Governor extends sustainability board

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed an executive order January 19, 2007 extending the Oregon Sustainability Board and expanding its membership.

Portland — Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed an executive order Jan. 19 extending the Oregon Sustainability Board and expanding its membership from eight to 11 people.

New board members will be announced within a month.

“If Oregon’s economy is to shine, we can’t think of it in terms of: It’s either the environment or the jobs,” Kulongoski said.

The executive order would ensure “sustainability is a priority in Oregon,” he said.

The Sustainability Board was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2001 to advance environmentally sustainable government and business practices, but the act reached its sunset in 2006.

David Van’t Hof, the governor’s sustainability adviser, said the Oregon Senate passed a bill extending the Sustainability Board in 2005, but it had failed to get a hearing in the House.

The board members serve as volunteers and board programs don’t receive government funding, said Van’t Hof, so alternative sources of funding such as grants will have to be sought to fund projects.

“We hope to develop some resources, but right now the goal is to facilitate interest,” he said.

Since 2001, the board has overseen the development of sustainability plans by state agencies such as the Department of Forestry, Office of Energy, Department of Environmental Quality and others.

In the future, the board will also focus on promoting sustainable businesses such as Oregon Country Natural Beef.

“We’re hoping to assist folks in the agricultural community develop and market value-added, sustainable products,” said Van’t Hof.

Kulongoski made his announcement at the first annual Cecil D. Andrus Awards, presented as part of Sustainable Northwest’s 10th anniversary dinner. The awards were named after four-time Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus, who founded the non-profit organization in 1994 and is well-known for his environmental efforts.

“Governor Andrus has achieved much. He is a great example of a common-sense conservationist,” said Kulongoski. “He’s done more than anyone to sustain a natural resource economy along with environmental quality.”

Andrus was first elected governor of Idaho in 1970. During his first two terms, he had a hand in creating the Sawtooth and Hells Canyon National Recreation Areas. While serving as secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior during the Carter administration from 1977 to 1981, Andrus also helped preserve over 100 million acres of Alaska wilderness through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

After thanking the board of Sustainable Northwest for naming the award after him, Andrus said conserving both wilderness and rural land is a crucial part of the American West’s heritage. The continuing challenge will be to find ways to support economic development without harming the environment, and vice versa — the two companies receiving the award, he said, proved that this feat could be accomplished.

“You can have both sustainability and economic success,” he told the audience. “The people we are honoring tonight have proven their commitment to bonding the urban with the rural.”

Bill and Karla Chambers of Stahlbush Island Farms near Corvallis, Ore., were the recipients of the rural award. The Chambers grow cover crops to prevent nitrogen from leaching into the groundwater, use technology and intense management to reduce herbicide, pesticide and fungicide use, and have adopted a strict testing process to avoid growing crops in soil contaminated with unsafe levels of DDT, chlordane, dieldrin and other chemicals.

“We’re proud of our environmental stewardship, as well as the fact our farm has created 150 jobs,” said Bill Chambers. “What we’re proudest of is that all four of our children have expressed an interest in continuing the family farm. That’s perhaps the most important part of sustainability.”

Norm Thompson Outfitters, a retailer of clothing and other consumer products, was recognized with the urban award for its sustainability efforts. The company employs a full-time sustainability manager, donates 5 percent of pre-tax profits to non-profit organizations, and built a “green” headquarters constructed with recycled materials and designed for optimum energy efficiency.

“Our mission is to be a steward of the land,” said CEO John Emrick. One of the main reasons people shop at Norm Thompson, he said, is “because they understand what our values are.”