The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Monday, May 23, 2022
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Offshore Wind Company Doing Environmental Studies And Community Outreach Along The Coast
An offshore wind company and potential lessee is opening up about the process the company would have to follow if selected for the wind farms along the coast near Brookings and Coos Bay.
“The approach for offshore wind development is to comprehensively study a range of topics that go anywhere from focusing on impacts to fisheries but also impacts to wildlife, mammals and other sea creatures,” Dan Jaynes, a Business Developer for Aker Offshore Wind, a Norwegian-based company, said.
The project is part of the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Outer Continental Shelf Renewable Energy Program authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It received a push from the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy plan with the goal of reaching 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. The Oregon project is projected to produce 3 gigawatts.
DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), responsible for implementing the program, has set up at least 14 different task forces in states that have expressed interest in offshore wind energy projects. Oregon is one of those.
Last week the agency announced the Brookings and Coos Bay call areas where it plans to open leases for 1,158,400 acres of wind turbines that would be put in at least 12 nautical miles offshore.
BOEM is now in the process of conducting impact and environmental assessments to determine where within that call area the projects could go with the least amount of impact to the environment and the fishing industry.
Those in the fishing industry, however, complain that the leasing process involves an actual Environmental Impact Study and Statement (EIS) too late in the process (after leases are granted) and at a scale that is not representative of the project’s full scope.
Annie Hawkins, Executive Director of Responsible Offshore Wind Development Alliance (RODA), a coalition of fishing industry associations, says the industry would like to see a smaller-scale project authorized first so that impacts can be studied before leases are granted to potentially multiple lessees in those call areas.
“What’s unfortunate is that we are not starting with some projects studying them carefully (testing) these hypotheses about how the environment is going to change and how the ocean is going to change. We are not giving ourselves time in this leasing schedule,” she said.
Once BOEM completes its initial assessment and narrows down the lease locations from the broader call areas, it will put those up for auction to the energy sector.
Jaynes, with Aker Offshore Wind, noted that if a lease is granted, the company will need to conduct its own project-based EIS. He said that could take five or more years.
“Over the course of those five years, we are conducting detailed analyses on all of those things that I just mentioned in addition to the conditions of the seabed floor,” he said. “It’s a very time-consuming, costly process that the industry is looking forward, frankly, to stepping through in order to get a good grasp on where the risks are for development.”
Hawkins pointed out that projects to the scale of what is expected in Oregon (3 gigawatts) are not in existence anywhere else, which makes it difficult to understand how the project will actually affect the fishing industry. Current projects in Rhode Island are of a much smaller scale and not located in prime commercial fishing zones like Coos Bay and Brookings. That project is also not a floating turbine, like Oregon’s plan, but is instead planted in the ocean floor.
She said the best sites for comparison are in Europe, but many of those are also planted in the ocean floor with the exception of the world’s first floating wind farm, the Hywind project in Scotland which has been in operation since 2017. That project has five turbines that cover an area of roughly 2.5 miles.
She said the project in Scotland is located in an area that does not see a lot of commercial fishing. Therefore, impacts to the industry can not be mirrored when looking at Oregon’s call areas. Because projects of this scale do not exist yet, Hawkins said there are no peer-reviewed studies that can provide data on impacts to the environment or fishing industry. However, she pointed to a non-peer-reviewed research paper published by German Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon that suggests North Sea turbines have impacted airflows and sea currents.
Hawkins noted that another concern is that the components that would anchor the turbine to the ocean floor as well as the electrical cables could create access issues for fishing vessels.
Though BOEM has held some meetings with leaders in the fishing industry in Oregon, Hawkins said that invitations were not extended to all stakeholders in the industry. She said overall there is an expectation that industry stakeholders use the public comment processes to provide feedback on their concerns, but noted that this is not a two-way conversation and fishing concerns are not being addressed.
“You have this feeling within fishing communities that all of the hard work that they have put in to rebuild fish stocks to kind of cool off and follow the laws and the regulations to rebuild our fish stocks which is happening. Our stocks are coming back. They are looking at that not being valued at all,” Hawkin said. “Like, ‘okay yeah you have done all of this hard work for, in a lot of cases, generations to rebuild these stocks to support our communities and now we are just going to lease your fishing grounds and we don’t care what you think about it because climate change.'”
Jaynes acknowledged the need to engage with the fishing community and pointed out that Aker plans to do that if they win a lease in Oregon’s call areas.
“We understand that having a careful and frequent dialogue with the fishing community is part of the development process,” he said.
Oregon DMV – Due to staffing, the Astoria and Tillamook DMV offices will be closed Monday, May 23rd. http://dmv2u.oregon.gov/
The Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle (DMV) division is currently facing a hiring shortage of nearly 20 percent statewide, causing extended wait times statewide and even forcing smaller offices to shutter when the few remaining employees call out.
DMV spokesperson David House told the Mercury that the shortage is caused by an increase in departing employees and a decrease in applicants. Last year, through retirement, resignation, internal job changes, and other instances, the DMV field offices lost 89 employees. Four months into 2022, the DMV has already lost another 77 employees.
“We’re recruiting, hiring and training as quickly as we can, but the challenge is a shortage of sufficient applicants,” House said.
Of the 478 field office jobs that the Oregon DMV provides across the state, the Oregon Department of Transportation agency recorded 95 vacancies in April—63 more vacancies than the DMV saw in April last year, and 90 more than it saw in April of 2019.
As a solution, the DMV is advising customers to avoid its meagerly staffed offices by conducting business through the Oregon DMV website, if possible. The DMV also recommends that customers requiring driving tests use third-party testers from its approved list.
“To help customers, we are again ramping up our recommendation to go online first anytime you need a DMV service at DMV2U.Oregon.gov,” House said. “If you need a service that must be done in person, visit OregonDMV.com to make sure you have what you need. Appointments are not required but can be made at DMV2U.”
Job seekers can apply to the Oregon DMV through the Oregon jobs website. Unlike TriMet, which is also significantly understaffed, the Oregon DMV is unable to offer sign up bonuses or increased pay without approval from the state legislature. However, the DMV has a wide variety of openings across the state, and positions aren’t limited to the Portland metro area.
“Although ODOT has staff shortages in other areas too, our recruiters are working extra hard on DMV positions all over the state for most of our 60 offices,” House said. “It’s a difficult situation for staff and customers.”
Cases of Covid-19 are on the rise again.
Public health professors at Portland State tell us there is some good news: hospitalizations and deaths are not spiking. There are also new tools now, including an antiviral medication that doctors can prescribe to those who test positive.
New data from the Oregon Health Authority shows cases of COVID-19 on the rise once again. But some public health professors at Portland State said hospitalizations and deaths are not spiking.
With the number of people vaccinated growing, Carlos Crespo of the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health said more people are getting mild cases.
“We do not all have to get sick at the same time. That was the whole purpose of flattening the curve. We probably were not thinking that we were never going to catch it. I think we suspected that this was going to be around with us for a while,” Crespo said.
Crespo said pharmaceutical companies are also working to develop a more targeted vaccine to the changing virus.
“I think new vaccines most likely would be in the fall and every vaccine, as you have seen it takes a very rigorous way to test them to make sure they’re safe and effective,” he said.
One virology professor at Portland State said he’s wary of an additional vaccine making an impact.
“We can make another shot now for what we have now, but that may or may not be what we have come the fall. So far, the original vaccines have worked really, really well,” said Ken Stedman, a biology professor at Portland State University.
Both professors said there are new tools now. Additional free tests through the federal government are available, and an antiviral medication can be prescribed in the form of a pill.
“I think we’re at a stage where it is endemic, which means it’s going to be everywhere and we’re just going to have to live with the fact that Covid-19 is going to be among us for a long time,” Crespo said.
During this time, the experts encourage keeping a mask on hand for indoor settings, and continuing to test after exposure if symptoms develop.
OHA closely monitoring BA.4 and BA.5, the Omicron subvariants of the virus that causes #COVID19. Here’s what we know.Layering COVID-19 protections, such as staying up to date with vaccines and boosters and wearing a mask, is the best way to increase your protection level and reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 illness.
Oregon Cracks Down On Seatbelt Violations With ‘Click It Or Ticket’ Campaign
Make sure you buckle up, as law enforcement agencies across Oregon roll out a statewide crack-down on seatbelt violations.
The effort is part of an annual nationwide “Click It, or Ticket” campaign.
Local agencies will use federal funding to educate people about seatbelt and child seat laws.
Oregon Department of Transportation data from 2020 shows improper seat belt use was a factor in 32-percent of deadly crashes in the state. The campaign runs through June 5.
Increased emergency SNAP benefits continue in June
- Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will continue to receive temporarily increased emergency food benefits in June
- Approximately 411,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $66 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits
- These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency
- Find resources to meet your basic needs: Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
- Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center
(Salem) – Most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments in June.
The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.
Because the federal government approved these emergency benefits for June, Oregon will also be able to issue them in July. However, the emergency benefits are expected to end when the federal public health emergency ends.
In June, approximately 411,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $66 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.
“We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” said Claire Seguin, deputy director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211 and the Oregon Food Bank for support during this difficult time.”
Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on June 11. Emergency allotments will be issued June 30 or July 2 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.
SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards.
More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/Emergency-Allotments.aspx.
Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075.
If your household receives SNAP and your income or the number of people in your household has changed, it could impact your benefits. It is important to make sure ODHS has the most up-to-date information.
You can report any changes to your income or household in many ways:
- Online at: ONE.Oregon.gov
- By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
- By fax at: 503-378-5628
- By phone at: 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711
Resources to help meet basic needs
- Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
- Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
- Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
- Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/
- Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center
Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/benefits/Pages/index.aspx . For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.
Regulations Should Help Consumers To Get Better Notice When Oregon Utilities Shut Down Power During Wildfires
Power companies in Oregon will still decide whether to shut off power if there’s a high risk of wildfires.
But new state rules will now require large utilities owned by investors to publicize certain details in advance about a shutoff, like when it will start and how long it’s expected to last, and to provide status updates every 24 hours.
Oregon’s Public Utility Commission has adopted a permanent plan for public notification of planned electric shutdowns in the event of a wildfire or weather event.
The plan largely mirrors temporary rules adopted last May that told Pacific Power, Portland General Electric and Idaho Power to ensure that those affected by a planned power shutdown are informed. According to the rules, these utilities need to notify emergency managers, government agencies, local officials and the public in advance, if possible, of a power outage and then provide daily updates.
“Sometimes things happen really quickly,” said Kandi Young, spokeswoman for the utility commission. “In some cases, they can plan ahead.”
The rules tell the public, government agencies, fire officials and others about plans to de-energize lines so that they can prepare and will know what to expect. They only cover the three investor-owned utilities in Oregon which serve 1.5 million Oregonians, only about one-third of the population. The rest of the state is served by 38 consumer-owned electric utilities that are overseen by local boards or municipalities.
The rules do not determine when a shutoff should be instituted.
“That responsibility lies with the utility,” Young said. “They know their system. They know where vegetation is a challenge. They know their transmission lines and where there is a potential for risk better than anybody.”
De-energizing lines is only used as a last resort because it can affect hospitals, police and fire officials, water services and people who require electricity for health devices, Young said.
“It’s something that has always been there as an option but hasn’t really been used in the West until more recent years,” Young said.
Pacific Power and PacifiCorp, its owner, face several lawsuits in Oregon over wildfire damage. The latest appears to have been filed Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. The complaint was not yet available on the court’s public information website. A suit filed in April, also in Multnomah County, on behalf of 21 people, accuses the companies of responsibility for the Echo Mountain Complex fire in Lincoln County in 2020, which burned 2,500 acres, killed pets and damaged more than 300 structures and property, the suit said. It said executives knew hot, dry conditions with strong winds could spark a wildfire, noting that other utilities chose to de-energize lines. The suit seeks up to $5 million in damages for each plaintiff.
Another lawsuit filed in March in Multnomah County Circuit Court seeks more than $10 million in damages from the Slater Fire, which spread from northern California into Jackson and Josephine counties in September 2020. The suit, on behalf of nearly 30 people and a few companies, accuses the companies of negligence in not shutting off its power lines in dangerous weather conditions. Other companies de-energized lines, the suit said. That suit has moved to U.S. District Court in Portland.
The companies also face lawsuits in California where prosecutors reached an agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric last month for more than $55 million over two wildfires caused by its power lines, according to news reports.
Drew Hanson, a company spokesman, said PacifiCorp does not comment on pending litigation. He said the company has only de-energized lines twice – in Weed, California, at the base of Mount Shasta in 2020 and in Dunsmuir in the Trinity Mountains in northern California in 2021. The shutoffs lasted less than nine hours.
Companies can only de-energize lines in designated high-risk areas in anticipation of a potentially catastrophic wildfire, Hanson said. He said the company looked at 10 years of data on past fires, wind patterns, fuel sources, topography and other factors to determine the high-risk areas. “The identification of those areas helps the company prioritize where the over $300 million in system hardening and wildfire mitigation work is being done now and over the coming years,” Hanson said.
In April, the commission approved the wildfire mitigation plans for Pacific Power and Portland General Electric Approval of the plan for Idaho Power, which serves 20,000 customers in eastern Oregon, hinges on the company providing additional details about risk areas, their cost/risk mitigation assumptions and analysis and costs.
The plans, which were filed in December, mark the first time that the companies have filed such reports in Oregon. But PacifiCorp has filed similar reports in California since 2018, Hanson said.
“We have a history of planning for and mitigating against the threat of wildfire risk,” Hanson said. He said the company considers factors like past wildfires, topography,
Pacific Power’s plan designated 13 areas serving 21,000 customers as high-risk, with the potential for a public safety power shutoff. They include Cave Junction, Glendale, Jerome Prairie, Merlin and the South Rogue River.
Portland General Electric designated 10 high-risk areas, including three which it added this year, according to Andrea Platt, a company spokeswoman. Portland General Electric only had one high-risk area in 2020, she said.
The 10 areas include Mount Hood, the Columbia River, Estacada, Oregon City and other areas around Portland.
The company has had a mitigation strategy since 2020, Platt said.
The company has only had one public safety power shutoff – in 2020 near Mount Hood that affected 5,000 customers. That decision coincided with the Labor Day fires sweeping the region.
Albertsons And Safeway Recall Store-Prepared Items With Peanut Butter Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination As Recall Issued On Some Jif Peanut Butter Products
Albertsons Companies, in cooperation with its supplier The J. M. Smucker Co., said Sunday it has voluntarily recalled 11 store-prepared items, also sold at Safeway, due to possible Salmonella contamination.
The FDA’s recall announcement can be found here.
Here’s the rest of the Albertsons announcement:
The store-prepared items were available for purchase at the following banners: Albertsons, Safeway, Lucky, Haggen, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Tom Thumb, United, Amigos, Market Street, Albertsons Market, Andronico’s Community Markets, Vons, Pak ‘N Save, Shaw’s, Star Market, Randalls, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, King’s and Balducci’s.
Consumers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund.
There have been no reports of injuries or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should visit www.jif.com/contact-us or call 800-828-9980 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM ET. Consumers can also contact Albertsons Companies at 1-877-723-3929.
Product Recall Details:
| Product Name | Sell Thru Dates | Size | Packaging | States | Banners |
| MINI PEANUT BUTTER CREAM PIE | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 26, 22 | Each | Clear plastic square bottom and lid | Washington | Haggen |
| APPLES SLICED WITH PEANUT BUTTER | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 24, 22 | 8 oz | Clear plastic cup and lid | Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming | Albertsons, Safeway, Lucky |
| CELERY & PEANUT BUTTER CUP | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 26, 22 | 7 oz | Clear plastic cup and lid | Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming | Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Lucky, Safeway |
| CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUP | All Sell thru Dates up to and including Jul 20, 22 | 5 oz | Clear plastic cup overwrapped in plastic | Washington | Haggen |
| DELI SNACK PEANUT BTR/TRAIL MIX COMBO | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 26, 22 | 9 oz | Clear plastic square bottom and lid | Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming | Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Randalls, Safeway, Tom Thumb |
| Grab & Go Apple & Celery Tray w/Peanut Butter | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 24, 22 | Each | Clear plastic container and lid | New Mexico, Texas | United, Amigos, Market Street, Albertsons Market. |
| PEANUT BUTTER & CHOC FILLED JMBO CUPCAKE | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 26, 22 | 7.92 oz | Clear plastic bottom and lid | California, Hawaii, Nevada | Safeway, Andronico’s Community Markets, Vons, Pak ‘N Save |
| READYMEALS PB & TRAIL MIX SNACK | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 24, 22 | 7.60 oz | Clear plastic square bottom and lid | Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont | Shaw’s, Star Market |
| READYMEALS QUAD PB APPLE CELERY PRETZEL | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 24, 22 | 7 oz | Clear plastic square bottom and lid | Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming | Albertsons, Andronico’s Community Markets, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Pak ‘N Save, Randalls, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Vons |
| READYMEALS QUAD PB APPLE PRETZEL BROWNIE | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 24, 22 | 6 oz | Clear plastic square bottom and lid | Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wyoming | ACME, Albertsons, Andronico’s Community Markets, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, King’s, Balducci’s, Lucky, Pak ‘N Save, Safeway, Vons |
| SCRATCH PIE PEANUT BUTTER CRM 9IN | All Sell thru Dates up to and including May 26, 22 | Each | Black plastic tray with clear plastic dome lid | Washington | Haggen |
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