The Business Review - March 2021

A monthly online digital publication, The Business Review targets business leaders from the Rogue Valley and beyond. This means that your published articles and advertising message are being seen, read and remembered by those who are seeking your products or services in and around Jackson County and within more than 55 Oregon communities.

THE CHAMBER OF MEDFORD & JACKSON COUNTY THE BUSINESS REVIEW

MARCH 2021

Cybersecurity How to Protect Your Business and Yourself

CONTENTS MARCH 2021 | VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 3

4 OREGON UPDATES How to Protect Your Business from Cyber Security Threats 11 Ways to Help Protect Your Company (and Customers) When Taking Payments Online 8 CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY 5 Smart Ways to Use Cloud Computing for Your Business Congressman Bentz Named Top Republican on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Merkley, Colleagues Push To Protect Americans From Losing Access To Vital Utilities During Pandemic Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Oregon Ranchers Stay in Business 23 PROMOTING THE Anniversary Festival Awardees Community Leaders Donate $5 Million For Cancer Care 28 MEMBER NEWS New Book Showcases Hardships and Hope of Brave Oregon Pioneers TouchPoint Networks Helps Businesses Shift from “Survival Mode” to “Strategic Growth Mode” in 2021 Denisse Mendoza Gutierrez Joins Re/Max Integrity as a Medford Broker 34 FORUM REVIEW Cyber Security Threats and How to Mitigate Risk 36 RENEWING & NEW MEMBERS 36 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY COMMUNITY 2021 Oregon Fringe Festival Honorarium Recipients Announced! AIFF Announces its 20th

The Business Review | March 2021

Promote. Promoting the community. Create. Creating a strong local economy. Connect. Providing networking opportunities. Represent. Representing business issues. Our Strategic Objectives

Meet the Editorial Staff

Brad Hicks, CCE, IOM President & CEO brad@medfordchamber.com 541-608-8514

Lydia Salvey Editor in Chief/Vice President of Communications & Programs lydia@medfordchamber.com 541-608-8520

Kira Zavala Director of Sales

& Membership Development kira@medfordchamber.com 541-608-8522

Cathy Watt Office Administrator cathy@medfordchamber.com 541-608-8515

The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County 101 E 8th St, Medford, OR 97501 (541) 779-4847 • medfordchamber.com

medfordchamber.com

March 2021 | The Business Review

LEADERSHIP MATTERS A LETTER FROM LYDIA SALVEY, EDITOR IN CHIEF

I n this month’s issue of The Business Review we are discussing Cybersecurity, a topic that is on a lot of our minds lately. In a world that is now more virtual than ever before, it’s important to keep your personal and business information safe and protected. Included in this month’s issue is How to Protect your Business from Cybersecurity Threats, 11 Ways to Protect your Company and Customers when Taking Online Payments, 5 Smart Ways to use Cloud Computing for your Business, and 8 Tech Security Tips for Creating a Safe Home Office . At this month’s Chamber Forum, the acting director for the National Counterintelligence Security Center, Mike Orlando, spoke on Nation-State Threats to the U.S. Private Sector. Included in his remarks were business threats from countries such as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, and how these countries “target companies’ trade secrets, technology and intellectual property, and how businesses can protect themselves.” If you missed this month’s program, be sure to read “Cyber Security Threats and How To Mitigate Risk Presented at the Chamber of Medford & Jackson County Forum,” a review by Rebecca Scott. Looking forward into other ways to protect your business and employees, on Tuesday, March 30th our annual Employment Law Seminar is taking place online with Oregon Employment Litigation Attorney, Sean P. Ray, from Barran Liebman. This event is free to attend and will include topics such as returning employees to the office during the recovery phase of the pandemic, asking employees to get the COVID vaccine, ways to structure employee telework agreements and handbook updates you should include in your employee guide for 2021. To register for this event, please visit our website at www.medfordchamber.com.

Lydia Salvey Editor in Chief/Vice President of Communications and Programs The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County

The Business Review | March 2021

March 2021 | The Business Review

OREGON UPDATES

How to Protect Your Business from Cyber Security Threats by Scott Christopheron, Tekmanagement, Inc. I am sure many of you have heard about various Cyber Security threats currently in the news. 2)Replace systems that are no longer supported by manufactures’ security updates.

Computers and other technology used in your business that are connected to the internet are constantly probed for vulnerabilities. Even if you have a firewall with all the enhanced security services -- if you have PCs that are not kept updated, you could end up with issues. For instance, Microsoft just released a security update that prevents Windows 7 PCs from communicating properly with other key Servers. The update was implemented to block a known threat, but since Windows 7 is no longer supported by Microsoft, it was not updated. The takeaway: update your systems to stay current, stay operational and stay protected. 3)Talk to your insurance agent about Cyber Insurance coverage for your business. We highly recommend that our clients have a discussion with their insurance agent about Cyber Insurance coverage. If you have a cyber incident, the costs can be significant. There is a high likelihood of business failure after having to deal with a cyber incident, and those with Cyber Insurance have a much better chance of recovery. 4)Have a holistic Business Continuity Plan. We also recommend that our clients have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that fits their needs, as well as their pocketbook.

Recently, a Florida water treatment plant was hacked, and the water supply was adjusted to what could have been poisonous chemical levels. In another case, with what is believed to be the work of Russian hackers, a major corporate network was infected using a commercial network management tool from SolarWinds. Even here locally in the Rogue Valley, we have seen email Phishing attackers make off with hundreds of thousands of dollars from our local businesses. The question now is not, “Will I be a victim of an attack?” but instead, “When will I be the victim of an attack?” To prepare for a time where you will have to deal with this in your business, we would like to outline some specific actions that we’re recommending for our clients right now. 1)Educate your employees via an ongoing security awareness program. Employees are considered one of the biggest threat vectors for a business. A good program that we’ve set up includes monthly “test” phishing emails that can record if an employee clicks a link. That “Free Pizza” bait could really be a link to a virus that could infect an entire system. Employees then go through a web-based training course on how to look for the red flags, and other signs that an email might not be legitimate.

The Business Review | March 2021

Part of the planning process is to understand how various possible disasters might impact your business and the ways in which your business will respond. How many of us thought a wildfire disaster would impact our area businesses? We sure didn’t before, but it is now part of our own BCP, and it changed how we store and recover key business data, and how our client communications are handled. Dealing with Cyber threats should also be part of a comprehensive BCP, and this section should integrate your Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP). This plan will focus on how your business will recover in the event of a disaster -- natural, cyber or otherwise. After you have your BCP and DRP, you need to test these plans. We have not tested a plan yet where we did not learn something new and make an improvement. 5)Know the basics. As part of general technology best practices, your business should already have these items in place: a. A ntivirus software that is up-to-date and monitored for issues. b. Automatic security updates on all your devices regularly. c. Onsite image backup of your key data and systems. d. O ffsite encrypted image backup of your key data and systems.

e. Daily verification of your backup systems. f. M anufacture-supported operating systems on all devices. g. M obile device encryption (laptops, tablets, USB drives etc.). h. C entralized network security policy for passwords, Wi-Fi, monitoring, etc. i. E mail encryption, SPAM filtering, and anti-malware filtering. j. Web security, DNS, and protected file-sharing. k. Remote Workforce Security policy. l. IT Security Plan with policies and procedures. Implementing strategic ways to address your Cyber Security and other threats in your Business Continuity Plan can be a daunting task -- we’ve only just scratched the surface. Tekmanagement is one of several firms in the area that can help. You can also go to https://www.nist. gov/cyberframework for some great material on Cyber Security Framework. This is a great place to get started, and can serve as the launching point for your business’s Cyber Security risk-management journey. n

March 2021 | The Business Review

OREGON UPDATES

11 Ways to Help Protect Your Company (and Customers) When Taking Payments Online Scott Gerber | business.com | January 29, 2021 A security incident could cost you time and damage your reputation. Here’s how to protect your customers and your brand when accepting online payments. In today’s digital world, there are many hazards

that you and your company members must work together to prevent. After all, problems can develop as quickly as clicking a link in an email. So, how can you defend against online breaches in security when threats are so pervasive? What are the best ways to improve online security? To find out how you can better protect your business, we asked 11 entrepreneurs from YEC to weigh in on their best ways to improve online security, especially regarding payments. Here’s what they advise. Editor’s note: Looking for a secure credit card processing service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs. Which online payments are the most secure? Among the most secure online payments are:

Credit Cards: For small business owners, credit cards are especially secure since payment compliance standards (also known as payment card industry compliance or PCI compliance) regulate their use. Your customers will also benefit from credit cards since purchases made on a credit card do not immediately withdraw money from the customer’s bank account. Instead, the money initially comes from the credit card company, not the customer. Debit Cards: Small business owners also benefit from accepting debit card payments since they too are governed by PCI compliance. Debit card purchases are additionally among the most secure online payments for customers since, in some cases, debit card use from an unfamiliar IP

address can trigger identity verification measures with the customer. Additionally, neither Visa nor Mastercard debit and credit cards hold customers accountable for unauthorized payments. Wire Transfers: In cases when both your company’s bank and the customer’s bank are reputable institutions, wire transfers are usually secure online payments. That’s because a bank with a strong reputation presumably lacks an extensive history of data breaches and other security gaps, thus suggesting this bank has active safeguards in place against fraud and other security concerns.

The Business Review | March 2021

6. Don’t store customer payment data. “One of the easiest ways to improve your online security when taking payments is to get rid of any payment data as soon as the transaction is complete. If you do need to store payment data, then you can protect it from intruders by using a private network to store it.” – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights 7. Get an SSL certificate for your site. “A lot of small businesses may overlook security because they think they won’t be a target, but small businesses are often the most targeted when it comes to credit card breaches. So make sure to get an SSL certificate for your site. It will protect your website and your customers’ valuable information.” – John Turner, SeedProd LLC 8. Ensure PCI compliance. “SSL protocol is the best way of ensuring that the payments made on your website are secure. SSL certificate implies that all customer information is encrypted and reduces the risk of exposure by cyberattacks. Make sure you comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) to ensure an additional layer of security and thus establishing trust.” – Rahul Varshneya, Arkenea 9. Educate users about the importance of VPNs and security. “While there are many things a site can do to protect user data, like using SSL or storing data in the cloud, it’s important to keep your customers well-informed as well. By using a VPN, security software and updated browsers, these can also help limit the possibilities for customer data to be lost or stolen. This information can be posted on your site or through a monthly newsletter.” – Zac Johnson, Blogger 10. Ensure your hosting provider has safeguards in place. “In today’s digital world, you have to take extended security measures to accept online payments. First, you want to make sure your web hosting provider has safeguards in place for this scenario. Secondly, you need to make sure you have Secure Socket Layer protection to encrypt any data that gets inputted to your site. Thirdly, get a service like Cloudflare to protect from any DDOS attacks.” – Jared Weitz, United Capital Source Inc. 11. Watch for patterns. “When it comes to online purchases, you will find patterns of fraud. Most likely, your third-party payment processor has this security in a place where you can rest easy, but every now and then a fraudulent order may slip through the cracks. You’ll start recognizing patterns, so write them down and train new employees of these patterns to watch out for.” – Jared Atchison, WPForms n

Mobile Wallets: Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Amazon Pay are widely seen as among the most secure online payment methods available. Customers benefit from these pay forms’ masking of credit and debit card numbers, and your company benefits from these payment types since your customers must use a fingerprint or PIN to verify their purchase. This approval eliminates the chance that your company accepts fake credit cards since mobile wallets cannot function without being linked to a real debit account. Now that you know which online payments are the most secure, read through the following expert tips to keep your online operations safe and sound: 1. Use two-factor authentication. “Having two-factor authentication is crucial, especially when it comes to accounts throughout your social media. If someone has access to any of your accounts, they basically have access to your financial payments attached to them as well. Having your two-factor authentication will secure every login you make. It’ll notify you whether it’s being accessed from another device you’re unfamiliar with.” – Fritz Colcol, ABN Circle 2. Use third parties for storing sensitive information. “One of the highest-risk activities is storing credit card numbers. We frequently suggest using a third-party transaction partner that will also take responsibility for storing payment details, thus removing significant risk.” – Ryan D Matzner, Fueled 3. Choose a secure e-commerce platform. “Choosing a secure e-commerce platform like Shopify will give you added security and peace of mind. You as a business owner won’t be solely responsible for detecting threats and providing security: You’ll have a third party to help you out and keep you safe, too.” – Blair Williams, MemberPress 4. Buy cyber liability insurance. “As more personal information is being collected and stored through online transactions, the risk to organizations who are collecting personal information and payment information online is growing exponentially. Investing in cyber liability insurance coverage, along with proactive security measures, helps offset the financial impact of a data breach and the legal costs that arise from it.” – Brian Greenberg, Life Insurance Quotes 5. Use a personal verification system. “For high-ticket items, it may be worth taking a look at a personal verification system. For example, Airbnb uses this technology by allowing users to verify themselves with a driver’s license or passport. Users that are verified are able to book rooms immediately without having to wait for confirmation.” – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

March 2021 | The Business Review

CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY

5 Smart Ways to Use Cloud Computing for Your Business By Miguel Salcido | AllBusiness C loud computing has made a loud splash in the Internet world, and has greatly affected how small businesses operate and store information. Not only

is it a time and money saver, but it reduces a lot of hassle when it comes to IT and technical maintenance. Cloud technology is quickly moving up as the most used and relied upon technology for many small businesses. A very revealing stat was recently released stating, “throughout the next five years, a 44% annual growth in workloads for the public cloud versus an 8.9% growth for ‘on-premise’ computing workloads is expected.” Knowing that we are growing into a world that thrives and succeeds in a shared workspace, here are 5 smart ways that you can take advantage of cloud computing in your own business ventures. 1. Manage your Finances. When it comes down to administrative tasks and duties like keeping track of your finances, cloud computing is quickly moving up the ladder as the most secure and efficient. Yes, there is some resistance as far as the threat of hackers, but the bottom line for a business comes down to the bottom line. Saving time and money can help your business survive. Finding ways to shortcut the daily monotonous administrative duties will greatly help in the long run. 2. Go Mobile. Businesses anymore are faced with a constant challenge to keep up with the “mobile revolution,” which demands that we have access to corporate services and applications from anywhere at any time. Mobile transactions are becoming the main form of business. The technology is evolving so fast that its now possible to do things like order Chipotle via an app, to buying jeans while in an actual retail store using your phone. To keep up with this type of economy, it is critical to have access and availability 24/7 to accommodate any customer at any time. Cloud computing allows more businesses to operate with this type of access. 3. Store It Up. As more businesses grow into cloud computing, they are also growing into cloud storage. If you think about it, your workspace and information is being held in the cloud. Rather than relying on your own devices and software to keep your information secure, you can access it via the Internet. In this respect, “Cloud hosting” provides for automated backups and easy access

to information at a moment’s notice. 4. Share Information. Clients love transparency. In fact, they rely on it. If you can provide clients with access (albeit limited) to see what and how you are working on their campaign, you are doing them and your business a great service. Sharing cloudspace allows you to collaborate and work more comprehensively with them. Even providing information as basic as campaign stats and analytics will put them at ease and build trust in the work you are providing them. 5. Alleviate IT Headaches. With most businesses comes the inherent need for reliable software. And with reliable software comes IT problems and hassles. But with cloud computing, you can let go of that burden and leave the IT and maintenance to a third party. No longer will you have to strain to keep everything up to date; nor will you have to pay to keep an IT expert in-house. Cloud computing is certainly not a mainstream form of operations, but it should be. While the technology is nothing new and revelatory in the last few years, it is becoming so with businesses and information access. It provides solutions as well as innovation for businesses and allows for quicker transfer of information (which is imperative for the success of any business). With more access to clients and information, any business can take advantage of its efficiency and reliability to make business grow. There are many advantages to cloud technology, and it continues to improve (granted, it is far from perfect, there is no denying that reality). As it stands now, cloud technology will continue to seep into our everyday way of life, so why hold back? n

The Business Review | March 2021

March 2021 | The Business Review

CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY

8 Tech Security Tips for Creating a Safe Home Office By Sammi Caramela | Business News Daily | Jun 02, 2020 Security is imperative in the digital age of business. Data breaches cost businesses time, money and their reputation. These security tips can make your home office safe.

• The recent COVID-19 pandemic has forced many to work from home, raising cybersecurity concerns. • Remote workers are especially vulnerable to data security risks. • There are many ways to prevent cyberattacks, from using multifactor authentication to encrypting your data.

The Business Review | March 2021

T he ability to work from home is a prized employee perk that offers workers the chance to free themselves from the daily commute and complete their tasks. It’s an especially effective and convenient arrangement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees can help prevent the spread of the virus simply by staying home, without compromising or sacrificing their performance. Along with the freedom and flexibility of working from home comes the risk of cybersecurity issues that occur outside of a protected corporate network. Even if your company provides virtual private network (VPN) access, your computer (and the data it stores) – could be compromised if someone hacks into your home Wi-Fi network. “Making sure that sensitive documents and files remain confidential is definitely an issue remote employees need to tackle right from the outset,” said Brian Stark,

able to intercept and access sensitive emails, passwords and messages. There is also the risk that others who live the employee’s home (who use the same internet connection) may see valuable company data. Personal computers: Many remote workers admit to using their personal devices rather than their designated work tech. According to Cisco, 46% of employees report transferring files between their work and personal computers. If employees obtain sensitive data and store it on their personal devices, that puts many companies at risk – especially if said employee ends leaves the company. Another source of vulnerability is that if you, as a remote employee, are using your personal computer and are not downloading the latest updates, you could be more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Best practices for remote workers What steps can employees take to protect multifactor authentication? Multifactor authentication grants access to the device and all software after the employee provides more than one form of identification. Anyone can memorize a password or steal a physical device and unlock a computer. Multifactor authentication can prevent hackers from physically accessing your company device. If your company laptop doesn’t currently have multifactor authentication enabled, ask your employer about implementing one. Use strong passwords. Physical devices aren’t your only concern. If a hacker tries to access any sensitive accounts, you want to make it as difficult as possible for them to log in. Using a password manager is a great precaution, as it ensures you are only using strong passwords, like those with special characters, numbers, upper and lowercase letters, etc. Encrypt your messages. Data encryption helps protect sensitive information by translating it into a code that only people within your company can access through a secret key or password. Even if scammers intercept your data, they won’t be able to interpret it properly. This goes for any messages or information you send, receive or store on your devices. Invest in antivirus software. Your employer may provide a recommended application for a company-issued device, continued on page 14 themselves – and their employers – when working from home? Our expert sources recommend taking the following steps. Implement multifactor authentication. Does your company-issued laptop require

general manager of North America at smanos, a smart home and DIY security systems company. “Of course, ensuring that there is a secure connection to the server is extremely important, but this is ultimately placed in the hands of the homeowner.” Andrew Hay, chief information security officer at LARES, warned that other connected devices in your home may have far fewer security controls than your work laptop, which may give cybercriminals easy access to your device. “Home-based workers must be diligent

Treat your work-issued

laptop, mobile device and sensitive data as if you were sitting in a physical office location.

about what types of systems are on their home network that might also provide additional attack

vectors,” Hay said. “I once spoke with an NCIS agent who conducted an investigation where a naval officer’s laptop was compromised by way of infiltrating his daughter’s laptop.” Security risks of remote work For remote employees especially, there are many security risks – three in particular – that pose a threat. Email scams: Many scammers send phishing emails with the intent to steal sensitive information from the recipient or the company. Especially in complicated times – like the novel coronavirus pandemic – phishers are hoping to take advantage of trusting victims. They’ll often pretend they’re someone within the company, like the CEO or a manager, to establish false trust. Remote workers are easy targets because they’re not in the office and, therefore, hackers are hoping they won’t check to see if the email is legitimate. Unsecured Wi-Fi : During this time, many remote employees are using their private home network, which can increase the risk of leaked data. Third parties might be

March 2021 | The Business Review

continued from page 13

but if you use your personal laptop for work, you need to keep your system protected. “Since many internet providers [offer] free antivirus software, we recommend that our employees use them on their personal laptops,” said Venu Gooty, founder of MyBusinessGenie, a provider of small business software solutions. Don’t allow family members to use your work devices. Gavin Silver, director of operations at Blue Fountain Media, reminded remote workers that the computer they do their work on is for employee use only – it’s not the family computer. “Treat your work-issued laptop, mobile device and sensitive data as if you were sitting in a physical office location,” Hay added. “This will help you continuously associate your actions with a security-first and data-aware mentality in mind. For example, in a physical office location … your child [couldn’t] use your work-issued mobile device for games or movies. If you think of your laptop and mobile devices as work-only assets, it makes it far easier to control access to sensitive data and remain data-aware.”

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Keep your physical workspace secure. While virtual security is important, it’s equally important to make sure that your home office is physically secure, said Stark. “Home offices often contain expensive equipment or even physical files or documents that contain sensitive information, so it’s imperative to explore security options,” Stark told Business News Daily. “While it’s not possible for all home offices to have a scan-to-enter system or a security guard, it’s important to add whatever elements of traditional physical security you can.”

follow basic ‘computer hygiene’ standards such as up-to-date operating systems, antivirus/ malware and regular scanning,” Silver added. Use a centralized, company- approved storage solution. Adhering

to company policies also includes using only the designated programs that your employer wants you to use, even if you prefer a different program. “This is so the IT administrator doesn’t have various security requirements,” Stark said. “[It] establishes a set standard, which is much easier for the IT officer to support remotely in the field.” This becomes especially important

configurations that may or may not comply with the company’s security

Depending on your needs, you can look into a DIY home security system or read our recommendations for business video surveillance systems. Follow company policies to the

Gavin Silver, Director of Project Management, Blue Mountain Media

letter. Your company likely has clear policies for accessing the company network outside the office. Those guidelines and rules should always be followed, but it’s especially important when you’re working remotely, said Silver. “Report any suspicious behavior to IT immediately and

when you’re saving and backing up files. You should store all your work data in a secure location that’s both approved by and accessible to your company, like a cloud-based storage option.

continued on page 16

March 2021 | The Business Review

after walking to the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, but at the same time, you cannot trust that every employee will always log out when they are done for the day. 3. Limit program/file access to only those areas that are absolutely needed by that employee. 4. Reserve the right to terminate employee access at any moment. 5. Provide services for remote file storage and other tasks; don’t rely on individuals to use their personal programs and accounts to store your company’s data. “Users will always take the easiest method when it comes to technology, and you can’t always enforce what software people use when they are remote, so it is better to give them the best software in the first place,” said Silver. Above all, Hay reminded employers to outline policies, procedures and guidelines for workers who use company resources outside the office. “This includes, but is not limited to, access to corporate data, acceptable use of websites, approved applications, etc.,” he said. “The best thing an employee can do is ensure that they adhere to the guidance.” For more tips to help workers keep their company or client data safe, visit our cybersecurity guide for freelancers. n

continued from page 15

“Ensuring that sensitive data is stored and protected centrally is always a good course of action,” Hay said. “This allows central management and control of all aspects of the data, such as ownership, access, availability, security, etc., with a reduced chance of duplicate copies residing in places beyond the reach of the organization, such as on a personal laptop, mobile device or cloud environment.” Gooty said his company was able to accomplish this after switching to an Office 365 subscription. “Not only does OneDrive for Business allow us to collaborate better with one another, but it also securely saves the files in the cloud. All employees can access files on different types of devices,” he said. Best practices for employers For small business owners, regardless of whether your company employs part- or full-time remote employees, Silver advised taking the following precautions to limit security risks while employees work from home. 1. Require that employees use a non-stored password to connect to the network, especially for VPN access. 2. Enforce reasonable session timeouts for sensitive programs or apps. A user should not have to reconnect

The Business Review | March 2021

March 2021 | The Business Review

REPRESENTING BUSINESS ISSUES

Congressman Bentz Named Top Republican on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife February 17, 2021 | Ontario, OR | Press Release

T oday, Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) was named the Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. This places Oregon’s freshman Republican

and addressing fish passage; encouraging responsible water storage policies; promoting low-cost, renewable electric power from federal water projects; or providing

a thoughtful check and balance to the Biden Administration and the Democrat majority in Congress – I will work to ensure our water resources are managed wisely and to the benefit of communities across our nation.” Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member “I’m so pleased to welcome Congressman Bentz as the Ranking Member for the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee. While he is new to Congress, Congressman Bentz is not new to this subject matter. He brings a wide array of personal experiences and expertise as a water rights attorney to the table, and I know this will equip him to be a

congressman front and center on matters concerning America’s water resources, federal irrigation projects, hydroelectric power, interstate water issues, and fisheries management. “I am honored to serve as the leading Republican voice on the House Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife, and I thank the Committee’s Ranking Member, Bruce Westerman, for this opportunity,” said Congressman Bentz. “For more than half of my professional and political career, I have stood up and fought for agriculture and communities that rely on our water resources and are feeling the effects of a

Congressman Cliff Bentz

strong and thoughtful voice on water-related issues. As we begin this new Congress, I believe we have the best possible team ready to take on any challenge and show Americans that conservation is inherently conservative.”

real and regulatory drought. I will take an active role in the consideration of all water issues coming before the panel. Whether it is dealing with regulations under the Clean Water Act; advocating against dam removal

The Business Review | March 2021

J.R. Cook, Director, Northeast Oregon Water Association “The Northeast Oregon Water Association looks forward to continuing our outcome based working relationship with Congressman Bentz on regional water needs. Congressman Bentz’s legal understanding of water law and common-sense approach to water needs will be a major asset to our region, the Columbia River system and western United States.” April Snell, Executive Director, Oregon Water Resources Congress “The Oregon Water Resources Congress (OWRC) is excited to learn Congressman Bentz has been appointed as ranking member on the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. This subcommittee has oversight over issues of critical importance to irrigation districts and other OWRC members, including water resources, federal projects, hydropower, and fisheries management policy. While it is extraordinary for a freshman to receive a leadership position, it is not surprising given the Congressman’s vast experience with natural resources, particularly western water law. Through his many years in the Oregon Legislature, Congressman Bentz knows first- hand the importance of bridging the urban-rural divide and supporting common-sense solutions regardless of party. His thoughtful and deliberative approach to complex policy is needed now more than ever and we are grateful

to have him in Congress working on Oregon’s behalf. We congratulate Congressman Bentz on his appointment and look forward to his new leadership role on water and other important natural resources issues.” Craig Horrell, President, Deschutes Basin Board of Control “We are proud to have Congressman Bentz in Washington D.C., representing our eight irrigation districts in rural Central Oregon that convey water to over 7,600 farm and ranch families, schools, and parks. At a time when water resources are stretched further and further, we welcome Congressman Bentz’s vast knowledge and commitment to addressing water issues.” Barb Iverson, President, Oregon Farm Bureau “Oregon Farm Bureau congratulates Congressman Bentz on being named the ranking member on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. He has long been a champion for Oregon’s farmers and ranchers in the State Legislature, and he will bring his extensive expertise on water issues to the national level. We look forward to working with Congressman Bentz on federal policy work because we know he will never forget the interests of Oregon’s agriculture community in discussions and decisions around water needs, uses, and conservation.” n

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March 2021 | The Business Review

REPRESENTING BUSINESS ISSUES

Merkley, Colleagues Push To Protect Americans From Losing Access To Vital Utilities During Pandemic Millions of Americans are one missed payment away from losing power, heat, water, or internet

Wednesday, March 3, 2021 | Washington, D.C. O regon’s Senator Jeff Merkley teamed up with U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) today to ask Senate leadership to include safeguards in the upcoming coronavirus relief package to protect the American people from losing access to critical utilities— including power, heat, water and internet services—during the pandemic. The lawmakers’ letter comes after extreme cold in Texas and across America killed dozens of Americans and left millions more without heat and water. A recent working paper from Duke University’s Nicholas Institute found that had federal policies that ended utilities shutoffs been in place from March through November 2020, coronavirus infections could have been reduced by 8.7% and deaths could have been reduced by 14.8%, because Americans could have washed their hands more easily and avoided congregating for heat and power. “Newly unemployed Americans are facing disconnection because of loss of income, and many Americans are having to choose between putting food on the table or keeping their heat and water. We know that too often deferred utility payments is the start of a debt spiral that results in them at risk of losing their housing. Utility insecurity is disproportionately felt by low-wealth Americans, rural and tribal communities, and people of color. These are the communities that need congressional protections the most,” the senators wrote. “No utility wants to disconnect their customers and we applaud the many utilities that have taken voluntary steps to prevent disconnections during this crisis. Many states also issued orders to keep utility services connected, but most of these orders have now expired even as the

COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage,” the lawmakers continued. “…The COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the tragedy last week, have highlighted the systemic problems of poverty and utility insecurity in the United States and its disparate impact on low-wealth communities and communities of color. Now is the time for our country to provide relief for the communities that are being most harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Throughout the pandemic, Merkley has led his colleagues in a series of efforts to protect Americans from utility shut-offs amid the pandemic, including by introducing the Emergency Water and Energy is a Human Right Act and the CONNECT At Home Act. Merkley asked congressional leaders to maintain essential services by providing resources for low-income Americans to maintain utility access in coronavirus relief legislation. “Over 100,000 Georgians have had their power shut off at the height of COVID. That is unconscionable treatment, particularly for our frontline workers struggling to stay afloat. We are calling on Congress and President Biden to finally pass this live-saving protection. People should not be penalized for the COVID pandemic,” said Chandra Farley, Just Energy Director, Partnership for Southern Equity. “Ensuring that all Americans have access to utility services during this pandemic is too important to be left to the discretion of individual utility companies. Essential workers have been on the job throughout the COVID-19 crisis making sure that households and businesses stay connected to energy, water and communications services. We need a national moratorium on utility shutoffs so that service providers hold up their end of the bargain,” said Chris Shelton, Communications Workers of America President. “The Texas energy catastrophe shone a light on how losing utilities can be a matter of life and death. Unfortunately,

The Business Review | March 2021

hundreds of thousands of families have lived that reality since COVID began, and millions are at risk of losing access to these basic human rights as the economic crisis continues. We applaud Senator Merkley and other Senate champions for pushing for a nationwide protection against utility shutoffs. We urge Congress and President Biden to finally enact these protections and make long-term infrastructure investments to ensure no family needlessly suffers from our broken utility systems in the future,” said Jean Su, Energy Justice Director, Center for Biological Diversity. “Broadband is an essential service, especially during a pandemic when getting online can mean the difference between keeping up with remote learning and falling behind, between signing up for a vaccination appointment and missing out, between staying informed in an emergency and being left in the dark. No one should lose internet during a crisis. It’s time for the federal government to commit to prioritizing people’s needs over provider’s profits and prohibit these shutoffs across the board,” said Dana Floberg, Policy Manager, Free Press Action. “Right now, 57 percent of the country is not protected from having their water shut off. This has deadly consequences: A recent study showed that nearly 15% of COVID deaths would have been prevented with a utility shutoff moratorium in place. Instead of stopping water shutoffs, the previous administration actually recommended that people without access to clean water could use contaminated water or hand sanitizer instead. Congress and President Biden must respond with more compassion by prohibiting utility shutoffs now. We applaud Senator Merkley and the other Senate leaders for showing the leadership we need,” said Rianna Eckel, Senior Organizer, National Organizing Team, Food & Water Watch. “We are one year into a deadly pandemic, with families struggling to pay for essential services like energy, water and broadband. Right now, residential customers and small business owners are estimated to owe between 35 and 40 billion in utility debt. Congress needs to immediately cancel all utility debt and implement a national moratorium on utility shutoffs. We are so grateful for Senator Merkley and our other champions enduring work on this issue,” said Johanna Bozuwa, Climate & Energy Program Co-Manager, The Democracy Collaborative. “Millions of low income Americans have fallen behind on their energy bills due to COVID-related job losses and with moratoriums expiring in 22 states this month, they could soon be facing disconnection. Some families already struggling to pay their bills are now as much as $3,000 behind and the total consumer debt already exceeds $30 billion. We need Congress to step in with increased funding of at least $10 billion to ensure we avert this looming crisis,”

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The Business Review | March 2021

March 2021 | The Business Review

had federal policies that ended utilities shutoffs been in place from March through November 2020, COVID-19 infections could have been reduced by 8.7% and COVID-19 deaths could have been reduced by 14.8%. Water service ensures that Americans can hand wash in order to slow the coronavirus outbreak. Energy is necessary for families to heat their homes and turn on the lights, while allowing households to avoid congregating which can lead to the spread of COVID-19. Internet access is essential for people to schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments and access vital public health information, as well as allow adults to work from home and children to learn safely from distance learning. Vulnerable elderly populations need electricity to run life-saving medical equipment, keep medications refrigerated, and keep their homes at livable temperatures. Newly unemployed Americans are facing disconnection because of loss of income, and many Americans are having to choose between putting food on the table or keeping their heat and water. We know that too often deferred utility payments is the start of a debt spiral that results in them at risk of losing their housing. Utility insecurity is disproportionately felt by low- wealth Americans, rural and tribal communities, and people of color. These are the communities that need congressional protections the most. No utility wants to disconnect their customers and we applaud the many utilities that have taken voluntary steps to prevent disconnections during this crisis. Many states also issued orders to keep utility services connected, but most of these orders have now expired even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage. For all of us to get through this together we need to have a national policy that helps to ensure that no family is left behind in a patchwork of policies. The COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the tragedy last week, have highlighted the systemic problems of poverty and utility insecurity in the United States and its disparate impact on low-wealth communities and communities of color. Now is the time for our country to provide relief for the communities that are being most harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to working with you to find a workable solution to ensure that all families maintain their essential services in this difficult time. Sincerely, Source: https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/ press-releases/merkley-colleagues-push-to-protect- americans-from-losing-access-to-vital-utilities-during- pandemic-2021

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said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director, National Energy Assistance Directors Association. The full text of the letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) is available here and follows below. Dear Leader Schumer, The tragedy in Texas and across the United States as climate-induced extreme cold killed dozens of Americans and left millions more without heat and water is a stark reminder of why these services are essential for Americans. Unfortunately, as our country continues to struggle with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic tens of thousands of Americans have already had services disconnected because they cannot pay their mounting bills and millions more are at risk of disconnection. We applaud President Biden for including $5 billion for electricity and water assistance in his coronavirus plan, but more must be done to ensure that families continue to have access to these essential services. While always essential, utility services are especially critical for public health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent working paper from Duke University’s Nicholas Institute found that

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REPRESENTING BUSINESS ISSUES

Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Oregon Ranchers Stay in Business The Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021 would establish cash minimums and access to valuable market information to help Oregon ranchers negotiate fair prices March 02, 2021 | Washington, D.C. U .S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today with U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), introduced legislation that would restore transparency and accountability in The Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021 would:

the cattle market by establishing regional cash minimums and equipping producers with more market information. “Cattle ranchers and rural economies have been hit especially hard during the COVID-19 public health crisis. And that economic fallout gets compounded for Oregon producers who face both a lack of processing facilities and opaque cattle markets that add up to a serious disadvantage,” Wyden said. “This detailed and common- sense bipartisan bill would provide our state’s rural producers the transparency and accountability they need to negotiate fair prices, stay in business and continue generating jobs throughout Oregon.” Click here for a summary of the bill. Full text of the legislation is available here.

1. Establish regional mandatory minimum thresholds of negotiated cash and negotiated grid trades to enable price discovery in cattle marketing regions. 2. Require USDA to create and maintain a publicly available library of marketing contracts between packers and producers in a manner that ensures confidentiality. 3. Mandate that a packer report to USDA the number of cattle scheduled to be delivered for slaughter each day for the next 14 days and require USDA to report this information on a daily basis. 4. Prohibit the USDA from using confidentiality as a justification for not reporting and makes clear that USDA must report all LMR information, and they must do so in a manner that ensures confidentiality.

The Business Review | March 2021

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