The Oregon State Marine Board approved boating facility grants for four heavily used boating access locations in the state, in addition to adopting new rules for boat operation on Turner Lake and the Willamette River Newberg Pool during their quarterly Board meeting held on January 22, at Clackamas County Community College.  The meeting was live-streamed and is posted on the Marine Board’s YouTube Channel. 
Josephine County applied for a grant to purchase adjacent property to Lanthrop Landing on the Rogue River.  The Board approved $175,000 in state boater funds to match $175,000 in cash and $600 of pre-agreement expenses for a project total of $350,600.  The first phase is property acquisition with access improvements planned in the future. 
The City of Gladstone applied for a grant to replace the existing boarding docks to improve safety at Meldrum bar on the Willamette River at river mile 24.  This is a very popular access point for motorized boats, year-round.  The Board approved $133,000 in state boater funds combined with a cash match of $24,000 for a project total of $157,000.  Permitting for dredging is also being considered with funding from other sources.
Linn County applied for a grant to purchase precast concrete boat ramp planks for a new boat ramp for the Stayton Bridge access site.  This location has been closed for more than three years due to damage during the 2015 floods on the North Santiam River. The approved in-water work window is July 15 through August 15 and in order for the boat ramp to be replaced and re-opened this year, pre-purchasing the planks will allow for contractors to maximize the entire in-water work window.  The Board approved $99,010 in state boater funds, combined with $127,990 in county match for a project total of $227,000.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department applied for fabrication of a debris boom for Bullards Beach State Park.  This facility is subjected to high winds, coastal storms and large volumes of debris.  The installation of a debris deflection boom will help protect the infrastructure from debris and provide wind and wake protection during the peak boating season.  The deflection boom will also save State Parks staff time on debris removal.  The goal is to have the debris boom installed in 2019-2020 during the in-water construction window.  The Board approved $60,000 in state boater funds combined with $21,500 in cash match for a project total of $81,500.
The Board adopted rules on Turner Lake in Marion County to allow electric motors with a speed limit not to exceed 5 MPH.
Additionally, the Board adopted new rules for recreational boat marine sanitation device requirements.  The rules now mirror federal discharge regulations.
In a unanimous decision, the Board adopted rules for boat operations in the Newberg Pool (Willamette River) in Marion, Yamhill, and Clackamas Counties between river mile 30 and 50.  The wake enhancing device ban will no longer be in place, opening more river for water sports enthusiasts.  However, new operational distances for wakeboarding and wake surfing around private docks, boathouses, and moorages were adopted. The new regulations identify areas and zones where plowing and wake surfing are prohibited, in addition to specifying time restrictions for anchoring.  With regard to the new rules, staff will provide the Board with a briefing on the boating season in the Newberg Pool after the first year, third and fifth years. Rules will be effective upon filing.
Agency staff will provide a plan for enforcing the new rules, education, signage and outreach for the 2019 boating season.
To view the agency staff report visit http://bit.ly/2B4r6iN.  To view the report for Agenda Item G for the Willamette River (Newberg Pool), visit http://bit.ly/2HveBTg.