The Oregon State Marine Board is poised to ban seaplanes on Waldo Lake, even though a Federal court ruled in 2009 that the ban was arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion. Sadly, there appears to be an orchestrated campaign against seaplanes. Yesterday, four articles appeared, all using nearly identical wording: “In less than a month, the Oregon State Marine Board received nearly 3000 comments about the ban on motorboats and seaplanes on Waldo Lake. The agency says most comments support the ban; about 30 ask that the ban be modified.”
I’ve often said that in the future, pilots will have to be even more vigorous in defending their flying privileges. Flying is not a right and it can be taken away.
I rarely ask anything of my readers, but I will now. Please take a few minutes to send a letter or email to the Oregon State Marine Board and oppose the provision of OAR 250-020-0221 and OAR 250-030-0030 that bans floatplanes from Waldo Lake.
The Columbia River Seaplane Pilots Association has a Waldo Lake page that lists a number of reasons why Waldo Lake should remain open to floatplane owners. You can find other reasons listed in my letter opposing the seaplane ban on Waldo Lake.
Choose one or two of these concepts and compose an email or letter from you own personal experience. Then send it to [email protected] or via mail to:
June LeTarte, Rules Coordinator
435 Commercial Street NE, Suite 400
P.O. Box 14145
Salem, OR 97309-5056
Comments must be received by April 10, 2012. If you've never written a letter to a government agency to protest an unfair rule, now is a good time to get started. Thank you for your support of general aviation!
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