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Marine Board advances hybrid Siletz River rule, schedules hearings
Summary
The Oregon State Marine Board voted to advance a hybrid rule that would allow motors below Old Mill Park (with horsepower limits) and close higher reaches above Old Mill to motorized use, opening the proposal to public comment and scheduling hearings and a work session before a July final decision.
The Oregon State Marine Board on Monday directed staff to file proposed rule language for a hybrid approach to the Siletz River petition, opening a formal public comment period and scheduling a Newport-area work session and public hearings ahead of a July vote.
The board’s Option 2 would divide the river near Old Mill Park: motorized craft would be allowed in the lower reach subject to a horsepower cap (staff suggested 15 hp as a balancing point discussed in the meeting) while the upper reach would be managed as non-motorized. Agency staff said the hybrid is intended to balance public safety, access for older or disabled users, and tribal and conservation concerns. "This river has been waiting for 25 years for this board to make a decision," Dr. Angela Sandana, natural resources director for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, told the board, urging timely action to protect spawning salmon.
Staff presented supporting material including Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) responses, law-enforcement contact numbers for segments of the river, and RAC (recreational advisory committee) meeting summaries. ODFW told the board it has not identified definitive, river-specific evidence that boat wakes or propeller effects are a primary driver of declines in native fish populations on the Siletz; staff said that shaped the board’s caution and the preference for a staged, hybrid approach.
Board members emphasized the statutory constraints on the Marine Board—its rule authority centers on boating safety and user conflict rather than broader habitat management—and said the hybrid approach gives the board time to gather more evidence. Member Wilde said he favored the hybrid as a cautious compromise that preserves access for people who need motors while creating protected reaches for other users.
The decision directs staff to file the draft language with the Secretary of State (initiating a public-comment period), organize at least one formal public hearing and a work session in the Newport area in June or July, and return with refined options and public testimony for a possible final vote at the July meeting. If adopted in July, staff said the board could implement any new rules in late summer.
