Governor's Letter on Enrolled Senate Bill 5501

August 26, 2003

The Honorable Peter Courtney
President of the Senate
900 Court Street NE - Room 203
Salem OR 97301

Dear President Courtney:

I am returning Enrolled Senate Bill 5501 unsigned, but not disapproved, because of the failure of the Legislative Assembly to adequately fund the Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS).

The PURS program is important to the public health of the people of the Oregon and to the health of our environment. Oregonians are entitled to know about pesticides that may be in use in their neighborhoods and environs. Both my Recommended Budget and my Balanced Budget contained full funding for PURS. However, Senate Bill 5501 eliminates six of the seven authorized PURS positions. This level of funding is not sufficient to carry on a meaningful PURS program. At best, a skeletal program will be maintained through the 2003-05 biennium in the hope that general fund dollars can be restored in the 2005-07 biennium. In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture will be required to adopt administrative rules that waive the statutory requirements for landowners to report their pesticide use. This is not in the best interests of Oregonians.

I am disappointed that the Assembly did not reach an agreement regarding pesticide reporting requirements and an adequate appropriation. I encourage the relevant stakeholders to work during the interim towards a solution that implements PURS and that restores full funding to the program in the 2005-07 biennium. My staff is ready to assist the Department of Agriculture and the other stakeholders in that effort.

Sincerely,

Theodore R. Kulongoski
Governor