The Latest

While it feels like far longer than just a few months ago when President Biden signed the Federal Infrastructure Bill — also called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 — it was the largest single investment in infrastructure in over 40 years, including the largest ever allocations for transit funding, and for bridge maintenance and repair.

On May 9th, 2022, Columbia County’s effort to rezone hundreds of acres was overturned by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals

In a win by 1000 Friends — representing Friends of Douglas County — for residents of Douglas County, the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) remanded a decision by the Douglas County Commission to essentially create a new type of zone through an ordinance that would allow for more development in areas of fire risk, big game habitat, and farm and forestland. 

Columbia County’s decision to approve a 400-car rail yard amid sensitive drainages, wetlands, and high-value farmland drew criticism from Oregon’s lead land use agency and opposition from local farmers and regional advocacy groups.

1000 Friends of Oregon represented petitioners in their fight against Lake County over the County’s decision to allow a junkyard and auto wrecking yard on farmland.

Lasting only five weeks, Oregon’s 2022 Legislative Session packed a lot of action into a short amount of time.

The Oregon Legislature’s 2022 session opened on February 1 and will close by March 7. Traditionally, the “short” session is used to make technical changes to past legislation, handle emergency matters, and pass non-controversial legislation.

For Black History Month this year, we take time to highlight an inspiring Oregon pioneer, Letitia Carson. She was a former slave, farmer, midwife, and the only Black woman to successfully make a land claim in Oregon under the Homestead Act of 1862.

The repeated attempts to expand the Aurora Airport’s runway onto farmland not only violates Oregon’s land use planning laws, but also wastes the public’s time and money. We hope this is the last we’ll be hearing about the expansion.

Thanks to legal help from 1000 Friends, Friends of Marion County defeated an ill-advised proposal to pave over rich farmland in Marion County with a sprawling, low-density subdivision.