Oregon
Oregon Parks and Recreation seeks public comment for camping rate range increases
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is considering rate range increases for camping and facility fees for the public and is seeking comment on the proposed changes.
The rate increases are necessary due to increased utility costs, operations, maintenance needs and inflation, OPRD said in a news release. The rate range increases would not increase fees automatically. The range gives flexibility to adjust the fees within the range over time and avoids large increases all at once, OPRD said.
Examples for the proposed rate range changes include:
A full hook-up campsite with a current rate of $33 and rate range of $26 to $40 would see a proposed rate range increase of $33 to $52 for Oregonians and a range of $41.25 to $65 for out-of-state visitors.
A rustic cabin with a current rate of $52 and a rate range of $42 to $62 would see a proposed rate range increase of $52 to $81 for Oregonians and a range of $65 to $101.25 for out-of-state visitors.
An RV with a current rate of $120 and range of $100 to $120 would see a proposed rate range increase of $120 to $200 for Oregonians and $150 to $250 for out-of-state visitors.
The full list of proposed rate range changes can be found at bit.ly/3Sw0Uph.
How to comment on proposed Oregon Parks and Recreation Department rate changes
The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department said it would accept comments on the proposed changes through 5 p.m. Aug. 30.
Comments can be submitted by email, mail, online or during three public hearings.
Online: bit.ly/4cE5z0k
Mail: OPRD Department, attn: Katie Gauthier, 725 Summer St NE, Suit C, Salem, OR., 97301
Email: OPRD.Publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov
A virtual hearing is planned for 5:30 p.m. July 31. Register at this link: bit.ly/3S7TOGZ.
In-person hearings are set for the following dates:
- 5:30 p.m., Aug. 6: Nehalem Bay State Park Meeting Hall, 34600 Garey St., Nehalem
- 5:30 p.m., Aug. 13: North Mall Office Building, 725 Summer St. NE, Salem. Must arrive by 6 p.m. to testify.
After the public comment period ends, the proposal, with any updates, is slated to go to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission in September or November. Changes in rate ranges would not be effective until the budget is approved by the Oregon Legislature and signed by the governor in 2025.
Emma Logan is an outdoors journalism intern for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at elogan@salem.gannett.com or on X @emmmalogan
Three Oregon lawmakers say they plan to introduce a bill that would bar utilities from raising rates if they have unresolved wildfire lawsuits for three or more years, describing it as an effort to hold PacifiCorp accountable as the utility faces a series of lawsuits stemming from the deadly 2020 wildfires that ravaged the state.
Republican state Reps. Jami Cate, Virgle Osborne and Ed Diehl announced their proposal in a statement Monday, on the heels of an approved rate increase for PacifiCorp customers and a federal lawsuit against the electric power company.
The federal government sued PacifiCorp last week over the Archie Creek Fire, which ignited in Oregon’s Douglas County in September 2020 and burned more than 200 square miles, about half of which was federal land. The complaint accuses the company of negligence for failing to maintain its power lines to prevent wildfires. In its filing, the government says it brought the suit to recover “substantial costs and damages.”
A PacifiCorp spokesperson said in an emailed statement Monday that the company was working with the U.S. government to resolve the claims.
“It is unfortunate the U.S. government decided to file a lawsuit in federal district court, however PacifiCorp will continue to work with the U.S. government to find reasonable resolution of this matter,” the statement said.
The federal lawsuit was filed on the same day the Oregon Public Utility Commission approved a 9.8% rate increase for PacifiCorp’s residential customers next year. In its rate case filings, the company said its request to increase rates was partly due to higher costs stemming from wildfire risk and activity.
When the new rate takes effect in January, PacifiCorp rates will have increased nearly 50% since 2021, according to the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, which advocates on behalf of utility customers.
The three lawmakers said they will introduce their bill in the upcoming legislative session, which starts in January.
“The federal government is doing the right thing by filing this lawsuit, and we stand firmly behind it,” Osborne, who is set to be the future bill’s co-chief sponsor, said in a statement. “PacifiCorp needs to pay up and take responsibility for the destruction they’ve caused, and putting a stop to rate hikes is the best way to achieve it.”
PacifiCorp is poised to be on the hook for billions in damages in the series of lawsuits over Oregon’s 2020 fires.
The company has already reached two settlement agreements over the Archie Creek Fire, including one for $299 million with 463 plaintiffs impacted by the blaze and another for $250 million with 10 companies with commercial timber interests, according to its website.
In other litigation, an Oregon jury in June 2023 found it liable for negligently failing to cut power to its 600,000 customers despite warnings from top fire officials and determined it should have to pay punitive and other damages — a decision that applied to a class including the owners of up to 2,500 properties. Since then, other Oregon juries have ordered the company to pay tens of millions to other wildfire victims.
The wildfires that erupted across Oregon over Labor Day weekend in 2020 were among the worst natural disasters in state history, killing nine people and destroying thousands of homes.
— The Associated Press
On Wednesday at 2:18 a.m. the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory valid from 10 p.m. until Thursday 10 a.m. for North Central Oregon and Central Oregon.
The weather service states, “South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected.”
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” adds the weather service. “Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.”
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Oregon
Oregon lawmakers to introduce bill barring utility rate increases amid unresolved wildfire lawsuits
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