The Oregon coast stretches 362 miles and is home to 33 coastal cities and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities. Drawing scores of visitors each year, the coast is an important part of Oregon's economy, not just for its tourism value, but for its ports, fisheries, and canneries. Oregon is not unique in this regard. Almost every coastal state relies upon its coastal resources as a major economic driver. Recognizing the value of our coasts, Congress created the National Coastal Zone Management Program in 1972. This program consists of voluntary partnerships between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and coastal states and territories in which a state or university program takes the lead to manage these special places with assistance from NOAA. In Oregon, DLCD has the responsibility of working closely with our federal partners to protect coastal resources and maintain thriving coastal communities. Below, is a limited list of some of the federal agencies we work with most often to implement the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.
The Office for Coastal Management (OCM) within NOAA provides financial and technical assistance and oversees the implementation of the Coastal Program in Oregon. We work closely with OCM to keep Oregon’s Program up-to-date, to identify needs, and to ensure that the Oregon program goals are being met.
The National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of NOAA, regulates ocean fisheries, including anadromous fish such as salmon and steelhead, groundfish and halibut. NOAA Fisheries also implements the federal Endangered Species Act for these species and marine mammals.
The Program works closely with USACE Portland District because they implement many activities in the Coastal Zone. Direct actions include activities that support commerce and navigation like jetty building and repair, and navigation channel dredging and maintenance. USACE also administers the Clean Water Act Section 404 Permits for discharge in waterways and wetlands and River and Harbor Act Section 10 Permits for structures in or over navigable waters. USACE works with the Oregon Coastal Management Program often during reviews for federal consistency to issue federal permits and implement agency actions in the Coastal Zone.
The Program works with FEMA Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) through coastal hazard mitigation and adaptation planning. We focus on hazards such as for flooding, erosion, earthquake and tsunami, and landslides. FEMA helps communities before, during, and after disasters. FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs provide funding to states, tribes, and local governments for mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disasters. Find out more about the DLCD Natural Hazards Program.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the lead agency for air and water pollution control. EPA Region 10 encompasses Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. EPA designates dredged material disposal sites in the ocean, and under the Clean Water Act, delegates to the state activities that affect coastal air and water quality.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is the lead federal agency for protection of fish and wildlife habitat and species through the Endangered Species Act. The agency owns and manages national wildlife refuges (NWR's) on the Oregon coast that encompass upland, estuarine, and nearshore ocean habitats. The OCMP coordinates with the USFWS when the Territorial Sea Plan is being amended, as the USFWS administers national wildlife refuges in the territorial sea.
National wildlife refuges in Oregon's Coastal Zone:
The Bureau of Land Management, within the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages nearly 500,000 acres of primarily timber land in Oregon's Coastal Zone. The Bureau also manages ocean-front lands in Coos and Curry counties and the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area near Newport.
The U.S. Forest Service is a major landowner and manager of timberlands in the Coastal Zone, including the Siuslaw and Siskiyou National Forests. The Forest Service also manages the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area that extends south from the Siuslaw River to Coos Bay.
The Program works with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) when energy projects are proposed in the Coastal Zone for both non-renewable and renewable energy resources. In recent years, several liquid natural gas terminals have been proposed on the Oregon coast. Proposed projects for marine renewable energy are also on the horizon. FERC works with the OCMP during federal consistency reviews for energy siting certificates.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is responsible for maintaining safe navigation and vessel operation and is the federal lead agency for oil spill prevention, response, and cleanup. The USCG also operates seven Coast Guard stations along the Oregon coast.