[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 139 (Thursday, July 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37462-37464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17840]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[OR-014-95-1610-00:G5-161]
Notice of Availability, Klamath Falls Resource Area; Record of
Decision, Resource Management Plan, and Rangeland Program Summary for
the Klamath Falls Resources Area of the Lakeview District, Oregon
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (40 CFR 1500.2), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, (43 CFR part 1610 [g]), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management, Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District
provides notice of availability of the Record of Decision (ROD),
Approved
[[Page 37463]]
Resource Management Plan (ARMP), and Rangeland Program Summary (RPS)
for the Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District. The ARMP
will provide the framework to guide land and resource allocations and
management direction for the next 10 to 20 years in the Klamath Falls
Resource Area of the Lakeview District. This ARMP supersedes the
applicable portions of the existing Lost River and Jackson-Klamath
management framework plans and other related documents for managing
BLM-administered lands and resources in the subject area. The Klamath
Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District is responsible for
management of approximately 212,000 acres of partially forested public
land and 21,000 acres of non-federal surface ownership with federal
mineral estate in Klamath County, just east of the Cascade Range in
southern Oregon.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ARMP/ROD/RPS are available upon request by
contacting the Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District,
Bureau of Land Management, 2795 Anderson Ave., Bldg. 25, Klamath Falls,
Oregon 97603. The telephone number is (503) 883-6916. This document has
been sent to all those individuals and groups who were on the mailing
list for the Klamath Falls Resource Area Proposed Resource Management
Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement. The full supporting record
for the approved Klamath Falls Resource Area RMP is also available for
inspection in the Klamath Falls Resource Area office, at the office
given above. Copies of the draft and final EISs are also available for
inspection in the public room at the BLM Oregon/Washington State
Office, 1515 S.W. 5th St., Portland, Oregon 97201; and Klamath County
library, at 126 S. 3rd St., Klamath Falls, Oregon during normal
operating hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. Barron Bail, Area Manager, Klamath
Falls Resource Area office, Phone (503) 883-6916.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Klamath Falls Resource Area ARMP/ROD/RPS
is essentially the same as the Klamath Falls Resource Area Proposed
Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/
FEIS). Virtually no changes to the proposed decisions have been made,
however some clarifying language has been made in response to 9
protests the BLM received on the PRMP/FEIS, several comment letters,
and as a result of ongoing staff review. Seven alternatives that
encompass a spectrum of realistic management options were considered in
the planning process. The final plan is a mixture of the management
objectives and actions that, in the opinion of the BLM, best resolve
the issues and concerns that originally drove the preparation of the
plan and also meet the plan elements or adopt decisions made in the
Record of Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted
Owl and Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-
Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species Within the Range of
the Northern Spotted Owl (or Northwest Forest Plan/ROD). The Northwest
Forest Plan/ROD was signed by the Secretary of the Interior who
directed the BLM to adopt it in its Resource Management Plans for
western Oregon. Further, those decisions were upheld by the United
States District Court for the Western District of Washington on
December 21, 1994.
The overall objective of the plan is to manage the resources in the
Klamath Falls Resource Area on an ecosystem basis. Within that
ecosystem management framework, the proposed final resource management
plan would maintain or improve water quality through a system of
Riparian Reserves and best management practices. To contribute to
biological diversity, standing trees, snags, and dead and down woody
material would be retained.
Ecosystem Management and Forest Products Production
The BLM-administered lands are allocated to Riparian Reserves,
Late-Successional Reserves, and General Forest Management Areas. An
Aquatic Conservation Strategy will be applied to all lands and waters
under BLM administration. An allowable sale quantity for commercial
forest products is established.
Ecosystem Management and Livestock Grazing
Grazing management levels, seasons of use, and monitoring
guidelines are established. The process for monitoring, evaluating, and
amending or revising the plan is described.
Recreation
Management would provide for a wide variety of recreation
opportunities, with particular emphasis on enhancement of opportunities
for dispersed recreation activities including hunting, fishing, and
hiking, as well as providing outdoor recreation activities in areas
that are both close to population centers and accessible by vehicles.
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
The ARMP/ROD designates four new areas of critical environmental
concern with the restrictions noted below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vegetation ORV Mining Mineral Rights-of-
Area name Acres harvest use location leasing way
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miller Creek................................ 2,000 R P R R R
Yainax Butte................................ 720 R R R R NC
Upper Klamath River......................... 4,960 R R R R R
Old Baldy................................... 520 P P P R P
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NC=No Change from existing situation
R=Use is allowed but with restrictions
P=Use is prohibited
The Miller Creek area is designated an area of critical
environmental concern to maintain, protect, and/or restore natural
processes, wildlife, and scenic values. The area would not be available
to planned timber harvest. Livestock grazing would be restricted.
Mineral leasing would be subject to no surface occupancy. The area
would be closed to off-highway vehicle use (except Round Valley Road
area).
The upper Klamath River area, from rim to rim, is designated an
area of critical environmental concern to maintain, protect, and/or
restore historic, cultural, scenic, fisheries, and wildlife populations
and habitat. The
[[Page 37464]]
area would not be available for planned timber harvest. Off-highway
vehicle use would be limited to designated roads. Grazing would
continue at or near current levels. Mineral leasing would be subject to
no surface occupancy. The area would not be available for hydroelectric
development. The area would be managed for semi-primitive motorized
recreation opportunities.
The Yainax Butte area is designated an area of critical
environmental concern to maintain, protect, and/or restore natural
process and systems. The area would not be available for planned timber
harvest. The area would be open to livestock grazing, but could be
fenced if necessary to protect plant communities. Off-highway vehicle
use would be limited to existing roads. Mineral leasing would be
subject to no surface occupancy. The area would be managed for semi-
primitive motorized recreation opportunities.
The Old Baldy area is designated an area of critical environmental
concern/research natural area to preserve, protect, and/or restore
natural processes or systems. The area would not be available for
timber harvest, firewood, or salvage sales. The area would be closed to
off-highway vehicle use. The area would remain free of cattle use.
Mineral leasing would be subject to no surface occupancy and closed to
mineral entry. The area would be managed for semi-primitive motorized
recreation opportunities.
Wild and Scenic Rivers
The Secretary of the Interior designated the 11.0 miles of the
upper Klamath River as scenic under section 2(a)(ii) of the National
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act on September 22, 1994. There is currently
litigation over the Secretary's designation. The same river segment was
found suitable for designation under section 5 of the National Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act in the September 1994, Klamath Falls Resource Area
Proposed Resource Management Plan/ Final Environmental Impact Statement
and that finding is affirmed, with appropriate management direction for
the BLM administered lands, in the Klamath Falls ARMP/ROD. An
additional 23.2 miles of rivers, in five segments of four creeks, that
were found eligible for designation and studied by the BLM are found
not suitable for designation.
Off-Highway Vehicles
The ARMP/ROD makes the following designations for OHV management in
the Klamath Falls Resource Area: 102,000 acres will be open; 105,600
acres will be restricted to designated existing roads and trails and/or
seasonally closed; and 4,300 acres will be closed to all use, except
for specified administrative or emergency uses. The closed areas
include 3 acres of the Pacific Crest National Scenic trail, 1,800 acres
of administratively withdrawn areas [such as the Lower Klamath Hills
wildlife area, Spencer Creek, and progeny test sites], and 2,520 acres
in various ACECs. In addition, the ARMP/ROD provides for road closures
to meet ecosystem management objectives. Such closures may be permanent
or seasonal, and by use of signs, gates, barriers or total road de-
construction and site restoration.
Land Tenure Adjustment
The ARMP/ROD identifies 186,000 acres of BLM administered lands
which will be retained in public ownership, 3,000 acres of BLM lands
which may be considered for exchange under prescribed circumstances and
23,000 acres of BLM lands which may be available for sale or disposal
under other authorized processes. The ARMP also provides criteria for
the acquisition of lands, or interests in lands, where such acquisition
would meet objectives of the various resource programs. The plan
allocates 840 acres as right-of-way exclusion areas and 56,000 acres as
right-of-way avoidance areas.
Special Recreation and Visual Resource Management Areas
The plan identifies 4 new or existing Special Recreation Management
Areas. They are the Hamaker Mountain SRMA (1,200 acres), the Stukel
Mountain SRMA (12,000 acres), the Pacific Crest National Scenic trail
SRMA (40 acres), and the Klamath River SRMA (7,400 acres). The plan
allocates from 450 to 1,220 acres of BLM administered lands for 15 to
50 existing or potential recreation sites. The plan also allocates
lands for 4 to 22 existing or potential trails, totaling 8 to 118
miles. The plan also identifies management objectives for four visual
resource management classifications.
Mineral and Energy Resource Management
Approximately 206,600 acres or 98 percent of BLM administered lands
remain open to mineral location, and 211,700 acres or almost 100
percent are open to energy and mineral leasing and mineral material
disposal.
Dated: July 7, 1995.
Scott R. Florence,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-17840 Filed 7-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1610-00-P