Coast Guard Conducting Yaquina Head Lighthouse Study

The Coast Guard is examining the need of the lighthouse and it’s aid to navigation.

Newport's Yaquina Head and Lighthouse Photo courtesy: newportnet.com

(NEWPORT) - The Coast Guard is conducting a study of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse focusing on the need for an active federal aid to navigation based on waterborne commerce, marine casualty information, port/harbor resources, emergency response plans, routine and emergency communication capabilities, and future development projects.

Photo: Wikipedia

Currently the Bureau of Land Management owns the lighthouse structure.

The aid to navigation inside the cupola is a historic Fresnel lens, which currently is owned and operated by the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard would like to transfer ownership of the Fresnel lens to BLM so they can operate the aid as a Private Aid to Navigation (PATON) permitted by the Coast Guard.

A PATON is an aid that is owned and operated by any agency, organization or individual other than the Coast Guard.

In order to transfer the classic lens under special legislation, the Coast Guard must determine that the lens is not necessary for safe navigation.

Any mariner who desires to comment about or participate in a survey of Yaquina Head Lighthouse as a federal aid to navigation should contact Lt. J.G. Kate Jackson at (206) 220-7283 or at Katherine.L.Jackson@uscg.mil.