Dear John,

Thank you all so much for your support helping move one of our Priorities, the Oregon Marine Reserves Bill (HB 4132 A) through its first legislative committee successfully! The bill is now in the Joint Ways and Means Committee. We need your support to let the members of Ways and Means know how important this bill is and to urge them to vote yes to fully fund this program! 
 
Oregon’s Marine Reserves are both living laboratories and underwater state parks that protect almost 10% of our state waters for biodiversity. It’s an essential program for managing and protecting our ocean habitat––but it needs adequate funding and resources to carry out its mission. In 2022 Oregon State University conducted a 10-year review of the Marine Reserves Program and recommended increased investment in the program including:

• More robust long-term ecological and socio-economic monitoring
• Better engagement with coastal communities (including Tribes)
• Develop strategies to enhance ecological resilience to climate change stressors

Will you lend your voice to help better protect our marine waters by asking lawmakers in the powerful Joint Ways and Means Committee to fully fund Oregon’s Marine Reserves?

The Marine Reserves Bill essentially moves forward the OSU science-based recommendations. For a relatively small fiscal request ($1.1 million per biennium) the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Reserves Program will be fully supported and help keep Oregon’s ocean healthy for years to come.

Thank you for advocating to support HB 4132 A to fund Oregon’s Marine Reserves Program!

Thank you,

Julia DeGraw

Coalition Director, OLCV