Should Oregon ban helicopters from spraying herbicides on private timberlands?

Oregon allows timber companies to use helicopters to spray herbicides like glyphosate on clear-cut private land to kill weeds that compete with young Douglas fir trees. Coastal residents argue these chemicals drift into their drinking watersheds and cause illness, while the industry insists the practice is EPA-approved, scientific, and essential for meeting the state’s reforestation requirements. Proponents argue public health overrides corporate efficiency. Opponents believe a ban is an unscientific attack on rural jobs and property rights.