In which Peter Courtney throws down for the Metolius.
Carla Axtman
Update: 8AM June 4- With humble apologies to SENATE PRESIDENT Peter Courtney and SENATE MAJORITY LEADER Richard Devlin. I wrote this post in a hurry last evening and was a complete dork with the titles. I know better than this. Sorry.--Carla
With House Bill 3100 still in a stall in the House Rules Committee, the Oregon Senate took matters into their own hands today. House Bill 3298 was gut and stuffed to include the "area of statewide critical concern" protections for the Metolius as recommended by the Land Conservation and Development Commission.
By a 3-2 vote, the Senate Rules Committee agreed to insert language approving the Land Conservation and Development Commission's designation of the landscape as an "area of critical state concern." The language took the form of an amendment to House Bill 3298. The committee then voted 3-2 to send the measure on to the Senate floor.
The scoop from Salem is that Senate Majority Leader President Peter Courtney himself made this happen. No doubt he was tired of waiting for the House, which seemed to be holding the bill for no real apparent reason--other than they can. Courtney flexed some real spine today.
The bill now heads to the Senate floor.
House Bill 2228, which would allow a transfer of development rights, has passed the House and (I believe) the Senate. The bill would allow the land speculators for the "eco-resort" do their project elsewhere, away from the Metolius.
Well done, Senator Courtney. Congratulations on beating back the ugly lobbying presence on this issue and doing the right thing.
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Jun 3, '09
HB 2228 did pass the House floor but it has yet to pass the Senate floor (Senate Rules passed it out with 4-1 support just prior to passing HB 3298 this afternoon). And so it should hit the Senate floor soon. Because the bill has been amended since passing the House, it would have to go back to the House in order to approve the changes that were made in the Senate before going to the Governor's desk for his signature.
HB 2228 also has a sweet deal for the Skyline Forest west of Bend and South of Sisters that allows the landowner an opportunity to develop a small part of the forest by transferring development rights off the remainder of the land (30,000 acres+) with the goal of creating the state's first community forest. That's a voluntary deal, but nonetheless, one that conservation interests (Central Oregon LandWatch, Deschutes Land Trust) and the landowner (Fidelity) have reached a solid agreement on.
Jun 3, '09
"The scoop from Salem is that Senate Majority Leader Peter Courtney himself made this happen"
You realize of course that the man from Keizer is Senate President, and a multi-session Senate President at that, don't you?
I was one of the volunteers who helped elect St. Rep. Courtney back in 1980. Say what you will about our Peter, he get things done and sees nothing wrong with candor from elected officials. We could use more of that!
Jun 3, '09
I thought that Sen. Devlin was the Senate Majority Leader. ??
Either way, it's nice to hear that the Metolius may actually gain protection this session.
Jun 5, '09
It's a few certain house dems that are holding this deal up and they are playing shady. The senate did their part, now the house dems better not screw this up. The Metolius is a special place and we need to make sure it's protected.