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57 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 10, 2004 Standing on the banks of the Rogue River, actor John C. Reilly spoke to local media and Greenpeace environmental activists Wednesday. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Actor stumps for Greenpeace John C. Reilly, of ‘Chicago’ fame calls for a halt to old-growth logging on public lands By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune GALICE — After a decade’s absence, John C. Reilly returned to the scene of "The River Wild" late Wednesday morning. But it wasn’t as the evil character Terry, the sinister sidekick to Wade, played by Kevin Bacon in the 1994 action movie filmed largely on the popular Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River. Reilly, 39, was back in the lower Rogue River corridor again because of his environmental concerns. He came at the behest of Greenpeace, which is opposed to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s proposed Kelsey-Whiskey timber sales, citing potential loss to the local environment and economy. But Reilly, who has been in 35 movies, including "Chicago," in which he was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actor, took issue with the suggestion that his celebrity status makes his concern any less genuine. "First of all, I’m kind of uncomfortable with the word ‘celebrity,’ " he said, noting he doesn’t feel like one. Advertisement "The fact is, it is a local issue," he said. "But it is also a national issue. I’m a citizen of this country. Regardless of my status in the popular culture, I have a right to speak out and bring attention to things I think deserve attention." Every American has a right as well as a responsibility to speak out, no matter their stance, he said. "I’m here to use some of the positive energy I’ve gotten from people from my career, the outpouring of support and love people have given me for my acting, to try to shed some light in a positive way," he said. "I’m not here to make myself more famous. "If anything, it can be kind of a slippery slope for actors or people in public life to become advocates for social and environmental issues." Reilly stepped forward after Pam Wellner, his sister-in-law and a Greenpeace staffer, told him about planned logging in the Kelsey-Whiskey area. The global environmental group has called for a moratorium on commercial logging of old-growth timber on public lands. They are also concerned about the potential economic loss to river guides, outfitters and other recreation businesses. The group opened what it calls a forest rescue station on the edge of the timber sale area last week. The station is about 20 miles west of Galice. The first of the Kelsey-Whiskey timber sales, which includes about 9 million board feet to be logged on some 800 acres, is expected to be sold this summer. BLM officials say the sales are in compliance with environmental laws. Earlier this week, Greenpeace asked the BLM to cancel the sales, said Ginger Cassady, a Greenpeace forest campaigner. Noting that the request was denied, she said a court challenge is one of several options left open to opponents. No decision has been made on going to court, she added. Joan Resnick, the BLM’s acting Glendale Resource Area manager, confirmed that agency representatives met with Greenpeace activists this week. She said there are no plans to change the proposed timber sales, which have gone through the public comment process. The agency is treating the group as it would any visitor to the public land, she said. Unless a special permit is issued, the district has a 14-day camping limitation during a 90-day period. "Right now, they are operating under a request for a permit," she said, noting that granting a special recreation permit would extend the limit. "Our primary concern is that we don’t have confrontations with other public land users, that there is no safety threat to Greenpeace or any other users," she said. Notified that Greenpeace plans to ask timber firms not to bid on the timber, Dave Schott, executive vice president of the Southern Oregon Timber Industries Association, doubted the request would have much impact. He also questioned Reilly’s appearance in the debate. "There seems to be a lot celebrities that have views that mirror that of the preservation crowd," he said. "But they all live in houses, and most of them are constructed with wood." But Joe Dapp, a native Oregonian who has spent a decade guiding on the Rogue, agreed with Reilly’s assessment. Dapp is the operations manager of Rogue Wilderness Inc. "People come from all over the world to see this section of the river," he said while standing alongside Reilly near the Grave Creek boat ramp. Logging in the area near the wild section threatens the livelihood of those who depend on recreation, Dapp said, noting that includes outfitters, guides, shuttle services, local markets, gas stations, restaurants, hotels, tackle shops and raft manufacturers. "We market white water and we market the beauty," Dapp said. "We take out one of those, that means half of our economy, in a sense, will be lost. "If we start destroying the Rogue River, we start destroying the local economy," he added. Reilly, who spent Tuesday night at Greenpeace’s rescue station, said he fell in love with the Rogue when he made "The River Wild." "The fact I’m going to go back to Los Angeles and my family and my life doesn’t mean I’m disconnected from this issue," he said, referring to his wife and two children. "Everybody who has something on their minds should speak up," he added. "That is what this country is about." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times