Commissioners respond quickly to President Trump's federal lands Executive Order

ALBANY — Reacting quickly to an Executive Order to investigate federal forest policies signed by President Donald Trump on Saturday, Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker on Tuesday, authorized the county administrative officer to research the potential hiring of a lobbying firm.

The commissioners agreed that President Trump’s actions may lead to policies that help clear federal forest lands of wildfire materials and provide timber for local mills, creating jobs.

Board Chair Nyquist said the action is in keeping with the county’s long-standing pro-timber and anti-wildfire position it has held for many years.

The President’s Executive Order:

• Calls for new or updated agency guidance to facilitate increased timber production, sound forest management, reduced delivery times and decrease timber supply uncertainty.
• Cuts red tape in order to streamline timber production and identifies measures to boost timber sales from public lands.
• Pushes for quicker approvals under the Endangered Species Act so that forestry projects are not delayed by slow reviews.
• Takes strong action to prevent and combat the spread of wildfires by focusing on strategies to reduce fire risks and improve forest conditions.
• Chairman Nyquist said the Federal Government — primarily U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management — owns 38% of all lands in Linn County.

“Our citizens are under threat of wildfire damage every summer,” Nyquist said, adding that he vividly remembers the aftermath of the Labor Day weekend 2020 fires in the Santiam Canyon that claimed lives and caused massive destruction of homes, businesses and public and private timberlands.

Rebuilding of homes and businesses in that area remains underway today.

The commissioners agreed that hiring a lobbying firm and acting quickly will provide the county with an opportunity to get local voices heard.

Funds would come from the county’s lease agreement with Aymium, a carbon production company on 33 acres owned by the county in Millersburg.

Commissioners Tucker and Sprenger said they support the proposal.

“I wholly support the idea of engaging with the current power structure during this time of restructuring,” Tucker said.

He emphasized that “time is of the essence … things are moving fast.”

Commissioner Sprenger said she too supports the proposal, but also wants details about cost, length of contract and what would be expected of the lobbying firm.

County Administrative Officer Darrin Lane will research possible lobbying firms and bring information back to the commissioners as soon as possible for a possible contract approval. County code allows the commissioners to expend up to $250,000 toward this type of project without seeking Requests for Proposals.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved a contract with Western Emulsions to provide liquid asphalt for this summer’s road chip sealing projects and granted authority to Roadmaster Wayne Mink to purchase asphalt emulsion fog seal up to $312,405.75 from C.R. Contracting LLC.
• Approved purchasing a new security trailer and emergency radios for $152,511 for the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

Media contact: Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer, 541-967-3825 or email apaul@co.linn.or.us.