FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OREGON EMPLOYER COUNCIL SPRING CONFERENCE 2019 ANNOUNCEMENT
News Release from Oregon Employment Department
March 26th, 2019 2:30 PM

Downloadable file: Oregon Employer Council Spring Conference 2019

THE MILL CASINO  – The Oregon Employer Council Spring Conference, an annual event, will be held on Monday and Tuesday, April 29th and 30th at The Mill Casino in North Bend.

The Fall Conference offers keynote speakers and breakout sessions on human resources, labor law, and business topics, as well as opportunities to network with businesses from around the state. SHRM credits will be available.

Early bird registration is $299 and standard registration after April 1st is $349. Booths are available for exhibitors for between $600 and $800. To register or for more information, contact Greg Ivers gregory.e.ivers@state.or.us. Agenda and more information are available at www.oec.org.

The Oregon Employer Council is a nonprofit organization with chapters throughout Oregon.  OEC chapters create bridges between business and government, and provide low cost, local training for businesses. Membership is open to all Oregon businesses.


Contact Info:
Greg Ivers, 503-947-5403,
​gregory.e.ivers@state.or.us 

​TWO-MONTH CAMPGROUND CLOSURE AT BULLARDS BEACH EXPECTED
JAN. 2020
News Release from Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.
 March 26th, 2019 2:49 PM

BANDON, Ore. – The campground and overnight facilities at Bullards Beach State Park will be closed Jan. 1, 2020 – March 9, 2020 for construction on the campground’s main sewer line. All overnight facilities will be closed, including the RV dump station, but the day-use area of the park will remain open.

“Our campers know that they can usually reserve sites up to nine months in advance of their stay,” said Nick Schoeppner, park manager. “That works out to April 1 this year, so we wanted to get the word out about the closure now.”

Schoeppner says the sewer line project will modernize the system and allow for more consistent sewer operation in the campground.

Campsites and other overnight facilities are able to be reserved in advance up to nine months before the first night of stay; for example, a campsite reservation for Jan. 1, 2020 can be made as early as April 1, 2019. A reservation made for Jan. 2, 2020 can be made as early as April 2, 2019, and so on.

At Bullards Beach in 2020, the construction project will make all sites unavailable for reservation until March 10 that year. Applying the nine-month advance reservation rule, a reservation for March 10, 2020 can be made as early as July 10, 2019.

​KPFF, a construction contractor based in Portland, will perform the sewer work at the park.
Find more information about the park online at oregonstateparks.org or call the state parks info center at (800) 551-6949.

Contact Info:
Nick Schoeppner, Park Manager
541-347-2209 ext. 222 (desk)
Nick.Schoeppner@oregon.gov

The editor of the Bandon Western World refused to print this letter to the editor, but we will print it here on Coos County Watchdog.  Anyone is welcome to submit their letter to the editor....Rob T.  

​LEGAL POOL VOTE
 
Mrs. Lawson, the only part of your letter that is not propaganda is these four words:  "It needs city utilities."
 
Our utilities exist because of 100+ years of tax dollars paid to establish and maintain them.  The rightful owners of our utilities are all the citizens, all the taxpayers of Bandon.  These rightful owners must have the final say on whether your private corporation, with its outsized water needs, gets access to the services.
 
This permission must be granted via a formal, legal ballot--a ballot mailed to us under the signature of the County Clerk, a secret ballot that is opened and counted only by legally appointed and sworn election workers. 
 
You claim that your  project is for "everyone" in Bandon.  Prove it, by 1) ceasing your back-room collusion with the Mayor and two Councilors, and 2) directing your energy toward a legal ballot measure which asks:
 
"Do you want to allow a private corporation to locate its swimming pool in City Park for the purpose of taking city utilities?"
 
In a world where you can be anything, be honest!
 
 
William Hand
PO Box 1353

​PACIFIC POWER OFFERS NEW EQUAL PAYMENT PLAN OPT-OUT OPTION

News Release from Pacific Power
 March 12th, 2019 3:07 PM

Media Contact:                                                          
March 12, 2019
Pacific Power media line                                           
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
800-570-5838


Pacific Power offers new Equal Payment Plan Opt-out option
Customers choosing to opt-out of the statewide meter upgrade can now select a new plan to reduce monthly fees

PORTLAND, Ore. — As part of a statewide metering upgrade designed to improve service to customers through shorter outages and hour-by-hour energy usage information, Pacific Power is providing an additional offering for customers who wish to opt out. As part of a final filing to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Oregon on Monday, March 11, Pacific Power will now offer a commission-approved Equal Payment Plan Opt-out option to help reduce monthly fees starting March 13.

“We’ve heard from customers that the fee to opt out of a smart meter is burdensome, and we have continued to look for new options,” said Pacific Power Vice President of Regulation, Etta Lockey. “This has been a collaborative process with the PUC and the Citizens’ Utility Board, and we are pleased to offer this new option to customers.”

Smart meters wirelessly deliver hour-by-hour energy usage information to customers via their online account, eliminating the need to wait for a manual meter read and a monthly bill. While only around one percent of customers are opting out of the meter upgrade, choosing to do so adds a cost to continue manual meter reads.

The Equal Payment Option reduces opt-out fees for customers from the current $36 a month to $9 a month, by reducing the number of manual reads to three times per year ($36 per reading, spread across 12 months). It also allows customers to pay a level or equal monthly amount based on a historical average of their previous bills.

The standard opt-out plan will continue to be available as well and provides monthly manual $36 meter reads and bills based on monthly usage.

Customers must select the new option by calling 1-866-869-8520. All residential customers with non-standard meters are eligible to participate. Residential customers with net meters, time of use meters or demand registers would not qualify because it is necessary for the company to obtain routine meter reads to bill customers under those circumstances accurately.

Pacific Power’s upgrade of 590,000 meters began in January 2018 and continues through 2019. Installs are already complete for more than two-thirds of Pacific Power customers in Oregon. An opt-out option was made available during the upgrade to customers who choose to opt-out. In August, Pacific Power removed a $137 fee covering a future replacement of a non-communicative meter with a smart meter to help address the upfront financial impact of the program. This new Equal Payment Plan Opt-out option is part of Pacific Power’s continued review of opt-out fees, to ensure costs are fair for all customers.

Additional information on smart meters, including installation updates, are available at
www.pacificpower.net/smartmeter.
​Customers can also call 866-869-8520 for help with any questions.


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About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 740,000 customers in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting and enhancing the environment. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 1.9 million customers in six western states Information about Pacific Power is available on the company’s website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, which can be accessed via pacificpower.net.

Contact Info:
Media hotline: 800-570-5838

PRESIDENT PROPOSED $1.2 BILLION BLM BUDGET TO MEET ENERGY, OTHER PRIORITIES
News Release from Bureau of Land Management Ore. & Wash.
 March 12th, 2019 4:06 PM

WASHINGTON – President Trump has proposed $1.2 billion for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Fiscal Year 2020, allocating the resources needed to carry out BLM’s multiple-use and sustained-yield mission under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) by providing funds to promote responsible energy development, enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation, and advance conservation goals.

In addressing key Administration priorities, the budget request also calls for active management of timber and rangeland resources to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildland fire, create resilient landscapes, and protect local communities. The budget also provides funds for improved management of grazing, wildlife habitat, and other programs to better address the public’s needs while striking a regulatory balance.  Finally, the proposed budget includes funds to support BLM’s costs associated with implementing the Department’s reorganization plan.  This funding supports establishing and implementing Interior’s 12 unified regions, relocation of resources closer to customers, and implementation of shared service solutions.

Sustainably developing energy and natural resources
The 2020 budget promotes an “all of the above” domestic energy strategy to promote America’s energy security and generate revenues for Federal and State treasuries and local economies. 

The budget requests $198.4 million in discretionary resources for Energy and Minerals Management programs and reflects the continuation of actions the BLM has taken to streamline responsible impact analysis while consulting with stakeholders associated with such development.  Of that amount, $137.3 million is allocated for Oil and Gas Management, which includes leasing, permitting, inspection, and enforcement.

In order to fulfill the requirements of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 (PL-115-97), the BLM will continue to perform the work necessary to facilitate an initial oil and gas lease sale within the Coastal Plain of Alaska.  The law requires leasing to begin within four years of its passage by Congress.

The Administration continues to support development of minerals important to many Western communities by proposing $19.8 million for the Coal Management Program and $12.3 million for programs associated with the mining of other minerals such as precious metals, trona, limestone, phosphates, sand, and gravel.  The funds would be used to streamline program activities, expedite processing of mining permit applications, and provide for more timely inspection and enforcement actions.

The budget proposes another $29.1 million for the Renewable Energy Program, which includes solar, wind, geothermal, and rights-of-way for transmission and other areas that bolster America’s energy infrastructure.

Restoring Trust and Being a Good Neighbor

The BLM promotes shared stewardship across ownership boundaries and efforts to improve the ability to treat additional acres more resourcefully in order to meet its responsibilities under FLPMA. 

In response to President Trump’s Executive Order to promote active management of forests and rangelands, the BLM budget prioritizes active use of forest management to include forest thinning that increases resilience not only to wildfire but also to insects, disease, and drought.

To execute these activities, the budget calls for $10.2 million for forest management on public domain lands.  The $107.0 million request for the Oregon and California Grant Lands appropriation includes $97.0 million for the O&C Grant Lands Management activity, much of which will lay the groundwork to increase the amount of timber offered for sale there to 280 million board (MMBF) in 2021, reflecting the BLM’s commitment to advance timber production and forest health.  Approximately 226 MMBF were sold in 2018.

Conserving Our Land and Water Resources

Rangeland Management Program, which would absorb responsibilities for soil resources from a reorganized Soil, Water, and Air Management Program, would receive $92.0 million.  Responsibilities for this program include processing grazing fees and leases and investing in vegetation management projects to improve rangeland habitats.
The budget also seeks $75.7 million for the Wild Horse and Burro program, which in 2020 will continue to look for innovative ways to lessen the burden that growing wild horse and burro populations put on fragile rangeland resources and taxpayer resources.  The program will continue to increase public/private partnerships to place more animals into private care and reduce the number housed in government-funded long-term holding facilities, and continue working with organizations to create private/public partnerships on pasture/sanctuary lands.  The program will also continue working with academia and Federal partners to enhance existing fertility control vaccines and develop new population controls through research projects, and continue to pursue adoptions and sales, including incentivizing adoptions.

The proposed 2020 budget supports Secretarial Order 3362, Improving Habitat in Western Big-Game and Migration Corridors, by identifying $7.0 million to be used in coordination with States to support big game as well as evaluation and implementation of habitat restoration.

Expanding Outdoor Recreation

The budget proposal will continue to prioritize expanding access for the American public to the vast recreation resources on BLM lands, including hunting, fishing, and many other uses.  It proposes $54.8 million for Recreation Resources Management to meet growing public demand and will focus on areas in need of visitor services at the highest visitation sites.

The budget also includes $37.1 million for National Monuments and National Conservation Areas programs to protect designated historic landmarks, historic, and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest on the public lands, and to support outstanding recreational opportunities and public access for hunting, fishing, and other uses.

Cultural Resources Management, which supports the inventory, protection, and stabilization of BLM cultural sites, will receive $15.6 million. The program will also continue to provide support and guidance on consultation with Indian Tribes and to other BLM programs.

Modernizing the BLM

The budget advances the Department’s priority of modernizing the organization of the BLM in conjunction with the larger reorganization of the Department of the Interior.  For the BLM, this means relocating some staff and other assets to the West.

The new organization aims to reduce bureaucratic redundancy, improve communication between agency experts in the field and leaders in Washington, D.C., and allow the BLM to share its knowledge and resources more effectively among the Department’s field staff and local stakeholders.

# # #
Contact Info:
blm_press@blm.gov 

Opt-Out of the Historical Preservation Designation of Coos Bay

On November 1st 2018, the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians filed an application to place 20 square miles of land surrounding the Coos Bay on the National Register of Historic Places.

The only way to stop the government from listing the area on the National Register of Historic Places is for a majority of affected landowners to file an official Historic District Objection Form with the State of Oregon by May 10, 2019. 

Even though most of the area is submerged, the designation will affect properties inland from the high tide line.  The Tribe is making this proposal for the benefit of keeping the city accountable and to have more authority over their archeological lands. The area includes 158 archaeological and culturally significant sites,

The Parks & Rec Commission forwarded the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places on February 22 at their meeting in The Mill Casino, which the Coquille Indians own.  The people of Coos County have to get the word out for the opt-out. 

The group Coos Concerned Property Owners has opened up an office at 281 South Broadway, in Downtown Coos Bay a few doors down from the Prefontaine mural.  Their hours are Monday thru Friday between 9am to 6pm, or you can go to their website.