On July 29, members of the Portland Chapter of Surfrider and Leave No Plastic Behind requested the Portland City Council to pass a ban on single-use plastic bags in Portland. During testimony, Surfrider presented 2,700 petition signatures, as well as a letter signed by 43 local businesses, groups, and neighborhood associations in support of the platform. Portland Mayor Sam Adams was among those who expressed support. “I applaud what Surfrider is doing nationwide to bring attention to this issue. Single-use bags represent an important opportunity to rethink our consumption patterns. People look to Portland as a leader in sustainability, and I think it’s time to take the helm and reduce unnecessary waste in disposables and excessive packaging.” Every year, 100 billion petroleum-based plastic checkout bags are used in the United States, requiring an estimated 12 million barrels of oil each year. Sadly, less than 5% of these bags are recycled each year and cities, counties, and non-profit organizations must pay millions of dollars each year to clean up the litter. Further, it is estimated that 60-80% of all debris in the ocean is plastic. Most types of plastic never truly biodegrade and marine animals often get entangled in the debris or mistake it for food. If you haven’t already, please sign the online petition and check us out on Facebook (Ban the Bag). Also, please see media release and sign-on letter below.
SignOn_PlasticBags_Portland_7_29_09.doc
MediaRelease_Surfrider_Ban_the_Bag_July29_DRAFT3.doc

For the 19th year in a row, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released a report summarizing the status of our nations beach water quality. Unfortunately, 2008 marked the 4th year in a row that the number of closing and advisory days topped 20,000 days nationwide due to elevated bacteria levels. In Oregon, 3% of all reported beach monitoring samples exceeded the state’s daily maximum bacterial standards, which was a decrease from 8% in 2007. This indicates that some progress is being made to keep our nearshore waters clean, however much work still remains, especially in a number of problem areas. Harris Beach State Park in Brookings had the highest rate of exceedence in the state at 20%. Reported sources of beachwater contamination included: unknown sources (52%), sewage spills/leaks (13%), and sewer line cross connections and clogged ocean outfalls (33%). This highlights the need for identifying and correcting sources of beachwater contamination, one of the key elements included in the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act currently being considered in Congress, take action and show your support to your Congressmen by clicking here. To read the full report, visit: http://www.nrdc/beaches

Recently, the Oregon surfing community lost a great man and a great surfer. Longtime Surfrider member and Coos Bay resident Gary Smither passed away after a long battle with cancer. Gary will be missed by all, and remembered for his positive attitude towards life. There will be a honorary paddleout at the North End of Bastendorf Beach in Charleston on August 8th, starting at 3pm. There will be a potluck, BBQ, and a bon fire to follow. Please come and join everyone in having fun and remembering Gary. Pictured above is Gary on a recent trip to Sumatra with friends, doing what he loved…

The Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) has released a new report that summarizes the regulatory framework for State and Federal permitting of wave energy projects click here. The report is an informational tool for stakeholders involved with the regulatory process. It identifies the most relevant state and regulatory requirements, explains the authorization process, and identifies the lead and participating agencies for each authorization. Also, on Sept 15-16, OWET is hosting the 2009 Ocean Renewable Energy Conference in Seaside, OR. For more info and to register click here.

Your help is requested in our efforts to develop a National Policy on Beach Access. The purpose of the policy is to help guide and supplement Surfrider Foundation’s position on beach access issues and endeavors, to view the Draft Policy, click on the link to the document at the bottom of this post. This policy was drafted based on previous Surfrider Foundation case studies involving local beach access issues and with an eye toward any future battles that may occur. In general the goal of the policy is to promote low-impact, universal beach access, while recognizing the balance of ecological integrity of the shoreline with the opportunity for maximized beach access. The policy also addresses perpendicular, horizontal and visual/scenic access to the beach as well as a balance of recreational user group interests. To learn more, visit our coastal A-Z article that discusses beach access by clicking here.
The Board of Directors has approved the proposed draft in their June 2009 meeting, and will also review any significant changes that are made to this proposed draft. Please review the policy and send any recommendations, suggestions or concerns by August 10, 2009 to Angela Howe, Legal Manager, ahowe@surfrider.org