WEST EUGENE, OREGON Dedication of the Eastern Gateway and the West Eugene Wetlands Plan

Prepared By: n Brandon Burns Eugene-Springfield Metro Partnership Director n Vern Theis Wetlands Coordinator - Department of Public Works n Daren Pait District Manager of the Bureau of Land Management n Jeremy Laney Governor’s Preparatory Staff n Emilie Whitmore Governor’s Event Coordinator

Eastern Gateway

History Behind the Wetlands n Important Dates n Monies Granted

History Behind the Wetlands n Important Dates: n Metropolitan Plan update work program developed; takes use of State Law outlining environmental protection measures n President Bush stands behind environment especially in saving the wetlands n January EPA adopts new set of guidelines for determining what classifies as ‘wetlands’ which adds 2,000 acres not already included as wetlands n Senate Bill requires inventory of wetlands n Fall Spectra Physics begins construction of Phase I

History Behind the Wetlands n Monies Granted: n $3,800 to the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) for inventorying and evaluating natural resources by Land Conservation and Development Commission n $50,000 to the LCOG for inventory and evaluation of what areas are wetlands under defined laws by EPA n $242,000 to Eugene City Council for wetland study to be used as national demonstration model by EPA

History Behind the Wetlands n Important Dates n Monies Granted n Awards Received

History Behind the Wetlands n Important Dates: n March Draft of Wetland’s Plan Released n April Survey for Endangered Species done by Oregon National Heritage Program n May Army Corps of Engineers Amazon widening study begins n August West Eugene Wetland’s Plan adopted, publicly published in December n Plan implementation begins

History Behind the Wetlands n Monies Granted: n $2.97 million for purchase of wetlands by Federal Land and Water Conservation n $100,000 for LCOG to package program planning for demonstrations from the Environmental Protection Agency with assistance by the Oregon Congressional Delegation n $1.1 million for bike path construction and stream enhancement under ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act) by Oregon Department of Transportation

History Behind the Wetlands n Awards Received: n Steve Gordon - Study Project Manager EPA/Environmental Law Institutes 1992 National Wetlands Protection Award n Selected as Demonstration Site for the Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station n City of Eugene - Oregon League of Cities Award for Excellence for West Eugene Wetland’s Plan n City of Eugene and LCOG - Oregon Chapter of American Planning Association Award for Professional Achievements in Planning

Companies Mitigating Project: Eugene-Springfield Metro Area n Mahlon Sweet Airport n Power Administration electrical project n low income housing project n commercial development NOTE:Companies paid for 17/19 acres and for every wetland acre developed, 1 1/2 acres were enhanced or created.

Benefits to Eugene-Springfield Metro Area n Introduced concept of mitigation bank n Recreational parks promote business influxes n Existing companies can expand and new companies arrive which enhance and create the wetlands

Mitigation n Process of mitigation n The Mitigation Bank n Benefits of Mitigation Bank - company benefits - wetland benefits

Bureau of Land Management and the Wetlands n Land purchasing and restoration n Financing

Wetlands Preservation n What are the wetlands? n Protection Measures n Improving Plant and Animal Habitats n Managing the system n Benefits of the Wetlands n A Balanced Plan

Questions???