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Marine board funds new facilities By MARK FREEMAN A new marine-fuel station in Gold Beach, a flush restroom at Howard Prairie and a new bathroom at the end of the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River are headed to Southern Oregon under new projects paid for by boat taxes and fees. These projects were three of 46 facilities projects tapped by the Oregon State Marine Board for the next year. The 46 projects total $2.1 million in improvements to boating facilities and will be funded through the federal Clean Vessel Act money as well as state boating license fees and other grants. The projects were part of 72 proposals totaling $8.4 million that were submitted to the Marine Board, which pared the funded projects down to the $2.1 million level targeted by the agency for this go-around of facilities projects. "We had difficulty stuffing $8.4 million into a $2.1 million shoe box," said Dave Obern, the Marine Board's facilities program manager. Locally, the projects include a flush restroom at Howard Prairie that will cost $83,050; a restroom at Foster Bar, the take-out ramp for boaters floating the Wild Rogue, that will cost $89,240; and a new self-adjusting float and parking area at the Stewart State Park boat ramp at Lost Creek Lake, which will cost $51,300. Other projects include a $56,750 marine-fuel station on the Rogue River bay in Gold Beach; and boarding floats and piles for two Forest Service campgrounds at Diamond Lake. GRANTS PASS -- An author of fly-fishing books and a new Internet magazine dedicated to Oregon fishing will come to Grants Pass tonight to talk about some of Oregon's best fly-fishing waters. Scott Richmond, of West Linn, will be the featured speaker at tonight's meeting of the Southern Oregon Fly Fishers. The meeting begins with a 6 p.m. social hour, then dinner at 7:30 p.m. followed by Richmond's program. The meeting is at the Riverside Inn in Grants Pass. Richmond has published five books and has two more ready for publication later this year. He is also a contributor to Flyfishing magazine and is the editor of fishinginoregon.com, an Internet fishing magazine. Richmond's presentation tonight is titled "Oregon's Best Fly Water, Fishing Around the Edges." He will discuss fly-fishing opportunities in and around Klamath Lake, the Owyhee River, the Grand Ronde River and Tenmile lakes. A Virginia-based boating organization is offering cash grants up to $5,000 for local boating-safety projects. Over the past decade,the BOAT-U.S. Foundation for Boating Safety has awarded $450,000 to 263 volunteer boating groups and other nonprofit organizations throughout the country. The foundation is now taking applications for its next set of grants for programs aimed at addressing boating-safety concerns in local communities. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1, and the grants will be awarded in January. The grant application, including guidelines and instructions, is available by telephone in Venessa Pert at (703) 461-2878, ext. 3016, or by visiting the BOAT-U.S. Web site at: www.boatus.com/foundation Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary who want to apply for a grant must submit their applications through the auxiliary's National Board Incorporated. Outdoor Journal main page Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA