Emergency Cut Off Switch. You are going to need to wear it after April 1, 2021. This is a new USCG regulation and not optional on Lake Gaston. Take the time to know.
A little more of the backstory. Thanks to NASBLA*, we learned ECOS was incorporated into the National Defense Bill of 2021. On December 23, 2020, President Trump vetoed this bill. Congress overrode his veto and it became law. Buried in this law on page 2,814 is a section entitled "Engine Cutoff Switches, Use Requirements". This section is part of Title 46 of the US Code. It requires a mandatory wear requirement of the engine cut-off devices on all recreational crafts equipped and traveling above displacement speed.
If you Google HR 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, you can read the 2,000+ page act.
As previously stated this will be enforced by the USCG. It's not totally clear what NC Wildlife will do (we've been told yes to enforcement) and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources said no. Stay tuned.
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Jack Saunders on February 8, 2021. Jack was a pillar of the Lake Gaston community contributing his talents and time to many organizations in the Lake Gaston area. For the LGA, he was an invaluable member of our team, not only a member of the LGA Board of Directors, he was our Treasurer, and chair of our Public Safety Committee.
More importantly, Jack was a close and dear friend. Jack’s spirit of friendliness, caring, and community giving will live on through his influence on all of us.
We are all thankful for the opportunity to have worked with and alongside him. We truly will miss him, but will never forget him.
President’s Corner Summer Is Upon Us! I sincerely hope this newsletter finds each and every one of you in good health. Like folks across the world, we too are dealing with the Coronavirus disease as best we can given what we know at the time. The LGA is tracking the recommendations of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as State and local Departments of Health as they may apply to our activities. At the time of this writing, discussions have moved to how we could begin to reopen some businesses and broaden the limitations that have been put in place to slow the spread of the disease. Our highest priority is the safety and well being of our members and the community. So far, we have postponed most of our activities and meetings until such time as the threat has subsided and are evaluating how we might conduct our activities as the situation evolves. Even when restrictions are relaxed, we will be mindful of balancing the benefit of our activity and the potential impact on our community and our volunteers (many of whom may fall into the At Risk category). We must all do our part to minimize the spread of this disease. If all goes well, the spread will be checked and we will never know which of the protective measures succeeded. That will be a sacrifice worthwhile. As the Fish Spawning Season come to a close, we should see a return to normal lake water levels (199’-200’ above sea level), unless Mother Nature drives us into Flood Control Operations. It is always wise to secure boats (even those on a lift), kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, outdoor furniture, and the like so that high winds or waves cannot cause them to drift or blow away. Remember hurricane season begins in June and runs through the end of November. Current long range forecasts are predicting a higher than average number of storms this year. As many of you may recall, it is not unusual for one or more of those storms to end up coming our way. Enjoy the lake, be safe and be healthy. Don Lake Gaston – Special Place, Incredible People!
