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Volunteer Action Alerts

Contents:

• Key Central Oregon Issues for 2008
• Deschutes NF
• Central Oregon BLM
• Ochoco NF
• Malheur NF
• Umatilla NF
• Additional
• Sisters Aspen Lakes Destination Resort
• Badlands Wilderness Designation
• Biomass Fuels
• Newberry Caldera

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Key Central Oregon Issues for 2008: You Can Help!

From 2007 into 2008: Enjoying and Protecting our Irreplaceable Wildlands

Throughout this past year Juniper Group Sierra Club volunteers have been helping on our regions many conservation issues. Members have helped with community outreach; surveys and monitoring of public lands projects ranging from timber sales, to geothermal energy exploration, to OHV abuse, to restoration projects and hikes. Volunteers have written public legal comments for the Juniper Group on National Forest and BLM projects, helping with still ongoing and one successfully concluded lawsuit effort protecting spotted owl old growth forests in the Deschutes. Volunteers have hiked the ground through all seasons, done fly-over surveys taking aerial photos, helped gather scientific research, written letters to editors and featured opinion articles, provided legal declarations, conducted presentations, tabled at public events and venues, helping increase awareness of conservation issues while joining together to effectively protect public wild lands.

The Sierra Clubs true strength, and ongoing ability to protect the natural heritage of current and future generations, exists with you, our members. Without you as our eyes and ears, we are blind and deaf, and consequently we become mute.  WE NEED YOU!  No experience is necessary, just an enthusiasm for wild nature, and an inquisitive mind and spirit.  To join in Eastern Oregon Sierra Club efforts, please contact our Eastside Organizer, Asante Riverwind, at asante.riverwind@sierraclub.org or (541) 322-4065.

Below is a brief list of ongoing volunteer opportunities.  However, this really is just a BRIEF list.  For a COMPLETE and updated list of actions to protect our natural resources, look at the Asante's current report 2008 Eastside Forest Volunteer Opportunities.  It's a bit overwhelming! But look carefully, there's an environmental challenge in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.  That's why we need you!

Deschutes NF:

• Sisters Ranger District
1. Five Buttes - We are engaged in a lawsuit to protect old growth forests and spotted owl habitat from harmful logging in the Deschutes National Forest Five Buttes timber sales, with needs for additional photo surveys and community outreach. The ongoing logging has been felling 200 to 400 year old ponderosa pines, which have survived centuries of recurrent fires, under the pretense of fire risk reduction. Click here to see photos of this logging! The Forest Service has delayed the auction of the next timber sale, labeled "Ham", located in spotted owl LSR forest, until July 29, with the auction of three other additional sales delayed until Aug through Oct. This gives us more legal and volunteer survey time before these could be logged. However, it also removes our claim of imminent logging harms. The legal strategy for this case is being reassessed.
2. Snow Fuels - The project is located alongside the Cascades lakes Scenic Highway from Elk Lake at the north to Crane Prairie at the south, and borders the Three Sisters Wilderness. An Environmental Assessment (EA) has just been issued for this proposed fuels-reduction logging project, with public comments due around April 13 (see the Positions and Resources page for the Juniper Group comments). A decision is expected some time in 2008. Continued volunteer help is needed to bring ecological changes to the agency's logging plans.
3. Glaze Meadow Restoration, photo by Marilyn Miller Glaze Meadows Restoration - Ongoing involvement in the developing collaborative restoration project with Oregon Wild at Glaze Meadows, in the Deschutes National Forest near Black Butte west of Sisters. The project is currently in its public comment and review sequence, with comments submitted April 21st. The comments addressed additional ecological and wildlife protective changes needed, while also expressing appreciation for the agency’s willingness to incorporate conservation concerns into this Forest Service/Oregon Wild initiated restoration/logging project. Sierra Club members who live in the general project area, along with other residents, attended a field trip the previous week, and their insights were incorporated into our comments also.  Volunteer help is needed in continuing to monitor project development and address conservation objectives.
4. GW Fire Timber Sale - Located west of Sisters, near the Mt. Washington Wilderness. Volunteers have helped conduct initial surveys and photo documentation of this proposed postfire logging project. Ongoing volunteer efforts will be needed in 2008 as this project nears an agency decision, including additional survey/photo hikes, community outreach, and public comment help.
5. Sisters Area Fuels Reduction Project timber sale - Proposed "fuels reduction" logging across 17,573 acres adjacent to the community of Sisters, surrounding the town's southern and western borders. Volunteers have helped with initial surveys and photo documentation. This project will likely have a decision on its Environmental Assessment during spring 2008. The proposed logging would harm forest ecological integrity, removing mature and old ponderosa pines, as well as smaller trees and brush, reducing habitat and hiding cover for wildlife including deer, bobcats, bears, coyotes, small mammals, raptors, and native and neotropical migrant birds, while damaging forest soils and plants. Volunteer help is needed building community awareness and involvement, and in legal comment and appeal efforts.
6. Three Creeks - A proposed fuels reduction project located adjacent to the Sisters SAFR project above, in forests near the Three Creeks Lake recreation area, which will need volunteer monitoring in 2008.
7. Black Crater Fire - Our allied lawsuit resulted in a negotiated court approved settlement that successfully protected 7 of the sale's 8 units, including all 6 of the best old growth spotted owl forest habitat units, halting almost all of this postfire timber sale located in designated Late Successional Reserves. A wildlife celebration hike is planned for later this spring, and volunteers are needed to help plan this event.
• Bend / Fort Rock Ranger District
1. West Tumbull "Fuels Reduction" timber sale - A 4,500 acre "fuels reduction" timber sale located 10 miles west of Bend has been proposed by the Forest Service. The area includes recreationally popular Tumalo Falls and the Tumalo/Skyliner Recreation Area. Volunteer involvement is needed to help guide this project.
2. Snow Fuels Reduction Project - An Environmental Assessment (EA) has just been issued for this proposed fuels-reduction logging project, with public comments due around April 13. The project is located alongside the Cascades lakes Scenic Highway from Elk Lake at the north to Crane Prairie at the south, and borders the Three Sisters Wilderness. Volunteers are helping monitor and document ecological concerns in the agency’s ongoing planning process for this timber sale, joining in meetings and field trips with Forest Service staff, and helping in writing initial comments on this project.
3. Oz Research Project - A "scientific research" thinning-logging project located in primarily second growth forests near Sunriver on both sides of Hwy 97. Volunteer involvement in field trips resulted in agreements to incorporate conservation concerns into the project design and implementation. The project design is also being modified to better ensure retention of existing old snags, large logs, large diameter trees, and protection of focal wildlife areas. Continued volunteer involvement is needed in monitoring this project and assessing its impacts.
4. Lava Cast - Volunteer efforts succeeded in significantly changing this "fuels reduction" project, with the agency implementing variable 16" and 18" diameter limits, retaining wildlife cover areas in each unit, and dropping units of particular wildlife and old growth concerns.
5. South Bend and Sunriver "fuels reduction" timber sales - Sierra Club volunteers and Sunriver community members helped successfully convinced the agency to scale down the impacts of this logging-thinning project. Follow-up volunteer help is needed to monitor the project as it is implemented.
• Crescent Ranger District
1. Five Buttes timber sale - We currently are in a lawsuit contesting the agency’s decision approving logging across 4,235 acres, removing14.4 million board feet of forest, and constructing 5.9 miles of "temporary" roads. The sale is located in old growth mixed conifer spotted owl nesting habitat, and adjacent mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests in the Cascades Lakes Recreation Area including Odell, Davis, and Wickiup Lakes. Allies Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project, Oregon Wild, and Cascadia Wildlands Project are also co-litigants working with us in this effort. Sierra Club volunteers are involved in ongoing legal efforts to stop this harmful timber sale, which has logged 200 to 400 year old trees under the pretense of fire risk reduction. Volunteers, similar with Black Crater above, have helped survey, participate in meetings with the Deschutes Forest Service and allies, submit legal declarations, and conduct outreach in this ongoing effort to protect spotted owl LSR habitat and irreplaceable old growth forests. We are currently waiting for a federal court ruling on our motion for an injunction. The Forest Service plans to auction additional sales in spotted owl old growth forest habitat beginning in April 2008. Additional volunteer help will be needed throughout the course of sale litigation, assisting in surveys, photo documentation, possible aerial fly-over photo surveys, declarations, and community outreach & presentations.
2. BLT timber sale - Initial allied volunteer surveys have documented some of the sale units in this proposed timber sale across thousands of acres of forests near the junction of Hwy 97 and Hwy 58 and the Crescent Lake area. Continued volunteer involvement is essential in bringing needed conservation changes to this project as it is developed towards a Forest Service decision in 2008.

Central Oregon BLM:

1. Newberry Geothermal Exploration Project - Last fall BLM approved geothermal exploration test drilling across three 5-acre sites just outside the boundaries of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument on Deschutes National Forest lands. We appealed the agency's decision. This appeal is still pending. Drilling preparation has already resulted in converting one 5 acre area of former forest into a clear cut industrial site, and with work scheduled to begin on two more sites soon. Similar geothermal exploration has resulted in highly toxic emissions of hydrogen sulfide and other dangerous pollutants. See the Newberry Caldera article below for more details.
2. La Pine HFRA - This project originally proposed 27,000 acres of logging and was reduced down to approximately 3,500 acres near residences through the efforts of volunteers. The agency also agreed to a maximum 16" diameter cutting limit throughout, with trees above 12" diameter cut being mostly lodge pole pine. Follow-up volunteer involvement is needed to assess project impacts and effectiveness.
3. John Day Resource Management Plan - Allied groups and volunteer efforts are addressing BLM management plans, long-term conservation concerns and objectives in the John Day Basin public lands, continuing into 2008.
4. OHVs/Travel Management Plans - Volunteer attendance at Travel Management Planning open house events, participation in public comments, analysis review, and planning in the central Oregon BLM lands region, are needed to insure this plan reflect conservation goals. These efforts are ongoing throughout 2008 will continue into 2009.

Ochoco NF:

• Lookout Mountain Ranger District
1. Spears Timber Sale - The Spears thinning-logging sale is being implemented over the next two years, with areas needing survey hikes this spring through fall season. After years of contention, including a successful appeal and lawsuit that stopped earlier versions of this timber sale, conservation issues were incorporated through successful appeal settlement negotiations last fall. This is a conservation-proactive victorious settlement.
2. McKay Creek Trail Damage, photo by Marilyn Miller McKay OHV - The Sierra Club is working with local "Friends of the McKay" group. Volunteer help is needed continuing to bring greater community awareness of the need to protect and restore this steelhead trout waterway from OHV abuse. The agency, responding to our concerns and documentation of OHV harms, initiated a series of restoration projects in the area, including blocking OHV access to the waterway, as possible. Another seasonal closure was been issued, prohibiting OHV use in the area during winter and spring wet seasons, until June 1. However, efforts to address long-term OHV abuse and travel management issues remain a strong focus of volunteer work in the area, with additional help needed during 2008.
3. Harvey Gap - Negotiations resulted in changing this small timber sale of wind-thrown old trees. The settlement requirs retention of trees located in a seasonal riparian drainage, on steep slopes, and in good wildlife habitat areas. Volunteer help is needed surveying the project area for agency adherence to conservation agreements.
4. Snowshoe Fuels - Communication with the Ochoco Ranger District resulted in the incorporation of conservation objectives in the design of this fuels-reduction thinning project.  Volunteer help is needed to participate in the public decision process and documenting project impacts and effectiveness.
5. East and West Maurys Fuel & Vegetation Management Projects - Volunteer monitoring needed for these logging-thinning impacts.  
• Paulina Ranger District
1. Beaver Creek timber sale - The agency plans an Environmental Assessment for the Beaver Creek Vegetation Management Project. The 39,000 acre project area would include proposed commercial logging across 2,900 acres; with approximately 17,700 acres of various types of burning; 8,300 acres of "pre-commercial thinning", and about two miles of "temporary" (new) road construction. The agency proposes to issue an amendment to "eastside screens" riparian area protections to allow logging in 360 acres of Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RCHAs). The project area borders Black Canyon Wilderness on the north, and Rager Ranger Station on the south at the Ochoco boundary. Volunteers are needed to help hike and document forest and watershed conditions in this area, assess conservation concerns, and participate in the public comment process.
2. Black Canyon Wilderness Trail - The agency plans to relocate wilderness hiking trails off adjacent private lands, and plans to create better trail access by connecting the Cottonwood Creek roadless area and Black Canyon Wilderness. Volunteer help is needed assisting in trail work and invasive plant removal from wilderness area trails and sites.
3. Willow Pine - Volunteer help is needed in survey monitoring of this fuels reduction logging project also. Last year, field trips and meetings resulted in changing this large-scale thinning project. The agency agreed to use variable 16" to 18" diameter cutting limits, drop old forest, goshawk, step slope, and riparian proximity areas, retain a percentage of un-thinned areas in all units, and not build any new roads.
4. Maury Mountains Grazing - Our appeal of livestock grazing in this area resulted in an agreement by the agency for better monitoring and compliance enforcement, and maintaining exclosures to protect waterways and young aspen stands. Appeal issues, and a consequent field trip resulted in a ranchers' agreement to better protect waterways and forest vegetation from livestock. Monitoring review following 2007's summer season found significantly improved conditions throughout the Maury Mountains forest allotments. Volunteers are needed to continue monitoring during and after the 2008 grazing season.

Malheur NF:

• Blue Mountain Ranger District
1. Thorn Post-fire timber sale - Located near Dayville spanning 7,456 acres from north facing Aldrich Ridge roadless area to Fields Creek. On March 7, 2008 the agency signed a decision for logging 21.9 million board feet from 2,529 acres of forest and another 870 acres of roadsides, including logging within the wilderness quality "unlogged" Aldrich roadless area. Fire burned through the area's forests in August 2006. This project is in appeal period, with appeals due April 26. The Sierra Club has approved appeal and litigation to stop this ecologically harmful timber sale, with a team of volunteers, allies, and attorneys involved in this ongoing effort (see the Positions and Resources page for the appeal document). If negotiations are unable to resolve conservation issues, a lawsuit will be filed to stop this sale later in April or early May.  Note: As of May 8 a tentative settlement agreement was made with the Forest Service and other involved parties.  A more complete statement of the settlement will be posted when it is finalized.
2. Blue Mountains Forest Partners (BMFP) - Damon Scotty Restoration Project -  Volunteer help is needed participating in this collaborative group restoration project, identifying and incorporating conservation issues and objectives into the developing project’s design.
• Prairie City Ranger District
1. Dads Creek Project (near Prairie City)is a Blue Mountains Forest Partners collaborative group restoration project. This is first of several potential restoration projects in the area, with others also being discussed. The diverse collaborative group brings together representatives from all sides on forest issues, in an effort to respectfully discover common ground and accomplish needed restoration. BMFP monthly meetings (usually held in John Day) and project work are ongoing, and are open to regional conservationists and interested community members.
2. Crawford, Big Creek Aspen, Canyon Creek, 16 Road, and Dans Creek Blowdown timber sales - all of these "fuels reduction" and/or "aspen recovery" sales have been changed to incorporate significant conservation concerns. Canyon Creek was changed as a result of negotiations during its appeal period, others were changed as a result of issues raised through public comments and ongoing communication with agency staff. Projects are located in areas with vulnerable wildlife species and salmonid waterways. Volunteer help is needed monitoring these projects as they are implemented, documenting and assessing impacts, ensuring protective ecological provisions are followed.
3. Knox timber sale - Proposed logging across 1,840 acres of forest. Initial agency plans propose using heavy soil damaging logging machinery throughout the area. Sierra Club scoping comments submitted last year raised the need to analyze and disclose ecological conditions and concerns. Volunteer help is needed hiking and documenting the project area, assessing project impacts on wildlife species and salmonid waterways, and assisting in addressing ecological and legal issues. Work on this is ongoing, with an Environmental Assessment and public comment period expected sometime this spring/summer.
• Emigrant Creek Ranger District
1. Egley postfire timber sale - A developing proposal for postfire logging near Delintment Lake and the Silver Creek roadless area NW of Burns.  To meet conservation concerns, the Malheur has revised their initial plans. The current proposal limits logging to only roadside hazard, safety objectives in campgrounds, and around management facilities/livestock water troughs, etc. The inclusion of many interior forest spur roads – which should instead be closed - remains a concern, as does the projected high board foot volume of 20 to 27 million board feet. Volunteer help is needed in surveying the project area and surrounding forests, assessing potential impacts and concerns, and helping with public comments and ongoing conservation outreach in area communities.
2. Biomass Stewardship plans - Large scale stewardship logging-thinning projects throughout forests east of Hwy 395 north of Burns/Hines are planned as part of a developing proposal to locate biomass energy production plants in the area. There is also a similar early developing plan for a biomass plant and large-scale thinning in the Seneca/Canyon City area.

Umatilla NF:

• Heppner Ranger District
1. Wildcat Fuels Reduction Project - This 25,450 acre project area is located in the central portion of the Heppner Ranger District, between Skookum Creek on the West and Ditch Creek on the east, encompassing Swale, Bear, and Little Bear Creeks, tributaries to Little Wall Creek and the North Fork John Day River. The Environmental Assessment was released for public comment on March 14, with comments due by April 21. We will be conducting a volunteer field trip to this area later this spring as it becomes accessible with snow melt.
2. Monument Fire timber sale- The Heppner Ranger District is developing a proposal for a potentially large-scale timber sale in this postfire area. The fire burned approximately 13,000 acres of Umatilla NF lands, including roadless areas, salmonid creeks, and wildlife winter range. The scoping comment period for the Monument project EA concluded in early February, with an EA expected for a 30 day public comment period in mid to late May. Volunteer help will be needed to hike-survey the area and address conservation concerns in the EA (likely due sometime June).
3. West End OHV Designation - The agency has proposed designating 96 miles of roads throughout the western half of the Heppner Ranger District for Off Road Vehicle (ORV) use, including 48.5 miles of closed roads. We joined with local volunteers and regional allies in scoping comments submitted March 14.  Volunteer help is needed in documenting ongoing OHV harms and addressing this proposal when the Environmental Assessment is released for public comment this spring.
• North Fork John Day Ranger District
1. Sugar Bowl and Otter fire timber sales - Ecological and legal issues raised in our comments on these two postfire timber sales apparently delayed the agency's planned expedited timeline, with an appealable decision expected sometime in early spring. Volunteer help is needed surveying proposed logging areas, assessing impacts, and addressing conservation concerns in a likely appeal and subsequent negotiations.
2. Farley timber sale - Located in the District's Desolation Creek watershed, the area encompasses 70,000 acres of forests. Proposed logging would remove 6 million cubic board feet across 17,460 acres. Planned logging borders wilderness, and includes salmon waterways and old growth forests. The Forest Service plans 40 miles of new and so-called "temporary" roads, in addition to use of another 50 miles of reconstructed roads. Scoping comments were sent in early December, 2007, with an Environmental Assessment expected for public release sometime early this spring. Volunteer help is needed in hiking/surveying proposed logging area forests once snowmelt allows access.
3. Skull and Flat timber sales - Both of these small thinning sales were scaled down by the agency to protect mature and old trees, steep slopes, and salmonid riparian areas in response to NEPA comments and communication with agency staff and decision-makers. Volunteer help is needed during 2008 monitoring these projects to document impacts and ensure ecological protections are followed.
4. Falls Meadowbrook timber sale- This project was significantly changed from the agency's original large scale logging proposal. Old growth and mature forests were dropped from the timber sale, removing over 1,500 acres from planned logging which also reduced the planned re-opening of closed roads; use of dangerous herbicides was also dropped from the project, while the acreage of reintroduced controlled fire was increased. Volunteer help is needed monitoring the project, ensuring ecological protections and changes are followed by the agency.
5. Cooperative Trail Survey - A cooperative effort with the Forest Service surveying and inventorying wilderness trails in the Umatilla NF is planned this year.
• Walla Walla Ranger District, Oregon Portion
1. Loon "Fuels Reduction" timber sale - Located east of Tollgate and the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, north/northwest of Elgin, spanning from Andies Ridge & Prairie northward to Jubilee Lake, encompassing Gordon, Eagle, North & South Fork Cabin, and Lookingglass Creeks; this proposed timber sale would log approximately 4.8 to 6 million board feet (mmbf) from 2,870 acres of forest.  Plans call for constructing approximately 1/3 mile of road, and maintenance and use of 47 miles of road, including opening 18 miles of closed roads and 3 miles of restricted roads for logging. The Sierra Club joined in Hells Canyon Preservation Council’s comments on the Environmental Assessment for this project. Volunteer help is needed surveying and photo documenting project units, including sale markings, and identifying specific areas of ecological concerns.
2. Cobbler timber sale - District plans propose an 11 million board foot “fuels reduction” timber sale across 3,900 acres in Wallowa and Union Counties near Elgin. The proposal also involves 8,000 acres of controlled fires. The Sierra Club joined in Hells Canyon Preservation Council’s scoping comments for the planned Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project. Volunteer help surveying and photo documenting project units and identifying specific areas of ecological concerns is needed. 

Additional:

Most all the above also have other ongoing efforts, monitoring and bringing changes where needed to livestock grazing, helping close excessive roads protecting wildlife habitat, noting areas needing restoration, etc. Also, on the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallow-Whitman NF efforts continue covering the Forest Plan Revision process. There are additional allied efforts in the Fremont, Winema, and Wallowa-Whitman eastside forests that need volunteer help too, as well as new projects that will emerge as the year progresses.

Off Highway Vehicles - Ongoing efforts addressing OHV issues and agency Travel Management Plans that volunteers can help with. TMPs are being planned by the Deschutes, Ochoco, and Crooked River Grasslands Forest Service throughout 2008.

Working together, Sierra Club members continue to achieve victories for our natural lands. Thanks to volunteer help throughout 2007, we won a legal settlement protecting old growth spotted owl forests near Black Crater in the Deschutes, and brought needed changes to several timber sales in the Deschutes, Ochoco, Umatilla, and Malheur National Forests and on Central Oregon BLM lands.

Help protect forests, wildlife, and salmonid waterways. Join our effective volunteer conservation efforts in Oregon's beautiful eastside forests!

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Sisters Aspen Lakes Destination Resort

New Resort Proposed for Sisters Would Mean Trouble for Struggling Whychus Creek - and a Loophole Big Enough to Drive a Golf Cart Through

A Sisters developer could be the first in the state to attempt to convert an existing housing subdivision to a destination resort. Never mind that the proposal doesn't conform to Deschutes County's comprehensive plan. Or that the Aspen Lakes Golf resort project clearly fails to meet Goals 6 and 8 of state destination resort guidelines. The developer contends that "the proposed text amendment will have no effect upon the air, water and land resources quality in Deschutes County." But the property for the project comes within .16 miles of Whychus Creek, a federally-designated Wild Scenic River upstream. The environmental impacts of a large lodge, hundreds of houses and other amenities there promise to be devastating for the creek, since the source of water for the hundreds of new housing and lodging units proposed will be the aquifer which recharges Whychus.See the Aspen Lakes Article for more details. The Juniper Group has submitted a letter to the Deschutes County Planning Commission opposing the amendment. If you want to help fight this new assault on the environment, email Merry Ann Moore.

May 13 Update:

In the latest twist on Deschutes County destination resorts, a project proposed for rural Sisters will be deliberated a second time by the Planning Commission on June 12. The Commission is divided on whether to go along with the novel legal approach used by the developer, who plans to convert an existing housing subdivision to a resort. Commissioners wanted more time to hear opinions from two absent commissioners.

Owners of Aspen Lakes Golf Estates (a clustered subdivision of 115 houses to date, built over the past 15 years) is asking planning commissioners to consider only a narrow "text amendment," not the ramifications of the additional housing and resort buildings they acknowledge they want to graft onto their development. (A text amendment is a permanent language change to the county code, which creates formal policy which guides development in the county.)

The issue is important not just for the negative environmental impacts of siting a destination resort .16 miles from critical steelhead and salmon reintroduction sites on WhyChus Creek. A yes vote on the language change would weaken standards for overnight lodging for destination resorts. Resort developers are required to build this lodging first, before housing. Yet, Aspen Lakes already has well in excess of 100 homes, with no overnight lodging units. Moreover, it would allow the developers to build new housing on property that was formally designated Open Space in perpetuity as part of the original subdivision. It could create a new pathway for converting existing housing subdivisions to resorts, which would be attractive to developers, since they would not be required to build the amenities of a resort and establish full environmental mitigations for its impacts first. It would set a precedent for creating subdivisions outside the urban growth boundary.

Both the Deschutes County Planning and Legal Departments have recommended that the Planning Commission vote no on this text amendment. The state Department of Land Conservation and Development has also weighed in, stating that converting subdivisions to resorts is not allowed under state law.

Please write to planning commissioners right away and ask that they vote no on TA-07-7, "Proposed Changes to Destination Resort Code." Thank Commissioners Pace and Quatre for stating their concerns about the text amendment. Ask that the developer seek approval for a destination resort through the normal channels, without a language change in county code. Send comments addressed to Commissioners Richard Klyce, Robert Otteni, Brenda Pace, Susan Quatre, Todd Turner and Kelly Smith to planningcommission@co.deschutes.or.us or by mail to:

Deschutes County Planning Commission
c/o Peter Gutowsky
Community Development Department
117 NW Lafayette Bend, OR 97701

And, please attend the deliberations on June 12, 5:30 p.m., in the Barnes and Sawyer Room (1st floor), Deschutes Service Center, located in the County State Offices building, 1300 NW Wall. Let the Commissioners know you are concerned!

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Badlands Wilderness Designation

ONDA Works with Senator Wyden to Push Badlands Wilderness Designation Legislation this Session of Congress!

Badlands Canyon Cliff, photo by Marilyn Miller The Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) is working with Senator Ron Wyden to move forward the legislation in Congress this session to designate the Badland east of Bend as a Wilderness Area. This legislation has in the past been blocked by lack of interest, and in some cases, opposition by local groups, including the Deschutes County Commissioners. Much of this opposition seems to have recently dissipated. And, the recent endorsement of Wilderness designation by Oregon Governor Kulongoski in the Oregonian has given this initiative a boost.

Now, your support is needed! Go to the ONDA Badlands page for more information, and an easy form to fill out sending an email to Senator Wyden supporting Wilderness designation for the Badlands. Do it now! Let's make this happen!!

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Biomass Fuels

Is Biomass Fuel a Good Idea?

Recently much has been written and laws have been passed promoting biomass fuels as one of the solutions to global warming, air pollution, and petroleum dependency. But are biomass fuels really a good solution? There are several open questions in the science: including sustainability, the impact on our forests and agriculture, and does it really reduce emissions. Read the articles linked below for a discussion of the biomass fuels science.

Will Biomass Fuel Burn Out in 10 Years? Bend Bulletin, Wednesday, February 6, 2008.

Biofuels Crops Increase Carbon Emissions Los Angeles Times, Friday, February 8, 2008

The Clean Energy Scam Time Magazine, Thursday, March 27, 2008

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Newberry Caldera

An Issue of Place: Geothermal Heats the Caldera

by Asante Riverwind

Spring sunlight glints myriad stars across turquoise-jade waters. With soft sounds of lapping waves, my kayak veers towards bubbling hot springs corralled with logs at shores edge. An osprey calls, flying a fish on its last earthly journey towards nest-bound young. South, jagged spires of Paulina Peak watch over two lakes below separated by forests and obsidian swirled lava flows. Without intervention the fate of this area is possibly as imperiled as that of the fish flying in ospreys talons.

Newberry National Monument is a world renowned volcanic geologic treasure. The 500 square mile Newberry Caldera is one of the largest shield volcanoes in North America. Similar to Crate Lake, recreationally popular Paulina and East Lakes are located within caldera. Nearby forests cradle an 80 foot waterfall as wild and scenic Paulina Creek drops into a canyon. The deep lakes and beautiful forests provide habitat for nesting bald eagles, osprey, black bears, pine marten, ducks, geese and tundra swans.

Newberry Caldera, like much of the Cascades, is still geologically young. Hot springs along Paulina Lakes shores are heated from slumbering volcanic depths far below. Heat rising from deep magma baked rocks has brought geothermal speculators; power companies and investors holding leases on public lands. Without required public hearings and environmental analysis, geothermal leases were issued over two decades ago on Forest Service lands.

Conservation and community desires to protect the natural beauty of Newberry Caldera and its two popular lakes, led to the creation of the Newberry National Monument in 1994. The Monument was a cooperative effort involving diverse community members, including conservationists, public officials, area residents, and geothermal leaseholders. While the creation of the Monument protects much of the Newberry caldera from geothermal development, it does not prohibit exploration or production outside of Monuments boundaries. Negotiations with lease holding companies during the Monuments creation expressly retained the potential for geothermal energy development along the caldera outside Newberry boundaries. However, the Newberry Volcanic National Monument Act does not mandate geothermal resources be developed.

Instead, other federal laws govern, requiring BLM and the USFS assess ecological impacts and appropriateness of geothermal production in this area. Since mid-1980 when many geothermal leases were issued, awareness of geothermal energys adverse impacts has grown.

Originally touted as a renewable green energy source, growing experience and scientific research is now divided on whether geothermal energy is truly either. Electrical geothermal production requires large scale pumping of fluids from deep in the earth. Heated amidst volcanic rocks containing diverse arrays of toxic mineral compounds, fluids known as geothermal brines and steams commonly contain a toxic soup of dangerous chemicals, substances, and gases. During production processes, most of the fluids are contained in pipes and reinjected deep into the earth. However, during exploration, testing, construction, maintenance, and expansions toxins are routinely vented unabated into the atmosphere, with often devastating results including environmental pollution, harm to wildlife, waterways and fish, forests and native vegetation, loss of agricultural crops, and harms to workers and communities health. Long-term production evidences depletion of geothermal fluids, lowered aquifers, increased salinity, and a tapering off of production capacities. Scientists have concluded production plants also have caused increased seismic activity, resulting in low Richter scale swarms of quakes. But most research has been funded or conducted by companies with vested financial interests in results. Objective, independent research is needed to truly assess geothermal production impacts and longevity. (See WJJ Spring 2007.) 

In October 2007, BLM approved new exploration on the west side of Newberry. This was done without public hearings or adequate analysis. What passed as analysis was largely biased inaccurate information from industry. Among false claims made by BLM in the analysis is that eventual electrical production would help meet Oregons renewable energy goals and needs. Instead, current plans call for selling all electrical energy produced for California consumption. Interestingly, while citing future energy production as a reason to approve exploration, BLM simultaneously claims it doesnt need to evaluate production impacts as the agency considers these separate. Instead BLM myopically addressed only limited exploration issues.

This cart before the horse approach appears headed to the loss of Newberrys irreplaceable treasured qualities, from serene old growth forests and jeweled lakes to unspoiled high caldera ridge views and trails. An industrial-scale production plant would bring noise, toxic emissions and steam plumes, heavy truck traffic, and high voltage power lines within sight and hearing of the Monument. Full scale production could degrade Newberrys recreational and natural qualities, harm wildlife, and increase the likelihood of small quakes.

The recent exploration approval is not the first for this area. Over the past decades there have been several geothermal wells drilled, with limited results and continued speculation. The most recent was approved by the USFS and BLM in 1994. Cal Energy drilled wells at five sites after clearcutting and leveling these five acre sites. Results were inconclusive, with sites now long dormant. Promised reclamation was never done, with the sites put into suspension instead. During the decade-plus since, holding ponds for geothermal brines have been left open to wild birds and mammals, as well as unsuspecting humans and pets that may wander into these clearcuts along the Monuments western edge. Now, after failing to responsibly reclaim these sites, BLM and the USFS have approved three additional five acre clear cuts, including ponds for toxins, with up to nine exploration wells, continuing the industrial degradation of the areas forests. 

The Klamath Tribes, whose treaty-right ancestral lands include Newberry, are adamantly opposed to the exploration. They appealed BLMs decision stating their opinion was not taken into account where it came to our spiritual beliefs Our people cannot allow another project to destroy one of our sacred and holy areas to gather obsidian known as a Mbosaksawaas (Flint Place). The Cultural and Heritage Committee has opposed this project after a field trip revealed areas have been left destroyed for nine years with no attempt to rectify the situation. It would be negligent to allow another project to proceed based on an uncertainty as to whether or not a geothermal resource exists at the expense of our native practitioners and the general public that share our connection to the earth.

Many Sierra Club member share a deep love and concern for earths natural lands with the Klamath Tribes. Geothermal energy's claims to be green and renewable remain scientifically controversial as more evidence accumulates of its harms. Neither the conservation nor scientific communities have united on this still undecided issue.

Yet, federal laws are clear; before steps are taken that forever change the natural character of an area as treasured as Newberry, affected communities must be informed and meaningfully consulted. An environmental analysis of the full impacts of geothermal exploration and related production must be assessed and fully disclosed.

Summer surveys among Newberry Resort workers, residents, and visitors revealed no one knew about the current exploration. Instead, this decision is an ethically and legally unacceptable end-run circumventing public involvement and requisite analysis. The Oregon Chapter Sierra Club has voted to oppose the implementation of the Newberry Project, at least until unanswered questions and missing analysis have been addressed. Before geothermal exploration can begin at Newberry, we as a community must first decide if this treasured location is compatible with the known risks and harms inherent in geothermal energy production. If not, as many in the area believe, Newberry Caldera should be withdrawn from geothermal speculation, leases rescinded, and companies sent where production has less risk of harm.

For an in-depth analysis of geothermal and it's affect on the environment, see the article by Asante on the Positions and Resources page. To join in efforts to protect the Newberry Caldera, please contact us.

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