifth generation on the river.
My grandfather General Lamar Tooze Sr., with his wife, Marie, bought a cabin in Camp Sherman in 1946. My other grandfather, Erskine Wood, bought property along the Metolius in 1918 and built a small camp with four little open huts, a one-room log cabin, an open cookhouse, and a fire pit. Today the Wood Camp looks exactly as it did in 1918. My siblings and I donated 30 acres of meadow and islands in the river to the Nature Conservancy.
Aside from the landowners in the Basin, families across Oregon take comfort in knowing that the Metolius today is still much like it was when their parents or grandparents first experienced it. You can’t say that about many places any more. My little children walk and fish along the banks, just like I did. Around the campfire we talk about our ancestors almost as if they are right there with us.
There is a strengthening, eternal pulse to the Metolius. Our family tells the story of General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt during World War II. Marshall was a close friend of my grandfather. During the anxious weeks leading up to D-Day, General Marshall asked my grandfather to bring him to the Wood Camp for a few days. He explained why only much later. He had sought out the quiet waters of the Metolius to gain courage and fortitude for what this nation was about to face. On June 6, 1944, when our American troops landed on the shores of Normandy to beat back the Nazi tide that was rolling across Europe, the waters of the Metolius gave grounding and conviction to this country’s highest commander.
A professor from Boston wrote to you yesterday describing the Metolius as “an unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. . . .” It should not surprise you that many Oregon families, including my own, have buried or scattered the ashes of their loved ones in the Metolius Basin. It is one of the only places left where one can be amidst the lasting peace of Nature.
And so, Senators, when I am asked to testify on these proposals for destination resorts that would bring homes and roads and golf courses and crowds of people to this basin, you might as well ask my opinion on child abuse or robbery. These proposals shock the conscience. They are the work of predatory developers driven by vicious greed to annihilate the quietude of the Metolius Basin. If these are strong words, I am sorry, but you will probably hear many strong words from the citizens of Oregon tonight because the Metolius is inseparable from the memory of loved ones who have sat on its banks though time. The citizens of Oregon will fight for the Metolius until we secure its safety forever, because its waters carry our childrens’ legacy.
The proposed legislation, SB 30, is not about private property. It’s about public property. The people of Oregon own the river, the air, the wildlife and the forests that are threatened with these resort proposals. The developers’ private property rights do not overcome the legislature’s responsibility to protect legacy public resources. As the Supreme Court said in 1907, and again just two weeks ago, “[T]he state has an interest independent of and behind the titles of its citizens, in all the earth and air within its domain. It has the last word as to whether its mountains shall be stripped of their forests and its inhabitants shall breathe pure air.”
I brought my son, Sage, here to testify. He sees Nature being destroyed all around him. There are few things more disheartening and depressing to a little boy than to bear witness to such destruction. He asks me, why is government allowing this? Is there any end to it? Why won’t I be able to enjoy the Nature that you had growing up? The only thing I keep saying to him is that the government does have the obligation to protect places like the Metolius for the people, forever -- and that government has gone far astray, but that there will be those heroes, like the sponsors of SB 30, joined by every other Senator and Representative in the Oregon legislature, I hope, who will have the courage in their hearts to do what is right towards our descendants, and not give away public treasures like the Metolius Basin to people like the Lundgrens and the Colsons who would line their pockets by stealing what is most precious from the generations following us.
I’d like to leave you with a few lines from a poem that my great-grandfather, Charles Erskine Scott Wood, wrote in 1921 as he was sitting on the banks of the Metolius River at our Camp. He was a lawyer, and an author, and about 70 years old when he wrote this poem. He loved the river and bequeathed it poetically to future generations. We read this poem as we laid my father’s ashes to rest on the banks of the Metolius.
I Charles Erskine Scott Wood,
Make now my last sure will and testament
For those grandchildren who share with me this solitude
And whom I must too shortly leave.
To my grandchildren,
I give all trout in the Metolius. . .
I give them mornings on the river-bank,
Song of the river when the new sun shines. . .
And the solemn discourse of the pines
At evening when the melting shadows fall
And Peace sits on the bank with folded wings’
The birds all [offering] a good-night call,
And deep in dusk a yellow warbler sings,
The river is for your delight.
Senators, if your great-grandchildren can wake up on the banks of the Metolius River 100 years from now, and there are still fish in the waters, tall standing pines leaning in the breeze, and quiet all around, they will know that you – you personally -- secured their precious Metolius Endowment for them to also hand down for all generations to come.
Mary Wood
Eugene, OR
Stay Strong - Bob and Harriet Rossio, Sisters
Dear Senator Westlund:
This is a letter in support of S.B. 30.
Please do not weaken the purpose of this bill as you seek agreement with the involved parties on final language.
We understand that purpose to be aimed at the protection of the unique habitat within the Metolius River Basin.
Having reviewed the many articles published in The Bulletin of Bend, as well as the Sisters Nugget and other sources, it seems clear to us that the headlong plunge into creating more destination resorts within the Central Oregon area cries out for the oversight and close control of the State.
The counties see the planned resorts as a wonderful way to increase tourist spending and tax income. The developers view them as a way to get around Oregon land use policy with regard to restrictions inside the urban growth boundaries.
And those of us who live here see them as huge consumers of our water, and potential destroyers of our unique habitat if they are not controlled.
Stay strong.
Sincerely,
Bob and Harriet Rossio
Sisters, OR
This is a letter in support of S.B. 30.
Please do not weaken the purpose of this bill as you seek agreement with the involved parties on final language.
We understand that purpose to be aimed at the protection of the unique habitat within the Metolius River Basin.
Having reviewed the many articles published in The Bulletin of Bend, as well as the Sisters Nugget and other sources, it seems clear to us that the headlong plunge into creating more destination resorts within the Central Oregon area cries out for the oversight and close control of the State.
The counties see the planned resorts as a wonderful way to increase tourist spending and tax income. The developers view them as a way to get around Oregon land use policy with regard to restrictions inside the urban growth boundaries.
And those of us who live here see them as huge consumers of our water, and potential destroyers of our unique habitat if they are not controlled.
Stay strong.
Sincerely,
Bob and Harriet Rossio
Sisters, OR
Visiting For 35 Years - John Kennedy, Portland
Dear Senator Dekert [And copied to the Senate Committee and Education and General Government:]
My family has been going up to the Metolius Basin for the past thirty five years. Since my retirement fifteen years ago, my wife, children, and now grandchildren have spent most of their summer there. My Portland based children and grandchildren make many skiing trips to the area. Needless to say we have seen many changes to the area. The traffic on Route 20-22 has increased to the point that you may wait 5-10 minutes to get on the road and even longer on the weekends. We have seen some of the springs at the head waters of the Metolius dry up. The flow of the Metolius River, above Lake Creek, has drop some summers so that the cabins (with water rights) have trouble getting water out of the river. It is still one of the most beautiful and peaceful area in Oregon. It is public land that is open to all that come to visit. A comprehensive plan for the area was drawn up by a very diverse group (US Forests Service, cabin owners, environmentalists, Warm Spring Indian representatives, and many more) who all agreed on the plan for the preservation on the then designated scenic water way, the Metolius River. For the benefit of a few developers, who will be long gone after their projects are completed, it would be tragic to destroy this beautiful gift given to us by nature.
Sincerely,
J. Halisey Kennedy MD
Portland, OR
My family has been going up to the Metolius Basin for the past thirty five years. Since my retirement fifteen years ago, my wife, children, and now grandchildren have spent most of their summer there. My Portland based children and grandchildren make many skiing trips to the area. Needless to say we have seen many changes to the area. The traffic on Route 20-22 has increased to the point that you may wait 5-10 minutes to get on the road and even longer on the weekends. We have seen some of the springs at the head waters of the Metolius dry up. The flow of the Metolius River, above Lake Creek, has drop some summers so that the cabins (with water rights) have trouble getting water out of the river. It is still one of the most beautiful and peaceful area in Oregon. It is public land that is open to all that come to visit. A comprehensive plan for the area was drawn up by a very diverse group (US Forests Service, cabin owners, environmentalists, Warm Spring Indian representatives, and many more) who all agreed on the plan for the preservation on the then designated scenic water way, the Metolius River. For the benefit of a few developers, who will be long gone after their projects are completed, it would be tragic to destroy this beautiful gift given to us by nature.
Sincerely,
J. Halisey Kennedy MD
Portland, OR
Written Testimony - Brian Grubb, Portland
[Sent to the Senate Committee and Education and General Government:]
I would like to provide written testimony for tonight's public hearing on Senate Bill 30 as follows:
Oregon is special place. There is no place more special in our beautiful state than the Metolius River Basin. I can remember the first time I ever saw it. I was blown away. I had never seen such a pristine and serene place in my life. Absolutely the most beautiful Ponderosa Pine forest on our tiny planet. In a word- breathtaking.
Every summer, our family vacations in Central Oregon. We stay at a destination resort near Redmond, one of several destination resorts in Central Oregon. We always make time to visit the Metolius River Basin, it's one our favorite things to do. Our small, curious children delight in the wonderment of the area.
We I first heard of a proposed destination resort in the area, my first response was "Why? There are plenty of wonderful resorts already in Central Oregon". First, there is no need for it. Second, and most importantly, it would negatively transform one of the most special places on Earth.
The Metolius River Basin is a treasure. It's our treasure. When it's gone, it's gone forever. We need to protect is for my kids and their kids. We need to protect it for your kids and their kids. Forever.
Please support Oregon's Senate Bill 30 which would prevent destination resorts in or within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
Thank you for your time,
Brian Grubb
Native Oregonian
Concerned Citizen
Portland, Oregon
I would like to provide written testimony for tonight's public hearing on Senate Bill 30 as follows:
Oregon is special place. There is no place more special in our beautiful state than the Metolius River Basin. I can remember the first time I ever saw it. I was blown away. I had never seen such a pristine and serene place in my life. Absolutely the most beautiful Ponderosa Pine forest on our tiny planet. In a word- breathtaking.
Every summer, our family vacations in Central Oregon. We stay at a destination resort near Redmond, one of several destination resorts in Central Oregon. We always make time to visit the Metolius River Basin, it's one our favorite things to do. Our small, curious children delight in the wonderment of the area.
We I first heard of a proposed destination resort in the area, my first response was "Why? There are plenty of wonderful resorts already in Central Oregon". First, there is no need for it. Second, and most importantly, it would negatively transform one of the most special places on Earth.
The Metolius River Basin is a treasure. It's our treasure. When it's gone, it's gone forever. We need to protect is for my kids and their kids. We need to protect it for your kids and their kids. Forever.
Please support Oregon's Senate Bill 30 which would prevent destination resorts in or within three miles of the Metolius River Basin.
Thank you for your time,
Brian Grubb
Native Oregonian
Concerned Citizen
Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Reckless Plan - Gary Kish, Sauvie Island
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Walker, Westlund, Morse, and Kruse:]
For generations Oregonians have recognized the Metolius Valley as a very special place, for many different reasons. The reason the Metolius is the gem it is, is the water quality and constant flows.
Large scale development in the basin has the potential to disrupt both.
As you know, most of the the Metolius Valley is in public hands, through the US Forest Service. The public has always demanded conservative management and protection of this resource.
Jefferson County and developers are now trying to cash in on the natural capital that the public has created in this special locale.
The Jefferson County Commissioners resort siting plan is both reckless and a vulgar poke in the eye to all Oregonians.
I urge you to help preserve the Metolius and support SB30 when your committee votes on it.
Gary Kish (formerly of Camp Sherman)
Sauvie Island OR
For generations Oregonians have recognized the Metolius Valley as a very special place, for many different reasons. The reason the Metolius is the gem it is, is the water quality and constant flows.
Large scale development in the basin has the potential to disrupt both.
As you know, most of the the Metolius Valley is in public hands, through the US Forest Service. The public has always demanded conservative management and protection of this resource.
Jefferson County and developers are now trying to cash in on the natural capital that the public has created in this special locale.
The Jefferson County Commissioners resort siting plan is both reckless and a vulgar poke in the eye to all Oregonians.
I urge you to help preserve the Metolius and support SB30 when your committee votes on it.
Gary Kish (formerly of Camp Sherman)
Sauvie Island OR
Senate Bill 30 Written Testimony - Ervin Siverson, Portland
[Sent to Senators Walker, Westlund, Metsger, Morse, Kruse;]
My name is Ervin Siverson and I live in Portland, OR. I am writing in support of Senate Bill 30, which would limit development of destination resorts in the Metolius River Basin. I am not a developer, a lobbyist, or work for a real estate company. I do not represent any wildlife organization; I only take the time to write because I believe the Metolius River Basin is a special and sacred place that demands special legislation like Senate Bill 30 to protect it for generations to come.
In my personal life, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who works as a therapist in the Mental Health and Addictions field. I feel extremely blessed to watch clients work hard to make lifestyle changes that positively affect all aspects of their lives. I chose this type of work because I wanted to have some ability to potentially make a positive influence in the lives of others, thus giving back to society.
I firmly believe this is why all of you have chosen to work as a representative of the people of the State of Oregon. You chose this noble profession to have a positive influence in the lives of others, and wanted to leave behind a legacy that represented your values of choosing the profession of political representation. Senate Bill 30 represents one of these special moments where your decisions will have a lasting influence on the legacy of your representation and on the lives of others.
The Metolius River Basin is like no place on earth, I am sure by now you have been flooded with pictures that attempt to show its unique beauty. Pictures cannot capture how this place makes you feel, how it regenerates the soul, how it is a calming and peaceful place that allows all Oregonians to escape and retreat from the stressors of an increasingly stressful life. One can camp on the banks of the Metolius River for very little money, hike its trails to find solitude, and fish its crystal clear waters for native trout including the threatened Bull Trout.
The Metolius River Basin is not a place to site destination resorts such as those proposed for development. It is not a place for any further development at all, it is a place that demands legislators like you to step forward and pass legislation that protects its unique beauty for generations to come. If you chose to pass Senate Bill 30, it will represent your legacy to the State of Oregon, how you chose to protect what does not have a voice, the Metolius River Basin. Your place in the history of land preservation, wildlife preservation, and preservation of a special place will be secured. We know what the results will be if Senate Bill 30 is passed, we do not know what could happen to this special place if destinations resorts are allowed. The choice is yours, and I thank you for your time and consideration.
Ervin Siverson
Portland, OR
My name is Ervin Siverson and I live in Portland, OR. I am writing in support of Senate Bill 30, which would limit development of destination resorts in the Metolius River Basin. I am not a developer, a lobbyist, or work for a real estate company. I do not represent any wildlife organization; I only take the time to write because I believe the Metolius River Basin is a special and sacred place that demands special legislation like Senate Bill 30 to protect it for generations to come.
In my personal life, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who works as a therapist in the Mental Health and Addictions field. I feel extremely blessed to watch clients work hard to make lifestyle changes that positively affect all aspects of their lives. I chose this type of work because I wanted to have some ability to potentially make a positive influence in the lives of others, thus giving back to society.
I firmly believe this is why all of you have chosen to work as a representative of the people of the State of Oregon. You chose this noble profession to have a positive influence in the lives of others, and wanted to leave behind a legacy that represented your values of choosing the profession of political representation. Senate Bill 30 represents one of these special moments where your decisions will have a lasting influence on the legacy of your representation and on the lives of others.
The Metolius River Basin is like no place on earth, I am sure by now you have been flooded with pictures that attempt to show its unique beauty. Pictures cannot capture how this place makes you feel, how it regenerates the soul, how it is a calming and peaceful place that allows all Oregonians to escape and retreat from the stressors of an increasingly stressful life. One can camp on the banks of the Metolius River for very little money, hike its trails to find solitude, and fish its crystal clear waters for native trout including the threatened Bull Trout.
The Metolius River Basin is not a place to site destination resorts such as those proposed for development. It is not a place for any further development at all, it is a place that demands legislators like you to step forward and pass legislation that protects its unique beauty for generations to come. If you chose to pass Senate Bill 30, it will represent your legacy to the State of Oregon, how you chose to protect what does not have a voice, the Metolius River Basin. Your place in the history of land preservation, wildlife preservation, and preservation of a special place will be secured. We know what the results will be if Senate Bill 30 is passed, we do not know what could happen to this special place if destinations resorts are allowed. The choice is yours, and I thank you for your time and consideration.
Ervin Siverson
Portland, OR
In Need Of Long-Ranging Solutions - Lizbeth Adams, Seattle
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Walker, Johnson, Kruse, Morse, Metsger, Johnson, and Brown:]
I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the plan to develop the Metolius River wilderness area. As our planet faces the catastrophe of global warming, you our leaders need to throw the entire weight of your intellect and dedication behind the task of finding solutions to this crisis. These solutions will have to be long-ranging and effective, and these solutions will not include destruction of forests and they will not include encouraging urban sprawl that increases the consumption of fossil fuels by commuters. They will include infilling urban areas and finding transportation solutions that decrease our dependence on oil. They will also, on a more subjective level, involve teaching us as a species how to remember again to love our planet, and that will not be accomplished by destroying one of its most beautiful areas.
I ask you to support SB 30. Thank you.
Lizbeth Adams PhD
Director, Office of Research Integrity
Bastyr University (Seattle, WA)
I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the plan to develop the Metolius River wilderness area. As our planet faces the catastrophe of global warming, you our leaders need to throw the entire weight of your intellect and dedication behind the task of finding solutions to this crisis. These solutions will have to be long-ranging and effective, and these solutions will not include destruction of forests and they will not include encouraging urban sprawl that increases the consumption of fossil fuels by commuters. They will include infilling urban areas and finding transportation solutions that decrease our dependence on oil. They will also, on a more subjective level, involve teaching us as a species how to remember again to love our planet, and that will not be accomplished by destroying one of its most beautiful areas.
I ask you to support SB 30. Thank you.
Lizbeth Adams PhD
Director, Office of Research Integrity
Bastyr University (Seattle, WA)
We Hold An Ethical Responsibility - Patricia Johnson, Edgewater FL
Good morning, Senators Walker, Kruse, Metsger and Morse,
I am writing in support of SB 30.
I am the younger daughter of the late Sam and Becky Johnson, and the sister of Sen. Betsy Johnson. As youngsters, Betsy and I attended kindergarten and grade school in Redmond, but nearly every weekend and most of our summers were spent at the family cabin near the headwaters of the Metolius River. Our father's ashes are buried there, as Mother's will be this summer. I have always considered it to be my home.
From the time I was a little tyke, I was taught conservation, environmentalism and total respect for that magnificent part of the world. At age 54, I cannot imagine the irresponsibility of allowing "destination resorts" of any kind, being allowed in or near The Metolius River Basin.
I currently live in Florida and have a first hand view of the destruction of a beautiful state due to the pure greed of land developers. Native Central Floridians refer to Mickey Mouse as "The Black Rat." Homes frequently fall into sink holes due to the aquifer's depletion. The thought of this type of destruction beginning in my Central Oregon brings tears to my eyes.
My father once told me "We do not really own this land. God does. We hold an ethical responsibility as its caretakers." Please consider his words and prohibit the "resort" development of this fragile and magnificent part of the world.
Respectfully,
Patricia C. "Patti" Johnson
Edgewater, Florida
I am writing in support of SB 30.
I am the younger daughter of the late Sam and Becky Johnson, and the sister of Sen. Betsy Johnson. As youngsters, Betsy and I attended kindergarten and grade school in Redmond, but nearly every weekend and most of our summers were spent at the family cabin near the headwaters of the Metolius River. Our father's ashes are buried there, as Mother's will be this summer. I have always considered it to be my home.
From the time I was a little tyke, I was taught conservation, environmentalism and total respect for that magnificent part of the world. At age 54, I cannot imagine the irresponsibility of allowing "destination resorts" of any kind, being allowed in or near The Metolius River Basin.
I currently live in Florida and have a first hand view of the destruction of a beautiful state due to the pure greed of land developers. Native Central Floridians refer to Mickey Mouse as "The Black Rat." Homes frequently fall into sink holes due to the aquifer's depletion. The thought of this type of destruction beginning in my Central Oregon brings tears to my eyes.
My father once told me "We do not really own this land. God does. We hold an ethical responsibility as its caretakers." Please consider his words and prohibit the "resort" development of this fragile and magnificent part of the world.
Respectfully,
Patricia C. "Patti" Johnson
Edgewater, Florida
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
We Inherited This Land From Our Parents - Marie Sheahan Brown, Camp Sherman
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Walker, Westlund, Johnson, Morse, Kruse:]
My four siblings and I own a 20-acre parcel of land on the lower Metolius River, across the river from the Warm Springs Reservation. We inherited this land from our parents. Our forebears and we have continuously owned property of one kind or another on the Metolius River since the 1930s. We have no intention of developing the 20-acre parcel but, rather, see ourselves as stewards of an extraordinary creation.
I am deeply grateful to the legislators who, recognizing the need to preserve and protect the remarkable Metolius River Basin, have introduced SB 30 to Save the Metolius. Of current concern is the recent Jefferson County decision opening the door to destination resorts which, while boosting cash flow to the county, in my opinion would threaten the natural resources and other irreplaceable qualities of the Basin. My family and I support SB 30 to Save the Metolius, and we urge you to do the same.
A delicate ecosystem, the Metolius River Basin depends on a proper balance of all of its elements ~ the 10 Outstandingly Remarkable Values recognized in its Wild & Scenic River status. Everything affects everything else. Two large destination resorts within its boundaries could not have other than negative and probably irreversible effects on the ecology of the Basin. When financial gain is a primary goal of developers, I frankly have little confidence that ecological concerns will take priority in their plans and actions.
Were the Basin's ecology a priority, these destination resorts would not have been proposed at all.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
My four siblings and I own a 20-acre parcel of land on the lower Metolius River, across the river from the Warm Springs Reservation. We inherited this land from our parents. Our forebears and we have continuously owned property of one kind or another on the Metolius River since the 1930s. We have no intention of developing the 20-acre parcel but, rather, see ourselves as stewards of an extraordinary creation.
I am deeply grateful to the legislators who, recognizing the need to preserve and protect the remarkable Metolius River Basin, have introduced SB 30 to Save the Metolius. Of current concern is the recent Jefferson County decision opening the door to destination resorts which, while boosting cash flow to the county, in my opinion would threaten the natural resources and other irreplaceable qualities of the Basin. My family and I support SB 30 to Save the Metolius, and we urge you to do the same.
A delicate ecosystem, the Metolius River Basin depends on a proper balance of all of its elements ~ the 10 Outstandingly Remarkable Values recognized in its Wild & Scenic River status. Everything affects everything else. Two large destination resorts within its boundaries could not have other than negative and probably irreversible effects on the ecology of the Basin. When financial gain is a primary goal of developers, I frankly have little confidence that ecological concerns will take priority in their plans and actions.
Were the Basin's ecology a priority, these destination resorts would not have been proposed at all.
Sincerely,
Marie Sheahan Brown
Camp Sherman, OR
Seize This Oportunity - Thomas Anderson, McMinnville
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Westlund, Brown, Walker, Morse, Kruse, and Johnson:]
Subject: Re: Metolius - Please support SB 30
Dear Senators,
The Metolius River Basin is one of the most unique natural and scenic wonders in Oregon, in the country, and in the world. Visitors approach through towering ponderosa pines on the road from Highway 20 as if they are passing through a portal to another world and arrive at the quiet little town of Camp Sherman, free from traffic, noise, and congestion. They can hike and fish along the pristine banks of the river in virtual solitude and experience the beauty of the river, the forest, the wildlife, and an ecosystem like no other in the world. We have in the middle of our state a treasure to be cherished and preserved for generations to come.
I am writing with an urgent plea for you to insure that mine is the not the last generation to enjoy the unique beauty of this wonderland. Please support SB 30 and use your influence in the senate to secure its passage so that the delicate balance between man and nature in this pristine place is not destroyed by development, traffic, noise, and crowds.
You have the opportunity to do something great for the residents of this state. I hope you will seize it.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. Anderson
Law Offices of Thomas H. Anderson, P.C.
McMinnville, Oregon
Subject: Re: Metolius - Please support SB 30
Dear Senators,
The Metolius River Basin is one of the most unique natural and scenic wonders in Oregon, in the country, and in the world. Visitors approach through towering ponderosa pines on the road from Highway 20 as if they are passing through a portal to another world and arrive at the quiet little town of Camp Sherman, free from traffic, noise, and congestion. They can hike and fish along the pristine banks of the river in virtual solitude and experience the beauty of the river, the forest, the wildlife, and an ecosystem like no other in the world. We have in the middle of our state a treasure to be cherished and preserved for generations to come.
I am writing with an urgent plea for you to insure that mine is the not the last generation to enjoy the unique beauty of this wonderland. Please support SB 30 and use your influence in the senate to secure its passage so that the delicate balance between man and nature in this pristine place is not destroyed by development, traffic, noise, and crowds.
You have the opportunity to do something great for the residents of this state. I hope you will seize it.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. Anderson
Law Offices of Thomas H. Anderson, P.C.
McMinnville, Oregon
Compelled To Write - Julia Clark, Eugene
[Sent to Rep. John Dallum, Senators Westlund, Walker, Kruse, Metsger, Morse, Kruse, Gov. Ted Kulongoski, and Mike Carrier:]
Hello,
My name is Julia Clark and I am writing in support of SB 30, which would prohibit destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. When I learned of this bill, I felt compelled to write and ask for your support in this matter.
My parents, Chapin and Dorothy Clark, owned a cabin on the Metolius River. What a beautiful, peaceful area it is! We spent so much time up at the cabin throughout the years and it would be an awful mark on the land to have resorts built on it.
Memories of hearing the wind blowing through ponderosa branches, listening to the rush of the river as I drifted off to sleep at night, savoring the multitude of wildflowers growing along the banks of the river and wading in the fresh cold water on a hot summer day are all fresh in my mind. I cannot picture resorts where we once enjoyed peaceful hikes; where often we saw few if any other hikers.
One of my father's passions was preserving and protecting rivers and waterways. He loved the Metolius Basin. Please, join me in supporting Senate Bill 30!
Respectfully yours,
Julia Clark
Eugene, OR
Hello,
My name is Julia Clark and I am writing in support of SB 30, which would prohibit destination resorts in the Metolius Basin. When I learned of this bill, I felt compelled to write and ask for your support in this matter.
My parents, Chapin and Dorothy Clark, owned a cabin on the Metolius River. What a beautiful, peaceful area it is! We spent so much time up at the cabin throughout the years and it would be an awful mark on the land to have resorts built on it.
Memories of hearing the wind blowing through ponderosa branches, listening to the rush of the river as I drifted off to sleep at night, savoring the multitude of wildflowers growing along the banks of the river and wading in the fresh cold water on a hot summer day are all fresh in my mind. I cannot picture resorts where we once enjoyed peaceful hikes; where often we saw few if any other hikers.
One of my father's passions was preserving and protecting rivers and waterways. He loved the Metolius Basin. Please, join me in supporting Senate Bill 30!
Respectfully yours,
Julia Clark
Eugene, OR
A Day On the Metolius - Pat Krause, Portland
[Sent To Senator Vicki Walker, Chair; Senator Jeff Kruse, Vice-Chair; Senator Rick Metsger; Senator Frank Morse; Senator Ben Westlund; Representative John Dallum:]Dear Members of the Senate Education and General Government Committee and Sponsors of SB-30:
I request that this letter be submitted as written testimony for the SB-30 hearing scheduled for April 26, 2007.
I am writing to you all, again to thank you for your responses to my first letter. I especially want to thank you for the time and effort you are putting into gathering information and being knowledgeable about the Metolius River Basin before making a decision regarding SB 30.
I am also writing to express my love of the Metolius River. I attended the April [5], 2007 hearing and became aware that some of you may have not spent time in the Metolius River Basin and may not fully understand the impact the river has on those of us who hike, camp, fish, own summer cabins on leased forest service land, or are part of the small local population. For the record, I do not own property in Jefferson County.
I grew up in the Midwest with a mother and father who loved to fly fish more than eat or sleep. My father took a month off each summer and we would pack up the car and head for the mountain rivers and streams. My parents also believed these vacations were an opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and appreciation of our beautiful country. As a result, I have been in most of the states west of the Mississippi River and explored many of the rivers and streams in the Colorado Rockies, Yellowstone, the Tetons, and the Black Hills as well as many other beautiful places.
I moved from the Midwest to Portland in 1973. I knew the minute I saw Oregon I wanted to live here permanently. I arrived at the time Governor McCall was encouraging people to “visit Oregon, but don’t stay”. It was exciting to be part of state that was ahead of every other state in protecting its beaches, cleaning up its waterways, and protecting the Columbia Gorge for future generations to enjoy.
My first visit to the Metolius River and Camp Sherman was shortly after moving here. I immediately knew this was one of the very few unique and mystical places in our country. I knew I was finally “home”. Thirty-four years later I feel that even more strongly.
A DAY ON THE METOLIUS
A day at the Metolius is a day of simple pleasures. I wake up early to the birds chirping and the sound of the rippling water. It is a beautiful morning, cool, crisp air and wonderful sunshine!
A walk along the river awakens my senses. I can smell the clean air, the pine, incense cedar and Douglas fir trees. I watch the sun dance off the crystal clear waters. I nod to the fly-fishermen who wade right into the cold water, and catch and release year-round. Are they using the stone flies for bait that my daughter loves to catch and feed to the fish? I continue along the river path past the historic cabins, each one charming and unique. One cabin has crystal glassware sitting on a tree stump. Soon the sun will turn it a beautiful shade of lavender. Another cabins’ deck is ready for lunch. The table is covered with a vintage kitchen tablecloth and an ironstone pitcher holds wildflowers. Already, people are laughing and squealing as they float down the river, oblivious to the coldness of the water. I pass several water wheels that no longer function, wondering what stories they could tell. I pass wildflowers, squirrels, and deer along the way. People are walking their dogs and it is hard to tell who enjoys it the most. I arrive at the Camp Sherman store and decide to linger with a latte on the bench.
The Camp Sherman store along with the post office and “honor” library are in one long, wooden building located a few steps from the river, shaded by pine trees. The store is a deli, a grocery store, a hardware store, a wine store and a gift store all rolled into one. People come and go all day – a hub of activity. My daughters and their friends, as youngsters, loved to stop there for treats. Now it is for a latte and newspaper. The store is the place to be on Independence Day for the Camp Sherman Independence Day barbeque and music festivities. The library has books and magazines for the taking – “on your honor” you will return when read. The store pay phone comes in handy as cell phone service leaves much to be desired! I watch the children on the bridge in front of the store feed the fish below and the chipmunks nearby. I wonder if they will make boats from sticks and bark, as my daughters did, and race them down the river. Or if they will learn to fish on the Metolius as my younger daughter did. Do they know about the Osprey that dives into the river to catch fish?
I continue on toward the Head of the Metolius. I remember how my oldest daughter was fascinated with the water bubbling up from under the ground. I stop near the Johnson family property and quietly thank the family for their part in protecting this special spot. I think about a memorial service for a good friend that was on the Johnson property and remember his hard work through the years to save and preserve the Metolius for future generations.
I head back for lunch and think about the afternoon ahead. It is starting to get warm. Maybe I will just hang out at the rivers edge with my feet in the water, camera in hand and a good book. A nap is not out of the question! I could go for a bike ride, visit the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery, or just do nothing which is always allowed at the Metolius!
After dinner it’s time for good conversation, board games, or a good book – and maybe some popcorn or hot chocolate. It’s also a good time to watch for deer. No need for television, DVDs’, computers and computer games – they are not missed by young or old. Before bedtime, a quick walk to “the meadow” to see the brightest stars in the darkest sky I know. If we’re lucky we may see a few shooting stars.
The night is crisp and cold and the warm covers feel good. I am so thankful for this beautiful place that makes me complete and restored, where life is simple and we are reminded of what is truly important. This is the place where we reconnect with family, friends and nature. I fall asleep to the sound of the river remembering that we are the stewards of the Metolius River Basin. We must be the voice of the river and hear its’ cry to preserve this pristine, clean and unique habitat for fish and wildlife. This magical place belongs to nature – the river, the fish and the wildlife. We are the guests and we should be able to visit as long as we tread lightly and respect the land. This fragile Crown Jewel of Oregon needs to be managed carefully. It needs full protection from growth and development. There is a price to pay for beautiful places. We need to step up to the plate and preserve the Metolius River Basin before it is too late.
Thank you
Pat Krause
Portland, Oregon
Never Seen Anything Like It - Zygmunt Plater, Newton Centre MA
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Brown, Walker, Metsger, Morse, Kruse, and Johnson:]
I was one of thousands of touring Americans lured each year to the Metolius by its reputation as a unique “place apart” from the creeping degradation and exploitation of so much of this great country’s great places. My Oregon friends found it hard to describe the Metolius to my family and me. “Just go there, and you’ll realize why you’ve never seen anything like it.”
We went to the Metolius a week after 9-11, a time when the world writhed in pain and parents like us felt gut-sickened that their children’s future might forever be burdened by evil. Two of the highjackers had departed from an airfield nearby in the Oregon high country. It seemed as if everything hopeful was tainted.
And then one early morning we turned down the road to Camp Sherman, where we found a community breakfast going on at the fire hall — almost every living soul in the valley had gathered for a breakfast to raise money for the victims of 9-11. From the breakfast table we went on to the glades along that magic river, from where it pours forth from the mountain to the stretches where it opens out into lush meadows. An unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. The Metolius gave us a measure of peace and joy at things timeless. To one of the children it was a river straight out of the Shire in the Lord of the Rings.
Oregon, and no place else on earth, has had the Metolius for aeons. It would be such a desecration to turn it into just one more preclusive real estate development destination. For Oregonians of future generations, and generations of other Americans from afar like me and my family, I ask you please to pass the Senate bill into law.
................................................................................................................
Zygmunt J.B. Plater
Boston College Law School
Newton Centre, Mass.
I was one of thousands of touring Americans lured each year to the Metolius by its reputation as a unique “place apart” from the creeping degradation and exploitation of so much of this great country’s great places. My Oregon friends found it hard to describe the Metolius to my family and me. “Just go there, and you’ll realize why you’ve never seen anything like it.”
We went to the Metolius a week after 9-11, a time when the world writhed in pain and parents like us felt gut-sickened that their children’s future might forever be burdened by evil. Two of the highjackers had departed from an airfield nearby in the Oregon high country. It seemed as if everything hopeful was tainted.
And then one early morning we turned down the road to Camp Sherman, where we found a community breakfast going on at the fire hall — almost every living soul in the valley had gathered for a breakfast to raise money for the victims of 9-11. From the breakfast table we went on to the glades along that magic river, from where it pours forth from the mountain to the stretches where it opens out into lush meadows. An unspeakably beautiful river, unique, more intimate and calming than any other I have ever known. The Metolius gave us a measure of peace and joy at things timeless. To one of the children it was a river straight out of the Shire in the Lord of the Rings.
Oregon, and no place else on earth, has had the Metolius for aeons. It would be such a desecration to turn it into just one more preclusive real estate development destination. For Oregonians of future generations, and generations of other Americans from afar like me and my family, I ask you please to pass the Senate bill into law.
................................................................................................................
Zygmunt J.B. Plater
Boston College Law School
Newton Centre, Mass.
Owned Metolius Property Since 1918 - Erskine and Sandy Wood, Vancouver WA
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Westlund, Walker, Morse, Kruse, Johnson, Brown:]
Dear Senator Metsger,
My name is Erskine Wood and my family (the Erskine Wood (Sr.) family has owned approximately 80 acres of property on the Metolius River since 1918. Charles W. Allan and his wife, Florence, were homesteaders on the original property. Unfortunately, several years of farming in what we call the Meadow proved too lean to sustain a living. With reluctance, he decided to sell. My grandfather had the foresight to purchase this pristine parcel of land reminiscent of his youth. When he was in his teens he went by arrangement between his father, Lt. C.E.S. Wood, and Chief Joseph to spend two summers to live in Joseph’s teepee on the Colville reservation. Settling in Portland as a prominent attorney, he sought to find a retreat not unlike those youthful days in Eastern Washington. Truly, the crystal clear waters and magnificent ponderosa pine of the Metolius River Basin captured this vision.
This land has passed from Erskine Wood, Sr. to his son, Erskine B. Wood, and now onto the five adult children of Erskine B. Wood. I know that that I can speak for my brother and three sisters to say we recognize the value of such pristine land and intend keep it unspoiled and away from developers. We have often taken our children and now our grandchildren to camp on the Metolius and hike Green Ridge to see the magnificent views of the Cascades. These experiences now are open to all who visit the Metolius area. To bulldoze, log, pave, and build on parts of Green Ridge would be so contrary to this natural landscape. Yes it is desirable by many to have their own trophy homes in this small paradise. What some fail to see is the increased density, increased traffic, loss of natural areas, will destroy exactly what people are coming to see and experience.
Is the profit of a few developers, the filling of county coffers with increased taxes, worth the immense loss this development would be to the State of Oregon.
I urge you to take every action possible to prevent the proposed development in the Metolius River area and to support and pass SB 30.
Please keep us informed on your position on this bill by sending updates to our email address at erskine42@msn.com
Thank you.
Erskine Wood
Sandy Wood
P.S. Our recent move to Vancouver after 65 years an Oregon resident allowed us to save an endangered salmon spawning site, protect valuable wetlands, and restore a family home.
Dear Senator Metsger,
My name is Erskine Wood and my family (the Erskine Wood (Sr.) family has owned approximately 80 acres of property on the Metolius River since 1918. Charles W. Allan and his wife, Florence, were homesteaders on the original property. Unfortunately, several years of farming in what we call the Meadow proved too lean to sustain a living. With reluctance, he decided to sell. My grandfather had the foresight to purchase this pristine parcel of land reminiscent of his youth. When he was in his teens he went by arrangement between his father, Lt. C.E.S. Wood, and Chief Joseph to spend two summers to live in Joseph’s teepee on the Colville reservation. Settling in Portland as a prominent attorney, he sought to find a retreat not unlike those youthful days in Eastern Washington. Truly, the crystal clear waters and magnificent ponderosa pine of the Metolius River Basin captured this vision.
This land has passed from Erskine Wood, Sr. to his son, Erskine B. Wood, and now onto the five adult children of Erskine B. Wood. I know that that I can speak for my brother and three sisters to say we recognize the value of such pristine land and intend keep it unspoiled and away from developers. We have often taken our children and now our grandchildren to camp on the Metolius and hike Green Ridge to see the magnificent views of the Cascades. These experiences now are open to all who visit the Metolius area. To bulldoze, log, pave, and build on parts of Green Ridge would be so contrary to this natural landscape. Yes it is desirable by many to have their own trophy homes in this small paradise. What some fail to see is the increased density, increased traffic, loss of natural areas, will destroy exactly what people are coming to see and experience.
Is the profit of a few developers, the filling of county coffers with increased taxes, worth the immense loss this development would be to the State of Oregon.
I urge you to take every action possible to prevent the proposed development in the Metolius River area and to support and pass SB 30.
Please keep us informed on your position on this bill by sending updates to our email address at erskine42@msn.com
Thank you.
Erskine Wood
Sandy Wood
P.S. Our recent move to Vancouver after 65 years an Oregon resident allowed us to save an endangered salmon spawning site, protect valuable wetlands, and restore a family home.
Soaking In The Beauty and Solitude - Tom Wood, Hood River
[Sent to Senators Metsger, Walker, Westlund, Johnson, Brown, Morse, and Kruse:]
I please implore that you support senate bill 30 and expedite its passing through congress. My entire 34yr life I have enjoyed the lands of the Metolius River as a sacred natural sanctuary that has been saved from extensive development. I have sat in a chair by the river in a place where my grandmother, grandfather, great grandfather, and Great Great Grandfather C.E.S Wood have all sat and soaked in the beauty and solitude of this natural sanctuary. Please help us protect this place for generations to come so that my Great,Great Grandchildren may enjoy it, just as it is now, in 100years!
Tom Wood
Hood River, OR
I please implore that you support senate bill 30 and expedite its passing through congress. My entire 34yr life I have enjoyed the lands of the Metolius River as a sacred natural sanctuary that has been saved from extensive development. I have sat in a chair by the river in a place where my grandmother, grandfather, great grandfather, and Great Great Grandfather C.E.S Wood have all sat and soaked in the beauty and solitude of this natural sanctuary. Please help us protect this place for generations to come so that my Great,Great Grandchildren may enjoy it, just as it is now, in 100years!
Tom Wood
Hood River, OR
The New Scottsdale? - Janice Druian, Terrebonne
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Walker, Johnson, Morse, Kruse, and Metsger:]
I too am in support of Senate Bill 30. Having just read in the Bulletin that there is a chance that there will be over [5,500] homes built in the beautiful ranch land near Ashwood due to the criminal land use changes being brought about by Measure 37….and knowing how this desert and the surrounding Cascades are about to be turned into the new Scottsdale, I am even more concerned about the Metolius. If for some reason you have never traveled to the mouth of the Metolius you owe it to yourself, your constituents and your children’s children to do so. Then you too will realize that our unique Oregon is being sacrificed for short sighted greed. We can’t turn the clock back and save the already sacrificed beauty…but we can make a stand now.
Janice Druian
Terrebonne, Oregon
I too am in support of Senate Bill 30. Having just read in the Bulletin that there is a chance that there will be over [5,500] homes built in the beautiful ranch land near Ashwood due to the criminal land use changes being brought about by Measure 37….and knowing how this desert and the surrounding Cascades are about to be turned into the new Scottsdale, I am even more concerned about the Metolius. If for some reason you have never traveled to the mouth of the Metolius you owe it to yourself, your constituents and your children’s children to do so. Then you too will realize that our unique Oregon is being sacrificed for short sighted greed. We can’t turn the clock back and save the already sacrificed beauty…but we can make a stand now.
Janice Druian
Terrebonne, Oregon
Quite Possibly the Most Unique River in the World - Tracy Boyer, Bend
[Sent to Senators Westlund, Johnson, Walker, Metsger, Morse, and Kruse:]
Quite Possibly the Most Unique River in the World
I am IMPLORING all of our elected officials step up to the plate in Support of SB30 to Protect and Preserve this amazing place we call the Metolius River Basin.
It comes right down to not just the spectacular beauty of the place, not just the mesmerizing, jewel colored river, but the type of leaders we have in office and how they will be remembered for generations to come. It takes strength and courage, the likes of which we have not seen since Theodore Roosevelt - who created over 150 National Forests, 18 National Monuments and 5 National Parks - to preserve such a place. We have seen greed and growth run rampant in this state, with little or no effort to conserve what special places we have left. Where are the Tom McCall "conservatives" when we need them??
I ask you straightforwardly Senators and Congressmen, How will you be remembered and will you do the right thing when it comes to this most spectacular and special place ~ The Metolius River and its Basin?
Tracy Boyer
Bend Resident
Quite Possibly the Most Unique River in the World
I am IMPLORING all of our elected officials step up to the plate in Support of SB30 to Protect and Preserve this amazing place we call the Metolius River Basin.
It comes right down to not just the spectacular beauty of the place, not just the mesmerizing, jewel colored river, but the type of leaders we have in office and how they will be remembered for generations to come. It takes strength and courage, the likes of which we have not seen since Theodore Roosevelt - who created over 150 National Forests, 18 National Monuments and 5 National Parks - to preserve such a place. We have seen greed and growth run rampant in this state, with little or no effort to conserve what special places we have left. Where are the Tom McCall "conservatives" when we need them??
I ask you straightforwardly Senators and Congressmen, How will you be remembered and will you do the right thing when it comes to this most spectacular and special place ~ The Metolius River and its Basin?
Tracy Boyer
Bend Resident
To Jefferson County: Be Creative - Katherine Livingston, Camp Sherman
Dear Senator Kruse,
I am writing to ask you to please vote in favor of SB 30---the bill that will protect the Metolius River Basin from Destination resorts, those proposed now, and those that are bound to be proposed in the future. You have head from many people, both residents of Camp Sherman, and lifelong campers and fisherman, hikers and nature lovers throughout the land protesting the idea of huge developments in this precious and fragile area.
We understand the need for a tax source for Jefferson County. We urge both the Commissioners of the county and the legislators of the State to work together and creatively ( special environment assessment, lottery etc) to establish a tax base that will be to the benefit of all the beautiful places in the state that need protection ----our forests, our ocean, our deserts, our mountains and rivers, and at this particular moment, the Metolius River Basin.
Please do all you can to preserve this most remarkable place, and vote Yes on SB 30.
Thank you,
Katherine S. Livingston
Camp Sherman, OR
I am writing to ask you to please vote in favor of SB 30---the bill that will protect the Metolius River Basin from Destination resorts, those proposed now, and those that are bound to be proposed in the future. You have head from many people, both residents of Camp Sherman, and lifelong campers and fisherman, hikers and nature lovers throughout the land protesting the idea of huge developments in this precious and fragile area.
We understand the need for a tax source for Jefferson County. We urge both the Commissioners of the county and the legislators of the State to work together and creatively ( special environment assessment, lottery etc) to establish a tax base that will be to the benefit of all the beautiful places in the state that need protection ----our forests, our ocean, our deserts, our mountains and rivers, and at this particular moment, the Metolius River Basin.
Please do all you can to preserve this most remarkable place, and vote Yes on SB 30.
Thank you,
Katherine S. Livingston
Camp Sherman, OR
