Bill would lay foundation for single-payer health care in Oregon
Voters last year made Oregon the first state in the country to adopt a constitutional right to affordable health care. Now, lawmakers are charged with developing a plan to make that right a reality. The Senate Health Care Committee on Monday heard initial testimony on a bill creating a nine-member board responsible for building Oregon’s single-payer system. Supporters of the bill say it’s a step toward reigning in health care costs for Oregonians, but opponents say the project is “destined to ultimately crash and burn.” (Jake Thomas/The Lund Report)
Battle for water in Klamath River Basin may soon move to courtroom
The battle for water in the Klamath River Basin may soon heat up. The Klamath Tribes filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Bureau of Reclamation on Jan. 30, arguing the agency is failing to meet minimum water requirements in Upper Klamath Lake for C’waam and Koptu — two species of critically endangered sucker fish. At the same time, the Yurok Tribe in northern California is also challenging the bureau’s latest water proposal to protect salmon in the lower Klamath River. The result could be that little to no water managed by the agency is available for irrigators this summer, leaving thousands of acres of productive farmland dry. (George Plaven/Capital Press)
Eugene looks to boost parks funding at the ballot box
Eugene voters will decide in May whether to increase the amount of a five-year parks levy. At a work session Monday night, Eugene city councilors referred the levy renewal to the ballot, emphasizing safety. City staff conducted surveys of several funding levels and found people were sensitive to a cost increase but were interested in increased security and cleanliness at parks. (Karen Richards/KLCC)
Funds available to fix septic systems damaged in Holiday Farm Fire
McKenzie Valley homeowners are now eligible to receive up to $35,000 to repair or replace septic systems damaged in the Holiday Farm Fire, according to the Eugene Water and Electric Board. The board has more than $3 million to distribute to affected residents. The fire damaged or destroyed at least 535 properties, according to EWEB. Leaking or improperly maintained septic systems pose one of the largest post-fire threats to the McKenzie River, which is the main source of drinking water for about 200,000 people in the Eugene area. (Makenzie Elliott/The Register-Guard)
Idaho’s solid snowpack doesn’t instill confidence in water managers
It’s about a month or two before snow in the mountains will start melting, and Idaho’s water forecasters are hoping for more precipitation before then. Most of the state is in the “moderate” drought category, but conditions are still dry from a period of extreme drought two years ago. Even with snowpack levels at average or even above-average levels, soils are stressed from extended drought conditions. That means the ground still needs to soak up whatever moisture it can get, instead of sending it downstream. (Rachel Cohen/Boise State Public Radio)
