Bill To Protect Oceans From Overfishing

Congress is debating the renewal of an important measure to protect ocean ecosystems from overfishing. Originally passed in 1976, the Magnuson-Stevens Act established critical oversight to govern commercial fishing.

Environmental advocates are using the act’s renewal as an opportunity to update the legislation and strengthen ocean protections. Many members of the marine management boards that set catch limits have financial ties to powerful commercial fishing interests. This conflict of interest can cause fishery decisions to be heavily influenced by big business.

Conservationists and other allies hope to insert language into the bill to ensure that only scientists, not the fishing industry, set limits on overfishing.

PROTECTING THE ARCTIC—The Coastal Plain of the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge is the birthing and nursery grounds for the over 120,000-member Porcupine Caribou herd, as well as home to birds, grizzly bears, muskoxen, polar bears and other wildlife.

Arctic Refuge Again At Risk

Even after failing twice to pass provisions to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the last year, pro-drilling interests are once again fighting to pass legislation to open up this national treasure to industry. With gas prices at record highs, powerful interests are stepping up their efforts to gain access to the oil inside the Refuge.

While environmental advocates have shown that drilling in the Arctic would make only a one cent dent in the soaring gas prices, companies like ExxonMobil are continuing to use prices as their primary argument for drilling in the Arctic.

OSPIRG and its allies across the country continue to fight to show powerful interests that Americans support protecting our national treasures.

OSPIRG, Gov. Call For Gas Mileage Boost

In June, the Pacific Northwest experienced record-high gasoline prices, reaching $3 a gallon for the first time in history. In response, Gov. Ted Kulongoski joined OSPIRG to call on the Oregon congressional delegation to support increasing automobile gas mileage standards to 33 miles per gallon (mpg).

OSPIRG recently released a study finding that a 33 mpg standard would save Oregonians $223 million annually.

In July, Oregon’s Sen. Gordon Smith joined Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) to introduce a bill that would increase gas mileage by roughly
1 miles per gallon (mpg) every year until 2018, upping gas mileage to approximately 34 mpg.

PGE’s Coal Plant Will Have To Cut Pollution

The Bush administration’s dangerously lax regulations for mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants would allow even more toxic pollution into Oregon’s waterways. At press time, however, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) had backed off of a proposal to adopt these federal regulations.

Coal plants are the largest unregulated source of toxic mercury pollution, which is contaminating waterways—including the Willamette—to the point that fish are unsafe to eat. Oregon’s coal plant in Boardman, at the eastern end of the Columbia Gorge, is operated by PGE.

OSPIRG joined a coalition of organizations, including Friends of the Columbia Gorge, the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, and Columbia Riverkeeper, in urging the DEQ to reject the Bush administration’s rules.

The coalition is urging the DEQ to instead require PGE to cut pollution by 90 percent, the amount allowed by currently available technology.

DeFazio, Walden Vote For Drilling Off Coast

This summer, Oregon Reps. Peter DeFazio (Eugene) and Greg Walden (Hood River) both voted in favor of a measure in the U.S. House of Representatives that would open areas off the Oregon coast to oil and gas drilling. The rest of the Oregon delegation voted against the measure.

Unfortunately, the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act, which would end the 25 year bipartisan moratorium that has kept in check expansion of offshore drilling, passed the House.

Drilling threatens to destroy a way of life in Oregon’s coastal communities. The Senate voted for a narrow bill allowing drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and, at press time, the two chambers had not met to reconcile differences.

OSPIRG Calls For ID Theft Crack Down

In May, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it had experienced a breach of personal information, including Social Security numbers, putting 26.5 million veterans at risk of identity theft. The incident followed a similar one that occurred at Providence Home Services earlier in the year, and after a rash of breaches across the nation made the headlines in 2005.

“These flagrant breaches are unacceptable,” said OSPIRG Consumer Advocate Laura Etherton, “Greater security must be afforded to consumer’s private information.”

Etherton called on the 2007 Legislature to respond and enact consumer protections to prevent identity theft. Key protections include requirements to notify consumers in the event of a security breach, and the right of consumers to put a security freeze on their credit reports.

Etherton also urged lawmakers to require companies and other entities to do a better job of protecting personal information—protections already in effect and making a difference in many states.

Smith, Wyden Move On Mt. Hood Wilderness

PROTECTING OREGON’S WILD PLACES—The Oregon congressional delegation is backing landmark protections for new wilderness areas on Mt. Hood. Photo: USFS, Tom Iraci

This summer saw bipartisan action in favor of creating the first new wilderness areas on and around Mt. Hood since 1984.

In July, Oregon Members of Congress Earl Blumenauer (Portland) and Greg Walden (Hood River) jump-started the effort for Mt. Hood wilderness by convincing the U.S. House of Representatives to pass an OSPIRG-backed bill that would create 77,000 acres of new wilderness and protect 25 miles of rivers with Wild and Scenic Rivers designation.

Then, in August, Sens. Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith reached agreement on their version of the legislation, which would protect 125,000 acres around Mt. Hood and designate nearly 80 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers.

As this newsletter went to press, OSPIRG staff urged the full Senate to act quickly on the proposal so that the areas could be protected as wilderness by the year’s end.