The Oregon Chapter of Surfrider Foundation strongly urges you to oppose H.R. 4761, which would reverse 25 years of bipartisan offshore drilling protections and put our country’s billion-dollar coastal economies at risk. Offshore oil and gas drilling is a slow, dirty and expensive way to produce energy. Opening our coasts to destructive drilling would do little to lower prices at the gas pump, but it would threaten our beaches with pollution and potential oil spills. An offshore spill could easily be carried by ocean currents to neighboring states, with disastrous results. Tourism, property, and commercial and sport fishing wrecked in the wake of a huge oil slick could impair millions of jobs and weaken our coastal economies. We simply do not need to sacrifice our beaches and coastal waters to meet America’s energy needs. Cleaner, faster and less expensive energy solutions like energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy could start saving consumers and businesses money today and protect our beaches, marine waters and coastal economies. Again, I urge to protect our nation’s beaches and coastal areas by voting NO on H.R. 4761 and supporting clean energy alternatives.

Surfrider Foundation has officially established a Newport Surfrider Chapter. Hoping all of you, and a friend or two, can make it to our first meeting.

Items to be discussed will include:
* which sites will be tested each week
* determine sampling locations at each site (using GPS)  for sampling consistency
* assign persons to sites
* review water sampling protocol, including how to use new sampling bottles.

DATE & TIME: Tuesday, June 27, 7pm
LOCATION: Port Dock One (upstairs)
325 SW Bay Blvd

Thanks, and hope to see you there!
Greg Niles
Ocean Pulse

On June 30th, the Port Orford Ocean Resources Team (POORT) is sponsoring a public forum “Orford Reef: Our Heritage, Our Future”. Co-sponsored by Surfrider Foundation, Pacific Marine Conservation Council, and Ecotrust, the event will be held in the Savoy Theater, Port Orford. The evening will feature presentations on Port Orford’s marine ecosystem, an update on efforts of the Port Orford Ocean Resources Team (POORT), and a short film by Greenfire Productions. POORT is a local non-profit that involves commercial fishermen in management, science, and marketing efforts. Surfrider Foundation, Pacific Marine Conservation Council, and Ecotrust have partnered with the Port Orford Ocean Resources Team to support their community-based ocean management efforts

On Friday, June 23, the Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) will meet in Astoria at 9:00 am at the Holiday Inn Express, 204 West Marine Drive, Suite 200. Convened by Governor Ted Kulongoski, the OPAC is charged with recommending a network of marine reserves for Oregon. It’s important for Surfrider members to participate at each meeting. The OPAC is accepting public comments from 11:30 a.m. to noon and again from 4:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. A full agenda for the day is available at the OPAC website. Please take advantage of this opportunity to speak out so we can help ensure a healthy ocean for future generations of coastal residents and all Oregonians. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/OPAC/index.shtml.

On May 26, Newport News-Times published 2 articles on Surfrider’s challenge to the terms of the proposed wastewater permit for the Georgia-Pacific Pulp and Paper Mill in Toledo. The primary outfall for the facility is located off Nye Beach in Newport. The Department of Environmental Quality is (DEQ) is scheduled to issue an updated permit in the coming weeks. Surfrider is advocating for a permit that includes a) better monitoring program – especially of sediments and marine life near the outfall b) smaller “mixing zone” for achieving water quality compliance c) better public disclosure of processed waste imported from other counties. Articles can be viewed http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2006/05/26/news/news10.txt

Tuesday, June 20, 2006
6:30 pm
June Catch Basin Marking Event
The meeting place will be at the entry to the Safeway parking lot in the Woodstock neighborhood
SE Woodstock St. and SE 45th Ave.

We will be placing placards on storm drains to educate people that waste and run-off drain directly into the streams and rivers. Materials are provided by the City of Portland.
Please try to arrive about 15 minutes early so we can have a short instructional class in Curb Marking 101. Wear comfortable clothes. All volunteers are welcome, so feel free to bring friends and family.

Since the adhesive we use can be affected by water, the marking will be canceled and the rain date will be Tuesday, June 27th if rain is forecast 12 hours either side of our meeting time.

If you have questions or need directions, please feel free to call John Thompson, StormDrain Marking Coordinator 503-936-8052 (c)

Westport, WA (June 4, 2006) The Clean Water Classic surf contest was a great sucess, raising over $8,500 for Surfrider Chapters in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Over 120 surfers participated in 8 Divisions, enjoying fantastic wave conditions (saturday at least!). Once again, the Tofino, BC crew dominated with Peter DeVries and Noah Cohen taking first and second respectively in the Pro-Am Division, to the enjoyment of 600 plus spectators. All contestents received a Surfrider membership thanks to support of Global Surf Industries sponsorship. Full results for all Divisions can be viewed http://www.cleanwaterclassic.com/. Thanks to all sponsors and volunteers who made this event such a great sucess!!

Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), Surfrider Field Coordinator and Intern are collaborating on a multi-variate correlation analysis to determine potential factors affecting marine bacteria pollution. Factors such as tide, wind, proximity to stream mouth, precipitation, and percent urban area in the watershed will be used to identify possible correlations. The results will be mapped and detailed in an article hopefully to be presented at the 2006 Beach Conference. This collaboration is important because DHS administers the BEACH Act in Oregon and is responsible for managing the state’s marine water testing program; the Beach Monitoring Program. Surfrider Foundation and DHS have been successfully partnering for the past few years, and this analysis strengthens that relationship. For more info contact Markus Mead