The Newport Air Station on the Oregon coast has been saved for at least the next two years.
After some back and forth between the House and the Senate, Congress has passed the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, which includes funding for the helicopter facility. It’s now headed to the president’s desk where it’s expected to be signed into law.
The Coast Guard had threatened to close the Newport Station citing lack of funds. U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio fought to keep the station.
DeFazio: “I was very strongly of the opinion that the mid-coast could not be served out of North Bend of from the far north and we would have potentially lost lives had we closed that rather busy station in Newport. So that’s excellent news for both commercial and recreational boats on the Oregon coast.”
DeFazio says the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2015 is a bipartisan bill. It includes provisions he believes will prevent the possibility of another closure even after the 2 year extension is over.
