By George Plaven
EO Media Group
As the 2013 Oregon Legislature winds to a close, freshman Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, scored big Thursday as a pair of his bills passed with ease to Gov. John Kitzhaber for final approval.
The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 3452, which introduces a set of circumstances where ranchers can kill wolves on their property if the animals make a habit of preying on livestock. The provisions serve as an amendment to the state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, and incorporate the recent settlement of a lawsuit filed nearly two years ago by conservation groups.
In addition, the Senate passed 24-6 an amended version of Senate Bill 835, asserting Oregon’s right to host rodeos while specifically prohibiting “horse tripping.” Hansell co-sponsored both bills.
Local Reps. Bob Jenson, R-Pendleton, and Greg Smith, R-Heppner, also sponsored HB 3452 addressing the wolf issue. Several senior senators commented on the legislation as “a model for working together,” Hansell said.
“More often than not, you don’t get a unanimous consent,” he said. “It was special to have it.”
The bill defines “chronic depredation” and lets ranchers take a wolf if spotted in the act of biting, killing or chasing livestock. The ranchers cannot use bait to attract the wolf, and must first have tried nonlethal deterrents as specified by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.
ODFW is also allowed to resume killing problem wolves for the first time since three conservation groups filed a lawsuit in 2011 to halt the department from taking two animals from the Imnaha pack in Eastern Oregon.
The Oregon Court of Appeals issued an injunction to stop the kill order until a resolution was reached in the case last month between the conservationists, state agencies and Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. While neither side got everything they wanted, they landed on an agreement that everybody could work with, Jenson said.
“The wolf plan remains intact, but it is modified to add another arrow in the quiver for ODFW to help restore wolves to their natural habitat, and at the same time minimize the economic losses that will take place where people own livestock,” Jenson said.
Kitzhaber already indicated he plans to sign off on the bill, Jenson said.
“I think we are safe in doing the victory dance,” said Jenson.
A turning point in negotiations happened in April, Hansell said, when he invited Sen. Jackie Dingfelder, D-Portland, to visit with ranchers in the Enterprise area. As chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Dingfelder said it was the first time she had ever been invited to see, firsthand, how the issue affects those living with wolves.
Dingfelder gained a better understanding of the day-to-day impact wolves have on the ranchers, she told the East Oregonian in an interview following her visit, and spoke with them about practices to mitigate wolf conflicts.
“It’s affecting people’s lives on a personal level,” Dingfelder said. “They felt they were doing a lot of the nonlethal actions, and were still unable to manage wolf depredation.”
Hansell said the trip ramped up negotiations for the settlement, which led to a science-based and practical resolution.
“It’s a tremendous tool,” he said. “This is probably the most significant wolf legislation to pass since we’ve been involved in it.”
SB 835, meanwhile, states that no law can keep Oregon from hosting rodeos, but does ban “horse tripping” as part of the entertainment. Opponents of the event have decried it as cruel to the animals.
It is the first of it’s kind anywhere in the nation, Hansell said.
“My intent was to show that we aren’t trying to do away with rodeos in Oregon,” he said. “To me, that’s the important part of this bill.”