Oregon Blue Mtn Revision Meeting - 4/20 5pm Please ATTEND

Oregongirl

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Hey folks - if you can attend this meeting, please do so!

Sunridge Inn
Baker City
5pm-8pm

I just received the following from the City of Halfway.

CITY OF HALFWAY
1558 E. RECORD ST. P 0 Box 735
HALFWAY, OR 97834
PHONE: (541) 742-4741 FAX (541) 742-4742​

April 16th, 2010

Re: Legislation Bill “Oregon Eastside Forest Restoration, Old Growth Protection and Jobs Act 2009”

To whom this may concern:

Hello I am a member of the community that falls in the area of the Wallowa Whitman Forest. As a member of this area I have concerns about the proposed plan to add on new wilderness areas. Looking at the map of the proposed action, it looks as if you want to include what we call Tabletop and Sugarloaf, these areas must not be added into the proposed plan as they are areas that will impact our economy in a negative way. On the map that shows the proposed action areas it is marked ‘1B’ this area will impact Baker County’s economy in a negative way.

Eastern Oregon is made up of smaller cities and towns unlike the west side of Oregon. Baker County is part of Eastern Oregon and our main industry is tourism and recreation. Our Economy needs both tourism and recreation in order to survive.

Baker County’s unemployment rate as of Feb. 2010 was 9.0%. This figure will grow larger if you add on more wilderness areas in the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. The communities that surround this forest area will be impacted to the point of having to lay off more people. Without the use all our mountainous areas we will lose recreational tourism thus forcing more layoffs and raising the unemployment rates in this area to an all time high.

The Small Town of Halfway Oregon will be impacted the most by adding ‘1B’ on the map to wilderness area, this community’s main source of income is recreation and tourism. We fear that if this proposal takes place than this small town will be nothing more than a ghost town leaving people in the stores, restaurants, motel, lodging, and recreational guide services out of work. If these businesses close then people will have to relocate which will hurt our school.

As members of Baker County and Halfway Oregon we urge you to stop the proposed plan to add on ‘1B’ of the map to wilderness area. Our Communities can not take the impact economically.
 
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