WASHINGTON D.C. - Legislative language authored by U.S. Congressman Dan Boren was included in an amendment to H.R. 3619, the Coast Guard Authorization Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 385 to 11. The amendment language will clear many burdensome and redundant regulatory hurdles for fishing guides operating on Lake Texoma.
Boren’s language, supported by both the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the Coast Guard, would allow the State of Oklahoma to regulate uninspected passenger vessels on Lake Texoma as long as the State maintains equivalent standards of safety. If the Coast Guard Act is passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law, Boren’s language would allow passenger vessel operators on Lake Texoma, most of which are fishing guides, to opt-out of the Coast Guard credentials in lieu of using the State’s regulatory procedures.
“Safety is the first priority for all users and for all agencies that have jurisdiction on the lake. Redundant regulations do not raise the safety level on the lake; they simply heap unnecessary and expensive burdens on safe and responsible guides. The fishing tourism industry is vital to the Lake Texoma area. I would like to thank Congressman Cole and Senators Inhofe and Coburn for their hard work on this issue,” Boren said.
Since Lake Texoma is considered “navigable waters” because of its location between two states, current federal statute places it under Coast Guard jurisdiction. However, for the past fifteen years the Coast Guard has not been enforcing these licensing requirements for operators of the small passenger vessels similar to those used by many fishing guides on Lake Texoma.
Earlier this year, the Coast Guard began issuing notices around the lake area stating their plans to begin exercising this regulatory authority. In order to be compliant, guides would have to spend hundreds of dollars for exams and licensing fees, or else be subject to heavy fines.
Concern about the sudden appearance of notifications that warned of enforcement of these regulations on the lake, threatening the fishing tourism industry, was brought to the attention of Boren and members of the Oklahoma delegation by state elected officials and citizens living in the Lake Texoma area.
The Coast Guard Authorization authorizes $10 billion for the Coast Guard in FY 2010, and provides for a 1,500 person increase in Coast Guard personnel for a total of 47,000. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
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