MultCo Chair Vega-Pederson works on earthquake safety, drug treatment plans

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Multnomah County commissioners are urging the state legislature to increase spending for mental health and residential drug treatment and mitigating the threat of deadly gases being released in the event of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Additionally, they have called for a statewide ban on public drug use.

During a roundtable held Wednesday with state lawmakers, the commissioners — including chair Jessica Vega-Pederson — said addressing these issues are among their key legislative priorities for the 2024 legislative session running from Feb. 5 to March 10.

Action on deadly gas threat after Cascadia earthquake

The county’s 2023 Hazardous Materials Report, prepared by Portland State University, found that in the event of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, toxic plumes from storage tanks could kill thousands of people and sicken even more.

During the roundtable, Commissioner Jesse Beason said addressing the threat “is a first step to prevent deaths.”

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“This is just one of those things where the average person, they don’t have the ability to protect themselves from that kind of threat,” Vega Pederson told KOIN 6 News. “So it’s really incumbent upon the government to take the steps to make sure that people are being protected.”

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management says the state has the potential for a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Addressing drug treatment options

The Multnomah County commissioners unanimously voted in favor of the new drug treatment center that Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek announced earlier this week.

The announcement revealed that the temporary housing center would cost $17.25 million in total, with $6.25 million coming from the county.

When introducing the resolution, Vega-Pederson expressed that it was the county’s responsibility to make resources available to the residents who need them.

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“We don’t want people using openly on the street, but we also don’t want people in the shadows who aren’t able to get the help we need,” the chairwoman said. “I think this is a really clear example of when we’re working together well, the nonprofit partners, healthcare partners and governments are working together well, we can get solutions online quickly”

The new treatment center would be located on Southeast 16th Avenue and East Burnside Street in a building that was first constructed in 2021. It would provide 70 treatment beds, with 24-hour staffing and a projected 200 people served every year. It is expected to be up and running in a matter of months.

The statewide ban on public drug use

During an annual legislative breakfast held on Jan. 3, the commissioners also asked a group of Oregon lawmakers to ban public drug use.

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Additionally, Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards requested the legislature give the Multnomah County district attorney more power to better prosecute offenders for drug crimes. She also requested $7.5 million in additional funding for addiction treatment and recovery services.

“The goal is to give the Courts an authentic and effective alternative to sending people with substance use disorders to jail,” the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners said in a statement.

Multnomah County’s lack of public defenders has also affected the county’s ability to prosecute people for drug crimes, the county said.

Despite these issues, Vega-Pederson is hopeful for these opportunities, stating, “I’m really looking forward to the action that [the legislators] take because I know it’s something that we need to make a difference here locally.”

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