[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S12144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR 1996

 Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, passage of a Coast Guard 
reauthorization bill is a matter of vital importance to Oregon, 
particularly to smaller communities on the Oregon coast. A strong Coast 
Guard presence is essential to safeguard the lives of fishermen, 
recreational boaters, and all others who venture out into the frigid 
Northwest waters.
  Because of the cold temperature of Pacific Northwest waters, a delay 
in Coast Guard response time by even a few minutes could mean a matter 
of life and death to capsized boaters. For that reason, I worked with a 
bipartisan group of coastal State Senators to ensure Coast Guard 
stations would not be closed unless there are strong safeguards in 
place to ensure maritime safety will not be diminished.
  Specifically, under section 309 of the conference report, the 
Secretary of Transportation is prohibited from closing any Coast Guard 
multimission small boat station unless the Secretary determines that 
closure of a station will not diminish maritime safety in the area of 
the station, taking into account water temperature and other local 
conditions.
  This section also provides an opportunity for affected communities to 
have a voice in any decision on a proposed station closure. The 
Secretary must provide an opportunity for public comment and hold 
public meetings before closing any small boat station.
  The Coast Guard stations in Oregon covered by section 309 are: Coos 
Bay, Depoe Bay, Siuslaw River, Tillamook Bay, Chetco River, Yaquina 
Bay, and Umpqua River.
  Section 309 also contains a provision I authored to ensure that all 
small boat stations will have available at least one vessel capable of 
performing ocean rescues. This provision was included to address a 
situation that arose last summer when the Rogue River Sardet station 
near Gold Beach was assigned a 20-foot vessel that was useless for 
performing ocean rescues. Under my provision, all small boat stations, 
including seasonally operated facilities like the Rogue River Sardet, 
will be guaranteed to have at least one vessel capable of performing 
ocean rescues.
  By including these provisions in the conference report, we are giving 
the Coast Guard the tools needed to protect our citizens' lives and 
enhancing safety in the waters off Oregon's coast.

                          ____________________