Representative Deborah Boone E-Update

Greetings from Salem!

The 8th Annual Oregon Wave Energy Trust Conference was held in Astoria last week and attracted more than 200 people to our area. This year’s conference theme was Community and Industry: Collaboration, Innovation and Opportunity.  I was honored to help welcome the conference participants, and be on hand when OWET awarded the Ocean Energy Leader Awards.   Peter Huhtala, Chairman of the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, State Senator Arnie Roblan, and former State Representative Terry Thompson were among those honored for their leadership efforts in the Ocean Energy arena.

This conference has international appeal, and this year people came to Astoria from across North America and around the world to discuss using a community-based cooperative approach to advance ocean energy.  It seems very clear that working with stakeholders and community members will be the only way to advance these projects.   There are many potential opportunities and impacts that ocean energy may have for local communities.  Some of the benefits include power that is cleanly, reliably and locally generated, which strengthens community resilience in times of emergency.   Also there may be significant revenue for public services as well as job creation and economic growth.  The awareness of the potential for positive economic results was demonstrated at the “Supply Chain” breakout session, due to the tremendous interest from fishing fleet members, tug boat operators and others, the popular session was moved to a larger room.  Everyone seems to recognize that key for success of the wave energy industry, will be protecting the ocean. Conference participants shared the best business practices which have been derived from other industries to will help ensure that energy projects are safe, successful and have minimal effects on the ocean and its users.   The OWET conference was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our beautiful Astoria area.  The local community sponsors were Clatsop County, the Clatsop Community College, and the Oregon Military Department/Camp Rilea. With assistance from the Astoria & Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, the convention was not only well run, but well received by attendees. 

Governor Kitzhaber called state lawmakers into a Special Session this week, and we are currently working on a revenue package that would increase funding for K-12 schools, level tuition costs in the university system, and provide much needed financial support for mental health services.  

Transportation issues will be on the forefront over the next few days, Senator Betsy Johnson has organized a series of sessions throughout Senate District 16 to meet with officials to discuss all modes of transportation.   On Friday, we’ll concentrate on House District 32 by starting with an overall briefing in Astoria, before heading to Warrenton to discuss needed dock improvements for international shipping, small port dredging and the Pacific Seafood aftermath.   In Seaside, discussion topics will include Hwy 101 center lane improvements, their overall transportation system plan, and congratulate ODOT and their partners on their flood mitigation efforts.     Garibaldi’s briefing includes the rail, wharf and dredging, and then finally in Tillamook, state and county officials along with the mayors from Tillamook county cities will discuss a full range of issues.  If you have questions or concerns about the transportation network, please contact my or Senator Johnson’s office.

The Senator and I have also scheduled a series of Town Hall Session in the District on Sunday October 13th.   We’ll start the day off in Tillamook from 10:00 to 11:30am in the Tillamook PUD’s meeting room.  In the early afternoon, we’ll be at the Seaside Public Library from 1:00 to 2:30pm, and then finish up the day at the Banks City Hall Council Chambers from 4:00 to 5:30pm. I hope you will join us to hear an update on legislation and the Special Session.

On a personal note, I wish to congratulate Senator Betsy Johnson, the recipient of the League of Oregon Cities’ Mark O. Hatfield Statesmanship Award.   This prestigious award was presented to OUR SENATOR this week, recognizing her outstanding career in public service.  This is a tremendous honor, and well deserved.

As always, if you have a concern or comment about a state agency, or pending legislation, you can write, phone or email my office.  It is my privilege to represent you in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Deborah Boone
State Representative District 32