Strong Support for SB 30 - Robert Sims, Maupin

Representatives Dallum and Merkley and Members of the Oregon House of Representatives:


I strongly support Senate Bill 30 because the aquatic health of the Metolius River requires a high quality watershed that is incompatible with the development of nearby destination resorts. The Metolius River’s cold clean water and high quality spawning gravel support a world-class fishery that attracts fisherman from around the United States and the world.

The Metolius currently supports a threatened bull trout population, while the tributary waters, particularly Fly Creek, are exceptionally important because of the existence of isolated populations of native redband trout. These trout are uniquely adapted to the area and are a valuable genetic resource for the state of Oregon. According to the USGS, deep and shallow groundwater from the Colson parcel flows toward, and discharges into, Fly Creek and other Metolius tributaries. Development of destination resorts and associated golf courses is likely to discharge wastewater carrying contaminants such as nitrate into the tributaries of the Metolius. These discharges will damage the pristine water quality of the Metolius and threaten the survival of the trout populations, especially bull trout.

In addition, the water quality of Whychus Creek will be impaired by the development of destination resorts. Sediment from soil erosion during construction, roads and other results of development at the potential destination resorts poses a serious threat to spawning gravel and aquatic health. Since the creek is one of the primary destinations for recently reintroduced native Steelhead, development is incompatible with the reintroduction program. The program is a nationally significant opportunity for re-establishing native fish in habitat that has been blocked from anadromous fish access for decades and is the product of the extensive Pelton–Round Butte relicensing negotiations.

The Metolius River and surrounding area is a pristine nature sanctuary that has been enjoyed by Oregonians since the late 1800’s. To allow the development of nearby destination resorts will irreparably damage one of Oregon’s and the nation’s great natural treasures. Once this treasure is lost, it can never be recreated and Oregon will be much poorer for the loss. The watersheds of the Metolius including Fly Creek, and Whychus Creek, are of such high quality that they deserve to be protected forever. Senate Bill 30 creates this much needed protection and I strongly support its passage.

The Oregonian’s Sunday editorial promotes process over protection, a questionable process that was set in motion by Measure 37. The Metolius is a state and national resource that deserves protection now, it cannot wait while our state-wide land-use planning process is reconstituted.

Thank you for supporting this important legislation.

Robert Sims
Maupin, OR

Metolius Deserves, Needs To Be Protected - Madeleine Landise, Camp Sherman

[Sen to Rep. John Dallum and House Leadership:]

I have lived full time in the Metolius Basin for 18 years & have actively worked to protect it from environmental and social damage since I moved here. It is a unique area in many, many ways and deserves statewide, if not national, recognition. Our Jefferson County officials do not seem to care if the pristine water quality, wildlife and flora, clean air, dark nights, quiet, views and more... will be compromised, just for their short term goals of quick cash from un-needed resorts . Traffic on our narrow roads, overpopulation on the Wild and Scenic Metolius River, safety, and increased fire risk in surrounding National Forest are a few things that unneeded development will certainly bring to this entire area.

The Metolius deserves, needs, to be protected for ALL people to enjoy for future generations, not just two developers and their clients who would benefit if ill conceived destination resorts were allowed to be built. No one stands to benefit from this bill except the special interests of the developers and a few county officials!

Please vote in support of SB 30 and create a lasting, living legacy of a permanently protected Metolius River and Basin for ALL citizens!

Thank you,

Madeleine Landis
Camp Sherman, OR

To Rep. Burley: Support SB 30 - Betsy Warriner, Bend

[Sent to Chuck Burley and the three leaders:]

Dear Chuck - Please do everything you can to support SB 30 in order to
protect the Metolius watershed. The Metolius is a unique Oregon
heritage. The clarity of its water creates reflective colors that awe
me and my family, friends, and visitors, whenever we have the privilege
of walking beside it. Special places like this do more for the economy
and the quality of life in Oregon, in the long run, than
inappropriately sited resorts.

Thank you for your support, Betsy

Betsy Warriner
Bend, OR

Do Not Let the Metolius Get Destroyed - Michael Graham, Portland

[Sent to the members of the House Rules Committee and copied to House leadership:]

This message is to implore you, as a member of the House Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee to vote to pass, UNCHANGED, Senate Bill 30, a measure passed by the Senate and now in the House. This bill protects the precious Metolius Basin from rapacious development by landowners who have cowed Jefferson County into submission and whose only real interest is in creating profits for themselves and their cronies.

For the last 30 years we have seen the Metolius Basin community slowly grow and the growth has been well managed and it's effects on the basin have been minimal.

The proposed development of no less than 3000 homes on on the 3500 acres of the Colson property and over 300 units on the 640 acres on the Dutch/Pacific property are simply outrageous. The destruction of wildlife habitat, the creation of colossal traffic overloading of the roads, the degradation of water quality and availability, and the additional pollution created by so many new residences in the now pristine area are mind-boggling. This unique basin would be overwhelmed and it's pristine character, a precious possession of ALL THE STATE AND, INDEED, THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, would be forever lost. All for a pitiful modest inflow of tax dollars to the county.

I encourage you to vote for the original uncompromised version of Senate Bill 30 and place a total prohibition of any destination resorts in or within three miles of the Metolius Basin watershed.The Metolius basin is a unique and precious asset to the state and the country...we cannot let it be destroyed by greedy, unthinking and uncaring so-called "developers".

Michael H. Graham, MD
Portland

Maintain Our Most Beautiful Spaces - Mark Inkster, Lake Oswego

[Sent to members of the House Rules Committee:]

Please support SB30 and help to preserve one of the most special places in the state of Oregon.

My family has visited the Metolius basin for five generations, and we consider it one of the most special, unique places in the world, and certainly something to be protected. As Oregon continues to develop, it's critical to maintain our most beautiful spaces as pristine places where we can go to appreciate the wonders of nature. I support economic growth, and I support real estate development. But these should be done responsibly, and with an eye to future generations. The Metolius is best appreciated as a quiet reserve, and large scale development in the Metolius basin is completely inappropriate.

Over the years, I have traveled all over the world, to more than 50 countries. When I come back to Oregon, I always appreciate the wonderful job that our ancestors have done to protect its beautiful places for everybody to enjoy. Whether it's the parks in Portland, the forests of the Cascades, the grasslands and wetlands of southeastern Oregon, our public coastal spaces, or many of the other beautiful places, many generations of leaders have decided to develop our lands wisely. I urge you to maintain this longstanding and proud tradition. It's a key part of what makes Oregon great.

It's a tradition that I have personally tried to uphold. Just a couple of years ago, I sold a piece of undeveloped property bordering Tryon Creek State Park to the State of Oregon at a below market price, because I believe in the goal of maintaining and protecting our beautiful natural places. Like many other Oregonians, I act upon my beliefs.

As a representative of many Oregonians, you have the power to protect this wonderful place, and to give a voice to its beauty. If you are not familiar with the Metolius River, Camp Sherman or Green Ridge, please take the less than 2 hour drive from Salem to see it for yourself and enjoy its calm, peace and beauty.

Thank you for representing me, the many many people like me who support this, and the generations of Oregonians yet to come who will benefit from your thoughtful and far-sighted leadership.

Best regards,

Mark Inkster
Lake Oswego, OR

Look Forward To Tracking How You Vote - John Sterling, Bend

Dear Representative Burley,

I am writing to urge you to support Senate Bill 30 as it was passed out of the Senate. As you know, the Metolius River watershed is one of Oregon’s natural wonders, and we in Bend are lucky to have it so near. I grew up fishing the Metolius, and have always marveled that such a river could simply emerge from springs near the base of Black Butte. Over time, I have realized that, though the river itself is spectacular, it is the relatively pristine nature of the surrounding landscape that makes the Metolius truly special. To allow resort development within the watershed would undermine the Metolius’ natural beauty.

We now have two small children, and I look forward to sharing with them similar experiences on the Metolius that my parents offered me. Please support SB 30, and ensure that the Metolius remains a special wild landscape, free of resort developments that, frankly, Central Oregon does not need.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to tracking how you vote on this important issue.

Sincerely,
John Sterling
Bend, OR

Please Vote To Protect The Metolius - Nancy Siverson, Portland

Dear Madam Chair Rosenbaum and fellow Election, Ethics and Rules Committee Members:

I am writing to express my full support for Senate Bill 30 that will ban destination resort development in the Metolius River Basin. I am concerned how the water needs of these proposed destination resorts will impact the fragile Metolius River Basin. Adding almost 3,000 homes, two golf courses, various restaurants and all the contrived landscaping with the resulting sewage and other runoff can only impact a spring-fed pristine river such as the Metolius. The developers have promised the moon in regards to protecting the river yet leaving as it is is the only way to assure that my fellow Oregonians and generations to follow will have access to such a beautiful river valley. How will all the development impact other aspects of the Basin, including wildlife; and how does developing in a fire-sensitive area make sense? This area has seen increased foot traffic due to the growth of Central Oregon, and building directly in the Metolius River Basin will over-run the Camp Sherman area leading to the destruction of the Metolius River Basin. Oregon's history is rich with legislators who have had a visionary view of land use laws and environmental protection; legislators who were able to put politics aside and did the right thing for the environment and the present and future citizens of this great state. I respect that you have this same vision, because once it is impacted and ruined, it is gone forever. Thank you for your time and attention.

Please vote to protect the Metolius River Basin and pass SB 30.

Nancy Siverson
Portland, OR

Asking You To Do More - Pat Krause, Portland

Dear Honorable Members of House Elections, Ethics. and Rules Committee:

I am writing to implore you to support Senate Bill 30 as it was passed by the Senate. If this bill is not passed the current pristine nature of the Metolius River Basin will be destroyed. Once destroyed it can never be replaced. We must protect the Metolius now or future generations will remember that we did not have the wisdom or forethought to save one of our greatest national treasures - that we did not care enough.

The Federal government has already recognized the Metolius River and saw that it is protected as a "wild and scenic" river. Past elected officials stood up to those who put "progress" before "quality" and protected and preserved Crater Lake, The Columbia Gorge and our beautiful beaches. I ask you to do the same.

I do so appreciate your long, hard hours at a tough and demanding job. Now I am asking you to do more. I know you will take the time to educate yourselves about the dangers of allowing destination resorts in and near the Metolius Basin, but I ask you to also read the letters from the citizens and learn why the Metolius is such a special place to so many people. Then please show the citizens of Oregon that you have the courage, wisdom and conviction to protect and preserve the quality of life the citizens of Oregon want and deserve. A life that does include growth and success for the state, but not at the expense of our unique and pristine natural resources which can never be replaced, once lost.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Pat Krause
Portland, Oregon

Urging Dallum's Support - Kent Gill, Camp Sherman, OR

Dear Rep. Dallum:
[copied to the Senate Rules Committee]

Although you did not stay the course in sponsoring this important piece of legislation, I urge you to represent the broad cohort of folks who love the Metolius by voting for protecting the Metolius Basin from unwise, permanent despoilation. SB 30 in its full form deserves your favorable action.

An argument advanced by the Bend Bulletin editorials re SB 30 referred to the importance of supporting the local land use authority. That may be a significant abstract principle, but it hardly applies in this case. The Jefferson County Commission, made up of a shifting membership in the last dozen or so years , has consistently decided for development and against the significant array of natural values that mark the Metolius Basin. Folks long associated with the area have fought this series of measures espousing growth at any cost.

They have appeared at hearings, written letters, lobbied the officials, participated in mediation, all to no avail. So they have appealed decisions to LUBA and even to the Circuit Court. of Appeals. The county has been found to have erred in most every one of these unfortunate decisions. They have voted to turn the Basin into a cash cow of real estate values and property taxes while being most niggardly in meeting local needs. So in this case it would seem necessary for the legislature to overturn the county destination resort mapping andyo votie for the environmental values that have been noted and appreciated by generations of Oregonians.

Kent Gill
Camp Sherman, OR

This Bill Is So Important! - Pat Krause, Portland

Dear House Speaker Merkley,

Thank you so very much for co-sponsoring Senate Bill 30. This bill is so important! The Metolius River Basin is one of the most natural and scenic places in the world. It must be protected for this generation and the generations to come. Having destination resorts in or near the Metolius River Basin will destroy the very things we all love and treasure about the Metolius - the delicate, fragile ecosystem, the fresh and clean air, the crystal clear water, the natural habitat for fish and wildlife, to name a few. Please do everything you can to see that this bill (as it was passed by the Senate) is passed before the legislative session ends.

Again, thank you!

Sincerely,
Pat Krause
Portland, Oregon

Asking For Energetic Support - Thomas Anderson, McMinnville

Honorable Members of the House Elections, Ethics, and Rules Committee:
[Also Sent to House Democratic Leadership]

I am writing to ask that you give energetic support to a Metolius Basin protection bill. I love to go to the Metolius River for the day or to camp because I enjoy its quiet beauty. The Metolius River Basin is one of the most unique natural and scenic wonders in Oregon, in the country, and in the world. We have in the middle of our state a treasure to be cherished and preserved for generations to come. Current and future generations of Oregonians are in danger of losing the quiet, uncrowded character of this precious treasure if we allow destination resorts to be developed in the Metolius Basin.

If protective legislation, such as SB 30, is not enacted, the special character of the Metolius Basin will be degraded forever by traffic, crowds, and commercialization. And there will be specific economic costs generated by the construction of destination resorts that will end up being paid and assumed by parties other than the developers. Here is one example: The Jefferson County Planning department uses the Institute of Transportation Trip Generation Manual to assign 9.6 trips per day to each house. If 3500 houses are built in a destination resort (as in one currently proposed), that will generate 33,600 vehicle trips per day on the Camp Sherman road. What will that cost in road maintenance and expansion, traffic, pollution, and carbon emissions? Are we not at a critical time when our public officials are directed to enact legislation reducing carbon emissions to address threatening global warming trends (rather than approving plans which will dramatically increase emissions)?

Before voting to allow development of destination resorts in the Metolius Basin, I think you need to assess the actual short and long term costs to your constituents, the citizens of Oregon, and their descendants. Informed decision making, by legislators and by voters, requires such cost analysis.

I hope to see that you have voted in favor or SB 30.

Sincerely,
Thomas H. Anderson

Law Offices of Thomas H. Anderson, P.C.
McMinnville, Oregon

An Essential Bill - Joe Kuehn, Salem

Dear Representative Merkley,

Please schedule SB 30 as early as possible in your committee, It is essential that this bill get to the floor for a vote before the legislative session ends.

SB 30, in the thinking of hundreds of Oregonians, is one of the top five environmental bills to come before the legislature in the last decade.

There has been tremendous public concern expressed in keeping magnet mega resorts away from pristine land such as the Metolius Basin. Only a few of many reasons stated are:
excessive population pressure placed upon a delicate and fragile ecosystem
severe threat to depletion of ground water resources and the spring fed Metolius River.
greatly increased traffic congestion and dangerous atmospheric increase in CO2 emissions
Your utmost attention is requested to get this extremely important bill passed into law as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Joe Kuehn
Salem, OR

Development Would Have A Devastating Impact - Jim and Lenora Lawrence, Tillamook

[Sent to the members of the Senate Rules Committee:]

Jim and I have been fortunate to be occasional guests at our friend's
cabin at Camp Sherman and so have been interested in SB 30 so we were
very pleased to see the Senate wisely passed this bill.

A destination resort in that fragile area would be a travesty. The
inevitable demands on the water supply for the development would have a
devastating effect on the rivers downstream and to the fish habitat.

I hope you will strongly support Senate Bill 30 and not permit it to be
weakened at all by pressure from special interest groups..

Sincerely,

Jim and Lenora Lawrence
Tillamook, OR

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

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

Protect The Metolius - Bill Leininger, Sisters

Dear Members of the Oregon Legislature,
[Sent to Senators Brown, Courtney, Johnson, Wesltund, and Reps. Merkley, Hunt, and Whisnant:]

I am writing to urge you to support Senate Bill 30, in its original form, and all future efforts to protect and preserve the Metolius River Basin. The Metolius River Basin is a National Treasure that must be preserved for all in its natural state. To allow destination resorts or any development of the magnitude proposed would be disastrous .... it would serve no one other than the developers and Jefferson County through increased tax revenues.

The destination resorts would not even serve those who were to buy into them. At present, visitors to the area marvel and question, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if I were to own a small piece of this?" The answer is that they, and everyone else, now own a piece of this wonderland ... they are able to visit, enjoy, and then move on so that others are allowed to do the same. If destination resorts are allowed to develop the people buying into them would soon find what they had tried to buy no longer existed: (1) When you visit the Camp Sherman Store is it the same experience as when you go to Safeway? (2) When you hike or picnic in the solitude of the tall pines on Green Tree Ridge is it the same as sitting on your deck amongst 2500 homes watching people knock around golf balls on your front lawn? (3) Or, is sitting on the river bank listening to the musical flow of a clear stream the same as listening to hordes of people moving up and down the crowded streamside path? People settling at, and visiting, destination resorts find that they have not escaped ... rather that everything that they were trying to get away from they have brought with them.

What would be the impact on the river? Would the springs feeding the river dry up? I don't know? Would the water purity suffer, from drain-off from surrounding developments, upsetting the whole river ecosystem? I am not sure of the answer to that one either. I am sure however that we can not threaten this pure river habitat with even the slightest risk that might have such disastrous results. We are now surrounded with efforts of trying to restore fish runs and water quality due to our past mistakes .... Klamath River, the Snake, Whychus Creek, Deschutes, the entire Columbia River system. We can not afford to continue to blunder ahead, governed by greed for dollars, at the expense of our environment. Protect what we have ... think beyond immediate financial gain to the welfare of future generations and the welfare of our ecosystem. Now is the time to act .... failure to do so would be negligent and the effects irreversible.

It has been said that the "haves" are trying to deny the "have-nots" from getting an equal share .... I believe this is in reference to the residents of Camp Sherman trying to deny access and ownership from all others that might want to buy into the area. I don't see this to be the case. In fact most of the concern for the future of the Metolius River Basin that I have heard have come from outside of Camp Sherman, outside of Central Oregon, and much from outside of the state of Oregon. These people realize that the Metolius now belongs to all of them to enjoy when they can ... if resorts are allowed to develop this will no longer be the case and, in effect, the river they love to visit may cease to exist. At present I find the people residing in Camp Sherman to be very welcoming of us "outsiders". Perhaps the granting of long-term government leases for summer and permanent homes in the area was a mistake but this does not justify compounding the problem through making even further mistakes to a point where there is no return.

If Jefferson County needs the tax revenue I am sure there are areas better suited for destination resorts along the rim of the Crooked River near Madras where boating opportunities abound. I would hope that these would not include more golf courses. There are ample golf-course destination resorts now, and being developed, in Deschutes and Crook Counties. This has to have an eventual negative impact on our water table and the water cycle. The opening of the prison in Madras should help ease the impact of businesses recently closed in Madras and Culver. I do think however that it would be good to concentrate future efforts on attracting further business and industry to the Hwy 97 corridor rather than trying to raise tax revenues through destination resorts.

Again I urge you to support Senate Bill 30 in its original form as well as supporting all future efforts to protect and preserve the Metolius River Basin.

Sincerely,
Bill Leininger
Sisters, OR

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.

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

Protect Our Watersheds - Elsa Ruth Douglass, Bend

Dear Senator Johnson,

I am writing to support prohibition of resorts within three miles of the Metolius River watershed. I attended many meetings in Sutherlin on watersheds in Douglas County, and I am greatly concerned about clean watersheds, the gold of the 21st century. Please do all that you can in all areas of Oregon to protect our watersheds, even if it means fewer developments and fewer tax collections. This is precious and vital land for our well-being. I am not a person of wealth and do not live in the Metolius area.
Thank you for your kind concern for this issue.
Sincerely,

Elsa Ruth Douglass
Bend, OR

Thank You - Rebecca Biddle Wood Hardesty, Boise, ID

Dear Members of the Oregon Legislature:

I want to thank all of you for your brilliant and successful efforts to protect the Metolius River from resort development. Your hard work, creativity and commitment will create a legacy for all Oregonians to appreciate forever. In particular, thank you Senator Westlund and Senator Walker for all of the research and findings you made to support the bill passing through the committee in its pure form. Oregonians from all over your state applaud all of you as their representatives for standing up and defending the priceless value of nature's beauty.

Rebecca Biddle Wood Hardesty
Boise, ID