DPO Chair Responds To Attack From Smith’s Hometown Newspaper Regarding Smith’s Documented History of Environmental Violations

East Oregonian attacks DPO, but fails to mention key information
DPO provided newspaper at newspaper’s request.

Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Meredith Wood Smith emailed this letter to the editor to the East Oregonian today in response to the newspaper’s inaccurate editorial attack on the DPO.

In a Thursday, September 27 editorial, the newspaper attacked the DPO for its answers to reporters’ questions about environmental violations at U.S. Senator Gordon Smith’s(R-OR) plant.

However, the editorial from Smith’s hometown paper failed to mention crucial information on numerous, serious environmental violations at Smith’s plant that the DPO had supplied the East Oregonian at the newspaper’s request.

“At the newspaper’s request, we supplied the East Oregonian with information on the $75,000 fine and nearly 20 environmental violations at Smith’s plant during his day to day management, but the newspaper chose not to use that information,” Wood Smith said. “It is disappointing they would rather attack the messenger than report the facts, that Smith has a well documented record of violating environmental laws.”

The following letter points out that Smith’s company had a much worse environmental record when Smith was responsible for the day to day management of it. Since he’s moved on to Washington, DC, Smith’s company has still faced several fines, but none as serious as when he was responsible for the day to day operations of the plant.

Smith often claims now he has little to do with the company. That means there were many more violations during his watch than since he’s left that responsibility to others.

Letter to East Oregonian Editor:

Dear Editor,

Where were the facts in the editorial detailing the third environmental fine at U.S. Senator Gordon Smith’s (R-OR) plant since the 1990s?

Not only was this violation labeled “serious” by the Department of Environmental Quality, but it’s part of a long history of environmental violations at Smith’s plant.

You ignored documentation on Smith’s long track record of environmental damage that the DPO provided your newspaper at your organization’s request.

You asked for evidence to see if there was a history of violations at Smith’s plant.

We provided it.

You ignored it.

Smith’s Plant Actually Responsible For More Frequent and More Serious Environmental Violations When He Was Principally In Charge. Better Record, Although Still Flawed, Since He’s Left.

As the DPO noted in an email to the East Oregonian, between 1981 and 1996, there were at least 18 environmental violations filed against Smith Frozen Foods. In 1986, officials forced Smith to line a waste pond to comply with new environmental rules, leading Smith to accept a $766,000 government bailout to pay for the project.

After this, the company was still caught violating permit conditions, including failing to test a creek running alongside company property. In 1991, a leaking pipe sent processing fluid into the creek, killing hundreds of fish and leaving Smith with a $75,000 fine.

As the DPO noted in its email, all of this was reported in the magazine Oregon Business.

What this information means is that Smith’s company actually had a worse environmental record when he was principally in charge of the plant. Since he’s left, they have polluted waterways several times. But, the recent violations are actually still an improvement over the damage done during Smith’s negligent leadership.

Pendleton Area’s Environment May Be Cleaner With Smith Gone, But Our Country’s Environmental Laws Are Weaker With Him In Washington, DC.

With Smith in Washington, DC, the Pendleton area’s environment is cleaner. But, his presence in Washington, DC has meant bad news for America’s environment.

Since he’s arrived in Washington, DC, Smith has voted to support Big Oil over alternative energy, voted to drill in ANWR, amassed an environmental voting record that has earned him a lifetime score of just 26 percent from the League of Conservation Voters, and campaigned on his political coordination with the White House – coordination that caused the biggest fish kill on the West Coast in recent history.

Again, as we said in a blog post to www.StopGordonSmith.com, it’s important to explore if there’s a connection between the decades of environmental violations at Smith’s plant, and his repeated legislative attacks on the environment.

Senator Smith’s environmental record – both his votes in Washington, DC and his fines and violations in Oregon – is of interest to your readers.

In the future, I hope you will use all the facts at your disposal to make your editorials as accurate and thorough as possible.

Sincerely,

Meredith Wood Smith
Chair
Democratic Party of Oregon

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