URGENT !
Protest tonight in front of EWEB – 500 East 4th Ave Eugene. Gather from 4:30 pm on. Bring signs. If enough people show up some of us will stand near Ferry St. Bridge for visibility. Executive Board meeting starts at 5 pm. Agenda says: public board meeting starts at 5:30 with public testimony at 6 pm.
In an unprecedented season of wildfires, drought and extreme heat, it is very unwise to allow EWEB’s plans to begin clear-cuts in a precious urban forest to go forward! One spark from a chainsaw could spell disaster!
State Board of Forestry – Call about fire concerns.
Eastern Lane Office
3150 Main Street, Springfield, OR 97478
541-726-3588
541-726-2501
Western Lane District Office
87950 Territorial Hwy, Veneta, OR 97487
541-935-2283
Salem Headquarters
2600 State Street, Building C, Salem, OR 97310
503-945-7200
503-945-7212
We want to share two wonderful collections of forest and meadow photos taken by one of the group’s organizers, Samuel Schmieding, PhD over the course of several days in July. We posted them in 2 albums on Facebook. If you wish to be inspired to take action to protect this forest, we urge you to take a look. Let their beauty speak to you!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- INFORM YOURSELF ABOUT THE ISSUE – Read up on the issue – DOWNLOAD our Talking Points (PDF)
Save EWEB Forest in the news!
EWEB water reservoir construction in South Hills set to begin despite neighborhood concerns
by Adam Duvernay, Register-Guard (7-18-21)
EWEB’s water reservoir project in an urban forest in south Eugene is set to begin next month, but some residents are pushing back (PDF)
REFERENCES
- A recent NY Times article (“What Technology Could Reduce Heat Deaths? Trees.” July 2) underscored the importance of trees in the urban landscape to mitigate the extreme heat threats we face in this climate crisis.
- Nationwide, urban trees offer an estimated $18.3 billion in air pollution removal, carbon sequestration, lowered energy use in buildings and reduced emissions from power plants. (Source: USDA Forest Service)
- Trees! Once again the answer when society asks, ‘what can we do?’… “Urban heat island effect exacerbating summer heat waves, study shows” (The Guardian)
- Eugene Weekly’s initial report on the issue – June 3rd: A Quiet Place for Water – Eugene Weekly article by Henry Houston (06/03/2021) For resilience and second water source, EWEB is investing millions of dollars for water storage but some neighbors question the move. (some has changed since this June article, but it’s a great starting place)
- Read our Talking Points document (PDF)
- Read the “SAMPLES of Published Letters to the Editor” below
- Read our blogs on the topic.
- If you want to review the public’s concerns as expressed at the July 6, 2021 EWEB Commissioners meeting (NOT an official hearing on the proposed construction), see the recording on YouTube. We have a lot of very smart people in our community!
2. SPEAK OUT – SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR REQUEST FOR EWEB TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS
Sign our online petition demanding a public hearing on EWEB’s
construction plans!
LOBBY the EWEB Commissioners and our local elected leaders:
We need to Contact EWEB and OUR ELECTED LOCAL LEADERS and let them know of our serious concerns about plans to destroy the EWEB forest. | Read our Talking Points flyer (PDF)
ALSO: Please consider making a tax-deductible donation in support of our effort by sending checks to “Eugene PeaceWorks” for the Save the EWEB Forest project, and mail it to: P.O. Box 11182, Eugene, OR 97440.
- Eugene City Councilors Contact List->> (PDF) – Destruction of the EWEB forest and subsequent construction on the site is scheduled in Ward 2 (Matt Keating), but it is an issue that impacts all of us! ALSO: if you would like to send an email to all city leaders (Mayor, all City Councilors and the City Manager) at once: Use this email address: mayorcouncilandcitymanager@eugene-or.gov
- Lane County Commissioners->>
You can email all of the commissioners by using this email address: lcbcccom@lanecountyor.gov. - Write to the EWEB Commissioners: You can message all five commissioners simultaneously by going to this website and letting them know of your concerns. ALSO, call EWEB Commissioner John Barofsky: 541-685-7719.
- Please, also contact your favorite local media outlet and ask them to provide better coverage of this controversy.
- Call or email friends, family and neighbors and ask them to get involved. Send them a copy of the Talking Points.
Though some in our community already know about this issue and have expressed their concerns to EWEB and community leadership, we still REALLY need your help spreading the word (and urgency) further and wider. There are few better ways to accomplish that than letters to the editor! Here is a list of a few local outlets to get that done…
How to Write a Letter or Guest Viewpoint – Eugene Weekly
Eugene Weekly welcomes opinion pieces from the community…
Letters to the Editor – Eugene Register-Guard:
Submit a letter to the editor of 200 words or fewer to rgletters@registerguard.com. Include your full name, mailing address and phone number for purposes of verification. If accepted, only your name and city will be published. Letters are edited for style, clarity and are fact checked.
SAMPLES of Published Letters to the Editor
Save the mature forest by Sue Barnhart (Register-Guard)
Reservoir Reservations by MaRco Elliott
https://www.eugeneweekly.com/2021/07/08/reservoir-reservations/
EWEB Impacts by David Zupan
https://www.eugeneweekly.com/2021/07/08/eweb-impacts/
Too Much, EWEB by Joann Carrabbio, Eugene
https://www.eugeneweekly.com/2021/07/08/too-much-eweb/
3. Contact us to find out how you can volunteer for this cause. We are recruiting for a “literature drop” campaign in your neighborhood. If interested, please call Michael Carrigan at 541-844-4677. | An updated informational flyer is now available.
Who we are
Save EWEB Forest is an all-volunteer group of residents from around the city concerned with climate issues and the value of mature tree ecosystems as natural cooling areas, and sound public planning. The group came together to shed light on EWEB’s rushed plans to cut down a natural forest grove of mature trees on public land near 40th and Patterson in Eugene.
info@saveewebforest.org | Save EWEB Forest on Facebook | Sign up for our Action Alerts!
Sign our online petition demanding a public hearing on EWEB’s construction plans!
The views expressed on this website encompass a variety of perspectives. Some may embrace a more traditional conservative view of the issue, others may be more progressive and come to the issue from a primarily environmental perspective. We hope that those who become involved in the cause will adhere to the principles of peaceful protest and non-violence. That is a minimum for those who wish to have their views appear in blogs or on the Inspiration page. The views expressed on those two pages are not necessarily those of the organizers of Save EWEB Forest, as we are a loosely affiliated group.