Senator Doug Whitsett – District 28
Whitsett at the Capitol

 

February 7, 2007 74th Session, Issue 3

Dear Friends,

We are now entering our fourth week at the capital and are sorting through first and second readings of bills being brought forth, preparing to be voted upon. Last session provided us with nearly 4000 bills to sift through, trying to separate the wheat from the chafe, so to speak. Unfortunately we need to remain highly vigilant in order to stop some really bad ideas that seem to reoccur from session to session. Some of those include: banning snow tires, restricting our Second Amendment rights, and increasing taxes to name just a few.

We appear to be under attack from far left environmental extremists who would like to rewrite our Western Water Law (the prior appropriations doctrine for water); measure and tax the water we have appurtenant to our private property; and stopping the drilling of new wells in the state for agricultural uses.

A water right has significant property value. In arid Eastern and Southern Oregon the water right often represents more than 95% of the value of the land.

For instance, Klamath project farmland often sells for more than $3500 per acre. However, in 2001 when the Federal Government shut off the water to more than 1200 Klamath Project irrigators, Klamath County Assessor, Reg LeQuieu, reappraised that newly created dry land at $28 per acre.

Each time the Legislative Assembly creates or enlarges a beneficial use of the waters of the state, the value of existing water rights are measurably diminished. Each time it happens it represents a taking of the value of private property by the police powers of the state.

My office has helped to create and coordinate a coalition of natural resources water users representing Oregon citizens and industries. Their purpose is to help shape any potential modification in Oregon water law to ensure that those amendments benefit all Oregonians. The extent of the potential harm to water resource users of all types is evident in the breadth of the representation in this growing coalition.

Some of the members now include: League of Oregon Cities, Association of Oregon Counties, Oregon Cattlemen’s Association; Oregonians for Food and Shelter; Oregon Water Resources Congress; Water for Life; Oregon Nursery Association; Oregon Realtors; Oregon Homebuilders; Oregon Groundwater Association; Bear Creek Corporation; and Oregon Food Processors. There is strength in numbers and we hope to make a statement to those politicians driven by leftist environmental agendas.

On a happier note, the California Oregon Border (COB) facility permitted to be built in rural agricultural lands of eastern Klamath County has withdrawn its application for a permit extension from the Oregon Department of Energy. J-Power, a Japanese firm was scheduled to purchase the site and build a mega gas fired electrical generating plant, but decided not to because of technical questions that repeatedly arose throughout the siting process. This is a victory for regular citizens, as the farmers and ranchers of the area had their water and land base placed in jeopardy for a plant that would only produce electrical power for the California market.

Please Contact or Visit us in Salem
Senator Doug Whitsett
Party: R District: 28
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1728
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE., S-302, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: sen.dougwhitsett@state.or.us
Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/whitsett