For Immediate Release

Date: Monday, June 21, 2004

Marine Board Meets in Newport June 30

The Oregon State Marine Board will consider funding five boating access projects worth more than $300,000 during their next regular board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 30, in Newport.

Among other items on the agenda, the board will also consider boating regulations on New River in Curry County and Pine Hollow Reservoir in Wasco County. Marine Board staff will also ask the board for approval of the draft 2005-2007 Marine Board budget.

The meeting will be held at the Best Western Agate Beach in Newport. It meeting will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. For the location of the facility, call (800) 547-3310. Agenda items follow:

Boating Facilities Projects - Five new projects will be brought to the board for consideration at this meeting. They are:

• Tillamook County, Memaloose Point dredging project - $24,000 recommended
• Port of Brookings Harbor, ADA gangways - $30,000 recommended
• Port of Bandon, Marine Fuel Station Renovation - $16,000 recommended
• City of Rainier, gravel parking lot and utilities - $241,800 recommended
• Linn County, CVA floating restroom at Green Peter Reservoir. $97,500 recommended

Pine Hollow Reservoir, Wasco County - The board will act on a petition seeking to amend boating regulations at Pine Hollow Reservoir in Wasco County. The petition seeks to revise the seasonal exception to the 10 mph speed limit by changing the beginning date to the Saturday before Memorial Day. The change, if adopted, would add more than a month to the time period when skiing and other water sports would be allowed. Public comment on the proposal ended June 21.

New River, Coos County - The board will consider a clarification to rules regarding motorized use of New River in Coos County. The current regulations were adopted in 2001 at the request of the Bureau of Land Management to protect snowy plover spring nesting activities. BLM also sought to restrict motorboats outside of nesting season to electric motors only. The board decided to allow all motorboat use outside the nesting season to accommodate hunters and anglers who have traditionally used New River in the fall and winter. However, the regulations as written were confusing so the board is proposing language to make the rule more easily understood. BLM has again requested a year-round "electric motor only" rule that would allow them to "maintain the undisturbed quality of the area and visitor experience." The public comment period ended June 21.

2005-07 Budget - Staff will seek board approval of the proposed 2005-07 budget.

The meeting facility is accessible for persons with disabilities. Persons needing some form of assistance to participate in this meeting due to a disability should contact Jill Andrick at (503) 373-1405, ext. 243, by Friday, June 25. Persons wishing to address the Board on non-agenda items may do so during a designated period at the start of the meeting.

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