2014 OR Senate debate: on Environment

Jason Conger: Higher timber harvests on public land

Merkley has said he's ready to work with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden--who chairs the committee with jurisdiction over federal forest lands--and others on a solution to the O&C issue.

Conger comes from a more rural part of the state and has a record in the Legislature of supporting higher timber harvests on public land. Conger supports a House-passed bill that would put about 1.6 million acres of O&C land into a state-managed trust primarily for timber production. Wyden has introduced a bill with more environmental safeguards that would have lower timber harvest targets

Said Conger in a release: "Sen. Jeff Merkley has not taken a position on any measure to reform O&C forest management or taken any action to effectively reduce joblessness and poverty in the state's forested communities."

Jason Conger: Voted NO on prohibiting motorized mining in riverbeds

The Legislative Assembly finds that:
1. Prospecting, small scale mining and recreational mining are part of the unique heritage of Oregon
2. Prospecting & small scale mining provide economic benefits to Oregon and local communities and support tourism, small businesses and recreational opportunities
3. Exploration of potential mine sites is necessary to discover the minerals that underlie the surface and inherently involves natural resource disturbance
4. Mining that uses motorized equipment in the beds and banks of the rivers of Oregon can pose significant risks to Oregon's natural resources, including fish and other wildlife, riparian areas, and water quality