YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY NEEDED - SUBMIT BY 3:15PM TODAY

It’s CRUCIAL all boaters take two minutes today to voice opposition for SB 1589 which will ban hundreds of families from enjoying towed water sports on the Upper Willamette River. Submit written comment by 3:15PM here:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2022R1/Testimony/SEE

Last night the boating community made a strong showing at the public meeting for this bill. It's imperative we continue that momentum with written comment today. If you attended last night you are also encouraged to submit written comment. We know most of you had more to say than the one minute time limit would allow. 

The bill will crush the Newberg Pool boating community by banning wake surfing outright, arbitrarily limiting all other towed sports such as tubing, waterskiing and wakeboarding to boats under 5,000 pounds and extending the Newberg Pool from Willamette Falls to the mouth of the Yamhill River.

This is bad public policy and must be stopped in its tracks. Our waterway policies should favor the general public, not special interest groups and select waterfront homeowners. Submitting written comment is essential because elected officials want to hear from real people in their communities on the issues that matter to them. 

We encourage all of you to submit written testimony today before 3PM. 

How to Submit Testimony:

• Go to: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2022R1/Testimony/SE
• On the testimony submission form, choose meeting date “2/9/2022 3:15 PM” from the drop down menu
• Select “SB 1589” from the bill list
• Fill in the name, residence and email address fields
• Choose your position on this bill
• Write in your text testimony
• Tell the Oregon Legislature why you oppose this bill. Even a few sentences is fine. Include how this bill will impact your family or business. Sample talking points are included below.

Here are some sample talking points to consider for your testimony:

• SB 1589 will strip safe, socially distant outdoor opportunities for hundreds of families along the Newberg Pool and impact local small businesses who depend on their support.

• Residential development, not boat wakes, is the primary human-caused source of erosion. There is broad agreement that the lack of native vegetation and homeowner mismanagement of native trees has caused the majority of erosion. Furthermore, natural occurrences such as last winter’s storm have a greater impact on river health than boating.

• There is no empirical evidence or peer-reviewed study that links the proposed restrictions to having any positive effect on fish populations. Wake sports largely take place in the summer, outside of key migratory or spawning months. Studies show that wake boats waves, when operated at least 200 feet from shore, do not carry enough energy to have a significant impact on most shorelines.

• The Newberg Pool is already one of the most regulated bodies of water in Oregon. Wake surfers are subject to a weight limit, required to obtain a special safety certification and only allowed in two small zones with no adjacent homes or docks.

• This bill not only exacerbates safety issues, but it also fails to solve a primary issue – enforcement. The state has already struggled to enforce the extensive laws and rules we have, and the bill does not address how to deal with the worst offenders who make the river dangerous for everybody. 

• Subjecting only towed water sports enthusiasts to a weight limit is overtly biased. A 5,000-pound fishing boat can produce a similar wake to the same size tow boat. Furthermore a 15,000 cabin cruiser that produces a wake far greater than any wake surfing boat can still operate freely under this legislation.