Click the following link for the FB event page:  

Please feel free to download the file for a copy of the flyer:

​Oregon Parks and Recreation Department // NEWS RELEASE // May 23, 2019
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Chris Havel, Associate Director //
Desk: (503) 986-0722
Cell: (503) 931-2590 // chris.havel@oregon.gov
Christine Curran,
Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer //
Desk (503) 986-0684
​Cell: (503) 510-6226 // chrissy.curran@oregon.gov


Community objects to the proposed Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me Traditional Cultural Property Historic District Salem, Ore. Thursday, May 23, 2019 -- The Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has determined that the opponents of the proposed Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me (Jordan Cove and the Bay of the Coos People) Traditional Cultural Property Historic District (District) in Coos County submitted enough objections to prevent listing the District in the National Register of Historic Places. According to federal rules for the program, if a majority of the private property owners within a proposed district object to the listing, the district cannot be listed in the National Register. There are 1,001 owners in the boundaries of the proposed district, and 696, or 70%, submitted valid objections.

The SHPO sent the nomination document to the NPS on May 23, 2019 for a “determination of eligibility.” In this process, the NPS determines if the District is eligible for listing in the Register, but does not actually list it. The SHPO expects the NPS to respond before early-July 2019, following a consideration period of up to 45 days.
The nomination document and all materials submitted to the National Park Service (NPS) are online at http://bit.ly/coostcp.

Additional comments may be sent to the National Park Service at:
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
1849 C Street, NW (7228)
Washington, DC 20240
Or
By email to Alexis_Abernathy@nps.gov.


The Oregon SHPO requests that all correspondence be copied to the office at
Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me
State Historic Preservation Office
725 Summer Street NE, Suite C
Salem, OR 97301
Or
By email to ORSHPO.NationalRegisterProgram@oregon.gov

The proposed Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me Traditional Cultural Property Historic District is a 20-square mile area that follows the general horseshoe shape of the Coos Bay Estuary. The District includes portions of the cities of Coos Bay and North Bend and Coos County. A Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) recognizes the cultural significance and identity of a living community. A TCP not only tells the stories of the people who have historically called the area home, but recognizes how the descendants of those people keep the traditional practices and beliefs alive.

The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI) nominated the District for its cultural significance to the Tribe. The Tribes tribe’s continued use of the estuary since time immemorial to present is shown by archaeological sites, named places in Hanis and Miluk dialects of the Coosan Language, and the presence of prehistoric and historic burials of peoples at former villages and Native American subsistence sites.

The State Advisory Commission on Historic Preservation, a governor-appointed volunteer commission of people with interest and skill in Oregon history, first reviewed and recommended approval of the nomination in February 2019.
# # #

Contact Info, for media use only:
Chris Havel, Associate Director
Desk: (503) 986-0722
Cell: (503) 931-2590
chris.havel@oregon.gov

Christine Curran, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
Desk (503) 986-0684
Cell: (503) 510-6226
chrissy.curran@oregon.gov

Related Posts:
Opt-Out of the Historical Preservation Designation of Coos Bay
OPRD ~ State Advisory Committee Meeting Historic Preservation February 22, 2019

It is about time the county grew a set and sued the FEDS into submission....Time to separate the CBWR from the O&C Lands as well and it will not happen unless we exert our local authority....Rob T.     

Coos County
April 16, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Coos County Litigation

Effective immediately, Coos County is entering into litigation against the U.S. Department of
Interior (DOI), acting by and through the Bureau of Land Management, and the Secretary of the
Interior, David Bernhardt.

The Board of Commissioners voted today in favor of seeking a federal judgment requiring, in part, that the DOI to meet its statutory duties under the 1939 Coos Bay Wagon Road Act (1939 Act). For many years, DOI has failed to convene a committee designed by the 1939 Act to fairly appraise Coos Bay Wagon Road lands. Convening this committee every ten (10) years is an unconditional requirement of the 1939 Act. DOI’s failure has wrought tangible harm and forced the County to make difficult financial decisions.

The County views this lawsuit as a last resort after years of efforts to bring DOI into compliance.  While this litigation continues, Coos County will not provide further comments.  “All we are asking the federal government to do is comply with their own law,” stated Commissioner Robert “Bob” Main. “Since we have been asking them for over six years, we have no other choice than to believe they aren’t listening.”

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
250 No. Baxter Street, Coquille, Oregon 97423
(541) 396-7535
FAX (541) 396-1010 / TDD (800) 735-2900
E-mail: bbrooks@co.coos.or.us
JOHN SWEET
MELISSA CRIBBINS
​ROBERT “BOB” MAIN

​STATE REQUESTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR JORDAN COVE REMOVAL-FILL PERMIT 
News Release from Oregon Dept. of State Lands

 April 11th, 2019 4:47 PM

​SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) has requested additional information from Jordan Cove Energy L.P. regarding the Jordan Cove Energy Project removal-fill permit application. 

DSL has completed review of the approximately 49,000 comments submitted during the comment period for the application. The Department’s review focused on identifying substantive issues relevant to the removal-fill law. The applicant has been asked to address multiple substantive issues identified by commenters, as well as other issues identified by DSL. 

The Department’s request to the applicant is available here. 

Applicant response has been requested by May 6, 2019. The applicant may request additional time to respond.

The permit decision deadline is September 20, 2019. In making a permit decision, DSL will evaluate the entire application record against the criteria for removal-fill permit issuance. 

Additional information about the removal-fill permit application is available on the DSL project website.

Contact Info, for media use only:
Ali Ryan Hansen, DSL Communications Manager
ali.r.hansen@state.or.us
503-986-5298 (desk)
503-510-6860 (cell)

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) with the participation of the cooperating agencies listed below, has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Jordan Cove Liquefied Natural Gas Project proposed by Jordan Cove Energy Project LP (Jordan Cove) and the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline Project proposed by Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline L.P. (Pacific Connector) (collectively referred to as the Jordan Cove Energy Project or Project). Under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), Jordan Cove requests authorization to liquefy at a terminal in Coos Bay, Oregon up to 1.04 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day for export for to overseas markets. Pacific Connector seeks a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity under Section 7 of the NGA to construct and operate an interstate natural gas transmission pipeline providing about 1.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from the Malin hub to the Jordan Cove terminal, crossing portions of Klamath, Jackson, Douglas, and Coos Counties, Oregon.

The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As described in the draft EIS, the FERC staff concludes that approval of the Project would result in a number of significant environmental impacts; however, the majority of impacts would be less than significant because of the impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures proposed by Jordan Cove and Pacific Connector and those recommended by staff in the draft EIS.

The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM); U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (Forest Service); Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation); U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service; U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard; the Coquille Indian Tribe; and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation participated as cooperating agencies in preparation of this EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. The cooperating agencies provided input into the conclusions and recommendations presented in the draft EIS. Following issuance of the final EIS, the cooperating agencies will issue subsequent decisions, determinations, permits or authorizations for the Project in accordance with each individual agency's regulatory requirements.

The BLM, with the concurrence of the Forest Service and Reclamation, would adopt and use the EIS to consider issuing a right-of-way grant for the portion of the Project on federal lands. Other cooperating agencies would use this EIS in their regulatory process, and to satisfy compliance with NEPA and other related federal environmental laws (e.g., the National Historic Preservation Act).

The BLM and the Forest Service would also use this EIS to evaluate proposed amendments to their District or National Forest land management plans that would make provision for the Pacific Connector pipeline. In order to consider the Pacific Connector right-of-way grant, the BLM must amend the affected Resource Management Plans (RMPs). The BLM therefore proposes to amend the RMPs to re-allocate all lands within the proposed temporary use area and right-of-way to a District-Designated Reserve, with management direction to manage the lands for the purposes of the Pacific Connector right-of-way. Approximately 885 acres would be re-allocated. District-Designated Reserve allocations establish specific management for a specific use or to protect specific values and resources. In accordance with Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 36 CFR 219.16, the Forest Service gives notice of its intent to consider amendments of Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMP) for the Umpqua, Rogue River and Winema National Forests. Proposed amendments of LRMPs include reallocation of matrix lands to Late Successional Reserves and site-specific exemptions from standards and guidelines and other LRMP requirements to allow construction of the Pacific Connector pipeline. Exemptions from standards and guidelines include requirements to protect known sites of Survey and Manage species, changes in visual quality objectives at specific locations, limitations on detrimental soil conditions, removal of effective shade at perennial stream crossings and the construction of utility corridors in riparian areas. Further information on Forest Service LRMP amendments is included below.

The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability of the draft EIS to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Indian Tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the Project area. The draft EIS is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov), on the Environmental Documents page (https://www.ferc.gov/​industries/​gas/​enviro/​eis.asp). In addition, the draft EIS may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link (https://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​elibrary.asp), click on General Search, and enter the docket Start Printed Page 13649number in the “Docket Number” field, excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-494 or CP17-495). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.

Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. Your comments should focus on the draft EIS's disclosure and discussion of potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. To ensure consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final EIS, it is important that the Commission receive your comments on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 5, 2019.
​
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit your comments to the Commission.[1] The Commission will provide equal consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form or provided verbally. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.

(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;

(2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on “eRegister.” If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select “Comment on a Filing” as the filing type; or

(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the following address. Be sure to reference the Project docket numbers (CP17-494-000 and CP17-495-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426

​(4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the Commission invites you to attend a public comment session that will be held in the Project area to receive comments on the draft EIS. The dates, locations, and times of these sessions will be provided in a supplemental notice.


Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more fully described at http://www.ferc.gov/​resources/​guides/​how-to/​intervene.asp. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial review of the Commission's decision. The Commission grants affected landowners and others with environmental concerns intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which no other party can adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered. Subsequent decisions, determination, permits, and authorization by the cooperating agencies are subject to the administrative procedures of each respective agency.

​Questions?

Additional information about the Project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.

In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription that allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​esubscription.asp.

Dated: March 29, 2019.

​Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Footnotes

1.  The contents of your comment including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information may be made available to the public. While you may request that your personal identifying information be withheld from public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Back to Citation [FR Doc. 2019-06715 Filed 4-4-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

​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.


-###-
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

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.

The City of Coos Bay, along with the City of North Bend and the Coquille Indian Tribe, recently adopted an ordinance to increase the local Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) (also known as the Hotel Occupancy Tax) by 2.5%.
 
Beginning April 1, 2019, lodging facilities within the city limits of Coos Bay or North Bend will begin collecting 9.5% tax per overnight stay in a commercial lodging facility, including hotels/motels/B&B inns, RV parks, and vacation rentals. This applies to check-ins on or after April 1, 2019.
 
State Law now allows lodging properties collecting local TLT to keep 5% of the total amount of local TLT collected as an administrative fee. New reporting forms will be made available for use when remitting TLT and will provide instructions for retaining this administrative fee.
 
The increase to the TLT will allow the Coos Bay-North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau to increase their advertising, marketing and promotions efforts to bring more tourism to the Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston area, collectively known as Oregon’s Adventure Coast. This will allow our area to compete for the tourist dollars against our neighbors on the Central and North Coast.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the City of Coos Bay’s Finance Department at 541-269-8915. ​

STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION MEETS FEBRUARY 22 IN NORTH BEND
News Release from Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.

NORTH BEND, Ore. – The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet at 9 a.m., Friday, Feb. 22 at the Mill Casino, 3201 Tremont Street, North Bend, OR 97459, and consider nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting is open to the public.

Friday’s meeting agenda: a presentation by the national register program coordinator, and hearings of one delisting request and three proposed nominations. Hearings will begin at 10:15 a.m. For specific hearing times, refer to the online agenda: www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/NATREG/Pages/nrhp_sachphome.aspx

The committee will review a delisting request for the John M. and Elizabeth Bates House in Lake Oswego. The committee will review three proposed nominations: the Roy E. and Hildur L. Amundsen House, Gresham; the Oregon Trail: La Grande to Hilgard Segment, Union County; and the Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me Traditional Cultural Property Historic District, Coos County.

Nominations recommended by the SACHP go to the National Park Service, which maintains the Register under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields.

The meeting site is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations for the meeting may be made with at least three days of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690.

More information about the National Register of Historic Places process is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on “National Register” at left of page).
​
Contact Info:
Robert Olguin, National Register Program Coordinator
Oregon State Historic Preservation Office
503-986-0668; robert.olguin@oregon.gov

February 22, 2019 - The SACHP will review the nomination document for the proposed Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me Traditional Cultural Property Historic District. The meeting will be at the Mill Casino, 3201 Tremont Street, North Bend, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
May 10, 2019 - Requested last day to submit notarized objections to the Oregon SHPO for the proposed historic district. Any notarized objection received after this date will be forwarded to the National Park Service before they make a final decision.
 
May 23, 2019 - Nomination for the proposed Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me TCP Historic District is forwarded by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to the National Park Service for a final decision. This date will change if the SACHP does not recommend that the district be listed in the National Register at its February 22nd meeting.
 
July 2019 - Expected date that the National Park Service will make a final decision regarding listing the proposed Q’alya ta Kukwis shichdii me TCP Historic District in the National Register. This date will change if the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) does not recommend that the district be listed in the National Register at its February 22nd meeting.
 
More information can be found at the City web site at http://coosbay.org/departments/community-development-department#planning-division  and the State Office of Historic Preservation web site at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/NATREG/pages/index.aspx. ​

Port of Coos Bay Commission Meeting Notice
The Board of Commissioners of the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay will hold its Regular Commission Meeting at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 22, 2019, in the Port’s Commission Chambers, located at 125 West Central Avenue, Suite 230, Coos Bay, OR.

AGENDA 
6. ACTION ITEMS
B. GMA Garnet Enterprise Zone Agreement
C. Jordan Cove Enterprise Zone Agreement
An Executive Session has also been scheduled on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, immediately after the Commission Meeting, in the Port’s Commission Chambers, at the same place.
(e) negotiate real property transactions;
(h) consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed;
(i) review and evaluate the job performance of a chief executive officer,
(j) carry on negotiations proposed acquisition, exchange or liquidation of public investments.
 **********************************************************************
​

download the Port Commission meeting packet here:
https://www.portofcoosbay.com/port-commission ​

Related Posts:
Oregon Dept of State Lands Public Hearings for Jordan Cove Project in January
LTE ~ JCEP Expanding its Slick PR Campaign
Community Enhancement Plan Workgroup Meeting Thursday, December 06, 2018
Coos County Commissioners Approve Tax Free Living in Bay Area Enterprise Zone
Coos County Planning Approves Extension Request for LNG Natural Gas Pipeline
Coos County Regular Board Meeting Tues 9:30am Dec. 5, 2017 ~ LNG on Agenda
FERC Notice of EIS for JCEP Public Comments & Meetings ~ Coos Bay June 27, 2017
Coos County Grants One Year Extension Approval for LNG Pipeline for the JCEP
BOC ~ Notice of Deliberation on JCEP Tuesday August 16, 2016
Public Meeting for Coos County April 19 & North Bend April 26, 2016 on JCEP
Open Letter to the Coos County Board of Commissioners Concerning the JCEP
LTE ~ Leshley Don't Know Dick About the JCEP Work Camp
Jody McCaffree Appeals LNG Road Construction Coos County Planning Oct. 9, 2015
Do Enterprise Zones Work? ~ An Ideopolis Policy Paper February 2011
Educational Enterprise Zone Workshop Roseburg OR Thursday, September 17, 2015
Coos County Planning Decisions on LNG & Effected Roads

​News Release from Oregon Dept. of State Lands

Posted on FlashAlert: December 21st, 2018 4:03 PM

Five public hearings will be held between Jan. 7 and 15 to hear comment on the removal-fill permit application for the proposed Jordan Cove Energy Project.  

In order to protect Oregon's water resources, the state removal-fill law requires projects that remove or fill material in wetlands or waterways to obtain a permit from the Department of State Lands (DSL). Input received during the permit application public comment period is used to determine what additional information the applicant may be required to provide, what issues the applicant may need to address, and ultimately to inform the Department’s permit decision.  
DSL will hold five public hearings to hear comment on the application: 
•    Klamath Falls: Monday, Jan. 7 from 5:30-8 p.m. at Klamath Falls Community College, Commons Building, 7390 S 6th St.
•    Central Point: Tuesday, Jan. 8 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Jackson County Expo, Padgham Pavilion, 1 Peninger Rd. 
•    Canyonville: Wednesday, Jan. 9 from 5:30-8 p.m. at Seven Feathers Casino, Cedar Room, 146 Chief Miwaleta Ln.
•    North Bend: Thursday, Jan. 10 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Mill Casino, Salmon Room West, 3201 Tremont Ave.
•    Salem: Tuesday, Jan. 15 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Auditorium, 700 Summer St NE. Please note this is a new location, directly across the street from the original DSL location.  
 
Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. for comment signup to begin. DSL asks that all attendees contribute to a respectful setting and a productive public comment hearing by following the hearing ground rules and comment procedures available on the DSL website: https://www.oregon.gov/dsl/WW/Pages/jordancove.aspx 

Comments may also be submitted to jordancove@dsl.state.or.us, by postal mail, or through a comment form. Full comment submittal information is available on the DSL website. 

The 60-day public review and comment period began Dec. 6, 2018, and ends Feb. 3, 2019, at 5 p.m. All comments must be received by this date and time to be considered. 

The complete application is available for download on the DSL website. Paper copies of the application are also available at the Coos Bay Public Library, the Sutherlin Library, the Winston Branch Library, the Jackson County Library, and the Klamath County Library. 
​
Contact Info:
Ali Ryan Hansen, DSL Communications Manager
ali.r.hansen@state.or.us
503-510-6860 (cell)

Submitted by Denny Powell

​​HELLO, MAYOR BENNETTI, CITY COUNCILORS.

I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY, WELL BEING AND HEALTH OF MY FAMILY, PETS, AND NEIGHBORS.

FIRST I AM GOING TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO DO SOMETHING, THEN I AM GOING TO TELL A STORY.

ON TO IT. I AM ASKING THE COUNCIL TO PLACE ON YOUR AGENDA, SUBJECT, SMART METERS IN THE CITY OF COOS BAY.

I WANT THE COUNCIL TO ORIGINATE AN ORDINANCE, SPECIFYING THE ELECTRIC POWER PROVIDERS TO CITIZENS LIVING IN COOS BAY CAN OPT-OUT HAVING A SMART METER PLACED UPON THEIR RESIDENCE, OR THEIR PROPERTY.  AND THERE WILL BE NO,  OPT-OUT CHARGE, OR FEE OR INCREASE OF RATES BECAUSE OF THE OPT-OUT.

THE ORDINANCE MUST ALSO INCLUDE THAT THE CUSTOMER CAN REQUEST TO HAVE A NON COMPUTERIZED  ANALOG METER PUT BACK IN SERVICE, IF IT HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A DIGITAL METER OR SMART METER, WITH OUT ANY CHARGES OR FEE OR INCREASE OF BILLING COST.

NOW, WILL THE COUNCIL OF COOS BAY STEP UP, JOIN OTHER COMMUNITIES/CITIES/AND COUNTIES OF THE STATE OF OREGON TO STOP THE NO CHOICE EXTORTION FEE DRIVEN SMART METER ROLLOUT BY THE POWER COMPANIES, SUPPORTED BY THE OREGON PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION.

THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB TO PROTECT THE THE CITIZENS OF OREGON. THEY HAVE GIVEN THEIR APPROVAL TO THE POWER COMPANIES ROLL OUT OF SMART METERS. WHILE REFUSING TO ALLOW PUBLIC INPUT OR EVIDENCE. 

AND, DAM, IF YOU DON’T WANT ONE ON YOUR PROPERTY OR RESIDENCE THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE POWER COMPANIES THE AUTHORITY TO PUNISH CUSTOMERS WITH A $36.00 CHARGE PER METER PER MONTH. IT IS ILLEGAL TO CHARGE SOME CUSTOMERS FOR METER READING AND NOT OTHERS. SMART METERS COST MORE TO READ THEIR POWER, NEW METERS, NEW ANTENNA’S, NEW EMPLOYEES, NEW INFRASTRUCTURE ETC. THIS IS PUNITIVE AND EXTORTION.

THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO STEP UP TO PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS FROM, WHAT, YOU SAY, FROM:

FIRE RISK
INCREASE BILLING
CHOICE TO OPT-OUT WITH-OUT A CHARGE
HOME SPYING
CONSTANT HIGH POWER RF (RADIO FREQUENCY) & MICROWAVE PULES
    10,000 TO 190,000 PER METER, PER DAY 24/7
STORY:

I CALLED THE POWER COMPANY SMART METER OPT-OUT PHONE NUMBER LAST WEEK TO OPT OUT 4 METERS

THEY WANTED TO VERIFY, THAT I UNDERSTOOD THERE WILL BE $36.00 PER MONTH PER METER CHARGE. I PROTESTED, BUT TOLD THE PERSON I UNDERSTOOD.

I ALSO TOLD THE PERSON ON THE PHONE I WANTED ONE OF THE METERS, WHICH HAD BEEN CHANGED TO DIGITAL READER, TO BE REMOVED AND THE ANALOG METER PUT BACK IN PLACE.

HE TOLD ME THEY NO LONGER HAVE ANALOG METERS,
   “OH WELL” HAY

ENVISION HERE WITH ME FOR A MOMENT, IN YOUR MINDS EYE, LIVING IN A BUILDING HAVING A CLUSTER 15 SMART METERS, PULSING, EACH ONE 10,000 TO 190.000 RF, MICROWAVE. PULSE PER DAY, 24/7.

YOU WOULD BE LIVING INSIDE A MICROWAVE OVEN.

THIS WHOLE CITY OF COOS BAY IS GOING TO BE INUNDATED WITH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS  OF THE RF MICROWAVE PULSE 24/7 WHERE YOU LIVE, WHERE YOU WORK, WHERE YOU SHOP, AND WHERE YOU SLEEP.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 

Ref: nosmartmeter.org


Denny Powell
737 N Broadway
Coos Bay OR 97420

AGENDA
Community Enhancement Plan Workgroup
December 6, 2018 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Coos Bay City Hall City Council Chambers
2:00 Welcome and Introductions Melissa Cribbins
2:15  Presentation on history of CEP discussions and EZ Agreement
 
2:45 Review of proposed EZ Agreement between Jordan Cove and Sponsors
 
3:00 Review of proposed CEP Agreement between Zone Sponsors
 
3:15 Discussion of EZ Agreement and CEP Agreement
Workgroup Members
 
Public Comment will be taken at the end of the meeting.  Workgroup Members are not approving either agreement, but may make a motion to recommend passing the agreements to their respective governing bodies.  Both Agreements (the EZ Agreement and the CEP) must be approved by all four Zone Sponsors at a duly noticed public meeting.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/569e6f1176d99c4f392858c4/t/5c01abc74fa51ac22714df29/1543613387743/CEP+Presentation+12+06+18.pdf

​The city council of Coos Bay is going to vote to increase and extend the indebtedness of the Empire Urban Renewal Plan and we plan to file a referendum. 

There will be petitions to sign and copies available for anyone who would like to help gather signatures.   The GOP is giving out signs for candidates and ballot measures.  

 There will be discussions on how we are going to get the signatures and how we are going to run the campaign.  There will be updates on Measure 6-168 and the Coos County Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance.

If the politicians of CB cannot put it on the ballot for the voters to decide then we will have to do their job for them. 
  ​
Here is a link to the CB city council meeting on Tuesday October 16, 2018.
​Coos Bay City Council Votes to Extend Empire UR Tax Debt Plan October 16, 2018

Every election seems to come with the promise of more tax increases.  The government never seems to have enough.  Even with record revenues, the Oregon state government finds itself with shortfalls and more unfunded liabilities left for the repayment of future generations.
 
Our own Coos County commissioners are always mulling over new taxes.  The museum tax, the transient tax, the road tax, the marijuana tax and of course the urban renewal tax they are insatiable in their appetite for the people’s money. 
 
In late March of this year, the commissioners bypassed the people and voted unanimously to renew the county’s North Bay Urban Renewal plan, which has the potential of going into thirty-two million dollars of debt.
 
The commissioners give the same cheesy excuse that only the people living in the UR area are paying the UR tax, but that is a half-truth.
 
It is true that only the property owners in a UR area pay their property taxes directly to that area’s UR agency over the frozen tax base.  Anything over the frozen base is the increment of taxes that goes to finance the UR agency, hence the term tax-increment financing. 
 
However, those tax dollars were supposed to go to several other overlapping taxing districts to cover the cost of the services provided by those districts. 
 
Everyone in the county uses the services provided by those districts, including the owners of the properties inside the UR area.  When taxpayers of the property inside the UR taxing area do not pay for the services they are using because the system has redirected the money to the UR agency, other taxpayers in the other overlapping countywide districts have to cover the cost of those expenses.  Therefore, everyone who pays property taxes in Coos County pays taxes directly or indirectly for the debt accrued by all seven urban renewal areas that exist in the county through this process of tax increment financing. 
 
Otherwise, property owners would not see UR taxes listed on their tax bill. 
 
The county loses $3 million annually in tax revenue to urban renewal, which represents 5% of the total amount of property taxes collected in the county.  Multnomah County, which is essentially Portland, dedicates about 25% of their total annual property taxes to urban renewal, and their number one complaint is affordable housing, which is partially due to TIF. 
 
There is no such thing as free money. 
 
Since the politicians are going to use most of this money to facilitate the development of private corporations, it then comes down to a simple question.
 
Should the government use public tax dollars to gamble on private development or should corporations gamble with their own money?
 
Politicians are neither lucky nor skillful enough to be rolling the dice with the people’s money, and that includes the three political hacks currently serving on this county’s Board of Commissioners.  
 
People rarely get a chance to rescind an ordinance that continues a tax, and once the government enacts a tax, it is impossible to stop.  In the November election, the people will have a chance to repeal the county’s urban renewal plan and the tax debt that goes along with it. 
 
The voters of Coos County should take advantage of this possibly once in a lifetime experience and vote yes to repeal. VOTE YES for Measure 6-168 and feel-good about repealing a tax because it is the right thing to do. 
 
Anyone interested in finding out more information on urban renewal and tax-increment financing can go to www.CoosCountyWatchdog.com.  

Town Hall Meeting Considers Amending
Empire Urban Renewal Plan

The Coos Bay Urban Renewal Agency (Agency) will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting next Tuesday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss amending the Empire Urban Renewal Plan (Plan). The City of Coos Bay adopted the Empire URA Plan in 1988. This Plan allows for the expenditure of funds within the Empire Urban Renewal Area (Area). The City (also the Urban Renewal Agency) has completed numerous projects in the Area. These projects include assistance in the renovation of the Dolphin Theater, the Newmark Widening Project, South Empire Improvements, Hollering Place Wayside, Boat Building Center Improvements, Storefront Improvements (Empire Mercantile, Subway, and several others) a bathroom complex at the Empire Boat Ramp and other projects. 
 
The Agency and City Council have been evaluating the Empire Urban Renewal Plan (Plan) over the last year. In 2018, they adopted a minor amendment to update the projects in the Plan. The projects identified for the future are the Hollering Place Development, a Façade Program, street improvements, library assistance, and signage. As part of the minor amendment process, the financial projections were updated, and the City determined they would like to proceed with a substantial amendment to the Plan to increase the maximum indebtedness of the Empire URA District. This increase would allow financial capacity to undertake a number of capital street projects within the Empire URA District. 
 
The Town Hall meeting will be held at the Dolphin Theatre, located at  580 Newmark Avenue. ​

One of the purposes of the referendum process is to keep local and state politicians in check.  The state of Oregon has a very liberal policy on rescinding bad laws or taxes that were enacted by city councils and county boards.
 
At the Coos County Board of Commissioners meeting on March 27, 2018, ALL THREE COMMISSIONERS voted to continue the urban renewal tax debt.  There are thirty-two million dollars in potential projects and any debt incurred over the twenty-year life of the plan is the responsibility of the taxpayer.  Since the vote was unanimous, it is hard to tell who is representing the people.
 
The commissioners started reviewing the North Bay URA plan back in August of 2017. During the meetings, Commissioner Main played both sides of the issue sending mixed messages, while Cribbins and Sweet repeatedly implied they were going to do everything possible to find out what the people thought about their plan of extending this public liability.   
 
However, the board scheduled all the meetings during the day when most people are at work. There was no town hall or public forum where the opposition and the supporters could debate the issue in free discourse in front of a live audience.   There was no opportunity for the people to hear both sides of the argument because the commissioners were only concerned with the opinion of the supporters of the agency.  Everyone else had to follow strictly mandated time constrictions, and the commissioners never allowed the opposition to give their power point presentation at any of the meetings.  
 
In fact, all Cribbins and Sweet had to do to find out what the people thought of the issue was to put the question on the ballot, but that would have revealed an ugly truth.  The truth is that most people do not support creating more debt for themselves or their children.  They certainly do not approve of using public money for the benefits of private development.  Cribbins and Sweet lied about their intentions, deceived the people, and denied them their authority to make the final decision.  After all, it is the taxpayer’s money, not the boards.  
 
Fortunate for the voters, they might get two chances to veto the commissioners and override these elected employees, but those opportunities depend on the actions of county voters. 
 
First, it is time to drain the swamp and give Cribbins and Sweet their walking papers. Start looking for new employees, especially when the old employees are guilty of deception.  In the upcoming primary in May, the voters have a couple of choices for candidates in both commissioner positions #2 and #3. 
 
Secondly, people can and should take back their authority by gathering signatures for the referendum petition filed by The Committee to Shut Down the Coos County URA.  A successful ballot measure would put the commissioners back in their place.  Our forebearers wrote the state’s constitution acknowledging the right to the redress of grievances so that the people could train their politicians to obey, which is what Cribbins, Sweet, and Main should have done for the people of Coos County. 
 
There will be a meeting to discuss the history and consequences of urban renewal and tax-increment financing at 7 pm on Friday, April 13, 2018, at the North Bend Library on Sherman Avenue.  Petitions will be available for registered voters to sign.  The campaign also needs volunteers to help circulate the petition. 
 
For anyone who cannot make the meeting, but would like to gather signatures can get copies by sending an email to cooscountywatchdog@gmail.com.  Please put “UR Petition” in the subject line.    There is a petition available to sign at The Sentinel Newspaper in Coquille, and Waterman’s Automotive in Bandon.
 
Otherwise, download a single signature sheet and find out more information at www.CoosCountyWatchdog.com.  
​

Related Posts Establishing the Timeline
Commissioner's URA Vote Triggers Tax Referendum ~ Meeting on Friday the 13th
Coos County Considering Ordinance to Extend UR Tax Debt March 27, 2018
Board of Commissioners Postpones Vote on Coos County Urban Renewal Agency
​Update on The Campaign to Shut Down the Coos County Urban Renewal Agency
Coos County Public Hearing on Extending the Urban Renewal Tax Debt Dec. 13, 2017
The Continuing Saga of the Coos County Urban Renewal Agency
​Coos County Board of Commissioners FINAL VOTE on Extending the URA Debt
Information on the Campaign to Shut Down the Coos County Urban Renewal Agency
Coos County Proposed Ordinance Adopting North Bay UR Plan ~ FOREVER
Coos County Commissioners Hearing on Extending the Debt of the North Bay URA
Cribbins & Sweet Utilize Voter Suppression on Urban Renewal Extension