Oregon Caves expansion, loan relief for fishermen included in bill headed for congressional approval

The Oregonian
By Jeff Mapes
December 3, 2014

Legislation that would expand the acreage of the Oregon Caves National Monument and allow West Coast fisherman to refinance expensive federal loans now appears headed toward congressional passage.

House-Senate negotiators included the measures in a defense authorization bill  moving through the the lame-duck session of Congress.

Oregon lawmakers have been seeking for years to expand the acreage surrounding the Oregon Caves in southern Oregon.  The legislation adds an additional 4,070 acres of National Forest land to the 480-acre national monument and designates the River Styx -- which runs through the caves -- as the nation's first underground wild and scenic river.

"This expansion will ensure we protect this incredible caves system, from the rustic and charming 1930s Chateau, to the miles of trails with unforgettable views of the Siskiyou Mountains," said a statement from Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.,one of the negotiators involved in the House-Senate negotiations.

The loan relief legislation stems from a federal program aimed at reducing the size of the West Coast fishing fleet to prevent over-fishing.  The program, authorized by Congress in 2003, provided $36 million in loans to buy out 91 fishing vessels and 239 fishing permits, with the money to be paid back by the remaining commercial fishermen.

DeFazio said the terms of the loan became onerous and that the new legislation allows fishermen to refinance them on more favorable terms.

Rep. Jamie Herrera, R-Wash., who has also sought legislation to aid the fisherman, said the provision would protect more than 3,000 jobs involved in theWest Coast groundfishery.