NEWPORT — After having his promotion put on hold, the interim commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard has pledged to Oregon’s U.S. Senate delegation that he will keep a rescue chopper flying out of Newport.

Acting Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday made that commitment and others regarding the future of the USCG Newport Air Facility in a Dec. 12 letter to Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. The newly-revealed promissory note followed a period of tension where Sen. Merkley placed a temporary hold on Admiral Lunday’s nomination for Coast Guard Commandant.

The legislative pressure, combined with local lawsuits and a federal court’s temporary restraining order, has reversed a late-October 2025 attempt by the Coast Guard to relocate the helicopter to North Bend. The primary points of Admiral Lunday’s Dec. 12 letter include:

• Permanent Maintenance of Service: Lunday stated his intent to “permanently maintain” a Coast Guard helicopter operating from Newport;

• Operational Exceptions: He clarified that the helicopter and its crew would only be moved for “short-term, temporary” reasons, such as maintenance, crew readiness, or emergent mission needs.

• Commitment to Transparency: Acknowledging past communication failures, Lunday pledged that the Coast Guard would “do better to communicate and be transparent” with the senators and the Newport community regarding future operational changes.

• Legal Compliance: He assured lawmakers that the Coast Guard would comply with the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2014, which requires public meetings and congressional notification before any permanent closure or significant change to the facility.

• Personal Visit: Lunday accepted an invitation from the senators to visit the Newport facility in 2026 to witness its relationship with the local community.

State Rep. David Gomberg hailed the latest development in the helo drama, which saw the Fishermen’s Wives team up with state, county and city in a still-pending lawsuit against the Coast Guard and federal government. House District 10 seat includes the state’s largest commercial and charter fishing fleets based in Newport and Depoe Bay.

“Between 2014 and 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter based in Newport was responsible for the rescue of approximately 500 people, including 30 commercial fishermen whose lives were saved at sea,” said Gomberg.

He expressed confidence in the agreement, saying Merkley told him a member of the homeland security department gave “full backup” to the Coast Guard’s statement. But Lincoln County and Newport Fishermen’s Wives will continue their lawsuit, anyway, asserted Eric Brickenstein, lead attorney.

“As far as I am aware, the Coast Guard and Secretary Noem have not withdrawn their opposition in light of Admiral Lunday’s statements to the Senators,” he stated.