Oregon

Oregon congressional members ask feds for more comment time on offshore wind energy sites • Oregon Capital Chronicle

Published

8 months ago

March 13, 2024

Oregon congressional members ask feds for more comment time on offshore wind energy sites • Oregon Capital Chronicle

Three of Oregon’s congressional members are pushing the federal government to extend the comment period on two proposed wind power projects off the southern Oregon Coast.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced last month it was moving forward with plans for offshore wind power installations off Coos Bay and Brookings. As a first step, the agency said on Feb.14 it would conduct an environmental assessment and gave the public 30 days to comment. The comment period ends on Friday.

Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, all Democrats, said residents need more time according to input they’ve received. In a letter on Tuesday, they asked the agency’s director, Elizabeth Klein, to extend the comment period to give Oregonians who would be affected by the offshore sites a chance to fully engage in the process.

“Tribes, the fishing community and others throughout Oregon’s coastal communities are currently working to develop comments that will inform the environmental assessment for the wind energy areas, including impacts to the ocean ecosystem, environment, fisheries, viewsheds and other important resources,” they said. “We request an extension of the comment period to allow for robust comments that will set the most complete stage for future analysis. We believe that an extension will serve the tribes, coastal and fishing communities, and ultimately BOEM by allowing ample time to prepare meaningful scoping comments.”

The sites are part of the Biden administration’s plan to build up 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2035, with a total of 30 gigawatts deployed by 2030. Oregon and California on the West Coast are among nearly 20 states nationwide – including states on the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean – that the bureau is working with to develop wind energy sites. As of mid-November, the agency had approved six sites, all on the East Coast. The most recent approval was for a project to power 700,000 homes in New York and New Jersey.

Last year, the Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management gave Oregonians several months to comment on the agency’s plans, and nearly 1,000 people weighed in. Agency officials also visited Brookings, Gold Beach and Coos Bay last fall to talk to fishing groups, officials and residents about installing wind turbines offshore. But those meetings did not give everyone who would be affected by the installations enough time for “a full and healthy exchange of ideas and concerns,” the letter said.

(Courtesy of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)

Electric utilities favor the installation of wind power sites off Oregon to help them meet the state’s electricity needs and climate goals by reducing emissions. Wind power is currently the second cleanest energy source in Oregon after hydropower and makes up nearly 12% of Oregon’s electricity generation and accounts for nearly 5% of the state’s energy consumption, according to state data.

The two wind energy areas would add 2.4 gigawatts of clean power – enough to power about 830,000 homes – with the installations covering more than 195,000 acres in total. The Coos Bay site would span about 61,200 acres and be located more than 30 miles from shore, while the Brookings site would cover about 133,808 acres and float about 20 miles from shore.

Bureau officials said in developing plans for sites nationwide, it maps where the strongest winds are; the location of shipping lanes, undersea cables and submerged platforms; areas where commercial and recreational fishing are concentrated; areas that are home to wildlife and fragile habitat; and the impact on views.

Still, some fishing groups and tribes are against the development of wind energy in the area. Trawlers are worried the sites could affect their livelihood by restricting trawling, and local tribal members whose ancestors have lived along the southern Oregon coast for centuries are also worried about fishing. In November, the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians passed a resolution saying it opposes offshore wind energy development because the agency had failed to respond to its concerns.

“The tribe has consistently raised concerns about wind energy development. These comments include a request that important, cultural viewsheds be excluded from the (wind energy sites) and that wind development avoid areas critical to resident and migratory species, including important areas for fishing,” the council said.

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Related Topics:biden administration boem Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Featured wind power

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Oregon

Wisconsin Fans Erupt With Rage After Unacceptable Loss

Published

2 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Press Room

Wisconsin Fans Erupt With Rage After Unacceptable Loss

PublishedNovember 17, 2024 10:17 AM EST|UpdatedNovember 17, 2024 10:17 AM EST

Wisconsin football fans are livid following the team losing to Oregon.

The Badgers lost to the number one Ducks at home 16-13, and it’s the team’s third straight loss. Luke Fickell’s program now sits at 5-5, and what fans witnessed late Saturday night was beyond unacceptable.

The offensive was so atrocious that it made me want to puke. Quarterback Braedyn Locke finished the game with 96 yards on 12/28 passing with one touchdown and a game-ending interception.

The defense did everything necessary to beat the top team in the country, and the Badgers went into the second half winning.

Wisconsin lost at home to Oregon 16-13, and fans aren’t happy. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Wisconsin fans seethe with anger after blowing golden opportunity against Oregon.

Instead of getting the biggest win of the year, Fickell and his squad blew another second half lead to lose. Fans have had enough, and they’re taking their frustration out on social media.

Check out some of the reactions below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com:

I’ve watched a million mid quarterbacks for the Badgers and almost all of them win this game
I don’t think Locke outperforms a single QB from the last decade. I’d take Bart Houston, Hornibrook, Coan, Van Dyke, literally anyone.
Two things changed this game: The phantom chop block call killed all momentum Inexplicable delay of game out of a tv time out Although we all agree any sort of competent qb play we win.
Locke needs to ride pine unless there’s an emergency situation, the dude sucks. That said, taking Oregon and Penn State to the deep waters is nothing to scoff at. OC can take a hike but Fickell has them going the right direction.
Woof… on the plus side this had to be better for recruiting than losing by 30 and the fans being gone by half time.
I never want to see Locke play another snap of football – we win that game with anything but a black hole at QB.
12/29 96 yards. Should be lockes last game
96. F*cking. Yards. Golly. That’s just unfathomable. Air raid though amirite.
Locke is in his third year of college football and being this bad can’t be acceptable
When I die, I want those Wisconsin Badgers to be my pallbearers so they can let me down one last time
How many winnable games that result in pathetic backbreaking losses in big time games can this program endure before we collectively just lose hope. Because I’m losing hope.
Locke might be even worse than Allan Evridge and Danny O’Brien
I cannot wait until the day that I no longer have to watch Braedyn Locke play football.
Enough with Locke. A student from the damn student section would have won us that game!!!
Team would be at least 8-2 with any competent QB. Locke is an embarrassment and better not be on the roster next year. He shouldn’t be starting for a D3 team let alone a FBS school.
Oregon might be the better team. But they were not better than us today.
Longo is not the problem. It’s Braedyn.
Longo is a big problem, but Locke is an even bigger problem

It’s pretty obvious Braedyn Locke has found himself as the main target of frustration, anger and disappointment from fans.

By all accounts, he’s a great person and a very smart guy. However, being highly intelligent and a great dude doesn’t change the fact he’s simply not up to the task of playing high-level FBS football.

He has two passing touchdowns and five interceptions over the past three games and Wisconsin has lost every single one.

Wisconsin QB Braedyn Locke played terribly against Oregon. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The tough part for fans to swallow is that Mabrey Mettauer – the team’s future at QB – is simply not ready right now.

If he were, then he’d be playing. It’s that simple. Instead, the Badgers have to keep riding with Locke, and it’s an absolute disaster.

As a Wisconsin man, I’m every bit as upset as everyone else. There’s no excuse for blowing games to Oregon and Penn State at home. The team wins those games and people are talking about having a very different season.

Wisconsin quarterback Mabrey Mettauer hasn’t been able to get reps over Braedyn Locke. The Badgers are 5-5 after losing a winnable game against Oregon. (Photo by Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Now, there’s just two games left against Nebraska and Minnesota. Get to 7-5, win a bowl game, finish 8-5 and fans can start talking about whether there’s a clear upset to the program.

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Oregon

Week 12 Reactions: Oregon escapes upset & Georgia back in playoff race? | College Football Power Hour

Published

10 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Press Room

Week 12 Reactions: Oregon escapes upset & Georgia back in playoff race? | College Football Power Hour

Was Dan Lanning out of line to fake a field goal rather than put the ball in Dillon Gabriel’s hands? Oregon keeps their perfect season alive on the road at Wisconsin but not without some controversy. Caroline Fenton, Jason Fitz & Adam Breneman break down that game plus, in the SEC, Carson Beck finally looks like the QB we thought he’d be as the Georgia Bulldogs take down the Tennessee Volunteers. Elsewhere, LSU goes down HARD to the Florida Gators whose bowl chances are looking up after the win.

Caroline, Fitz & Adam share their biggest takeaways from the weekend including why Billy Napier and Florida will be the talk of the town in the offseason and which two players have pulled ahead in the Heisman race.

(0:37) Tennessee @ Georgia recap

(26:32) Oregon @ Wisconsin recap

(33:48) There’s no ‘great’ CFB team this season

(46:50) Florida will be the talk of the town

(55:31) Heisman race narrows to two

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) scrambles durning a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Wisconsin Badgers on November 16th, 2024 at Barry Alvarez field inside Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all the episodes of the College Football Power Hour and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

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Oregon

Hydrologic outlook for Oregon

Published

18 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Press Room

A hydrologic outlook was issued on Saturday at 3:52 p.m. for Clatsop County Coast, Tillamook County Coast, Central Coast of Oregon, North Oregon Coast Range Lowlands, Central Oregon Coast Range Lowlands, North Oregon Coast Range, Central Oregon Coast Range, Lower Columbia River, Tualatin Valley, West Hills and Chehalem Mountains, Inner Portland Metro, East Portland Metro, Outer Southeast Portland Metro, West Central Willamette Valley, East Central Willamette Valley, Benton County Lowlands, Linn County Lowlands, Lane County Lowlands, West Columbia River Gorge of Oregon above 500 ft, West Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor, Upper Hood River Valley, Central Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor, Clackamas County Cascade Foothills, Cascade Foothills of Marion and Linn counties and Lane County Cascade Foothills.

“It is shaping up to be a wet week ahead. Of particular concern is the potential for heavy rain Tuesday night through Friday morning, which could result in some flooding for area creeks and rivers. Current projections of the most likely amounts for storm total precipitation range from 5 to 8 inches for the Coast, Coast Range, and Cascades, with 2.5 to 4 inches for inland valley locations, including Portland, Salem, and Eugene. Upper end projections, with about a 10 percent chance of occurring, range from 6 to 11 inches for the Coast, Coast Range, and Cascades, with 5 to 7 inches for inland valleys. Snowmelt in the Cascades from 2000 to 4000 feet elevation could add runoff, although the main cause for flooding would be the heavy rain. Rivers will rise starting Wednesday. Small streams and fast-responding rivers could see flooding as early as Wednesday night or Thursday, with slow-responding rivers potentially flooding by this weekend. Heavy rainfall will also cause water ponding in low-lying areas and other areas of poor drainage,” says the National Weather Service.