Oregon’s citizens need forest laws that increase family health, livelihoods, fisheries, clean water and carbon storage. We need rules specifically protecting biodiversity and soils. Oregon’s Forest Practices Acts achieve just the opposite. They were written to shield Big Timber from lawsuits and to prevent citizen rule making.

Senate Bill 1602, conceived in secret meetings, likewise benefits polluters and poisoners. It will increase harm to coastal communities. SB 1602’s goal is a statewide Habitat Conservation Plan. Oregon’s chemical deforestation industries will be protecting our fisheries and water quality. To ensure that future, SB 1602 immediately prohibits lawsuits against aerial forest poisoning and criminalizes interference with state-assisted aerial poison drift. 

SB 1602 sped into law with Oregon Forest Research Institute support. Recent investigative journalism revealed OFRI engaging in blatantly illegal lobbying and misinformation campaigns directed by Oregon’s deforestation industries.

Gov. Kate Brown requested the secretary of state investigate OFRI wrongdoing. In the 1990s, legislators Brown and Secretary of State Bev Clarno delivered the unconstitutional tax privileges and liability immunities that keep deforestation dominant today. SB 1602 is their current collaboration.

Reckless forest poisoning and pollution will continue until we the people recapture our stolen Constitutional property right to sue for off-target aerial poisons contaminating our bodies, property and water supplies.

John Sundquist

Coburg

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