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61 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, March 11, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 9, 2005 Committee grills nominee AuCoin By DON JEPSEN for the Mail Tribune SALEM — The Senate Rules Committee Tuesday approved the nomination of former Congressman Les AuCoin of Ashland to the Oregon Board of Forestry following a contentious hearing that began at 8:30 a.m. and went into the noon hour. AuCoin, nominated by Gov. Ted Kulongoski, must win approval by the full Senate before beginning a four-year term on the board, which manages state timberlands. Three committee Democrats supported AuCoin while the two Republicans, including Sen. Jason Atkinson of Central Point, were opposed. AuCoin would replace Chris Heffernan of North Powder on the seven-member board. Heffernan owns and operates the North Slope Hay Co. and is a small-woodlot owner. A number of rural Republican legislators, including Rep. George Gilman of Medford, showed up to oppose the nomination. Gilman, before the hearing, called the AuCoin appointment "the dumbest idea I have ever heard, and you can quote me." Timber interests also testified in opposition to the nomination, but the sharpest criticism came from Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, the vice chairman of the Rules Committee. Advertisement Ferrioli grilled the nominee at length on everything from cattle grazing on state forestlands to the introduction of wolves to the fact AuCoin was not a forester. He also cited radio broadcasts by AuCoin that promoted environmental issues and noted his support of Ballot Measure 34, which would have put wide swaths of the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests off limits to timber harvests. Ferrioli charged that Kulongoski’s action in nominating AuCoin was "purely political" at the expense of Heffernan, who served only one four-year term. The John Day legislator described Heffernan as a "true environmentalist" and a good steward of the land whose expertise will be sorely missed. "I think it is criminal that Chris was not given a second term," said Ferrioli. But AuCoin, a retired Southern Oregon University professor, former newspaper columnist and talk show host, gave as good as he got during a lengthy appearance on the witness stand. He said he has given up his media activities except for in-depth magazine articles and two books he is working on. He said while he’s not a forester, his main strength is as a problem- solver. He said he dealt extensively with forest issues during his 18 years in Congress as a member of the Interior subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. He described how he brokered the deal to create the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, and his work in saving old-growth forests and tidelands at Willapa Bay, Wash., by arranging for the purchase of the land from Weyerhaeuser Corp. He did not, however, apologize for his environmental views, including his opposition to the Bush administration’s plan to log the area burned in the 2002 Biscuit fire. "I think the Biscuit sale is an abomination," said AuCoin, accusing the administration of rushing out a report to triple the harvest recommended by the resident forest supervisor. "Eighty percent of the cut will be in old-growth and wilderness reserves," he charged. He said his appointment wasn’t and shouldn’t be political. "I think the governor wants to see more public representation," he said. He also said that during his years in Congress he received citations from environmentalists and industry organizations for his work on forestry issues. Asked if the state’s forests can be managed for many values, including recreation, water quality and fisheries, while maintaining the revenue stream to local governments and schools, AuCoin replied, "Yes, I think we can through consensus." "I’m no one’s boy. I’ve seen environmentalists be fundamentally wrong, and I’ve seen the timber industry be fundamentally wrong, and I won’t hesitate to say so," said AuCoin. Atkinson said he objected to the way the governor was trying to rush through AuCoin’s nomination. Atkinson noted that he had opposed the nomination of former Gov. Neil Goldschmidt to be chairman of the State Board of Higher Education, but he did support Russell Sadler’s appointment to the Oregon Marine Board. Sadler resigned shortly after being confirmed by the Senate. Asked after the hearing if there were enough votes in the Senate for confirmation, AuCoin replied, "(Senate President Peter) Courtney has that count. But I believe I will be confirmed with 16 or 17 votes." Democrats control the upper chamber by an 18-12 margin. Don Jepsen is a freelance writer living in Salem Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress Advertisement s