Oregon has provided the battleground for many contentious environmental issues. Tempers have flared on everything from the spotted owl to salmon, whether to release water to farmers or preserve it for fish and how to balance forest conservation with the logging industry's needs. With several cases in courts, the environmental debate weighs heavily on voters' minds and the candidates' platforms.
Forests have been at the forefront of many of the state's environmental disputes. Oregon has 27.5 million acres of forestlands and over the years has been victim to devastating forest fires, such as the 2002 Biscuit Fire in Southern Oregon that razed close to 500,000 acres. Environmental activists have called for the protection of forests, especially old-growth stands.
Many candidates say there is a need to employ "good science" in tackling the forest and other environmental issues.
U.S. Senate Democrat Ron Wyden said in an e-mailed statement that he will continue to fight to end logging on federal old-growth forests and protect areas like Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge with wilderness designations. He added that he will also work with communities to sustainably harvest trees from choked, second-growth plantations that currently "pose real threats to our forests and our communities."
"We need to protect the special areas so important to Oregonians and move forward on restoring sustainable natural resource jobs," he said.
His Republican opponent, Al King, who is also a farmer and a rancher, said through his profession he understands the value of caring for natural resources. He said there is a connection between people and their resources.
"The human resources only survive when they can use the natural resource," he said. He added that forests in Oregon have not been properly managed for sustained yields and are full of diseased trees and undergrowth.
"We've locked up the forest and we've let it burn," he said, adding that he is against roadless rules that limit access to certain areas and prevent proper maintenance of the forests. The Roadless Area Conservation Rule generally limits timber harvest, road construction and reconstruction within roadless areas on national forests and grasslands.
When there is no access, it is difficult to fight fires, and closing off the forests also prevents people from using it for recreational purposes and enjoying nature, King said.
"The worst thing is that we can't use it and if we can't use it, is goes to waste," King said. Republican state Senate candidate Norm Thomas had similar sentiments, saying the logging industry and the state's economy has suffered in recent years.
"We need to start using natural resources," he said, adding that while conservation of endangered species is important, it is vital to consider the impact on the human population. Thomas suggested that logging of new growth stands of timber be allowed and that human access not be restricted by roadless rules, especially because of the risk of major fires.
"We've lost a lot of forests in the last couple years," he said. Thomas added that he doesn't see why the state should not be able to clean out dry fuel from burned areas and salvage what it can.
"Unless we go and clean up, there's going to be another fire," he said.
However, other candidates support the roadless rule.
"We need to protect our roadless areas," said Paul Holvey, the Democratic 8th district state representative candidate. He added that the state must practice "sustainable" forestry that will not only ensure jobs, but also forest health.
"I really believe that there is a balance there, that we can have an economy that uses natural resources in a sustainable manner and that protects the environment," he said.
He said fellow Democrat Peter DeFazio, who is running for the U.S. Congress, has proposed an "excellent plan" for forests that will adequately address forest practices and jobs.
This plan, named the Northwest Rural Employment and Forest Restoration Act, would require the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to prioritize forest management by thinning and treating nearly two million acres of crowded second-growth stands and to protect native old-growth timber, according to a press release from DeFazio's office.
The plan would also ensure about 500 million board feet of federal timber harvest a year and avoid the appeals and litigation associated with old-growth logging, according to the release. "It's ridiculous that we continue to fight over the small amount of old-growth left in the Northwest while workers, mills and communities struggle to hang on," DeFazio said in the press release. He also said the Forest Service estimates there are six billion board feet of commercial timber in second-growth stands that need to be thinned "and most of it could be done with little or no controversy".
Apart from forests, Holvey said he is also concerned about land management and the state's watersheds. He said he will work for efficient systems that prevent the contamination of water in the state.
"We really need to do a better job of monitoring the water system," he said.
Democratic candidate for state Senate Floyd Prozanski said he also supports DeFazio's plan, which would not only stifle fires through thinning and proper management of stands, but would also boost the economy. Prozanski said he would also encourage alternative materials to make paper, such as industrial hemp instead of wood fiber.
Prozanski said he is also concerned about working for high air and water quality. "We want to make sure we have clean drinking water and clean air to breathe," he said. He added that he may also consider revising the recycling law in the state so that it is more inclusive of different types of containers.
On the other hand, the Republican state Senate candidate Jim Feldkamp campaign believes the amount of litigation on environmental cases is hindering progress.
"The courts are supposed to be used to resolve disputes, but there's a lot of abuse of the system," said Scott Jorgensen, Feldkamp's spokesman. He added that the Forest Service is spending a huge chunk of its budget dealing with lawsuits.
Citing the Biscuit Fire case, Jorgensen said lawsuits have prevented the Forest Service from cleaning up the affected area.
"Dead timber is laying there 'til now because the case is tied up in court," he said.
Jorgensen said there is a need to use common sense approaches that balance the needs of the environment and people's ability to make a living and that previous policies have harmed both people and animals. Giving the example of the Klamath Basin water wars in 2001 -- where the federal administration turned off irrigation water to more than 1,400 farmers, leaving it for suckerfish and coho salmon -- Jorgensen said people were not only deprived of their livelihood, but thousands of fish died as well.
ayishayahya@dailyemerald.com
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