OREGON STATE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION LEADERS HOLD LISTENING SESSION NOV. 26 IN NEHALEM ON DRAFT NEHALEM RIVER SCENIC WATERWAY MANAGEMENT PLAN

NEHALEM, Ore. – Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commissioners Cal Mukumoto, chair, and Jennifer H. Allen, vice chair, will host a listening session on Nov. 26 in Nehalem, Oregon to hear feedback on a draft management plan for a segment of the Nehalem River being studied as a candidate for the State Scenic Waterway system. The draft plan and a staff report on the scenic waterway candidate will be reviewed by the full Commission November 28, where the body will decide whether to recommend designation to Gov. Kate Brown.

The listening session will be held 4:30 – 6 p.m. at North County Recreation District Office, 36155 Ninth St., Nehalem. Members of the public, especially residents of Tillamook and Clatsop counties, are invited to attend and share their views on the draft management plan.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is evaluating a 17.5 mile segment of the Nehalem River for potential designation by the governor as a State Scenic Waterway. The proposed segment begins at Henry Rierson Spruce Run campground, and ends at the confluence of Cook Creek, near Cougar Valley State Park. The draft management plan and Nov. 28 Commission meeting brief are available online at https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/NATRES/scenicwaterways/Pages/index.aspxOPRD staff will provide an overview of the designation process and the draft management plan at the listening session. The public will then have an opportunity to speak directly to Commission leaders.
“Engaging with the public and gathering their feedback is an important part of the designation process,” said Mukumoto, a resident of Coos Bay. “We would like different perspectives about the potential impact of the designation before we make any decisions.”
For additional information about waterway or the meeting, contact Jan Hunt, OPRD Grants & Community Programs manager, at 503-986-0705 or jan.l.hunt@oregon.gov.
Individuals who require special accommodations to attend the meeting must contact Jan Hunt at least three days in advance.