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| In Oregon, the beaches belong to the people. As part of Oregon's tradition of environmental stewardship, the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition serves as the guardian of the public interest for our coastal region. Oregon Shores is dedicated to preserving the natural communities, ecosystems and landscapes of the Oregon coast while conserving the public's access. Oregon Shores pursues these ends through education, advocacy, and engaging citizens to keep watch over and defend the Oregon coast. |
| | TOP STORIES | | | May 12 NEW CoastWatch Co-sponsors New Round of Beached Bird Trainings |   COASST's Charlie Wright
On Saturday, May 12, COASST will conduct a blitz. Volunteer Coordinator Annie Woods will be in Florence at the Siuslaw Public Library, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (including field trip). And Charlie Wright, usually the group’s data verifier and “dead bird nerd,” will be conducting a training session in Newport at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, exact time not yet determined.
Meanwhile, here’s an early mark-your-calendars alert for those on the south coast who might have an interest in the beached bird survey. Another training session will be held Saturday, June 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in Bandon at the Bandon Public Library.
For more information, contact Annie Woods, (206) 221-6893, or email.
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| | | EVENTS | | | Thu Apr 12 Public Information Session on Beach Mining Scheduled |  Dunal lake in threatened Heceta Dunes area. Photo by Dina Pavlis.
The public session will be held Tuesday, May 22, 4 p.m. in the Bromley Room of the Siuslaw Public Library in Florence. The meeting will feature Viva Worthington, Deputy District Ranger for the U.S. Forest Service’s Central Coast Range District (the Forest Service will be responsible for making decisions about any proposed mining) and Courtney Johnson, the attorney who works with Oregon Shores through our Coastal Law Project. There will also be adequate time at the meeting for discussion, community input, and a question and answer period.
With no proposal on the table, the goal at this point is to explore the possibilities, and begin organizing a community response should mining claims actually be put forth. Oregon Shores intends to be actively involved in any beach mining issue—the hope is to have the pieces of a local campaign in place so as to launch quickly if the need arises.
Oregon Shores has been doing as much detective work as possible, trying to unearth information about the intentions of mining claim-holders who appear to be targeting the Heceta Dunes area.
Here is the information that Courtney Johnson (who works with the Crag Law Center, our partners in the Coastal Law Project), with the help of concerned local citizens, has uncovered thus far:
1. There are seven active mining claims on the Heceta Dunes.
2. It appears that three (possibly four) of these claims are currently being pursued.
3. Last summer, the claim owners took core samples to determine if they wanted to pursue mining.
4. The mining claims are for silica (quartz sand); the company indicated that they found the sand they would like to mine.
5. The next step is for the company to submit a Plan of Operation to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). This will trigger the start of the “NEPA process” (through the National Environmental Policy Act) to determine environmental impacts, mitigations and other considerations. The public input period takes place during this process.
The Heceta Dunes are part of the 2,700 acre Sutton Recreation Area (USFS Management Area 9). The dunes area that could be affected lies north of Heceta Beach Road and south of Hwy 101 where it skirts the Southview development, east of Heceta Beach and Baker Beach.
Mining laws in the United States (particularly the Mining Law of 1872) strongly favor mining companies. The Forest Service must follow the laws of the United States during this process. The agency may not be able to block mining, even if it violates their management plans for the area in question.
There are many more mining claims lurking in the background. The outcome here may set a precedent for other claim-holders in the area, so it could ultimately impact other areas within the Oregon Dunes as well.
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| | | NEWS | | | May 12 NEW CoastWatch Will Engage with Other Groups to Address Debris |  Japanese floats and bottle recently found on CoastWatch Mile 173. Photo by Julie Cheshire.
CoastWatch is working with three other non-profit conservation groups: Surfrider, SOLV and Washed Ashore -- plus Sea Grant to develop a volunteer-based response to the situation. By the time the main glut of debris reaches Oregon's beaches (although if and when a significant amount of debris may arrive remains a mystery), we intend to be prepared both to monitor our shoreline for the material and to assist in cleaning it up.
We've already sponsored a round of public information sessions about the debris, which brought out some 400 concerned citizens and gave us the beginnings of a database of potential volunteers. Oregon Shores' volunteer coordinator, Paris Edwards, created a basic information sheet that summarizes key points that were made in these public information workshops by spokespeople for a number of agencies.
Plans for organizing and training volunteers haven't congealed as yet, although representatives of the groups recently met and discussed many of the basic questions. More information will be circulated soon. Meanwhile, volunteers are needed to help test debris monitoring data forms. If willing to help with this, contact Phillip Johnson.
More information on the tsunami debris is also available on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website, and also in Surfrider's Beachapedia.
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MORE NEWS... | Jan 23 Catch Oregon Shores’ Act on Video
We have just completed our 40th anniversary year. This is an appropriate moment to step into the 21st century. Oregon Shores has a long history, and in all those decades we have deployed the full range of traditional techniques in seeking to preserve the landscapes and resources of the Oregon coast, from land use advocacy and court cases, to lobbying for public policies, to organizing volunteers ... MORE | |
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