[OSMB-News] News Release -Holgate Channel Working Group Established

[Ashley Massey]

For Immediate Release	Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010

Holgate Channel Working Group Established
Group to Address Proposed No-wake Zone  

The first meeting of the Holgate Channel Working Group will be held on Monday, March 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in room B-14 of the Multnomah Building in Southeast Portland. The public is invited to attend.

The Working Group has been created in response to a request made to the Oregon State Marine Board in 2009 to designate the Holgate Channel and Ross Island lagoon a no-wake zone.  A popular recreational area, the Holgate Channel is the section of the Willamette River on the east side of Ross Island in downtown Portland. A public meeting in response to the proposal attracted more than 300 people from the community.  The views expressed were diverse with many opposed to creating a no-wake zone and others in support of the proposal.  Among the suggestions was to establish a Working Group to help identify a workable solution to this controversial issue.   

The Oregon State Marine Board ultimately approved a no-wake zone in the Ross Island Lagoon only, with instructions to staff to assemble a working group representing a cross-section of interests, both motorized and non-motorized, to recommend a long-term solution for the use of the Holgate Channel.  The committee has been established, with members representing user groups such as fisherman, kayakers, wake boarders, rowers, water skiiers, Dragon boats, outriggers and the yachting community.

“This is an opportunity to find common ground and identify a solution,” said Randy Henry, Interim Director for the Marine Board.  “I’m looking forward to the discussion and hope the group can find a solution.”  Henry was involved with facilitating the original working group and providing recommendations to the Marine Board in 2009.

The Marine Board has planned a series of four to six meetings of the Holgate Channel Working Group, each led by a professional mediator.  Every meeting will include a short period for the public to address the committee.  The Marine Board also established a blog for ongoing, public, discussion of this topic. 

This meeting is accessible for persons with disabilities.  Persons needing some form of assistance to attend this meeting due to a disability should contact June LeTarte at 503-378-2617 by Friday, March 12 at 5 p.m.

For more information about the March 15 meeting, including blog access and other information about the process visit: www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/programs/members.shtml.
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Ashley A. Massey
Public Information Officer
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us
www.boatoregon.com
www.twitter.com/marineboard

Oregonians have the right to use the waterways -and the responsibility to keep them clean.  Never launch a Dirty Boat.