Salem, Oregon – After a major public response, a legislation passed during Oregon’s 2025 legislative session to increase protections against aquatic invasive species is now getting a lot of attention again. There are both efforts to abolish the law and calls to scale back aspects of it.
House Bill 2982 changed the prices for boating and made it necessary for individuals to have a Waterway Access Permit. Supporters say the measures are necessary to keep invasive species out of Oregon’s lakes and rivers, but opponents say the bill went too far and made it harder for people to enjoy their free time.
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Let Us Paddle, a group that fights for paddling rights, wants the law to be completely repealed. At the same time, two Republican state lawmakers are working on a bill to undo some of the most important parts of the program, saying that the final form of the bill brought in considerably more users than they had planned. The most controversial question is who has to pay for a permit.
The new law raises the cost of permits to $6 for a one-week permit, $20 for a yearly permit, and $35 for a biennial permit. The modifications are only small increases above the old rates, but the requirement’s wider scope has caused people to oppose it. Anyone 14 or older who wants to operate a non-motorized boat or some small sailboats on Oregon waterways needs this permission.
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Starting on January 1, 2026, all non-motorized boats, no matter how big, will need a permit. That includes tiny kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and other human-powered crafts. Before, the ban only applied to non-motorized boats that were at least 10 feet long.
People who are against it say that the new definition makes it hard to tell what counts as a boat, and they have concerns that state or federal definitions could include intertubes and other flotation devices. Supporters say that the goal is not to go after casual floaters but to build a bigger, steadier financial base.
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The Oregon State Marine Board runs two programs that get money from the permits: one is to stop aquatic invasive species, and the other is to make it easier for people to get to non-motorized boats. As moves to repeal or scale back the legislation move forward, lawmakers are under pressure to make it clearer or think about it again.
