This week forest defenders across Cascadia united to expose the link between the politicans and corporations that profit from the destruction of US public lands. On Tuesday, 40 Cascadians occupied US Senator Ron Wyden's office. The following day, a protester dressed as a spotted owl locked to a 250 pound stump while others rallied, shutting down Umpqua Bank's flagship branch for several hours.

Both Umpqua Bank and Senator Wyden greenwash their images, depicting themselves as environmentally friendly while supporting and profiting from the destruction of Oregon's native forests. Senator Wyden presents himself as a green politican, and yet of all US politicans he is the fifth highest recipient of campaign contributions from the timber industry. Meanwhile, he sponsors earth-destroying legislation with eco-friendly names like the "Healthy Forest Restoration Act."

Similarly, Umpqua Bank markets itself as a new, hip, eco-conscious bank. In reality "StUmpqua" Bank is run by the dinosaurs of Oregon's ancient forest logging industry. With the past two days of forest actions, local activists are gearing up for the upcoming Earth First! Direct Action Rendezvous in Southwest Oregon the final weekend in August, near the massive Biscuit logging project. The National Earth First! Rendezvous will be held in Oregon in Summer 2005.

VIDEO: Office takeover; Bank lockdown
PHOTOS: Office takeover; Bank lockdown; photo essay from stumpqua bank

BACKGROUND AND NEWS: [ Cascadia RiSiNG! Eco-Defense Infosite | Native Forest Council | Portland Indymedia Forest Page | Cascadia Forest Defenders ]

After one and a half hours of public testimony, the County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a Community Facilities District as a first step in the acquisition of the Felton Water system.

The county will essentially loan Felton $50,000 to finance a formal appraisal and put a bond to the voters.

CalAm RWE has been running an extensive 'scare' campaign to convince residents that the water will cost up to $20 million ($1,165 per rate payer/month). Even higher figures have been cited. Residents testified that they've received phone call, letters, pamphlets, and posters from the company.

The Supervisors came out strongly in favor of taking back the water. Jan Beautz summed it up. "Some things should be owned by the public. Water is one off them. It should not be in the hands of private companies."

Friends of Locally Owned Water (FLOW) Felton



previous coverage: [ Felton fights privatized water I Felton organizes to stop privatization of its water I Jeff Almquist on water privatization in SC county I Felton Organizes to Take Back Water From RWE AG I KUSP advertises American Water ]

On March 6, 2004 residents of Mendocino County passed Measure H, banning the planting of Genetically Engineered (GE) crops -- also known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) -- within their county. The measure is now being used as a model in at least a dozen other counties in California where local residents are well on their way to passing similar measures. Organizers in Butte, Humboldt, Marin and San Luis Obispo counties have already collected enough signatures to place measures on the November ballot. Californians feel that local measures seeking to ban the cultivation of GE crops are critical steps toward economically and ecologically sustainable agriculture.

California farmers produce more than 350 varieties of crops and export more than any state in the US. Although California is recognized as a world leader in organic food production and sustainable agriculture, the world’s largest biotechnology companies are attempting to force GE crops onto California’s farms. Genetic engineering poses a significant risk to the environment, our food supply and the economic health of farmers.

August 3: Trinity County, CA Bans GMOs

[ Californians for GE-Free Agriculture I Mendocino's Measure H I Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange ]

The PLASTIC TURF project at Mission Hill Jr. High School, with a four-lane perimeter athletic track, has been delayed for at least six months, pending resolution of legal action brought by the Mission Hill Neighbors and Parents Association (MHNPA). This project involves the removal of 1' of earth site-wide in a sensitive archeological area (the historic Mission District - see Archeologist's report (.pdf)), and the installation of site-wide plastic turf and track over ground used car tires (mixed with sand), at the cost of $1 MILLION.

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! Please contact the school board concerning how you feel about this project. It is imperative that opponents of this plan immediately contact, preferably by phone, the six school board members who will decide the issue of whether to proceed in the next few months with defending the action brought by MHNPA or settle.

Mission Hill Neighbors and Parents Association

With the first auction of the Biscuit Sales (the largest logging project in the modern history of the Forest Service) set for Friday July 16th, it is Now or Never for Oregon's Wild Siskiyous! The sales are not subject to legal action due to "emergency status determination." The "emergency" is that the trees might rot and be worth less money if the process is slowed by public participation and legal action. Protests at the first five Biscuit Auctions on Friday are followed by a camp out at one of the auctioned sales. Events from slideshows to action camps are staking up to culminate August 27th - 30th with the Cascadia EF! Summer Rendevous, also in the Biscuit. On July 30th, A "Summer Celebration of Life" brings together musicians, artists, and activists in a benefit for the Tre Arrow Legal Defense Fund; Tre is wanted by US authorities for an alleged arson, and is seeking refugee status in Canada. From July 31st - August 2nd, the Cascadia Forest Defenders and Cascadia Rising EcoDefense will be hosting an Action Camp at the Straw Devil timber sale near Eugene, Oregon. Throughout the next month there will be a hike and camp-out at Medicine Lake, a site sacred to local indigenous groups and threatened by Calpine and Halliburton's development through Bush's energy policy. Mark your calendars now to sing and dance with us as we prepare to defend the Siskiyous and all of Cascadia.

[ Pdx Indymedia Forest Page | O2 Collective (Siskiyou area) | Cascadia RiSiNG! EcoDefense ]

Victoria's got a dirty secret! No, it's not crabs or the fact that she has a body rarely found in Nature. The company, Victoria's Secret, mails out over 395 million catalogs a year -- more than 1million a day -- on paper that comes from virgin timber, much of it from Canada's Great Boreal Forest. Come on over to Capitola Mall on November 5th, from 3 - 5pm and show your forest love in an international day of action!

The Lompico Watershed Conservancy needs your help to stop a potentially devastating Timber Harvest Plan. The plan would involve cutting old growth trees on the lands in and around the watershed. This would not only cause disruption of the environment and habitat destruction, it would also signficantly destabilize the land, creating erosion and potential landslide risks. Come out and speak at the hearing for this plan on November 2nd at 7:00 p.m.

BOARDWALK ORDERED TO OPEN ILLEGAL GATE, AND MORE! Former Mayor and community activist, and SCRP member Christopher Krohn went to San Diego last week to testify to the Coastal Commission for not allowing the Seaside Company to lock and fence the eastern gate to the Boardwalk. He won his case and the Sentinel reported about 1/10 of Krohn's news. Here's a special complete report that Christopher wrote while in San Diego. It's long but its must reading if you want to understand what is going on between the Seaside Company and the City of Santa Cruz. Chris also warns right us right at the top, "Disclaimer: THIS IS A BIASED REPORT". READ IT HERE
www.brattononline.com/letters5.php

Thanks to many of you voting no doubt as well as a growing amount of support in Oregon, Jeff 'Free' Luers won the category of "Best Activist" in the Eugene Weekly's Best of 2005 issue last week.

ASPARTAME, the artificial sweetener which is found in 6000 products in the USA, including diet drinks, chewing gum, coffee sweeteners, low fat yogurt, and childrens' vitamins and drugs, even though it turns to formaldehyde, is in a heap of trouble in New Mexico with effort to ban it in toto.