Oregon's Territorial Sea has been the focus of much attention recently. With numerous wave energy project proposals submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), many wondered how this emerging use was going to fit in with existing uses such as commercial and recreational fishing, as well as non-consumptive activities like surfing, kayaking, and kite boarding. In March of 2008, Governor Kulongoski signed an important Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with FERC that said Oregon would only allow wave energy projects to be built on a limited pilot project basis until we had revised our Territorial Sea Plan to include a new chapter for siting alternative energy projects within our nearshore. This policy framework of how we go about siting projects has been developed over the past year by OPAC's Territorial Sea Plan Working Group, as well as the Territorial Sea Plan Advisory Committee (of which Surfrider Foundation serves on as a rep of "Ocean Recreation"). Last week the Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted this new chapter, and set the stage for the next step in the on-going process which is to identify potential areas that might be suitable for siting alternative energy projects after important ecological, fishing and recreational areas have been mapped out. Check out the recent press in the Oregonian about the TSP process by clicking here. For an overview of how we have engaged on this issue, click on the link below for our 1 page document.
