By Ron Brown
 
February 19, 2009
 
APPLEGATE, Ore. - A debate over whether to mine gravel in the Applegate River has gotten the attention of Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski.
 
The governor has appointed Jackson County Commissioner C.W. Smith and Josephine County Commissioner Dwight Ellis to head up a 'solutions team'. Some 40 representatives of state and federal agencies, counties and citizens groups will work to develop a plan for mining sand and gravel, or 'aggregates', without harming the river ecosystem.
 
Ellis and Smith say they need to have a framework for an agreement reached by July. One possible alternative is to open the upper end of Applegate Lake to gravel removal.
 
"We need to look at that to see if that is feasible, because there's probably enough aggregate there for about 20 years for our local area," says Ellis.