For Immediate Release

DateThursday, April 1, 2004

Marine Board Meets in Gold Beach

Boaters will continue to see their boat registration dollars put to work when the Oregon State Marine Board considers requests for over $1 million in grants for recreational boating access projects across the state. The board will consider the requests Wednesday, April 14, during their regular quarterly meeting, which will be held in Gold Beach.

Among other items on the agenda, the board will also consider policies and procedures to implement the new Abandoned Vessel Program and will hear staff reports related to ongoing issues and projects. The meeting will be held at Jots Resort, beginning promptly at 8:30 a.m.

The Marine Board regularly provides facility grant funds to assist in development or maintenance of recreational boating access projects. Funds come from boat title and registration fees and motorboat fuel tax revenues. The board has already approved over $4.2 million in grants since June of 2003. This compares to $3.4 million spent during the entire 2001-2003 biennium. The increase in facility grants reflects additional fees paid by boaters to register and title boats beginning in 2004. The Marine Board sought the increase to help address the backlog of access projects across the state after years of revenue declines. By using matching grants, the board leverages other state, private and federal funds. The projects that will go to the board April 14 are worth nearly $1.8 million, nearly double the amount of Marine Board grants.

Grant requests for the board are listed below:

• Galesville Reservoir, Douglas County, self-adjusting floats $44,500
• Diamond Lake, Douglas County, South Shore/Thielson $44,000
• Coastal kiosks, statewide $35,000
• Port of Alsea, Lincoln County, boarding floats $32,000
• Scottsburg, Douglas County, piles $25,000
• Mercer Lake, Lane County, boarding floats $20,000
• Ochoco Lake, Crook County, boarding floats $7,687
• Port of Brookings, Coos County, restroom/shower $55,750
• Takelma Ramp, Jackson County, parking and vault toilet $95,100
• City of Salem, Riverfront Park transient tie-up $81,250
• Lane County, Richardson Park transient tie-up $91,900
• OYCC, Summer 2004 youth projects $53,428
• State Parks, Jasper Point restroom, $75,000
• City of Nyssa, Nyssa Flush restroom $86,000
• City of West Linn, Bernert Landing flush restroom $110,000
• Wallowa County, Wallowa Lake ramp $111,500
• Port of The Dalles, port boarding Floats $84,925

The meeting agenda follows:

• Director's report
• Update on Rogue River lawsuit and EIS development
• Policies and procedures to implement new Abandoned Vessel Program
• Development of agency 2005-07 budget request
• Consideration of 2005 legislative concepts
• Final consideration of safety inspections
• Discussion of Boating Rules - New River, Coos and Curry counties
• Education / Information program report
• Law Enforcement program report
• Facility program report - The Board will consider over $1 million in facility grant requests.

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, April 9. 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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