Oregon State Marine Board Collecting Feedback on Revised Jet Boat Rules on Upper Rogue River
From Rogue Riverkeeper:
After the initial proposed rule and comment period in November, the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) has recently brought forth a proposed rule revision and, as required by law, will have another hearing and comment period. So the saga of “OSMB rules for the Upper Rogue” continues, and we have yet another opportunity to provide our comments regarding our concerns about the Upper Rogue River to the OSMB.
The latest proposed rule includes language related to restricting “all boating activities” during very low flows, stating between May 8th and September 10th in the event that the river flow rate drops below a three day average flow of 1350 cubic feet per second (CFS) or equivalent water level of 3.20 feet as measured by the United States Geological Survey at Dodge Bridge, all boating activities shall be restricted until the three day average flow increases above 1350 CFS.
What is the issue with that? This rule will likely not affect Rogue Jet Boat Adventures (RBJA), the business who is having the most impact. According to USGS data, the river flow rarely—if ever—drops that low during the time RBJA is operating. This one business, with its hundreds of trips in the largest boats that run this section of river, is having the most environmental impact that this proposed rule should be seeking to relieve. It is also the business for whom it seems that the OSMB has carved out the regulations so they won’t have to change their operations. The OSMB staff member who drafted the proposed rule stated on the record that he reviewed the website and information from RJBA to decide how to draft the proposed rule. If that is not a carve out, I don’t know what is.
We encourage you to submit a comment responding to this new rule letting the OSMB know that tailoring regulation to benefit one business is not managing the river for all, and it desperately leaves out the public's and wildlife's needs.
The OSMB will have its next virtual hearing on January 15 from 11am - 1pm. Rogue Riverkeeper will continue to ask that motorized boats over 10 HP to be restricted year round from the Upper Rogue River and tributaries, regardless of the flow from Fisher’s Ferry to Lost Creek Lake.
You can read more about this campaign at our blog. Help shape the future of the Upper Rogue River's health and usability by forwarding this email to a friend who can take action in response to high speed power boats on the Upper Rogue.
