"Veto threat scuttles Oasis Bill"

Capital Press Staff Writer MITCH LIES is reporting the Oasis bill is dead.

Under threat of a veto, the Oregon Senate this week buried the Oasis Project and with it hopes of Eastern Oregon farmers to revitalize a farm economy suffering for lack of water. The action by Senate President Peter Courtney to stall a bill authorizing summer irrigation water withdrawals from the Columbia River came in the wake of a veto letter sent by Gov. Ted Kulongoski to the Salem Democrat.