Jean Cowan (Assembly Incumbent)

Leadership: Jean Cowan has worked hard on important ocean issues in the central Oregon coast, including securing funding, creating marine reserves and facilitating seafloor mapping projects. She worked hard to secure nearly $20 million in state funding for the Port of Newport when it was the Pacific Marine Operations Center project was a finalist for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Oregon Coast Community College received $2 million in state capital construction funds to complete a marine sciences building and advance OCCC’s leadership in aquarium science. Working collaboratively with coastal residents, fishermen, and coastal legislators, she developed House Bill 3013 which uses remaining money from the New Carissa settlement to implement the recommendation of the Ocean Policy Advisory Committee (OPAC) to establish two pilot marine reserves. Together, with Representative Debbie Boone from Cannon Beach she acquired $1.289 million for seafloor mapping, which will match with $4 million in new grant funding. She was also a sponsor of the SB 790 Offshore Drilling Moratorium. She recieved a rating of 90 by the League of Conservation Voters.