Oregon CSPA Members and Interested Oregon Pilots:
Paddlers want Waldo Lake just for themselves, so they now have a [State] Senate Bill introduced that would Legislatively prohibit any motors from being used on the lake.
Senate Bill 602, if passed, would prohibit motors from being used on Waldo Lake.
-No seaplanes,
-no outboards,
-no inboards,
-not even any electric motors,
-no snowmobiles, and
-no ski-planes.
Just paddlers can use it.
And this is one of Oregon's largest lakes. Waldo has 10 square miles of surface and can easily, and safely be jointly used by all Oregonians. The paddlers already have 23 Oregon lakes designated just for themselves; they don't need one more. This is a land grab by one special interest group. We don't have any lakes just for seaplanes.
It is important that you contact your State Senator and State Representative, and tell them to vote NO on SB602.
You can instantly get your state senator and representative's contact numbers by putting your address into this web site:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/
MAKE THE CALL NOW!
Some facts:
-Seaplanes have been using Waldo for 50 years,
-Until the paddlers decided to try to take it over, no one even complained,
-Seaplane use is minimal: 5 to 10 landings per year,
-No problem has ever occurred from seaplanes,
-Seaplanes have lower carbon footprint than cars - no asphalt roads, no filling wetlands for roads, no forest cutting for roads,
-Seaplanes are often there when snow blocks the road and no-one else is even there,
-Under federal law navigable water is supposed to be open to all vessels,
-Seaplane pilots are environmentalists too and want the same rights as paddlers,
-Elderly and the infirm should not be excluded - motors help them accommodate.
The battle continues. Oregonians contact your state senator and let them know how you feel about Waldo being closed off to planes.
Also, donate to the CSPA legal fund if you feel so inclined. BCP donated $300 today.
