State House Passes Senate Bill To Exclude Takeoffs And Landings

Legislation passed by the Oregon legislature and signed by Gov. John Kitzhaber bans seaplane operations from the second-deepest lake in the state. 

The legislation states that "Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a person may not use a motor to propel a boat on Waldo Lake or use a seaplane to land on or take off from Waldo Lake."

The bill had the backing of the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club. The chapter's director Brian Pasco said in a statement that the action "will protect Waldo Lake's unique ecology and ensure that it is a  place for quiet recreation and solitude to be enjoyed by Oregonians for generations to come," according to a report in The Oregonian.

Republican Representative Bruce Hanna said that the bill was a way for a certain segment of the population to take the lake away from some Oregonians "and restrict it to those who want it all to themselves."

Backers of the bill said that it would reduce the risk of pollution and invasive species at the lake, though there has never been any record of an oil or fuel spill there. The Oregon State Marine Board banned motorized boats from using the lake, but had no jurisdiction over aircraft, so seaplanes were exempt from that ban. This legislation supersedes that exemption.

The Oregon Department of Aviation said that four seaplanes used the lake during a six-month period last year. The Aviation Board had held a meeting in January in an attempt to craft rules that would have allowed seaplanes to continue to use the lake, but did not make any final decisions while the legislation was pending.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.oregon.gov/aviation