Time runs out for Oregon timber ballot initiatives

Three ballot initiatives that would have restricted clear-cutting and aerial spraying in Oregon have failed to qualify for the November general election.

One of the petitions, which would have imposed new limits on aerial pesticide applications, was able to obtain the Oregon Supreme Courts approval for its ballot title language.

However, that didnt leave enough time for supporters to collect about 88,000 valid signatures by the July 8 deadline.

The states highest court has yet to rule on the ballot title for another petition that would restrict aerial spraying and logging in landslide-prone areas.

A third petition to prohibit clear-cut timber harvests was withdrawn by supporters due to legal complications involving forestland property value laws.

Steve Pedery, a chief petitioner for all three proposals, said the application process was started late and further hindered by legal challenges from the timber industry.

Once we ended up in the court process, the clock was probably going to run out on us, said Pedery, who is also conservation director for the Oregon Wild environmental non-profit.

However, Pedery said hes pleased the Oregon Supreme Court has approved the ballot title for one of the initiative petitions, since such language is now likely to stand in future elections.

Oregon Wild is a taking a long-term interest in enacting timber reforms, possibly with initiatives on the 2018 or 2020 ballots, said Pedery.

Oregonians for Food & Shelter, an agribusiness group, is glad the extreme and damaging measures wont be on the November ballot, but its likely the issues will be revived, said Scott Dahlman, its policy director.

Similar ideas will also probably surface in the Oregon legislature again next year, Dahlman said.

Lawmkers rejected such proposals during the 2015 legislative session in favor of a more reasoned approach once they learned about their negative consequences, he said.

We think the people of Oregon would do the same if they were educated on the issue, Dahlman said.

Supporters of proposed bans on aerial spraying in Lincoln and Lane counties are currently gathering signatures for ballot initiatives, he said.

However, time is running short for the Lincoln County effort while the deadline has passed for the Lane County petition to qualify for the November ballot, Dahlman said. Either petition could also qualify for the May 2017 election.

Sara Duncan, public affairs director for the Oregon Forest & Industries Council, said the timber industry has made great technological improvements to prevent off-site spray drift.

Aside from a few high-profile incidents, pesticide spraying in forestry has proven to be safe, she said.

We already have stringent rules and regulations, Duncan said.