Keep water clean and rivers healthy! Reform the Oregon Forest Practices Act.
- by: Pacific Rivers
- recipient: Oregon Governor Kate Brown
Kate Taylor and her boyfriend moved to Rockaway Beach, Oregon to start a fishing and travel business. They immediately received notices that their water was contaminated. Turns out their water comes from Jetty Creek watershed, a privately owned timberland that has been 80 percent clearcut.
Maia lives in a cabin in Wheeler, Oregon. She breathed in toxic herbicides that drifted from aerial spraying of timberlands near her home. Before she realized what was happening, it was too late. She walked down the hill to a medical clinic to find that the clinic also had herbicides inside. She collapsed and had a seizure.
It's been more than 20 years since the state updated logging rules on private forests. Oregon’s rules lag behind neighboring states.
The timber industry operates profitably in California, Washington and Idaho under more stringent rules. Oregonians, on the other hand, deal with rampant aerial spraying of toxic chemical herbicides, logging right up to and through most streams in the state, and rampant clearcutting even on steep slopes with unstable soils prone to landslides.
Oregon needs comprehensive reform that promotes responsible logging on private timberlands. Oregonians need their leaders to follow the science and update rules for: pesticide use, logging near streams, and logging on steep slopes.
We need Governor Kate Brown take the lead and work with the Oregon Legislature and the Oregon Board of Forestry to comprehensively reform the Oregon Forest Practices Act. #reformOFPA
If you'd like to see a preview of our new film on this issue -- titled Behind the Emerald Curtain -- see it here. The full film will be released October 22. If you're in Portland, come to the official premiere at Patagonia Portland, October 22, 6 pm.
Dear Governor Brown,
It's been more than 20 years since Oregon updated logging rules on private forests. The timber industry operates profitably in California, Washington and Idaho under more stringent rules protecting water and fish, and limiting toxins. Oregonians, on the other hand, deal with rampant aerial spraying of toxic chemical herbicides, logging right up to and through the majority of streams in the state, and rampant clearcutting even on steep slopes with unstable soils that are prone to landslides.
Oregon needs comprehensive reform that promotes responsible logging on private timberlands. We need:
· Common-sense rules for chemical use to protect human and environmental health, including banning the most toxic herbicides, expanding buffers around homes, schools, hospitals, and health clinics, and free, widely accessible information alerting the public when sprayings will occur.
· Wider buffers of standing trees along rivers and streams to protect fish and wildlife habitat, and filter sediment, keeping water clean.
· Stronger rules about logging on steep slopes and unstable soils to prevent landslides and keep water clean.
We need your help, Governor Brown, to create real change that protects all communities -- fish, wildlife, and human. Please help us comprehensively reform the Oregon Forest Practices Act.
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