Sen. Ron Wyden and University President Dave Frohnmayer are preparing to build two huge complexes for Defense Department-related research in East Eugene.
Production of artificial fish for use by the Navy and computer programs that compute more efficient Air Force flight routes are projects already under way at the University. Frohmayer’s column in The Register-Guard April 24, 2002, helped the University cash in on these inventions by encouraging voters to pass Measures 10 and 11.
Sen. Wyden is the principal sponsor of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. Passage of this $2.1 billion resolution will force intense development of the two Eugene sites.
This heavy-duty industrialization, along with steadily increasing tuition and planned demolition of 11 blocks of low-income student family housing (Guard, Dec. 1, 2002) creates a nightmarish scenario for East Eugene. The defense-related complexes are planned to replace the Moss Street neighborhood low-income housing blocks and the riverfront open space between EWEB and Autzen Footbridge.There is potential for devastating accidents associated with these developments (ODE, June 7, 2002, and Portland Tribune, April 4). Luckily, we have advance notice so that our “leaders” can answer the monumental questions most of our town will surely want answers for. The corporate majority of our city council has just added a 30-year extension to the Riverfront Research Park corporate-welfare development incentives (Eugene Weekly, March 6, 2003). Sony and Hyundai have shown us what non-sustainable development is.
The Willamette River is in terrible shape, and replacing east campus housing with the “multiscale materials and devices center” is morally bankrupt and has vast socioeconomic consequences for the rest of Eugene. Although the University claims to honor diversity, the reality is that its plans east of campus amount to ethnic cleansing. Once the low-income families are sent down the road, the new child care center will serve elite researchers as they work on their defense-related projects just across Moss Street.
Approval of University administrators’ request for more power from the Legislature will enhance administrators ability to execute this devastating agenda.