State Parks has been leading a statewide planning process looking at all of the beach access issues and combining it with a Snowy Plover Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The endangered snowy plover relies heavily on sandy beaches for nesting and foraging, which means that beach access and recreational activities can impact the species. Currently there are 18.1 miles of beaches closed during part of the year to protect this species. There have been two rounds of public hearings which have raised many issues such as: camping and driving on the beach, the use of jetskis, ocean safety, and shore protection structures; as well as identifying several problem areas where conflicts between users often arise. State Parks is compiling this information into a draft plan which will be available for public comment next spring. This information is available at the State Parks website at: www.prd.state.or.us/osmp_hcp.php. We will need volunteers to testify and tell State Parks which beach access issues are important to us!!!

As of December of 2002, thanks largely in part to our grant from Patagonia and a variety of partnerships with schools and watershed councils; we have expanded our six test sites in Newport to 17 sites along the coast. We are currently testing 17 sites monthly: 2 sites in Port Orford, 4 sites in Coos Bay, 6 sites in Newport, 1 site in Pacific City, and 4 sites in Northern Tillamook County. The best example of the type of testing we would like to expand to occurs in Coos Bay, where 4 sites are tested by a Marshfield High School water testing class. Check out the results online at www.surfrider.org/BWTFoutput.htm. We are seeking funds and volunteers to expand our testing to 50 sites along the coast. Another 8 sites should be up and running in early 2003, when we set up a new lab at Neskowin Valley Middle School. Volunteers are definitely needed!!! If you are interested in getting involved, please contact David Revell at bigwvdave@hotmail.com, or 541-994-3225.

Know anyone who has gotten sick in the water? Then report it at the Ocean Illness Website surfrider.org/oceanillness.htm.

In our 2002 Surfrider Foundation State of the Beach Report (www.surfrider.org/stateofthebeach), we found that Oregon was the only coastal state in the country that did not have a statewide ocean water quality testing program. Through the implementation of BWTF, Surfrider Foundation is the only entity in Oregon testing ocean water quality. It was for this reason that Surfrider was asked to work with the two agencies involved in implementing the Federal BEACH Act - Oregon Health Division, and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). These agencies invited Surfrider Foundation to participate in creating a statewide ocean water quality program. Currently ¾ of the beaches that the state has proposed to test have been suggested by Surfrider Foundation. Preliminary state test results showed that 11 of 26 beaches tested found high levels of either E. coli or enterococci bacteria. However, with $230,000, DEQ and Oregon Health Division are only proposing to test the top 24 Beaches. Not only is this too few, but there are some glaring oversights in the selection process. This draft plan and beach selection will be open for public comment in February 2003. We will need volunteers to testify and tell DEQ which beaches need to be tested.

In Oregon, less than 1% of ocean waters are fully protected from extractive uses. Our interest in marine protected areas has increased as the evidence for declining ocean health mounts. Declining fish stocks, increased coastal development, seawalls, and suspect water quality are all indicators of ocean health. Marine protected area discussions in Oregon resulted from a request by Governor Kitzhaber to his Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) to provide a recommendation on the use of marine reserves in Oregon waters. Surfrider Foundation’s public comments at the OPAC meetings helped push through a recommendation that called for the establishment of a limited system of marine reserves within Oregon waters. The recommendation was subject to significant "11^th hour" scrutiny and appeals. A Surfrider proposed amendment requiring ocean water testing in marine reserves was the only unanimously supported addition to the recommendation. As part of our advocacy, we helped collect and hand delivered to Governor Kitzhaber over 3,000 letters, petitions, postcards, and faxes urging the governor to strongly support marine protected area establishment. His response letter sent on November 22, 2002 directs both OPAC and the heads of involved state agencies to continue moving toward implementing the OPAC recommendation (see www.oregonocean.org for more information). Surfrider is currently working on educating different recreational user groups. If you are interested in learning more or helping with this education, contact David Revell at bigwvdave@hotmail.com, or 541-994-3225.

January 13^th - Portland Meeting – 7:30pm at the Lucky Lab in SE Portland We will be discussing the upcoming public comment periods for Beach Access and Water quality testing. We are creating Portland-specific programs and volunteer opportunities. For info and directions contact us at portlandsurfrider@hotmail.com.

January 16^th – Central Coast Meeting – 7:30pm McMenamins Lighthouse Brew Pub, Lincoln City This is an open event that we encourage folks to attend. We will be discussing the upcoming public comment periods for Beach Access and Water quality testing, and planning our Mother Day for Mother Ocean Event. For info contact us at centralcoastsurfrider@hotmail.com.

January 23^rd – Bend General Interest Meeting – 7:00pm Pine Mountain Sports This gathering will give some information on Surfrider, provide some volunteer opportunities, and end with a Surfrider video and a surf movie.

January 25^th – Adopt a Highway Clean-up, Newport –Noon – Meet at the Moolack Beach Parking lot to help clean up our adopt a highway stretch of Highway 101. Contact us at centralcoastsurfrider@hotmail.com for more info.

January 31^st - February 2^nd, 2003 - Leadership Retreat – This is going to be a working weekend. We want to bring folks together from across the state interested in taking a leadership role in the organization. We will be visioning for our Chapter’s growth, discussing issues, planning upcoming events, and developing chapter leadership. For more info contact oregonsurfrider@hotmail.com.

February 2003 – Ocean Water Quality Public Comment Period - State Departments of Environmental Quality and Health Division will be hosting public meetings across the state to discuss their draft ocean water quality testing program. This is your chance to tell the state which beaches should be tested. For more info contact Dave Revell at bigwvdave@hotmail.com.

February 10^th - Portland Meeting –7:30pm at the Lucky Lab in SE Portland Contact us at portlandsurfrider@hotmail with any questions.

February 13^th - Central Coast Meeting – 7:30pm McMenamins Lighthouse Brew Pub, Lincoln City Please contact us at centralcoastsurfrider@hotmail.com for more information.

March 3^rd –- Coos Bay General Interest Meeting – 6pm Dave’s Pizza This gathering will give some basic information on Surfrider, provide some volunteer opportunities, and end with a Surfrider video and surf movie.

April 2003 – Beach Access & Snowy Plover Management Public Comment Period – State Parks will be releasing a draft management plans that focuses on beach access and recreation. There are a lot of hot issues such as camping and driving on the beach, shore protection structures, and locations of user conflicts. We need to voice concerns about coastal access and recreation. Contact Dave at bigwvdave@hotmail.com for more info.

May 10^th – Mother’s Day for Mother Ocean - This is an annual event we sponsor on the Saturday before Mother’s Day with a beach cleanup at 10:30 am, followed by a clean water paddle at 1:00 pm. Grab your wetsuit and board, jump in on our photo line up and then hit the water. Everyone welcome so don’t forget to bring the friends and family! This year we will be holding an event at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City and also at Bastendorf Beach in Coos Bay.

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Are you not sure what to get that special ocean lover for the holidays? Give the gift of a Surfrider Foundation membership. There are a variety of membership packages available:

• Standard membership ($25 or $15 students/seniors) includes: a year’s worth of the national magazine "Making Waves", membership sticker, and a bumper sticker.
• Surfer Magazine membership ($37 or $27 students/seniors) includes: a Surfrider membership, a Surfer Magazine subscription, and a co-branded Surfrider/Surfer t-shirt.

To sign up, go to www.surfrider.org or call 1-800-743-SURF (7873) and ask for membership.