[5]By Oregon Farm Bureau [6]
Field Burning Ban (SB 528 [7]): SB 528, which reduces the number of acres able to burn in the Willamette Valley to 20,000 in 2009 and eliminates the management tool in 2010, will have a public hearing on Wednesday. It allows some burning of steep terrain and special species, but phases out their ability to burn by 2013. The legislation also phases out stack and pile burning along with propane flaming of grass and cereal grain crops. The legislation allows the Environmental Quality Commission to regulation burning in counties outside the Willamette Valley. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, May 13th at 1:00 PM in the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Human Services (Hearing Room F). OFB members are encouraged to attend and testify at the hearing and/or send comments to the committee.