[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 139 (Thursday, July 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37464-37466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17908]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[OR-080-95-6350-00-G5-161]


Availability of the Resource Management Plan and Record of 
Decision, Salem, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the resource management plan and 
record of decision for the Salem District of the Bureau of Land 
Management, Salem, Oregon.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (40 CFR 1550.2), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, (43 CFR 1610.2 (g)), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM), Salem District provides notice of availability 
of the resource management plan (RMP) and record of decision (ROD) for 
the Salem District. In addition to describing the decisions, the RMP/
ROD provides the framework to guide land and resource allocations and 
management direction for the next 10 to 20 years in the Salem District. 
This RMP supersedes the existing Westside Salem and Eastside Salem 
management framework plans for managing approximately 398,100 acres of 
mostly forested land and 27,800 acres of non-federal surface ownership 
with federal mineral estate administered by the Bureau of Land 
Management in thirteen northwestern Oregon counties.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the RMP/ROD are available upon request by 
contacting the Salem District Office, Bureau of Land Management, 1717 
Fabry Road S., Salem, OR 97306. This document has been sent to all 
individuals and groups who were on the mailing list for the Salem 
District Proposed Resource Management Plan(RMP)/ Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS). The full supporting record for the RMP/EIS is 
available for inspection in the Salem District Office at the address 
shown above. Copies of draft RMP/EIS and proposed RMP/final EIS are 
also available for inspection in the public room on the 7th floor of 
the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office, 1515 SW Fifth Street, Portland, 
OR and public libraries within the Salem District.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Saunders, Salem District Office, 
Bureau of Land Management. He can be reached by telephone number at 
503-315-5978 or by FAX at 503-375-5622.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Salem District RMP/ROD is essentially 
the same as the Salem District Proposed RMP and Final EIS. Virtually no 


[[Page 37465]]
changes to the proposed decisions have been made, except for some 
clarifying language in response to the protests BLM received on the 
Salem District proposed RMP/ final EIS and as a result of ongoing staff 
review. The clarifying language concerns:

--Revisions intended to strengthen the link between the RMP and the 
1994 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).
--Revisions that incorporate guidelines issued by the Regional 
Ecosystem Office since the issuance of the 1994 record of decision 
named above. Such guidelines may clarify or interpret the 1994 Record 
of Decision.

    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 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.
    Ecosystem Management and Forest Product Production: The RMP/ROD 
responds to the need for a healthy forest ecosystem with habitat that 
will support populations of native species (particularly those 
associated with late-successional and old-growth forests). It also 
responds to the need for a sustainable supply of timber and other 
forest products that will help maintain the stability of local and 
regional economies, and contribute valuable resources to the national 
economy on a predictable and long-term basis. BLM-administered lands 
are primarily allocated to Riparian Reserves, Late-Successional 
Reserves, General Forest Management Area, Connectivity/Diversity 
Blocks, and an Adaptive Management Area. An Aquatic Conservation 
Strategy will be applied to all lands and waters under BLM 
jurisdiction. A process for monitoring, evaluating and amending or 
revising the plan is described.
    Timber: Approximately 40,600 acres will be managed for timber 
production. The allowable sale quantity will be 5.7 million cubic feet 
(34.8 million board feet). To contribute to biological diversity, 
standing trees, snags, and down dead woody material will be retained.
    Special Areas: The RMP/ROD would continue the designation of 21 
special areas (i.e., areas of critical environmental concern, research 
natural areas, outstanding natural areas, an environmental education 
area, and a scenic corridor) and designate nine new special areas. The 
RMP/ROD designates or redesignates the following special areas with the 
noted restrictions.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       OHV.                                 Loc./Sal.                           
           Name              Acres    desig.            Leas. min.            min.           Timber harvest     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A.J. Dwyer................       5  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
Scenic Area: Carolyn's         261  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
 Crown.                                                                                                         
ACEC/RNA: Crabtree/Shafer      961  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
 Creek.                                                                                                         
ACEC/RNA/ONA: Elk Creek...   1,577  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No-primary zone.         
                                                                                       Yes-secondary zone \1\.  
ACEC: Forest Peak.........     134  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/RNA: Grass Mtn.......     726  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/RNA: High Peak/Moon     1,538  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
 Cr.                                                                                                            
ACEC/RNA:                                                                                                       
    Larch Mtn.............     183  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
    Env. Ed. Site.........                                                                                      
    Little Grass Mtn......      45  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/ONA: Little Sink.....      81  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/RNA: Lost Prairie....      58  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: Marys Peak..........     104  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/ONA: Middle Santiam..     108  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
Terrace ACEC: Nestucca       1,062  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
 River.                                                                                                         
ACEC: North Santiam.......      31  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: Rickreall Ridge.....     177  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: Saddleback Mtn......     151  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/RNA: Sandy River          400  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
 Gorge.                                                                                                         
ACEC/ONA: Sheridan Peak...     299  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Open--AR..  Yes \1\.                 
ACEC: Soosap Meadows......     343  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: The Butte...........      40  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC/RNA: Valley-of-the-        51  Closed....  N/A \2\..................  N/A \2\...  No.                      
 Giants.                                                                                                        
ACEC/ONA: Walker Flat.....      10  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: White Rock Fen......      51  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: Wilhoit Springs.....     170  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC:                                                                                                           
    Willamette River......      76  Closed....  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No commercial parcels    
                                                                                        timber.                 
    Williams Lake.........      98  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: Yampo...............      13  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No.                      
ACEC: Yaquina Head........     106  Limited...  Open--NSO................  Closed....  No commercial timber.    
ACEC/ONA:.................                                                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Thinning in timber up to 110 years old.                                                                     
\2\ Mineral resources not federally administered.                                                               
                                                                                                                
    ACEC = Area of Critical Environmental Concern.                                                              
    RNA = Research Natural Area.                                                                                

[[Page 37466]]
                                                                                                                
    ONA = Outstanding Natural Area.                                                                             
    NSO = No Surface Occupancy.                                                                                 
    AR = Additional restrictions.                                                                               
    N/A = Not applicable.                                                                                       


    All potential areas of critical environmental concern (ACEC) meet 
the bureau ACEC criteria of relevance and importance.
    Wild and Scenic Rivers: Six river segments (aproximately 39 miles) 
found eligible for designation and studied by BLM are found not 
suitable for designation. Segments of the Nestucca River and the 
Molalla River (approximately 28 miles) have been determined to be 
administratively eligible for further consideration for designation as 
components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System under 
recreational river classifications. All administratively suitable or 
eligible (pending further study) river segments will be managed under 
BLM interim management guidelines pending further legislative or 
administrative consideration, as applicable. The supporting records for 
the RMP/ROD include the analyses of river or stream segments.
    Off-Highway-Vehicle (OHV) Use: The RMP/ROD makes the following 
designations for OHV management in the district: approximately 129,000 
acres are designated ``open''; 229,200 acres are designated ``limited'' 
(i.e., vehicle use of existing or designated roads and trails will be 
allowed) ; and 39,000 acres are designated ``closed'' to all vehicle 
use, except for specified administrative or emergency uses. The closed 
areas include wilderness, administratively withdrawn areas, such as 
seed orchards and progeny test sites, and various special areas. In 
addition, the RMP/ROD provides for road closures to meet ecosystem 
management objectives. Such closures may be permanent or seasonal, and 
will be implemented by use of signs, gates, barriers, or total road 
deconstruction and site restoration.
    Land Tenure Adjustment: The RMP/ROD identifies approximately 
160,200 acres of BLM-administered land to be retained in public 
ownership; 228,000 acres to be considered for exchange under prescribed 
circumstances; and 9,900 acres to be considered for sale or disposal 
under other authorized processes. The RMP 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 approximately 24,300 acres as right-of-way exclusion areas 
and 251,700 acres as right-of-way avoidance areas.
    Special Recreation and Visual Resource Management Areas: The RMP/
ROD identifies seven special recreation management areas (SRMA), 
including seven existing areas (Fishermen's Bend, Nestucca River, 
Quartzville Creek, Salmon River, Sandy River, Table Rock, and Yaquina 
Head) and seven new areas (Little North Santiam River, Marys Peak, Mill 
Creek, Molalla River/Table Rock, Mt. Hood Corridor, North Fork Siletz 
River, and Yellowstone). The existing SRMAs total approximately 13,900 
acres and the new SRMAs total approximately 70,800 acres. The RMP/ROD 
allocates approximately 1,400 acres of BLM-administered lands for 33 
existing and potential recreation sites. The plan also identifies 19 
existing and potential trails, totaling approximetly 178 miles. 
Management guidance for four visual resource management classifications 
is also established.
    Mineral and Energy Resource Management: Most BLM-administered lands 
will remain available for mineral leasing and location of mining 
claims, but 6,200 acres are or will be closed to leasing for oil and 
gas and geothermal resources, and 22,100 acres are or will be closed to 
location of claims.
Van Manning,
Salem District Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-17908 Filed 7-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P