Thank Goodness!

I am sitting watching a show called Oregon Experience. Tonight's episode is on the Beach Bill. I have to say, it makes my heart full to think that all 363 miles of coastline in Oregon is open to all. I have no way to thank the people who came before me who had the foresight to protect this beautiful and valuable resource so that it is accessible to each and every person who wants to be there. At any rate, here is a little blurb about the Beach Bill.

In June, 1967, after months of stalling, the Oregon Legislature passed House bill 1601, which guarantees public access to the state's beaches and establishes a state easement on all beaches between the low water mark and the vegetation line. The bill expanded upon an almost-60-year-old law that decreed public ownership of beaches between low- and high-water lines, but still allowed for privatization of the "dry sands" area between the high water line and the vegetation line. In 1966, a coastal motel owner barricaded the beach above the high water line, and the need for further protection was discovered. McCall's bold response set the tone for the rest of his administration.

If you are curious, here is a link to the original bill:

http://www.orgov.org/beachbilltext.html