Celebrating 10 Years
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Celebrating 10 Years artwork by Asante Riverwind artwork by Goshawk Flight Crag Law Center Spring 2011 A View of the Summit photo by Justin Bose Ten Years of Service by Chris Winter, Staff Attorney In 2011, the Crag Law Center cele- tion, and we hope you will join us as we brates our 10th Anniversary, a time for us look back and pay tribute to many years to reflect on our successes and prepare of hard work. for the long road ahead. In this issue of Our story starts in the summer of 2001, the Summit, we focus primarily on our when Ralph Bloemers and I left high current work, including stories on Grand paying jobs at a large corporate law firm, Island in the Willamette Valley, offshore unsatisfied that our skills were being used drilling in the Arctic, and gravel mining solely for profit and not the broader pub- on the Rogue River. We also profile three lic interest. At the time, we had a vision unique and dedicated individuals who of providing professional legal services are making selfless contributions to the for free or as close to free as possible to organization: Emily Bartha, a new board groups working in the public interest member, and Dick and Jeanne Roy, two on natural resource issues. After many of our generous donors. At the same months of soul searching, we jumped time, however, we are taking time to com- ship to start the Crag Law Center. Crag founders Chris Winter and Ralph Bloemers at a 2002 civil protest of the George Bush era memorate the history of our organiza- In the first issue of the Summit, in the gutting of protections of Pacific Northwest roadless and old growth forests. winter of 2002, I talked about the doubt- FEATURES ers who questioned whether we would possible. Those people include you – our our collective work. Our anniversary will ever have a real world impact through supporters – who encourage us, donate culminate on November 5, 2011, with It’s A Grand Island..........................4 our work. When we first started Crag, we to our organization, and congratulate us our third WildShots benefit auction. Stay Rogue Mining Threatens Fish operated on faith and dedication – faith on our successes. Without your support, tuned for more information, and until and Communities.........................10 that we were doing the right thing and Crag would not exist! So please join with then give yourself a big pat on the back Measure 37 Update......................12 that our hard work would pay off for our us over the next year to commemorate for a job well done! • Outreach Update..........................13 clients and the broader public. We didn’t listen to the skeptics. Instead, we focused DEPARTMENTS on public service and implementing our Ten Years at a Glance vision for a new organization. Crag protected the North Side of Mount Hood from Donor Highlight Now, after 10 years, our faith and hard • Dick and Jeanne Roy.....................5 a massive proposal to pave the watershed and build work have paid off. By serving our clients subdivisions and shopping malls. Upcoming Events and putting their interests at the forefront Pato Banton Benefit.......................6 of our work, we have achieved major victo- • Crag has safeguarded thousands of acres of old-growth forest Federal Focus ries for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. across Oregon and Washington that provide clean water, clean Air Victory for the Inupiats..............8 air and wildlife habitat for current and future generations. As we celebrate over the next year, we Board Highlight will be honoring not only these successes, Crag defends special places on the Oregon Coast like the Sand Lake Emily Bartha.................................13 • but also the behind-the-scenes support Estuary, Botts Marsh, and the Miami and Coquille Rivers. of so many people who made the work • Crag has worked to protect water quality and salmon habitat in the Tillamook State Forest. Crag is a client-focused law center that supports community efforts to • For the last four years, Crag has worked with Native communities to protect protect and sustain the Pacific Northwest’s natural legacy. the Arctic Ocean from the irresponsible drilling plans of Royal Dutch Shell. www.crag.org 2 a View of the Summit Spring 2011 3 www.crag.org It’s A Grand Island DONOR HIGHLIGHT by Ralph Bloemers, Staff Attorney Agents of Change: The Willamette River flows from high in In response, the people of Grand Island Crag Supporters Dick and Jeanne Roy the Cascades down to the Columbia. The came together to protect their farms from river’s floodways have some of the most this proposal and they contacted Crag for by Suzanne Savell, Development Coordinator fertile soil in Oregon, and many farms help. Just one visit to the island revealed extend right to the river’s banks, including to us a place that is emblematic of Yamhill For a lot of people, the challenges we Circle of Influence” and are now working on places like Grand Island. County, the Willamette River basin, and face in addressing climate change, ocean to effect change within their workplace, family farmers who are committed to sus- acidification and large-scale timber or neighborhood, child’s school or other photo by Ralph Bloemers taining their families for generations. mining operations are overwhelming. group in which they are involved. People wonder: how can Dick & Jeanne Roy are Crag agreed to take on this challeng- we make a difference? ing work. We acted quickly to retain a nationally recognized groundwater expert, a mining expert, Crag supporters Dick leaders in the sustain- a river scientist, and a wetland biologist and Jeanne Roy believe ability movement. Before who carefully reviewed the proposal and that everyone has the founding the Center found significant gaps and flaws in Baker potential to create lasting for Earth Leadership, Rock’s application. We have been working change. They have dedi- the Roys led the devel- with the farmers ever since to educate the cated their lives to helping opment and growth of Yamhill County Commissioners, who have people realize their own Northwest Earth Institute, the power to deny the proposal. potential. In 2007, the the Oregon Natural Staff Attorney Courtney Johnson with Grand Roys founded The Center Step Network, Recycling Island clients Craig Markham, Kris Bledsoe and photo by Suzanne Savell for Earth Leadership with Advocates, the Oregon Sam Sweeney at the site of the proposed quarry. the singular vision that High School Earth Club “citizens will provide the Network, the Coalition Located in Yamhill County. Grand essential leadership to a for Commercial-Free Island is a great place to farm because sustainable culture.” Schools and the Sustain- able Investment Institute. of its amazing soils. Each acre produces “People say that an more food and for a longer period than environmentalist activist is A graduate of Harvard most other land in the valley. The island ‘out to save the world’ but Crag supporters Dick and Jeanne Law School, Dick worked supports cherry orchards, organic com- this is not realistic, and Roy recieved a Green Giant Award 23 years as a corporate munity supported agricultural opera- Dick and Jeanne get it,” at the 2008 Go Green Conference. lawyer at Stoel Rives, tions, and family fun in its pumpkin says Crag co-executive di- resigning in 1993 to join patches. People come here to bike, visit rector, Ralph Bloemers. We all have circles Jeanne as a full-time volunteer. “When I the state park and fish. Beverly May visits with Kris Bledsoe and of influence within which we can create was an associate at Stoel Rives I heard the Margaret Scoggan at Kris’s Grand Island farm. Last year, a gravel mining company change. Through educational workshops, legend of Dick Roy, a high-powered corpo- called Baker Rock Resources came along programs and publications, the Center rate lawyer who ‘retired’ to start an organi- One key question for the commission- and bought up 174 acres of prime farm- focuses on individuals’ potential to take on zation dedicated to providing people and ers is whether the County should sacrifice land on the upstream end of the island. leadership roles and reduce their personal business the tools to build a sustainable farmland that has sustained families for Baker then proposed to dig large pits impact on the earth. In fact, over 650 Port- future,” Ralph recalls, “I was inspired.” generations for one-time profit. The farm- and mine gravel on the land. As part of land residents have taken their training We continue to be inspired by Dick and ers, of course, believe the answer is no. the operation, the company proposes to offered at no cost through the Center on Jeanne, and carry their philosophy with us pump large amounts of groundwater out We are working hard at the local and “How to Be an Agent of Change in Your in our daily work at Crag. • of the area in order to be able to mine state level to ensure that these sustainable “Crag has built a superior legal team ready to enforce laws and create new laws to protect the down 60 feet. The operation threatens operations and the people that depend earth. We are deeply grateful for the vision of Ralph and Chris in creating this unique resource, groundwater supplies and will require on them are protected and that the island and gain comfort knowing that Crag stands ready to confront those who exploit the natural world hundreds of trucks trips per week on the remands a grand place to live, work and for short-term financial gain. Our financial support of Crag is very simply an essential investment narrow island roads.