[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64143-64145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30735]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[OR-100-6321-01; GP7-0033 Case File #OR-51858]

SUBJECT: Notice of Intent, Plan Amendment.

AGENCY: Prineville District, Central Oregon Resource Area, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action, Notice of exchange proposal.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with 43 CFR 1610.2 and 1610.3 and 43 CFR 2200, 
notice is given that the Bureau of Land Management in the State of 
Oregon, Vale District, Baker Resource Area, intends to analyze a 
potential amendment to the Baker R.A. Resource Management Plan (RMP). 
The potential amendment will involve adjustment of land tenure 
designations. Currently the Baker RMP designates only two land tenure 
adjustment categories. The potential amendment would reclassify those 
areas with special designations into a ``retention only'' zone, thus 
adding an additional category. If necessary, the purpose of the plan 
amendment would be to make available for exchange certain lands located 
in Baker, Umatilla, Union, and Morrow Counties in Northeastern Oregon 
and would facilitate exchange proposals that involve the Prineville 
District BLM, Baker R.A., numerous private property holders, and a 
third party facilitator.

[[Page 64144]]

    Subject to valid existing rights, most of the public lands referred 
to herein have been segregated from appropriation under the public land 
laws and mineral laws for a period of five years, beginning May 24, 
1996. A complete list of specific lands segregated will be available in 
the same locations as the other elements of the supporting record, as 
noted elsewhere in this notice.

DATES: A two purpose public comment period is provided at this time. 
Publication of this Notice in the Federal Register starts the 45 day 
comment period necessary to meet public notification requirements for 
both the Notice of Intent to prepare to prepare plan amendments, an EIS 
and the Notice of Realty Action.

ADDRESSES: 

Bureau of Land Management, Vale District, Baker R.A., P.O. Box 987, 
Baker City, OR, 97.
Prinville District, Central Oregon Resource Area, P.O. Box 550, 
Prineville, OR 97754.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Lane, Central Oregon, R.A. Realty 
Specialist, (541) 416-6752 and Dorothy Mason, Baker R.A., Staff 
Supervisor, (541) 523-1256.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Prineville District's Two Rivers (1986) 
and John Day (1985, 1995) Resource Management Plans and the Vale 
District's Baker (1989, 1992) Resource Management Plan (RMPs) currently 
provide general management guidelines for land tenure adjustments as 
well as overall land resource use allocations and resource protection 
or enhancement. Although it is anticipated that the final decisions for 
land exchanges considered through this analysis will be in full 
conformance with the applicable RMPs, it is possible that portions of 
some actions under some alternatives may not be in full conformance 
with the approved plans, as required by 43 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), Subpart 1610.5-3, ``Conformity and Implementation''. The 
environmental analysis and public and interagency review process 
anticipated for this analysis are expected to fully comply with the 
Bureau's regulations for land use planning, including land use plan 
amendments, public involvement and coordination with other Federal 
agencies, State and local governments and Indian tribes, (43 CFR 
1610.2, 1610.3 and 1610.5-5). This will allow the analysis to consider 
land tenure strategies which are inconsistent with the current 
direction or substantially affect other resource uses and allocations 
in one or more of the subject approved RMPs. Any approved decisions 
which amend the applicable plans will be incorporated into the plans 
and become part of the permanent planning record. Any refinements or 
clarifications of management direction, priority of disposal or use of 
acquired lands will be incorporated into the applicable plans and 
documented through published plan maintenance reports, as provided 
under 43 CFR 1610.5-4. Copies of the three existing approved plans (as 
amended) will be available in the same locations as the other elements 
of the supporting record, as noted elsewhere in this notice.
    The decisions made through this analysis are expected to be 
implemented through a relatively complex series of land tenure 
adjustment actions over a period of several years. Although the intent 
is to consummate the majority of the exchanges within approximately two 
years of the approval of the decision(s), some residual actions or 
independent land exchanges which are in conformance with the analysis 
and decisions and associated approved RMPs may occur over a period of 
ten or more years. In effect, this analysis will serve both to 
facilitate the ongoing project as well as future actions that fall 
under the programmatic nature of this analysis. Future exchanges or 
other land transfers would be subject to appropriate environmental 
analyses, public and interagency reviews and would be reported in the 
applicable District or Resource Area periodic planning update reports 
which are distributed to known interested parties.
    The Baker R.A. RMP proposed plan amendment and exchange proposal 
include public lands administered by the Baker R.A. located within the 
following areas.

Willamette Meridian, Baker, Morrow, Union and Umatilla Counties:

T.1N. through 6N., R.23E. through 41E.,
T.1S, through 6S., R.23E. through 42E.,
T.7S through 14S., R.36E. through 48E.

    Containing approximately 45,000 acres of public land.
    Public lands considered for disposal in the Central Oregon R.A. 
Prineville, are located within the following areas:

Willamette Meridian, Grant and Wheeler Counties:

T.7S. through 18S., R.26E. through 35E.
T.7S. through 9S., R.21E. through 25E.

    Containing approximately 50,000 acres of public land.
    Contingent upon approval of the amended RMP, or an approved 
conformance determination with the existing approved Baker RMP, the 
above described land within the Baker R.A. will be suitable for 
disposal by exchange under section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), 43 U.S.C. 1716. Disposal of the public 
lands considered for exchange within the Central Oregon R.A. are in 
conformance with current Land Use Plans. These parcels are generally 
considered to be isolated and inefficient to manage. The total acreage 
considered for disposal in both the Baker and Central Oregon Resource 
Areas totals approximately 95,000 acres.
    The Baker and Central Oregon Resource Areas have received exchange 
proposals from Clearwater Land Exchange for property from Pioneer 
Resources, the JV Ranch and other private entities, potentially 
affecting the public lands noted above. Some lands offered by these 
private landholders for this exchange are located along the North Fork 
of the John Day River which straddles the Grant, Morrow, and Umatilla 
county lines. They adjoin a second piece of land that is located west 
of the North Fork and includes Ditch and Cabin Creeks to the east, Wall 
Creek on the west and are adjacent to Forest Service administered lands 
to the north. Other lands considered for acquisition are located on and 
in the vicinity of Rudio Mountain in Grant County and along the South 
Fork of the John Day River. The Baker R.A. has designated the following 
``target'' acquisition areas within which it would seek to acquire 
private lands from willing land owners: the west side of the Snake 
River from Homestead to Huntington (including the Lookout Mountain 
area), the Pedro Mountain area, the Dooley Mountain/Burnt River Canyon 
area and along the Powder River downstream from Thief Valley Reservoir. 
Additionally, any opportunity to acquire lands within or adjacent to 
land tenure retention zone 1 as identified in the land use plans, will 
also be considered for acquisition in both districts.
    The parcels identified for acquisition through the exchange process 
are considered to contain high public values including significant 
forest resources, anadromous fish and wildlife habitat, substantial 
recreational opportunities and miles of riparian habitat. They would 
block up and consolidate public lands managed by the BLM, adjacent to 
the National Forest. Other lands offered for acquisition will be 
considered on the basis of the following values: key anadromous or 
other fisheries habitat, important wildlife habitats, wetlands and 
riparian values, significant cultural/historic sites eligible for 
National Register of Historic places, T&E/

[[Page 64145]]

sensitive species habitat, Unique/outstanding recreational values, 
provide legal public access, within or adjacent to special designated 
areas (ACEC, W&S Rivers), manageability and cost of administration, 
substantially improves manageability of existing BLM or other public 
land, opportunities for partnerships in management and acquisition, 
unique lands with ecologic, geologic, scientific or scenic values and 
significance in stabilizing business, social and economic conditions 
and/or lifestyles. Issues raised at initial scoping that will be 
addressed in the analysis include, but are not limited to, multiple 
adjacent landowners desiring acquisition of BLM disposal tract(s), 
adjacent landowner(s) does not wish to acquire BLM disposal tract(s), 
appraisal issues, tribal, values/historic use areas, county land base, 
water rights and agricultural lands, outright sale of public lands, 
resource management of acquired tracts, resource management on tracts 
considered for disposal, late successional forest stands/habitat, 
access and wildlife habitat.
    Parcels will be screened by an interdisciplinary (ID) team through 
the environmental impact statement (EIS) process. Public parcels will 
be inventoried for sensitive values including special status wildlife 
and plants, and cultural resources. Disciplines to be represented on 
the ID team preparing the plan amendment and EIS include, but are not 
limited to: archaeology, anthropology, economics, lands and minerals, 
recreation, forestry, fisheries, hydrology, botanical, soils, wildlife, 
geology and hazardous materials.
    The value of lands proposed for exchange have not yet been 
determined. Upon completion of final appraisal, acreage would be 
adjusted and/or money would be used to equalize the values. Lands will 
be exchanged on a value basis, based on current fair market value 
appraisals.
    Public lands would be transferred subject to: (1) A reservation to 
the United States of a right-of-way for ditches canals constructed by 
the authority of the United States. Act of August 30, 1890 (43 U.S.C. 
945); and (2) all valid existing easements, leases, permits, licenses, 
rights-of-way or other rights, and other terms and conditions that may 
be identified in the EIS.
    The BLM is inviting comments to be considered in the preparation of 
the EIS for the proposed exchange. Comments may be addressed to Dick 
Cosgriffe, Central Oregon Resource Area Manager, at the Prineville 
District Office and Gloria Brown, Baker Resource Area Manager in Baker 
City. Comments should be postmarked by January 17, 1997.
    Public meetings have been held in John Day, Heppner, Pendleton, 
LaGrande and Baker City regarding this proposal. Public open houses 
will be held in Heppner, Pendleton, La Grande and Baker City. The need 
for additional meetings will be evaluated based on the level of public 
input as a result of public notification procedures. Any public 
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance.
    Detailed information concerning the proposed exchange and plan 
amendment, including the EIS, will be available at a later date at BLM 
offices in Prineville, Baker City, John Day, and Portland. In Heppner 
this information will be available in the public library. When the EIS 
is completed in the early spring of 1997, another comment period will 
be provided to allow for additional public input to the exchange and 
associated plan amendment. This comment period will be announced in a 
Federal Register notice and local media. Any final decision will also 
be published to these same standards and applicable appeal or protest 
period(s) provided.
    Pursuant to 7 CFR, Part 1, Subpart B, Section 1.27, all written 
submissions in response to this notice shall be made available for 
public inspection including the submitter's name, unless the submitter 
specifically requests confidentiality. Anonymous comments will not be 
accepted. All written submissions from business entities and 
organizations, submitted on official letterhead, in response to this 
notice shall be made available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: November 20, 1996.
James L. Hancock,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-30735 Filed 12-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-M