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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 6, 2005 BLM resource plan workshops scheduled By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune After more than 10 years without significant changes to the way the Bureau of Land Management handles natural resources, the agency is revising its resource management plan for Western Oregon. The plan will shape the way the agency manages natural resources for the next 10 to 15 years on 2.5 million acres of public lands from Salem to Medford, BLM officials said. Workshops Wednesday and Thursday in Medford and Grants Pass will launch the revision process with comments from the public about their visions of how the agency should handle forests, water, wildlife and logging. "Now is the time for people to get involved and tell us how they think we should manage public lands," said Karen Gillespie, spokeswoman for the BLM Medford District. The effort is partly the result of a 2003 legal settlement between the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior and the Portland-based American Forest Resource Council (AFRC), which represents about 100 forest product manufacturers and landowners, BLM officials said. Advertisement The settlement requires the BLM to revise the agency’s resource management plans and include an option that would eliminate any forest reserves except those required to protect endangered species. The revision is the first since the passage of the Northwest Forest Plan in 1994, which set aside reserves for conservation, such as late-successional reserves to provide habitat for old-growth species and riparian reserves meant to protect creeks. "We have met every objective in the Northwest Forest Plan with one exception, and that was getting the volume of timber harvested we said we would," said Bill Freeland, chief of resources for the BLM Medford District. "That’s why the AFRC sued us." Environmentalists said they fear the AFRC settlement is a move toward weakening the Endangered Species Act. "It seems to me that none of the reserves can be eliminated and still comply with the Endangered Species Act," said Cindy Deacon Williams, conservation director for Headwaters, an Ashland-based conservation group. "Putting aside the legal question, if the BLM eliminates late-successional and riparian reserves there are going to be major repercussions. We could anticipate even sharper declines in the number of spotted owls, salmon and other endangered species." Freeland said the agency cannot adopt an option that would put endangered species in jeopardy. He said without further analysis, he couldn’t predict how the AFRC option would impact public lands. The settlement did not direct the BLM to choose the AFRC option, only to consider it. "Whether we will choose it or not depends on the other alternatives," Freeland said. Freeland estimates about eight to 12 alternatives will be developed by the beginning of next year. The draft plan and environmental impact statement are expected to be released in early 2007 followed by another public comment period, he said. A plan is slated to be adopted in early 2008, he said. BLM public hearings What: Public workshops on revision of the BLM management plan for Western Oregon. When: 9 to 11 a.m., 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Where: Wednesday at the Medford District BLM Office, 3040 Biddle Road; and Thursday at the Grants Pass Interagency Office, 2164 N.E. Spalding Ave. Comments: The agency is accepting comments until Oct. 21 on how natural resources on public lands should be managed . Written comments can be sent to BLM, Oregon/Washington State Office, Attn.: Western Oregon Planning Revision (OR 930.1), P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208; [email protected]. Details: Call Jim McConnell, BLM Medford District planner, at 618-2402. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail BLM resource plan workshops scheduled ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Advertisement s