BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- A Department of Environmental Quality report addressing issues with water pollutants arrived at the State Legislature last week.

“Many Oregonians are concerned about the health of Oregon’s waters and the people who use them,” said the DEQ in its report to the Legislature. “There’s also growing concern about persistent pollutants–those that come from a wide variety of sources but linger in the environment and have a documented effect on human health, wildlife and aquatic life.”

The report details potential local and global sources of “persistent pollutants” that could contribute to pollution in Oregon’s waters. Additionally, it outlines some measures that could be taken by state and local governments, organizations, companies, and citizens that could reduce the number of water pollutants.

Pollution prevention targeting chemical pollutants at the source was presented as the “most effective” way to reduce this type of pollution.

“Everyone–homeowners, industries and local governments alike–can help reduce persistent pollutants in Oregon’s waters,” says the report.

The DEQ stated that its focus is on “strategic planning” and partnerships with industry and local governments.

Some of the examples given to prevent pollution included: bans on certain chemicals, product labeling, public education on risks of pollution exposure, and restrictions on residential and agricultural burning, among other things.

The report came after the State Legislature passed SB 737 in 2007 which required the DEQ to consult with experts to create a list of “priority persistent bioaccumulative toxics” and then to send a report to the body addressing pollutants in Oregon’s waters.

BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- The Oregon Legislature is meeting briefly this week to hear reports from passed legislation and work on legislation to be presented in the next regular session.

The body is gathering for three days of Interim House and Senate Committee hearings, starting Monday, in preparation for the upcoming session.

The practice of meeting for three days of hearings was instituted by House Speaker Dave Hunt in 2009 in order to save costs during the regular session.

“We are simply more efficient and cost effective when we bring committees together over these three day periods. It allows for joint committee hearings and greater sharing of critical information like the revenue forecast,” said Speaker Hunt in a press release sent out last week.

A new revenue forecast is set to be released by the State’s economist on Tuesday at 11 AM during a Joint Revenue Committee hearing.

More interim hearing are scheduled for September and December.

BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- The legislature ended their 25 day special session Thursday, passing a controversial constitutional amendment calling for annual legislative sessions.

The bill, SJR 41, created heavy controversy in the past few days which were filled with clear divides not only among parties but also among the two legislative bodies. House leaders were arguing for longer sessions while Senate leaders were pushing for the original time frame of 45 and 135 day sessions.

“After a lot of different tries, we finally came to an agreement that continues to have the length of time that I believe is necessary to get the work done on the budget in the odd numbered years,” said Rep. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay in his introduction of the legislation.

To address the perceived shorter length of 35 day sessions, Roblan stated, “We as a body are going to have to come together and make rules that limit the kinds of things that we work on and release.”

Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, expressed his disappointment in not being able to move the Senate’s original bill.

“I will apologize to you today for where we’re at. Because I keep telling myself, how could I have done this better? What move could I have made to sustain what we experienced just a few days ago on this floor? I will always wonder about that.”

The final draft of the legislation came with a conference committee amendment proposing a 35 day session during even numbered years and a 160 day session during odd numbered years. This version passed both houses with slim margins costing Democrat and Republican votes on both sides of the issue.

“If we actually care about the institution, we should not run something out to the voters that all of us, with a straight face, cannot say is good,” said Sen. Jason Atkinson, R-Central Point, who had been a co-sponsor of the original bill but voted against the final version.

Following the passage of the amendment by the legislature, it must also be voted on by the state’s citizens in order to be enacted. If passed by the voters, Oregon will join 45 other states in holding annual sessions.

BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- The state’s unemployment situation remains bleak with 11 percent of Oregon workers out of jobs, the state reported this week.

The report showed some gains in the private sector and the manufacturing sector but listed a total of 209,576 Oregonians unemployed in December, up from 173,121 unemployed in December 2008.

Gov.Ted Kulongoski issued a statement calling the news promising but still showing that many Oregonians remain in need of work.

“Because of this need, I will continue to urge Congress to consider another unemployment benefit extension to ensure those who are out of work will continue to be able to look for work and support themselves and their families. On the state side, I will also work with legislative partners in February to reauthorize a state extension of unemployment benefits to complement any action at the federal level.”

In a presentation to a House Committee on January 14, the Employment Department showed a list of all unemployment programs for which Oregonians are eligible, ranging from 26 weeks to over 2 years of benefits.

Christina Martin, an analyst at Oregon Politico’s parent company the Cascade Policy Institute, rebutted the governor’s plan, stating, “While it feels good to extend unemployment insurance benefits, economics teaches that it will extend unemployment for the average beneficiary and that it is a poor investment in economic recovery. It fails to truly help the unemployed. Ultimately, workers need opportunities. That means we should be stimulating entrepreneurial activity through tax cuts and other incentives.”

Gov. Kulongoski ended his statement by saying, “As Governor, my focus remains on working across public and private-sector lines to ensure Oregon is well positioned for the long term, which means investing in job creation as well as helping Oregonians manage this difficult period.”