Monday Mailing
Year 20 • Issue 32 05 May 2014 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
LNG Roils County Commission Race Oregon Ranked 5th Most Bike-Friendly State by The League OSU-Cascades Campus Delayed Hazards Related Web Resources Oregon Rail Plan Available for Comment Webinar-Creative Thinking about Developing Rural Food Systems 2014 Solar Now! University Conference Hike it, Bike it, Raft it ~ Eastern Oregon’s Scenic Byways GTA Events in May These Simple Devices Turn Every Sign Post Into A Bike Rack Funding Opportunities
1. LNG Roils County Commission Race Natural gas import/export projects have been a contentious local election issue in Clatsop County for a decade now. And this May it is on the minds of voters again.
Quote of the Week: “Friends ask us why we do it. As I have already insinuated, there are selfish reasons, and it is just as well that there are. If we through we were acting out of pure altruism, we should be unbearable, and if we were looking for appreciation and praise, we should be hopelessly embittered. Our reward comes in the friendships we have made, in the pleasures of belonging to a group, and in the increase in understanding. But there is no sense in pretending to be more hard-boiled than we are. Along with everything else, we do have a feeling of responsibility to the community. What we get is, indeed, a byproduct of what we give. We did not set out to see what we could learn, but to see what we could do.” ~Granville Hicks Oregon Fast Fact: Oregon is super lucky to have a crew like you!!
With three commission seats to be determined in the election, the county’s stance on Oregon LNG’s proposed pipeline could change if a land-use application is remanded back to the county for another decision-making process. The county’s recent denial is being reviewed by the Land Use Board of Appeals. To access the full story, click here. 2. Oregon Ranked 5th Most Bike-Friendly State by The League The League of American Bicyclists has ranked Oregon the fifth most bike friendly state in the nation. This ranking marks a slip of two places from our third place ranking last year. Since these rankings debuted in 2008, Oregon has only been out of the top five one time with an eighth-place in 2011 (which the Oregon Department of Transportation took exception to). While no ranking system is perfect (and most of them are nothing but click-bait garbage) the League of American Bicyclists does have some credibility and they have a rigorous set of criteria that they use to weight a state's success in integrating bicycling into transportation plans, policies, and projects. To access the full story, click here. 3. OSU-Cascades Campus Delayed Facing an extended land use review process that may delay the opening of its planned four-year campus, Oregon State University-Cascades Campus has begun looking for temporary student housing and classroom space on Bend’s west side. The university doesn’t anticipate being delayed more than a year and is eyeing a 2016 opening for the
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campus while maintaining plans to welcome its first freshmen and sophomores in 2015. The announcement follows a decision by the city to send the university’s site plan for the first phase of its expansion to a hearings officer in anticipation of an appeal. Opposition to OSU-Cascades’ proposed 56-acre campus, which is located near the Southwest Chandler Avenue and Century Drive roundabout, organized in March under the group Truth In Site. The group has opposed the location based on concerns over the impact on traffic and quality of life while promising a legal challenge. Truth In Site’s spokesman, Scott Morgan, did not return a call for comment on Monday. OSU-Cascades finalized its site plan application last week for a 10-acre site, which the university hopes will serve 1,900 students before a second expansion. The parcel is already zoned for university use, but OSU-Cascades anticipates the 120-day review process being extended by an appeal. To access the full story, click here. 4. Hazards Related Web Resources Flood Risk Information System If you’re mapping flood risk in North Carolina, you’re in luck—the Flood Risk Information System has a wealth of information, including flood hazard data, models, maps, and risk assessments. Geospatial map data, imagery, LiDAR data, and hydraulic and hydrologic models are also available. And if you’re not in North Carolina? Sit tight. Other states are on the way, with Alabama and Virginia now in beta.
An Economic Analysis of Corporate Demand for Terrorism Insurance in the U.S.
Fifteen minutes might save you fifteen percent on car insurance, but when it comes to terrorism insurance there’s not a lot of options. This Wharton Risk Center brief examines the state of the U.S. Terrorism Insurance Act, a public-private venture set to expire this year, and found that a gradual price increase wouldn’t have much effect on how many corporations purchase the insurance—a ten percent increase in premiums would result in a little over one percent decrease in coverage, in fact. The report also looks at coverage disparities between large and small firms and the link between property and terrorism coverage.
HaitiData HaitiData is a one of (hopefully) many sites to come that are making disaster data transparent and shareable. The site is still in the process of reaching critical collection mass, but there’s already a lot of useful geospatial information to share. View political boundaries, environmental info, planning resources, and learn more about the site’s mission to share info and better inform decision makers. Red Cross Mobile Apps If you’ve got an emergency, the Red Cross has an app for that. Check out this page and get your hazards preparedness on with multiplatform apps for everything from finding shelters to weathering hurricanes to giving your pet first aid. And it’s not all disasters—you’ll find fun stuff like swimming apps and volunteering for the Red Cross, too.
Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment
All oil spills are not created equal and oil spills in the arctic can be especially challenging. The National Academies report examines oil spill response and environmental assessments north of the Bering Strait and makes recommendations for effective response.
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5. Oregon Rail Plan Available for Comment The 2014 Oregon State Rail Plan (SRP) is ready for public review and comment. The plan contains valuable findings from studies and analysis on the future of rail in Oregon. It also lays out goals, policies, and strategies as well as a statewide investment and decision making framework that will be used by Oregon to determine project funding aimed at addressing important issues, like: • • • •
Shortline maintenance and preservation; Safety projects; Intermodal connectivity; And, passenger rail service reliability and improvements.
For more information, click here. 6. Webinar-Creative Thinking about Developing Rural Food Systems Thu, May 8, 2014 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT In this webinar, we’ll explore challenges and responses in building healthy, sustainable food systems in rural areas. We’ll hear about the work of the Center of Rural Affairs to build up food independence on the Santee Sioux and Omaha Tribe reservations and the connections to cultural knowledge. And we’ll discuss and brainstorm how communities can get started with tangible steps for making our community food systems stronger. Speakers: • • •
Janet Kagan, Director, Art-Force Inc. Adele Phillips, Center for Rural Affairs: Program associate, Rural Opportunities and Stewardship Program Veronica Erenberg, Center for Rural Affairs: Community Foods Specialist, Rural Opportunities and Stewardship Program
This Webinar is provided by the National Consumer Law Center and sponsored by the National Alliance for Rural Policy (NARP). There is no charge for this webinar. To register for this webinar, click here. 7. 2014 Solar Now! University Conference June 13 & 14
Hillsboro, Oregon
Solar Now! University is a conference for those who make - and want to make - Oregon solar projects happen. Its where community officials connect with industry experts; where big ideas meet hands-on information; where renewable energy leaders illuminate where solar is now - and how to help steer it. This year’s conference is hosted by the City of Hillsboro, about 20 miles west of Portland. It begins Thursday evening, June 12, with a Meet-and-Greet at the U.S. headquarters of SolarWorld, a global leader in photovoltaic module production. In addition to networking, attendees can take a behindthe-scenes tour of the company’s manufacturing facility, the largest such production plant in the Americas. Page 3 of 6
Friday features a full day of sessions at Hillsboro’s main library. This year’s program is still being finalized but sessions will cover such topics as: • • • • • • •
Solar options for homes, businesses, public buildings and communities Case studies of installed projects Financing Options Tax credits, incentives & grants Laws and policies that impact solar Solar permitting and codes Technology advancements
Friday also includes a luncheon and a dinner, still more opportunities to network and learn. More sessions will be offered Saturday morning, followed by a luncheon and afternoon tours of local solar projects. Attendees will have a choice of tours, to be announced. Come to Solar Now! University in Hillsboro June 13-14, 2014. You’ll connect with other solar users, advocates and experts and get information you can actually apply—now, and for the future. Join us for our conference kick-off Meet and Greet, June 12th 6:00 pm at SolarWorld. For more information, click here. 8. Hike it, Bike it, Raft it ~ Eastern Oregon’s Scenic Byways Travel Oregon…We see your 7 Wonders and raise you 7 of our own! In fact, we have packaged our Wonders into to great itineraries along our scenic byways and tour routes. In a region that is as diverse as Eastern Oregon, it is difficult to choose the “Wonders” we could boast about. How do you choose between the deepest river gorge in North America and sheer fault face of 10,000 ft.steens-mountains Steens Mountain? Could there be a compassion between the ancient rock formations of the Painted Hills and the ancient knowledge of the Columbia River, or Snake, or John Day? It is impossible to choose. So we packaged the incredible “Wonders” of Eastern Oregon into connecting scenic byways and tour routes that are literally…Wonder-Full! To access the full story, click here. 9. GTA Events in May May 13 Geek Lunch: Multicopters Demystified Our May Geek Lunch event features Brett Faike of Hoverlabs. We will take a look at the essential components that make up a multicopter, the reason they are special, and how multicopters may be leveraged to make our lives better. Maybe Amazon's PR stunt isn't too far fetched! Learn more at hoverlabs.org. Details: Noon on Tuesday, May 13 China Gorge, 2680 Old Columbia River Hwy, Hood River Free for all to attend; no-host lunch. May 28 Featured Event on Gorge Internet Update: Present and Future Status Join the Gorge Tech Alliance for our Wednesday, May 28 special Featured Event with an expert panel from the region's Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Representatives have been invited from Page 4 of 6
Charter, CenturyLink, Gorge.net, Hood River Communications Access Coop and Saw.net to share their current and future plans for their equipment and offerings. Short presentations, questions from our moderator and questions from YOU will make the evening very informative. Come ask those hard questions to let them know what you need to make your tech business successful! Details: 6:30pm on Wednesday, May 28 Springhouse Cellar Winery, 13 Railroad Ave., Hood River Free for GTA members; $10 for non-members. Networking and appetizers included. No-host bar. 10. These Simple Devices Turn Every Sign Post Into A Bike Rack Americans believe that climate change is making weather worse, that they’ve experienced it One of the challenges of urban cycling is finding a place to park your bike. A simple design from U.K.-based Smartstreets might help: The Cyclepark, made of two metal loops, hooks around existing lampposts and street signs to provide extra bike parking on every block. “By making use of what’s already there, you’re not adding obstacles on the pavement for pedestrians,” says Andrew Farish, one of the designers of the Cyclepark. “And the less stuff you have on the street, the better the street looks.” To access the full story, click here. 11. Funding Opportunities Open Society Foundations Invites Applications for Social Justice Photography Projects<http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp30> DEADLINE: July 8, 2014 Grants of up to $30,000 will be awarded for photography projects that address a pressing social justice or human rights problem and provide concrete ways for photographers, organizations, and their target audiences to create a positive social impact.... James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation Accepting Applications for Arts and Education Programs <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp21> - DEADLINE: July 21, 2014 Grants will be awarded in support of arts organizations and programming and K-12 education organizations in Oregon.... Lincoln Financial Group Invites Submissions for 2014 Lincoln's Legacy Award <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp26> - DEADLINE: June 6, 2014 A $50,000 grant will be awarded to a nonprofit organization whose programs have boosted high school graduation rates and college preparedness.... National Resource Center for First-Year Experience Invites Applications for Paul F. Fidler Research Grants <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp19> DEADLINE: July 1, 2014 One grant of $5,000 will be awarded for a project aimed at improving the experiences of college students transitioning into and through higher education.... International Reading Association Invites Applications for Regie Routman Teacher Recognition Grant <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp23> DEADLINE: November 15, 2014 A grant of $2,500 will be awarded to an outstanding elementary school teacher dedicated to improving teaching and learning of reading and writing across the curriculum....
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National Weather Association Invites Applications for K-12 Meteorological Education Projects <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp27> - DEADLINE: June 1, 2014 Grants of up to $750 will be awarded to help teachers and others improve K-12 education in meteorology and related sciences.... L'Oreal Paris Seeking Nominations for 2014 Women of Worth Awards <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTWsGvB8ixfdB85rCJAACSSkNs/rfp28> - DEADLINE: June 25, 2014 Ten women will receive $10,000 each in recognition of their efforts to make a difference in the world through voluntarism.... USDA is offering grants to collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally-based networks or partnerships of qualified public and/or private entities including community-based organizations for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. Deadline to apply: 6/12/2014. For application requirements, click here <http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-xjlukjy-jrdkjkiilu-m/>. THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION is offering grants to nonprofits, public agencies, and others for STEM Learning Projects. Deadline: 7/10/2014. Grants will be offered to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. They will also provide multiple pathways for broadening access to STEM learning experiences, and provide other activities. Click here <http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-xjlukjy-jrdkjkiilu-c/> for guidelines and an application. USDA announced that it will be accepting applications for other new Rural Business Investment Companies. Deadline to apply: 7/29/2014. Any application accepted after this deadline will be held for consideration next year. Application materials can be downloaded here <http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-xjlukjy-jrdkjkiilu-q/>.
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