The
Southern Oregon Resource Coalition is being established in
response to evolving ocean policy and proposed new uses of
Oregon’s territorial sea. SOORC is a coalition of marine
related interests on the South Coast concerned about
Oregon’s coastal environments and communities. The founding
members believe an informed and open dialogue between marine
resource-dependent businesses and competing uses of open
ocean resources is essential. SOORC serves as a forum to
address issues of common interest to its members and
associated industries through facilitation, engagement and
communication. The founders believe in a solution-based
dialogue for the benefit of all ocean resource users.
Most recently, SOORC has been
meeting with representatives of Ocean Power Technology
(OPT), a New Jersey company, who has filed a Notice of
Intent with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
to establish a 200-buoy wave energy facility off of the
North Spit of Coos Bay. OPT is the company who is
installing a 10-buoy pilot project at Gardiner, OR. These
projects, as well as the Governor’s Ocean Policy Advisory
Council process for establishing marine reserves, offshore
aquaculture operations and amendments to Oregon’s
Territorial Sea Plan are of great interest to SOORC, due to
their potential economic impacts to coastal communities.
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