Oregon senator to try to extend county payments EUGENE (AP) — U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden is hoping this month to attach a multiyear county timber payments plan to major energy legislation the Senate is expected to consider. But an aide to Wyden cautioned that continuing payments critical to rural county governments across the West and beyond is not a done deal. The Senate Finance Committee has included the payments in its energy tax bill, Wyden announced this week. He wants to see that energy tax bill attached to the major energy legislation. | 