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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

2/21/12

The 18-hole disc golf course at McCormick Park is beginning to take shape, Page A13

3:24 PM

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TODAY’S WEATHER Partly sunny Highs to 68 Page A15 Lows to 45

The Chronicle

Environmental groups plan BNSF lawsuit over coal pollution The Sierra Club and its partners announced during an April 2 press conference they sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, along with several coal companies, for violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Sierra Club, Puget Soundkeeper, Columbia Riverkeeper, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, and Friends of the Columbia Gorge said they found evidence that the companies are responsible for emitting coal into waterways in many locations across Washington. Burlington Northern is one of the largest railways in the United State and is one of the largest coal transporters as well. BNSF runs an estimated 480 open-top rail cars through the State of Washington each day. “BNSF and other railroads haul coal around the U.S. every day. Coal shippers and railroads know that coal pollution of our waterways is a serious problem and yet for years we’ve watched them point the finger about who pays to resolve the issue,” said Cesia Kearns, campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Exports campaign. “The blame game stops here.” BNSF previously testified at hearings before the Surface Transportation Board that each rail car loses an average of 500 pounds of coal dust per trip. Current coal trains are approximately 120 to 125 rail cars, which means an average of 30 tons of coal being lost per train trip. ­­­­ See LAWSUIT, Page A4

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$1.00 Vol. 131, No. 14 16 Pages

Scappoose looks for more studies on rail-based coal BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle

SCAPPOOSE — The Scappoose City Council has agreed to draft a resolution asking for additional studies to be performed on Kinder Morgan’s proposed rail-based coal export terminal project to better understand impacts to the community. The council was asked by local developer Brian Rosenthal at its March 16 goal setting and visionplanning meeting to consider the resolution, which is based on a similar resolution passed by the City of

Milwaukie in October of 2012. The proposed resolution says, “We urge all relevant Oregon agencies, including the Department of State Lands, the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, to evaluate the impact of Kinder Morgan’s proposed coal export facility on Scappoose and other communities along the proposed rail route. These agencies should consider it a public health, public safety, quality of life and economic impacts to communities near the proposed rail route for the Kinder Morgan project.” This is not the first time the coun-

The city council has never taken a position on the coal trains.” Jon Hanken City Manager

cil has been asked to weigh in on the controversial coal export proposals. “The city council has never taken a position on the coal trains. But back in May 2012, Ambre Energy came to the city council – they’re the

company that is proposing the barges to go up the river to haul coal – and asked the council to take a position on their proposal,” said City Manager Jon Hanken. “They submitted a draft proposal, the city attorney reviewed it and was not comfortable with what Ambre Energy wrote.” After reviewing the resolution submitted by Rosenthal, Hanken said the staff recommendation – should the council decide to proceed with adopting a resolution – was draft a new resolution with some different language. ­­­­ See COAL, Page A4

Changing of the guard

New police chief takes the helm after Sallé retires BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle

ST. HELENS — With very little pomp or circumstance, long-time Police Chief Steve Sallé stepped down from his role, as newly appointed Police Chief Terry Moss took the helm on April 1. Moss was appointed to replace Sallé, who officially retired from the department on March 31 after more than 34 years of service. Moss will be sworn in at the April 3 city council meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Moss has extensive experience with the St. Helens Police Department, having served in various positions for over 21 years. Law enforcement officers from St. Helens and neighboring communities joined friends, family, city staff and others for an April 1 – Sallé’s first official day of retirement – celebration in council chambers. At the event, Mayor Randy Peterson presented Sallé with a letter of commendation. “The St. Helens City Council would like to extend its sincere appreciation for your unwavering service and dedication to the city,” said Peterson. Peterson went on to describe Sallé’s long-time

SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle

Former Police Chief Steve Sallé (left) celebrates his first day of retirement with a celebration at St. Helens City Hall. New Chief Terry Moss (right) presents Sallé with a framed display commemorating the outgoing officer’s 34 years of service.

career with the police department as unprecedented. “Under your leadership, the St. Helens Police Department has excelled and made our community proud,” Peterson added. That sentiment was

shared by Moss as well. “I get asked all the time about what it is like to work with Steve… he really cares. For your leadership you will be sorely missed, but more importantly for your friendship,” Moss said.

Moss is certainly not new to the law enforcement community in St. Helens. He was hired in September of 1991 as a patrol officer. Since that time he served as a detective for five years, in criminal narcot-

ics for one and a half years and as a sergeant for five years. Moss was promoted to his most recent position of lieutenant in September 2003.

­­­­ See CHIEF, Page A4

Bonamici outlines reforms during Scappoose pharmacy tour BY SHARI PHIEL The Chronicle

SCAPPOOSE — Following visits to Foss Maritime Company’s Rainier shipyard and the Columbia County Commissioners’ office, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) toured Hi-School Pharmacy in Scappoose to discuss her support for a reform that could cut as much as $156 billion from the deficit over the next decade. Along with touring the Scappoose business, Bonamici met with John Crawford, vice president of operations for Hi-School Pharmacy and Jack Holt, who owns several pharmacies in the northwest Oregon and southwest Washington areas. Not surprisingly, among Holt’s top concerns was reducing costs for Medicare Part D, which provides prescription drug coverage. “That’s something I truly believe in. Veterans Affairs is allowed to negotiate their purchasing, which economically makes a lot of sense. But Medicare Part D, they can’t. That doesn’t make any sense. People are

SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici discusses Medicare reform with pharmacy owner Jack Holt (left) and Hi-School Pharmacy VP of Operations, John Crawford.

struggling and prices are high. If we can save money for our seniors and for our Medicare system, we should be doing that,” said Bonamici. The proposed change would require the Secretary of Health

and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare Part D beneficiaries, which has been barred from negotiating rates with the pharmaceutical industry since 2004.

For the program’s 28 million seniors, passage of the reform could save them up to $27 billion over that same 10-year time period. “This simple reform would also cut costs for seniors, and help us to avoid cuts in other places like education. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been negotiating prices for years and it’s saved taxpayers billions of dollars,” said Bonamici. According to the Congresswoman, price negotiation has a history of saving money, adding that the Department of Veterans Affairs has reduced costs significantly by negotiating rates. “For many veterans, the prescriptions that they buy are almost half [the cost] because of that,” Bonamici said. According to a Families USA report, the top five Medicare Part D insurers charged prices 58 percent higher than the VA for 20 commonly prescribed drugs. “You can negotiate on Veterans [Affairs], you can negotiate on Medicaid, but you can’t negotiate on ­­­­ See TOUR, Page A4

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