Oregon — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced Friday that the State of Oregon, Lincoln County, and the Newport Fishermen’s Wives organization are taking federal officials to court over the sudden removal of a Coast Guard search-and-rescue helicopter from the Newport Air Facility.
The lawsuits, filed by Lincoln County and the Fishermen’s Wives on Friday, with the state’s filing scheduled for Monday, will be heard in federal district court in Eugene. All three plaintiffs argue that the federal government violated federal law by transferring the helicopter to North Bend without public notice, risk assessments, or required community consultation.
“This helicopter isn’t a luxury—it’s a critical part of how we keep people alive on the Oregon Coast,” Attorney General Rayfield said. “The federal government didn’t just move a piece of machinery. They pulled away a safety net that this community depends on, and they did it in the dark of night with no transparency and no legal process.”
For nearly 40 years, the Newport-based MH-65 Dolphin helicopter has been the primary rapid-response aircraft covering a stretch of coastline known for harsh weather, heavy commercial fishing activity, and limited access from land. The aircraft conducts maritime rescues, assists local first responders, and provides lifesaving capability during storm events and offshore emergencies.
Local leaders and fishing industry advocates say its removal poses an immediate threat to public safety. The decision comes less than a month before the scheduled December 16 opening of Oregon’s Dungeness crab season, one of the state’s most dangerous commercial fisheries.
“We are deeply concerned about the safety of our commercial fishing industry,” said Becca Bostwick-Terry, president of Newport Fishermen’s Wives. “Commercial fishing is one of the nation’s most dangerous occupations, and Oregon’s cold waters make rapid helicopter response a matter of life and death.”
Lincoln County Commissioner Walter Chuck said the helicopter supports much more than the commercial fleet, citing its role in assisting inland search-and-rescue operations, recreational boating incidents, and coastal emergencies.
“Not having the helicopter where it is supposed to be will put lives at risk,” Chuck said. “This is especially true as our Dungeness Crab fleet begins working in some of the most adverse conditions.”
The state’s lawsuit asserts that federal statutes require the Coast Guard to complete formal risk assessments, evaluate impacts on local safety, and provide notice before downgrading or relocating essential rescue assets. Those procedures were not followed, according to Oregon officials.
This is not the first time Newport has fought to keep its helicopter. In 2014, the Coast Guard attempted to close the facility, but Congress intervened after local groups—led by the Fishermen’s Wives—challenged the plan in court.
“Newport remembers what happened in 2014, and the law has only gotten clearer since then,” Rayfield said. “If federal officials want to change that footprint, they must follow the law. Sneaking a helicopter out in the middle of the night is not following the law.”
State, county, and community groups say they will release additional information as the case moves forward.
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