ORS 196.410: Legislative findings for offshore oil and gas leasing.

The Legislative Assembly finds:

      (1) Oregon’s territorial sea encompasses all the rocks and islands of the Oregon National Wildlife Refuge, borders all beaches, headlands and rocky intertidal areas and includes areas heavily used for commercial and recreational fishing. Navigation lanes for barges and vessels pass through the area.

      (2) Oregon’s territorial sea is rich in marine life. Its renewable resources support significant portions of the coastal economy. It is a dynamic, hazardous marine environment within which oil spills cannot be contained.

      (3) Oregon’s nearshore zone is extremely high in biological productivity, reflected by the variety and value of commercial and sport ocean fisheries catch. The Oregon coast provides a significant habitat for migrating seabirds and mammals. Oregon is unwilling to risk damaging sensitive marine environments or to sacrifice environmental quality to develop offshore oil and gas resources.