It is no secret that those of us in the Northwest believe the Administration's proposal to drive up the cost of electricity in our region is not only misguided, but also will not achieve the intended goal of raising money for the treasury.

It is no secret that those of us in the Northwest believe the Administration's proposal to drive up the cost of electricity in our region is not only misguided, but also will not achieve the intended goal of raising money for the treasury.

Large corporations and unions know the power of being big enough to bargain for better rates.

As the GAO report recognizes, the long-term health of our forests relies on additional fuel reduction options and funding to reduce the risks that catastrophic fire poses to our nation's ecosystems, communities and federal budgetary resources.

Many individual growers now are growing organic fruit, and many are taking it upon themselves to market their own products to the public, as opposed to necessarily going through big processors, although, obviously, the bulk of the fruit still is dealt with that way.

It is up to us as lawmakers to provide the resources and streamlined processes that will enable our federal forest managers to become the best possible steward of our lands.

In addition to hydropower, Oregon and the Northwest have pioneering companies leading the way in environmentally friendly energy technology.