(1) The Legislative Assembly finds:

(a) That recent changes in federal law authorize the United States Army Corps of Engineers to require ports and other local communities to provide a portion of the costs of dredging harbors and channels near those communities;

(b) That port districts and communities in this state cannot afford to pay the costs necessary to continue the dredging activities that are essential to keep the major harbors and waterways navigable for larger vessels in maritime trade; and

(c) That the State of Oregon must therefore pay for the dredging activities when ports cannot, or this state must tolerate the loss of maritime trade and commerce that will inevitably result from the halt of dredging activities.

(2) Therefore, it is the purpose of this section and one purpose of ORS § 777.267 to provide a method of financing all or part of the nonfederal portion of the costs of dredging activities that constitute new federally authorized navigation improvements in the ports of this state when those ports are unable to finance the activities. [1989 c.1020 § 1; 2013 c.621 § 3]

777.262 and 777.267 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS Chapter 777 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.

[Repealed by 1963 c.268 § 21]