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Oregon’s Sen. Jeff Merkley has joined the march against Monsanto, in the U.S. Senate anyway. While Eugeneans plan their May 25 rally against chemical giant Monsanto here in Lane County, Merkley has taken a stand against loopholes and secret provisions aiding the biotech company in Congress. He has introduced an amendment to the Senate farm bill that would override a provision that has become known as the Monsanto Protection Act. Continue reading
“They confirmed that we were indeed unwillingly exposed to pesticides,” says Day Owen of Triangle Lake. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released the Public Health Assessment Report on the Highway 36 Exposure Investigation on May 9. The report is open for public comment until July 9 and the state is hosting a meeting on the issue on May 28. Continue reading
Oregon DEQ followed up on its Feb .19 warning letter to Georgia-Pacific Chemicals (EW 3/14, goo.gl/cFGEq) regarding discharge of phenols pollution to waters of the state with a civil penalty of $3,600 on May 13. DEQ sent Premier RV Resorts LLC a warning letter on April 24 for violating the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal requirement in its Clean Water Act permit in March. The RV facility where this violation occurred is located east of I-5 near Exit 199. Continue reading
• Walton Hylomorphia plans to ground spray 175 acres near the Siuslaw River with Glyphosate, Triclopyr Ester, and Glyphosate Amine. • ODOT spring spraying plan: the week of May 13, the Veneta section including 126 west of Eugene, Hwy. 36 and Territorial Highway; the week of May 20, the Florence section of Hwys. 126 West, 36 and 101. Spraying began at the beginning of May, call Tony Kilmer at ODOT District 5 (Lane County area) at 744-8080 or call (888) 996-8080 for herbicide application information. Continue reading
East Lane Commissioner Faye Stewart may be facing a lot of opposition in the 2014 election and Kevin Matthews is the latest progressive to enter the fray. He joins former EWEB commissioner Joanne Ernst and Jose Ortal in indicating interest in Stewart’s largely rural commission seat. Continue reading
The horse tripping controversy continues as more information arises about the arrest of an activist at the Big Loop Rodeo. And according to an email blast from PETA, Tuesday May 22, is the Oregon House Judiciary Committee's work session on Senate Bill 835. Over the weekend the group SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness) reported a volunteer, Adam Fahnestock was arrested for videoing at the event. Steve Hindi of SHARK also tangled with the law over videoing the controversial horse tripping event (see the video at bottom). Continue reading
According to SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness) an activist was "violently arrested" while filming events at the Big Loop Rodeo in Jordan Valley, Ore., on Saturday May 18. Big Loop has come under fire for its horse tripping event in which horses are roped by the neck and legs while galloping, causing them to fall. Continue reading
Decolonize This! is the 2013 Annual Environmental Justice Conference on Saturday May 18 at the UO. Topics will highlight food justice, decolonization, and free trade vs free, prior and informed consent of indigenous nations concerning fossil fuels. The conference is free and donations are welcomed, organizers say. Continue reading
• Some 4J Board members are holding informal conversations on a variety of topics around town from 4 to 5 pm on Fridays. The next will be May 17 at the Arts & Technology Academy, 1659 W. 22nd Ave. Last week’s Activist Alert blurb had outdated information about the locations for the May 10 and May 17 meetings. Continue reading
EWEB meeting rooms that have been open to community and nonprofit groups for years may no longer be available starting next October if EWEB goes through with leasing out the second floor of its North Building. EWEB spokesman Lance Robertson did not disclose who would be leasing the offices but it is “highly possible” that meeting rooms at EWEB will be part of the lease agreement. Dozens of groups use the meeting rooms and those that have booked rooms through the year have been notified. Continue reading