Lieutenant Robert K Powell Reveals the Nefarious Origins of Oregon's Fire Mapping Bill SB762

Wednesday, April 02, 2025

Lieutenant Robert K Powell was born in Salem, Oregon, on February 23, 1945. His ancestors settled in Oregon from 1843 to 1851. Robert attended South Salem High School, graduating in 1963. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on September 29, 1965, and served for 28 years until October 01, 1993.

The Guard selected Robert to attend Officer Candidate School, where he finished fifth in class. This led to his maritime security and Drug Enforcement career. He was employed in the private sector by Nike, where he evaluated and created solutions to operational challenges involving forms of management and Distribution centers across the country.

The Oregon legislature passed SB 762 in 2021, creating an updated wildfire program and opening a backdoor effort to prevent people from living in rural areas. The bill included a controversial requirement that allowed the state to establish a statewide wildfire risk map to regulate people's properties.  Legislative bills SB 79, SB 78, SB 77, and SB 73 also attack rural Oregon's right to exist. The bill punishes rural Oregonians by nudging them to move to larger cities.