SALEM, Ore., Dec. 21, 2000 (PRNewswire) — Governor John Kitzhaber today joined seven conservation groups and farmers in announcing an end to six years of conflict over water use, species habitat and agricultural development on 93,000 acres of land near Boardman in eastern Oregon.
"In May, I asked the citizens of Oregon to join me in a journey to create sustainable practices and solutions to problems that conserve our natural resources and also meet our economic and community needs," Governor Kitzhaber said.
"Today, I am pleased that private parties are here with me to announce a landmark agreement that puts an end to costly lawsuits, honors important ecological values and opens the way for a significant sustainable farm development that will benefit the communities near Boardman."
Karen Russell, senior staff attorney with WaterWatch, led the conservation groups involved in the settlement. "This is a good deal for endangered salmon, for rare wildlife habitat and for the public," Russell said. "In the last year, we have been able to bridge the gap between conservationists and farmers and develop a plan that's a win for all Oregonians."
Speaking for Threemile Canyon Farms, general manager Marty Myers stated, "By substituting cooperation for confrontation, this settlement opens the way for responsible development of our farm, hundreds of new jobs for neighboring rural communities and a wide ranging conservation strategy for this bio-diverse area known as the Columbia Plateau Eco-region.
"Our business vision includes producing 152,000 gallons of milk per day, potatoes equal to the average annual consumption for 7 million people and 6 megawatts 'green power.' I appreciate the Governor's leadership on sustainability and I applaud WaterWatch and the other conservation parties to this agreement for reaching a win-win solution for the public in the best Oregon tradition."
The elements of the settlement agreement include:
— An end to six years of legal and political conflict over water use species habitat and agricultural development involving Threemile Canyon Farms, seven conservation groups and state and federal agencies.
— Water adequate to irrigate the sustainable agricultural operation of Threemile Canyon Farms located near Boardman in eastern Oregon.
— Protection of endangered wildlife and globally imperiled native grasslands through the creation of a 23,000-acre conservation area (It is expected that The Nature Conservancy will manage this area). Resources from the sustainable farm will assist in funding this area. This will preserve a unique and irreplaceable part of Oregon's natural heritage in a way that goes beyond the mainly species specific tools currently available to government.
— Protection of endangered salmon and steelhead trout through limits on the amount of water taken from a Columbia River tributary. Farmers will contribute $1.25 million to Oregon Water Trust to purchase water rights to protect flows for endangered fish. The settlement also calls for the parties to work with federal agencies to develop additional measures to protect endangered salmon.
— Development of a conservation plan for the Boardman/Willow Creek Conservation Area (nearly 140,000 acres) to protect important ecological values in a region with little remaining native habitat.
Threemile Canyon Farms, the largest sustainable farm in the Pacific Northwest (41,000 irrigated acres), will invest $185 million in state-of-the-art farm technologies that will generate 270 year-round and 410 seasonal jobs. By 2003, the operation will provide an annual boost of $250 million to the rural communities of Morrow and Gilliam counties.
Parties to the Settlement: Conservation groups: WaterWatch of Oregon, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, Oregon Trout, Trout Unlimited, Oregon Natural Desert Association, Idaho Rivers United, Defenders of Wildlife and Ted Hallock. Farm leaseholders: Threemile Canyon Farms, L.L.C., R.D. Offutt Company-Northwest, BAIC, Inc., Inland Land Company, LLC, Taggares Farms, Inc. and Double T Farming. SOURCE: Northwest Strategies
