[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 79 (Friday, April 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23046-23049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09474]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLOR930000.L63500000.DP0000.LXSS081H0000.15XL1116AF; HAG 15-0095]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan 
Revisions and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Western Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

[[Page 23047]]


ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared 
Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Revisions and a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Western Oregon and, by this 
notice, is announcing the opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS within 90 
days following the date that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
publishes notice of the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS in the 
Federal Register. Written comments on proposed ACEC designations must 
be received within 60 days following the date that the EPA publishes 
notice of the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS in the Federal 
Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any 
other public participation activities at least 15 days in advance 
through public notices, media releases, the Web site, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Draft RMP Revisions, 
Draft EIS, and potential ACECs for Western Oregon by any of the 
following methods:

 Web site: http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/deis.php
 Email: [email protected]
 Fax: 503-808-6021
 Mail: BLM--EIS for Western Oregon, 1220 SW. 3rd Avenue, 
Portland, OR 97204, or P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208

    Copies of the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS for Western Oregon 
are available at the Oregon State Office at the above address or on the 
Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/deis.php.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mr. Mark Brown, RMPs for Western 
Oregon Project Manager; telephone: 503-808-6233; address: 1220 SW. 3rd 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, or P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208; or 
email at [email protected]. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours 
a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Draft RMP Revisions and 
Draft EIS for Western Oregon encompassing approximately 2,550,000 acres 
of BLM-administered lands and 69,000 acres of split-estate lands in 
western Oregon. The documents address a range of alternatives focused 
on providing a sustained yield of timber, contributing to the 
conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species, 
providing for clean water, restoring fire-adapted ecosystems, 
coordinating management of lands surrounding the Coquille Forest with 
the Coquille Tribe, and providing for recreation opportunities. The 
Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS propose to revise the RMPs for the 
Coos Bay, Eugene, Medford, Roseburg, and Salem Districts and the 
Lakeview District's Klamath Falls Resource Area. These six RMPs, 
completed in 1995, incorporated the land use allocations and standards 
and guidelines from the Northwest Forest Plan.
    In 2012, the BLM conducted an evaluation of the 1995 RMPs in 
accordance with its planning regulations and concluded that a plan 
revision was necessary to address the changed circumstances and new 
information that had led to a substantial, long-term departure from the 
timber management outcomes predicted under the 1995 RMPs. Within the 
western Oregon districts, three BLM-administered areas are not included 
in the decision area: the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument (Medford 
District), the Upper Klamath Basin and Wood River Wetland (Klamath 
Falls Field Office), and the West Eugene Wetlands (Eugene District).
    BLM-administered lands in the planning area include Oregon and 
California Railroad (O&C) lands, Coos Bay Wagon Road lands, Public 
Domain lands, and acquired lands. The Oregon and California Railroad 
and Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant Lands Act of 1937 (O&C Act) put the O&C 
lands under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior and 
provides the legal authority for the management of O&C lands and Coos 
Bay Wagon Road lands. The lands were classified as timberlands to be 
managed for permanent forest production, and the timber was to be sold, 
cut, and removed in conformity with the principle of sustained yield 
for the purpose of providing a permanent source of timber supply. 
Sustained yield management under the O&C Act also provides for the 
purpose of protecting watersheds, regulating stream flow, contributing 
to the economic stability of local communities and industries, and 
providing recreational facilities. The Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 provides the legal authority for the management 
of Public Domain lands and acquired lands. These lands and resources 
are to be managed under the principles of multiple use and sustained 
yield. The land ownership patterns in western Oregon create unique 
management challenges. Generally, O&C land is located in odd-numbered 
sections and private land is located in even-numbered sections, 
creating a ``checkerboard'' ownership pattern. Activities on adjacent 
private lands have implications for management of the BLM-administered 
lands. The BLM also typically manages only a small percentage of the 
land in any particular watershed and, in many cases, the cumulative 
actions across all ownerships determine resource outcomes. In the Coast 
Range, checkerboard ownership is spread across the entire watershed. In 
the western Cascades, checkerboard ownership is mostly in the lower 
part of watersheds with blocked U.S. Forest Service ownership in the 
headwater areas.
    The formal public scoping process for the RMP Revisions and EIS 
began on March 9, 2012, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in 
the Federal Register (77 FR 14414) and ended on October 5, 2012. The 
BLM held scoping open houses in May and June 2012. The BLM used public 
scoping comments to help identify planning issues that directed the 
formulation of alternatives and framed the scope of analysis in the 
Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS.
    The Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS for Western Oregon analyze, 
in detail, four action alternatives, two sub-alternatives, and the No 
Action alternative. The No Action alternative would implement the 1995 
RMPs, as written, into the future with no change in the management 
actions and level of management intensity in the planning area. There 
are 107 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) currently 
designated in the western Oregon districts' RMPs and described in the 
No Action alternative. The BLM developed the action alternatives to 
represent a range of overall management approaches. All action 
alternatives include the following land use allocations: 
Congressionally Reserved (e.g., wilderness, wild and scenic rivers), 
District-Designated Reserves, Late-Successional Reserve, Riparian 
Reserve, Harvest Land Base, and Eastside Management Area. The location 
and acreage of these allocations

[[Page 23048]]

vary by alternative with the exception of Congressionally Reserved 
allocations that are common to all alternatives. Within each action 
alternative, the Harvest Land Base, Late-Successional Reserve, and 
Riparian Reserve have specific, mapped sub-allocations with differing 
management direction. Given the checkboard ownership patterns and the 
wide-spread distribution of the federally listed species in the 
planning area analyzed in the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS, 
regional mitigation considerations are incorporated throughout the 
action alternatives.
    The two sub-alternatives modify an individual component of northern 
spotted owl conservation and related effects on timber production.
    The BLM has identified Alternative B as the preferred alternative. 
Identification of this alternative, however, does not represent final 
agency direction, and the Proposed RMP Revisions and Final EIS may 
reflect changes or adjustments based on information received during 
public comment, from new information, or from changes in BLM policies 
or priorities. The proposed RMPs and Final EIS may include objectives 
and actions described in the other analyzed alternatives or otherwise 
within the spectrum of the analyzed alternatives.
    Alternative A has a Late-Successional Reserve larger than the No 
Action Alternative. The Harvest Land Base is comprised of the Uneven-
Aged Timber Area and the High Intensity Timber Area. The High Intensity 
Timber Area includes regeneration harvest with no retention (clear 
cuts). Under Alternative A the BLM would designate 119 ACECs.
    Alternative B has a Late-Successional Reserve similar in size to 
Alternative A, though of a different spatial design. The Harvest Land 
Base is comprised of the Uneven-Aged Timber Area, Low Intensity Timber 
Area, and Moderate Intensity Timber Area. The portion of the Harvest 
Land Base in Uneven-Aged Timber Area is the largest of all action 
alternatives. The Low Intensity Timber Area and Moderate Intensity 
Timber Area include regeneration harvest with varying levels of 
retention. Under Alternative B, the BLM would designate 114 ACECs.
    Sub-alternative B is identical to Alternative B except that it 
includes protection of habitat within the home ranges of all northern 
spotted owl known and historic sites. Alternative C has the largest 
Harvest Land Base of any of the alternatives. The Harvest Land Base is 
comprised of the Uneven-Aged Timber Area and the High Intensity Timber 
Area. The High Intensity Timber Area includes regeneration harvest with 
no retention (clear cuts). Alternative C has the smallest acreage in 
the Riparian Reserve of all of the alternatives. Under Alternative C, 
the BLM would designate 111 ACECs.
    Sub-alternative C is identical to Alternative C except that the 
Late-Successional Reserve includes all stands 80 years old and older.
    Alternative D has the smallest Late-Successional Reserve of any of 
the alternatives. The Harvest Land Base is comprised of the Uneven-Aged 
Timber Area, Owl Habitat Timber Area, and Moderate Intensity Timber 
Area. The Owl Habitat Timber Area includes timber harvest applied in a 
manner that would maintain northern spotted owl habitat. The Moderate 
Intensity Timber Area includes regeneration harvest with retention. 
Alternative D has the largest acreage in the Riparian Reserve of all of 
the action alternatives. Under Alternative D, the BLM would designate 
118 ACECs.
    In addition to announcing the opening of the 90-day comment period 
on the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS for Western Oregon, this 
notice is also announcing the start of the 60-day period for public 
comment on proposed Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) 
designations, consistent with 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b). The action 
alternatives in the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS for Western 
Oregon consider the designation of 121 potential ACECs, with a variety 
of resource use limitations that would occur if formally designated.
    The 121 potential ACECs are Brownson Ridge, Cherry Creek, China 
Wall, Euphoria Ridge, Hunter Creek Bog, New River, North Fork Chetco, 
North Fork Coquille River, North Fork Hunter Creek, North Spit, North 
Spit Addition, Rocky Peak, Roman Nose, Steel Creek, Tioga Creek, Upper 
Rock Creek, Wassen Creek, Camas Swale, Cottage Grove Old Growth, Cougar 
Mountain Yew Grove, Dorena Prairie, Esmond Lake, Ferguson Creek, Fox 
Hollow, Garoutte Prairie, Grandmother's Grove, Grassy Mountain, Heceta 
Sand Dunes, Horse Rock Ridge, Hult Marsh, Jordan Creek, Lake Creek 
Falls, Lorane Ponderosa Pine, Low Elevation Headwaters of the McKenzie 
River, McGowan Meadow, Mohawk, Nails Creek, Oak Basin Prairies, Upper 
Elk Meadows, Upper Willamette Valley Margin, Willamette Valley Prairie 
Oak and Pine Area, Bumpheads, Old Baldy, Spencer Creek, Surveyor, 
Tunnel Creek, Upper Klamath River, Upper Klamath River Addition, Yainax 
Butte, Baker Cypress, Bobby Creek, Brewer Spruce, Cobleigh Road, 
Dakubetede, Deer Creek, East Fork Whiskey Creek, Eight Dollar Mountain, 
French Flat, Grayback Glades, Green Springs Mt Scenic, Hole-In-The-
Rock, Holton Creek, Hoxie Creek, Iron Creek, King Mountain Rock Garden, 
Lost Lake, Moon Prairie, North Fork Silver Creek, Old Baldy, Pickett 
Creek, Pipe Fork, Poverty Flat, Reeves Creek, Rough and Ready, Round 
Top Butte, Sterling Mine Ditch, Table Rocks, Tin Cup, Waldo-Takilma, 
West Fork Illinois River, Woodcock Bog, Bear Gulch, Beatty Creek, 
Bushnell-Irwin Rocks, Callahan Meadows, Myrtle Island, North Bank, 
North Myrtle Creek, Red Pond, Tater Hill, Beaver Creek, Crabtree 
Complex, Elk Creek, Forest Peak, Grass Mountain, High Peak--Moon Creek, 
Little North Fork Wilson River, Little Sink, Lost Prairie, Lower 
Scappoose Eagle, Mary's Peak, McCully Mountain, Middle Santiam 
Terrrace, Mill Creek Ridge, Molalla Meadows, Nestucca River, Rickreall 
Ridge, Saddle Bag Mountain, Sandy River, Silt Creek, Snow Peak, Soosap 
Meadows, The Butte, Valley of the Giants, Walker Flat, Waterloo, White 
Rock Fen, Wilhoit Springs, Williams Lake, Yaquina Head, and Yellowstone 
Creek.
    If formally designated, the BLM would close all potential ACECs to 
salable mineral development, except for Sandy River, in which the BLM 
would close most of the potential ACEC, but minerals are owned by non-
federal entities in portions of parcels 14 and 33, and Roman Nose, in 
which the BLM would limit salable mineral development to the existing 
quarry.
    If formally designated, the BLM would recommend withdrawal of all 
or part of the following potential ACECs from locatable mineral entry: 
Hunter Creek Bog, New River, North Fork Chetco, North Fork Hunter 
Creek, Rocky Peak, Cougar Mountain Yew Grove, Grassy Mountain, Heceta 
Sand Dunes, Horse Rock Ridge, Low Elevation Headwaters of the McKenzie 
River, McGowan Meadow, Mohawk, Oak Basin Prairies, Upper Elk Meadows, 
Upper Willamette Valley Margin, Willamette Valley Prairie Oak and Pine 
Area, Bumpheads, Old Baldy, Spencer Creek, Surveyor, Tunnel Creek, 
Upper Klamath River, Upper Klamath River Addition, Yainax Butte, Bobby 
Creek, Brewer Spruce, Dakubetede, East Fork Whiskey Creek, Eight Dollar 
Mountain, Grayback Glades, Holton Creek, Iron Creek, North Fork Silver 
Creek, Pickett Creek, Pipe Fork, Reeves Creek, Rough and Ready, Table 
Rocks, West Fork Illinois River, Woodcock Bog, Bear Gulch, Beatty 
Creek, Bushnell-Irwin Rocks, Callahan Meadows, Myrtle Island, North 
Bank, North Myrtle Creek, Red Pond, Tater Hill, Beaver Creek, Crabtree 
Complex,

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Elk Creek, Forest Peak, Grass Mountain, High Peak--Moon Creek, Little 
North Fork Wilson River, Little Sink, Lost Prairie, Lower Scappoose 
Eagle, Mary's Peak, McCully Mountain, Middle Santiam Terrrace, Mill 
Creek Ridge, Molalla Meadows, Nestucca River, Rickreall Ridge, Saddle 
Bag Mountain, Silt Creek, Snow Peak, Soosap Meadows, The Butte, Valley 
of the Giants,Walker Flat, Waterloo, White Rock Fen, Wilhoit Springs, 
Williams Lake, Yaquina Head, Yellowstone Creek, Sandy River, French 
Flat, and Waldo-Takilma.
    If formally designated, all potential ACECs would be open to 
leasable mineral entry with a no surface occupancy stipulation, except 
for Valley of the Giants, for which the BLM does not own sub-surface 
mineral rights, except for 07S-08W-31 NE1/4.
    If formally designated, the BLM would close all or part of the 
following potential ACECs to off-highway vehicle use: Lower Scappoose 
Eagle, North Bank, Table Rocks, New River, Hunter Creek Bog, North Fork 
Hunter Creek, Camas Swale, Cottage Grove Old Growth, Cougar Mountain 
Yew Grove, Dorena Prairie, Esmond Lake, Ferguson Creek, Fox Hollow, 
Garoutte Prairie, Grandmother's Grove, Grassy Mountain, Heceta Sand 
Dunes, Horse Rock Ridge, Jordan Creek, Lake Creek Falls, Lorane 
Ponderosa Pine, Low Elevation Headwaters of the McKenzie River, McGowan 
Meadow, Mohawk, Nails Creek, Oak Basin Prairies, Upper Elk Meadows, 
Upper Willamette Valley Margin, Willamette Valley Prairie Oak and Pine 
Area, Old Baldy, Spencer Creek, Woodcock Bog, Bear Gulch, Beatty Creek, 
Bushnell-Irwin Rocks, Callahan Meadows, Myrtle Island, North Myrtle 
Creek, Red Pond, Tater Hill, Beaver Creek, Crabtree Complex, Forest 
Peak, Grass Mountain, High Peak--Moon Creek, Little Sink, Lost Prairie, 
McCully Mountain, Mill Creek Ridge, Molalla Meadows, Rickreall Ridge, 
Saddle Bag Mountain, Silt Creek, Soosap Meadows, Walker Flat, Waterloo, 
Williams Lake, Yaquina Head, and French Flat. In all of the remaining 
potential ACECs, if formally designated, the BLM would limit off-
highway vehicle use to existing or designated roads and trails.
    If formally designated, the BLM would preclude timber harvest or 
condition timber harvest to maintain relevant and important values in 
all potential ACECs. As explained in Chapter 1 of the Draft RMP 
Revisions and Draft EIS for Western Oregon, the BLM will designate and 
manage ACECs on O&C lands where the special management needed to 
maintain relevant and important values would not conflict with the 
planning for sustained-yield timber production for the purposes of the 
O&C Act.
    If formally designated, the BLM would manage livestock grazing in 
all potential ACECs to maintain relevant and important values. The 
following potential ACECs are already closed to livestock grazing and 
would continue to be closed if formally designated: Old Baldy, Spencer 
Creek, Lost Lake, Round Top Butte, Table Rocks, and Poverty Flat. At 
the Bumpheads potential ACEC, the BLM maintains gap fence to exclude 
livestock and would continue that management if formally designated. 
The following potential ACECs are open to grazing with stipulations for 
fencing to control grazing that would continue if formally designated: 
Surveyor and Tunnel Creek. The following potential ACECs are open to 
grazing with stipulations to monitor important values and fence or 
implement other protection measures if needed and those stipulations 
would continue if formally designated: Cobleigh Road, Green Springs Mt 
Scenic, Hole-In-The-Rock, Hoxie Creek, Moon Prairie, and Tin Cup.
    If formally designated, the BLM would designate all potential ACECs 
as Right-of-Way Avoidance Areas.
    The BLM is planning a series of public meetings after the release 
of the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS. The purpose of these meetings 
is to help members of the public understand the content of the Draft 
RMP Revisions and Draft EIS and provide meaningful and constructive 
comments. There will be at least six ``open-house'' public meetings 
(one meeting per District) where people can engage with BLM employees 
on all resources addressed in the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS. 
The BLM will likely also be organizing issue-specific meetings on 
topics such as socio-economics, forestry, aquatics, and wildlife. 
Information on meeting locations and dates will be available at http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/. Following the close of the 
public review and comment period, any substantive public comments will 
be used to revise the Draft RMP Revisions and Draft EIS in preparation 
for their release to the public as the Proposed RMP and Final EIS. The 
BLM will respond to each substantive comment received during the public 
review and comment period by making appropriate revisions to the 
document or explaining why the comment did not warrant a change. Notice 
of the availability of the Proposed RMP and Final EIS will be posted in 
the Federal Register. Please note that public comments and information 
submitted--including names, street addresses, and email addresses of 
persons who submit comments--will be available for public review and 
disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. 
to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Jerome E. Perez,
State Director, Oregon/Washington.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.

[FR Doc. 2015-09474 Filed 4-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-33-P