Alex Paul
Loren Emmert remembers when Oregon loggers were battling for their livelihood as the federal government inched closer to listing the Northern Spotted Owl as an endangered species, effectively locking away millions of acres of federal lands from potential timber harvest.
That was the late 1980s and Sweet Home loggers and truckers joined with thousands of others across the state in protest. Emmert is now retired from log truck driving and from Sweet Home Florist and Gift which he owned with his wife Ev. But he was in Salem Saturday showing support for others who followed him.
“We once put a fake casket on the back of a truck during one rally,” Emmert said Saturday, as several hundred log truck drivers parked their rigs in front of the State Capitol in Salem to protest another threat to their livelihoods, skyrocketing diesel fuel prices.
The rally, put together by Eldon Townsend of Townsend Oil in Lacomb and State Rep. Jeff Kropf, gathered truckers from throughout the Willamette Valley to send a message that as diesel prices hit a high as $2.70 per gallon last week, businesses that rely on it to make a living, may soon be forced to close down.
Townsend and others said they can’t understand how diesel fuel, the least refined of the petroleum products from a barrel of crude oil, can cost anywhere from 50 to 70 cents more per gallon than gasoline.
Congresswoman Darlene Hooley of Oregon’s 5th District, issued a press release at the rally calling for an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission into “whether rapid increases in diesel fuel prices have been caused by anti-competitive behavior on the part of oil refineries.”
“Businesses throughout the Northwest are being burdened by outrageously high prices for diesel fuel, which threatens our region’s fragile economic recovery,” Hooley said. “They deserve to know whether oil companies are making legitimate profits or gaming the system.”
Sweet Home was well represented at the rally, with trucks from More Logs Fibre, Matco, Z and L, Pickett Trucking, Roger Emmert, Valley View Logging, Millers, Ted Hufford and more on hand.
Rep. Kropf brought loud cheers from the crowd when he asked if anyone thought there was any “market manipulation going on here?”
He said it’s strange that diesel prices in Redding, Calif. are 50 cents a gallon cheaper than here in Oregon.
Rep. Kropf said that issues connected with a refinery being down for maintenance in Washington, along with pipeline problems elsewhere may have had an impact on prices, but surely not to the extent that has occurred.
He also pointed to the exportation of low sulfur diesel overseas as a problem.
“America runs by trucks and we need to be put back into business,” Kropf said. “There’s talk that crude oil cut hit $80 per barrel. That will have a dramatic impact on the American economy. We’re just coming out of a recession and we don’t need this.”
Rep. Kropf urged the crowd to–
— Pressure oil companies to back off on their prices a bit.
— Support the development of biofuels in the state of Oregon.
— Urge support for American jobs and not support OPEC to the tune of $7 trillion over the last 30 years.
“We’re gathered here for a show of strength and to make a statement,” Rep. Kropf said. “I’m asking you to sign the petition, to be passionate and to not let this go.”
The petition to which Rep. Kropf referred was being circulated by Roger Emmert of Sweet Home and calls for Sen. Gordon Smith to support drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.
“This is your opportunity to be heard,” Rep. Kropf said.
Eldon Townsend said several oil jobbers were present at the rally to show their support for their customers. Among them were Townsend Oil, Carson Oil, Oil Products, Jones Oil and Nelson Oil.
“This isn’t going to end here today,” Townsend said. “Yesterday, there were 21 companies selling fuel and today there are just seven major companies left. The government has allowed guys to buy each other up. There’s no connection anymore.”
Townsend said that if fuel prices are based on “supply and demand” why is American diesel being shipped to China and not kept at home?
Townsend said the issue is critical for many.
“Some folks have weeks, others perhaps days left,” he said of those about to go out of business.
“We’re all in this together,” Townsend said. “Some will be hit harder than others. The government needs to take a hard look at what’s going on.”
He said the issue crosses party lines, whether one is a Republican or a Democrat.
“My one desire is that other states across this great country will stand up and be counted,” Townsend said. “If we stand up as one, we can make a difference, no matter what the situation.”
Organizers offered the following suggections for elected officials:
– Require refineries to report to the FTC and DOE all cargos of refined product exported to a foreign country.
– Require refiners to report all planned maintenance schedules to FTC and DOE six months in advance and don’t allow Northwest refiners to schedule maintenance at the same time.
– Don’t allow refiners to export fuel while one of the other four refiners in the Northwest is down for maintenance.
– Have an adequate supply of fuel for the U.S. before exporting.
– Implement export taxes on refined fuel.
– Check into price gouging.
– The review board should govern export oil companies from members.
– Visit the PMAA website–www.pmaa.org–with concerns and questions about fuel pricing.
They also urged those attending to contact their elected officials.
Phone numbers provided included:
White House: 202-456-1414/fax 202-456-2461.
Energy Department: 503-378-4040/fax 503-373-78-6.
A.O.L./Jim Geisinger: 800-452-6023/fax 503-364-0836.
O.P.M.A./Stve Otool: 503-670-1777/fax 503-670-8337.
Gordon Smith: 503-326-3386/fax503-326-2900.
Ron Wyden: 503-326-7525/fax503-326-7528.
Roger Beyer: 503-986-1417/fax 503-986-1130.
Darlene Hooley: 503-588-9100/fax 503-588-5517.
Jeff Kropf: 503-986-1417/fax 503-986-1130.
Peter DeFazio: 541-465-6732/fax 202-225-0032.
Ted Kulongoski: 503-378-3111/fax 503-378-6827.
Tim Nord/Fraud Dept .: 503-947-4333/fax 503-378-5017.