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1/ There’s an obscure state agency in Oregon that is supposed to promote the timber industry by educating the public about logging.
The law is clear: @ORForests is not allowed to even *attempt* to lobby.
But behind the scenes? Not so much. Here’s what we found.
The law is clear: @ORForests is not allowed to even *attempt* to lobby.
But behind the scenes? Not so much. Here’s what we found.
2/ @tonyvschick and I got thousands of internal emails from the Oregon Forest Resources Institute and found its employees leading attacks on scientists, specifically because they wanted to influence policy.
For example:
For example:
3/ 2018: @OregonState researchers published a major study showing logging emitted far more carbon than previously known.
The institute worked to discredit the study to lawmakers, even objecting to a researcher’s public radio appearance.
The institute worked to discredit the study to lawmakers, even objecting to a researcher’s public radio appearance.
4/ Also 2018: OFRI’s executive directors sat through a private industry meeting and got a sneak peek at dark money attack ads that opposed @OregonGovBrown’s reelection.
@OregonGovBrown called our findings “deeply troubling” and said an audit or investigation is needed.
@OregonGovBrown called our findings “deeply troubling” and said an audit or investigation is needed.
5/ 2019: The industry faced a costly fight over ballot initiatives with environmental groups trying to tighten logging laws. The institute’s board discussed rushing a research report because “sometimes, you can stop things before they start.”
6/ The institute’s former executive director apologized for some of his comments but said it was not wrong to question research.
Another former employee who tried to undercut the @OregonState study said the institute’s line between lobbying and educating was unclear.
Another former employee who tried to undercut the @OregonState study said the institute’s line between lobbying and educating was unclear.
7/ The institute’s current leader defended the agency and said she has operated “under the highest ethical standards.” After we began investigating, she told OFRI's board she had solicited a legal opinion about the institute’s legal constraints.
She declined to make it public.
She declined to make it public.
8/ Some background: Lawmakers created the institute in 1991, during a major conflict about the future of Oregon’s few remaining ancient old trees. The industry worried about what might happen next. So did state lawmakers.
9/ Timber executives promised credible information:
“The people of Oregon are too sophisticated to be fooled by propaganda,” one testified in 1991.
But OFRI has little oversight. The industry controls its board. The only public member can't vote or belong to a green group.
“The people of Oregon are too sophisticated to be fooled by propaganda,” one testified in 1991.
But OFRI has little oversight. The industry controls its board. The only public member can't vote or belong to a green group.
10/ The institute has spent $1M annually on TV/web/radio commercials calling Oregon’s logging laws “strong” -- even as they fell behind other West Coast states.
Here’s one from 2013, when the industry worried about new drinking water protections:
Here’s one from 2013, when the industry worried about new drinking water protections:
11/ The retired dean of @DukeEnvironment said the institute’s attacks on researchers used the same playbook written by the oil/tobacco industries to undermine science.
A public agency doing it?
“Appalling,” he said.
A public agency doing it?
“Appalling,” he said.
12/ To learn more about how the Oregon Forest Resources Institute has acted as a PR and lobbying arm for the timber industry, read the full story by @tonyvschick and me. https://www.propublica.org/article/what-happened-when-a-public-institute-became-a-de-facto-lobbying-arm-of-the-timber-industry
13/ We’re not done reporting. If you have tips about Oregon’s timber industry, please share them with us 
https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/help-us-understand-logging-and-timber-practices-across-oregon
https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/help-us-understand-logging-and-timber-practices-across-oregon
