Fur was flying yesterday during the public comment period at the Coos County Board of Commissioners meeting. Moved to the Owen Building to accommodate the crowd the room naturally divided in half with pro-Oregon Resources Corp (ORC) and anti-ORC taking opposite sides of the room. Reportedly, out of town ORC management, Blacklock, Wilson and Garrett were in attendance despite ORC not being on the agenda.
Sadly, I was out of town so can’t report directly but as I understand it the anti-ORC forces spoke very well to the issue of strip mining in a designated coastal zone and appraising the minerals before cutting any deals. Numerous alternative means of generating revenue and jobs for the county were offered including carbon tax credits. The matter of an economic impact statement was hammered home at the meeting and through subsequent emails to the BOC and Stufflebean ended the comment period speaking on behalf of the company (can’t wait to see the video).
To help protect the coastal zone The Oregon Coast Alliance (ORCA) was formed in 2009. There are justified concern strip-mining is not a compatible industry with the Ocean and Coastal Resource Management Plan. The strip-mining process proposed is claimed by ORC not to be as invasive or difficult to mitigate as mountain top removal typical with coal mining but a recent EPA study confirms the damage done to the Appalachias through strip mining has been devastating. ORCA and ORC will be waging a battle with permitting agencies over this and other environmental issues surrounding strip mining near Seven Devils.
“A decrease in forest cover followed by conversion to grasslands or other land cover has the potential to shift the fauna of the region from that found in intact, high-elevation forests to one dominated by grassland and edge dwelling species,” the EPA report said.
Citing previous studies by U.S. Forest Service experts, the EPA report found that fragmentation is causing interior forest to be lost at a rate up to five times faster than the overall forest lost in the region to mountaintop removal.
The mining industry is a fairly hazardous employment choice and you can view statistics on mining related fatalities and injuries at the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Additionally, safety violations appear to be common place amongst mine operators and the recent mining deaths, once again bring to the forefront the flagrant disregard on the part of mine operators for the safety of their employees.
Is this really the type of industry we want in Coos County? Is this what we want Coos County to be known for? Strip mining and dirty oil filter recycling and foreign oil imports? This is a designated coastal zone not a sanctuary for dirty industry.
KCBY posted this report.
The World finally has there account up and manage to make strip mining sound like a woodlands restoration project.
There is timber growing where strip mining was done roughly 70 years ago. And county Forester Bob Laport has even contended the process may increase growth.
After the sands are mined it will take three to four days before the remaining sands will be redeposited into the ground. About 70 percent will go back, but Smith said there is only a 5 percent noticeable change.
‘We’re essentially fluffing it up and putting it back,” Smith said.
After mining is finished, Oregon Resources will pay to replant the timber.
Plant a pine here, an oak there, some trillium here…
UPDATE Just received some clarification from county forester Bob Laport regarding comments The World attributed to him in the graf above. Laport told The World that only in very specific circumstances where mining operation is occurring in hard pan similar to where cranberry bogs are housed, the ‘fluffing’ process might potentially benefit tree growth. The forester did not intend his comment to be construed as a sweeping recommendation of strip mining for purposes of encouraging timber growth.
The World has an opportunity to clear up the misconception that strip mining healthy productive forest land will increase tree growth. Let’s watch to see if they have the ethics to clear this up or if they want to keep their readers illinformed
I’m listening to Ed Schultz, he’s talking to a retired miner from W Virginia telling how desperate local people are there near that mine disaster, and telling how the company controlled the press at all times. Schultz is shocked, and asked the caller, ‘you mean to tell me your local press runs cover for this terrible company?” HA HA HA, I had to laugh, like we don’t know what that is about here in Coos County. Schultz is going to pursue the local press there to find out why they don’t investigate,report and print the truth to the people of the area.
Interesting, maybe we should bring old Ed here to Coos County, if he thinks THAT is outrageous. Hell, our press sits on their boards.
‘I think the rates we’re being offered are reasonable,” Whitty said. How, Nikki, did you arrive at that conclusion? What homework did you do? Has the county done an economic impact study?
Resource extraction of public property is big business and it ALWAYS works out better for the company than the public. Look at Texaco in Ecuador, look at Coca Cola in India, look at GP, Kimberly Clark and Weyco in Coos County.
Privatizing public assets concentrates wealth to the company NOT to the taxpayer. We need some critical thinkers in positions of leadership here because the twelve seconds exhibited by top management is why this county has 15% unemployment.
One question, who’s arse is ORC going to pull the money from? Jon Bartons? Well hel there just be enough THERE !!!!!
Seriously , their stock is under a penny isn’t it? They’ve got no money for restoration. And I love their ‘position’, give us what we want first, THEN we’ll tell ya what ya just bought. Yup that ‘position’ means once again, Grab Yer Ankles Coos Countians, here we COME !!!!!