Why, with the global climate crisis, is Eugene Water and Electric Board planning to log more than 300 trees in one of the only remaining forested areas in south Eugene? Recently, with no public input, the EWEB general manager arbitrarily decided to build two 7.5 million gallon water tanks now on the 40th and Patterson Street site. This requires logging, blasting and hundreds of dump truck trips through town for months. EWEB PR erroneously asserts that it’s all necessary and claims any opposition is limited to a few complaining neighbors. Wrong. This is a major public land issue with huge environmental impacts.
The fact is neighbors supported long-range EWEB plans to build one water storage tank near 40th and Patterson while saving the forest grove at the easternmost edge of this public property. Since one water tank needs about 2 acres, there is ample space on this nearly 11 acre site to locate one tank and save the trees. It’s not an either/or situation.
So far all the decisions on this massive construction project have been made by staff. Please contact EWEB Commissioners, our elected representatives, and ask them to reconsider this staff decision and vote on whether or not they agree to destroy this forest to build two tanks now at this site.
David Zupan
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
Comments are closed.