Sen. Ron Wyden dove into a Prineville groundwater contamination issue and addressed forest management, homelessness and more at a recent Crook County town hall.
About 40 people attended the session, held late last month in the Crook County Middle School cafeteria. Like many past sessions, the town hall began with an explanation of the ground rules – audience members getting chosen by random ticket drawing to ask questions – followed by a few brief words from Wyden before he began taking questions.
However, Wyden changed the script, having just met with local residents facing a manganese groundwater contamination issue prior to the town hall. The issue emerged about a year and a half ago and a Knife River aggregate mine has been blamed for the contamination. Residents have raised their concerns at multiple town hall meetings, hoping to spur some action by state or federal government.
Wyden said he had recently spoken with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley about the matter and told the audience they have come up with a plan.
“I think all of us agree that this is an urgent issue,” he said. “Folks are dealing with this crud that’s coming out of the faucets. It’s just unacceptable.”
Wyden went on to say that he and Merkley and Kotek believe that manganese testing needs to start quickly. In addition, they believe it should involve a different approach where more stakeholders are involved, “because there is a lot of mistrust that has developed over the last few years.”
“The state agencies, Knife River and residents of the area are all going to be involved in the testing at every step of the way,” Wyden said. “This is an approach that residents can trust and verify.”
Later in the session, Wyden talked about the internet and the problems that it has created, particularly when it comes to its potential to influence young people.
“I think there are going to be changes in that area,” he said.
Wyden went on to note that the emergence of artificial intelligence has taken internet issues “to a different level” that is leaving more and more people questioning information and more people polarized.
“In my day, we had four TV stations. Now, we have hundreds and hundreds of sources of information,” he said. “We didn’t talk about these artificial divides. We talked about what was good for our country.”
Several people in the audience raised forest concerns, asking about a return to logging and reducing the severity and quantity of forest fires.
“I believe we have really lost sight of what I call multiple use forestry,” Wyden said in response. “Everybody has got to be involved in fighting these fires. They’re bigger, they’re hotter and they are more powerful than they were.”
He said the plan should include thinning the overstock and dead material, otherwise lightning strikes will continue to cause infernos in the forest. In addition, Wyden believes more young people should get involved in forestry to help develop solutions.
Another audience member asked Wyden what can be done about homelessness. He highlighted how in 2021, he was able to provide a significant number of housing vouchers in cities and counties “so that people who had come out of the COVID situation could have a housing voucher.”
“Now, we are getting ready to do some more housing,” he continued, referencing his Decent Affordable Safe Housing Act. “I think we ought to have a tax incentive for a young person – and their parents if they are pitching in – to have a down payment for their first home.”
Wyden closed the town hall thanking residents for taking time out of their summer afternoon to share their concerns and participate in government.
“I hope you will go home and say this is the way it's supposed to work,” he said.
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