[Federal Register: July 9, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 131)]
[Notices]
[Page 35807-35808]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09jy01-80]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[2200-ULEP; OR930-7122-DS-9033: GP1-0228]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
1. Description of the proposed planning action: The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) proposes to work with the Foundation for Voluntary
Land Exchanges (Foundation) to develop a land ownership adjustment plan
(plan) and environmental impact statement for approximately 675,000
acres in the Coast Range area of the Umpqua River Basin in western
Oregon. The plan will identify the following: non-federal lands or
interests in land within the planning area (with concurrence of willing
non-federal landowners) that are recommended for acquisition through
exchange by the United States; federal lands or interests in land
within the planning area that are recommended for disposal in exchange
for acquired lands of equal value; and specific land exchanges. This
effort is intended to consolidate land ownership to reduce costs of
administration and achieve management efficiency. In addition, this
consolidation should improve federal and non-federal land management
and planning, enhance protection and restoration of listed species'
habitats, wetlands, riparian areas, and other environmentally sensitive
areas, and improve public access and recreational
[[Page 35808]]
use, while allowing for sustainable timber production. Although the
selected alternative will be consistent with the intent of the
Northwest Forest Plan, some of the current allocations or management
direction may be modified. The selected alternative will amend the
BLM's Coos Bay, Eugene, and Roseburg districts' Resource Management
Plans, and the Siuslaw National Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan, unless the no-action alternative is adopted.
2. Identification of the geographic area: The planning area covers
approximately 675,000 acres in the Coast Range portion of the lower
Umpqua River Basin in western Oregon. The area is primarily (98
percent) within Douglas County, Oregon (approximately 3,000 acres are
in Coos County and 12,400 acres in Lane County). Approximately 225,000
acres are BLM-administered lands, 59,000 acres are National Forest
lands, 34,300 acres are state lands, 8,300 acres are county or city,
and 348,400 acres are privately owned.
3. General types of issues anticipated: In general, the issues
anticipated include the following: improved efficiency of land and
resource management; management of vegetation communities; minimizing
effects on listed and proposed species and their habitats; watershed
protection and function; timber sustainability on federal lands; timber
supply to small businesses; revenues to state and local governments;
consideration of continued public access and recreation; and protection
of wetlands, riparian reserves, water quality, and cultural and
historic resources.
4. Disciplines to be represented to prepare the plan will include,
but not be limited to: wildlife biology, fish biology, forest ecology,
silviculture, archaeology, economics, geology, soils, hydrology, lands
and minerals, recreation, and land use planning.
5. Kind and extent of public participation: This project will be
conducted with an open, public process. Public meetings/open houses
will be held in July, during the comment period on the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement, and at other times based on need. In
addition, meetings will be initiated with city, county, state, and
tribal governments, other federal agencies, the Southwest Oregon and
Oregon Coast Provincial Advisory committees, and with other groups or
agencies upon request. A website for the project, found at http://
www.or.blm.gov/umpqua, will include flyers, mailers, and other
documents, project updates, contacts, time lines, background, and other
pertinent information. The BLM project manager, Patrick Geehan, and the
Foundation managers, Marc Kelley and Robert Gill, will be available to
discuss public concerns and suggestions. Access to designers of the
Multi-Resource Land Allocation Model (Model) and EIS interdisciplinary
team members will be through the project managers. Comments concerning
the scope of the analysis should be received in writing by August 8,
2001. Anonymous comments will be accepted and analyzed; however, the
author(s) will not be ensured protest rights during the protest period.
Written comments concerning this proposal may be sent to ULEP, c/o BLM,
P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208. Comments may also be sent via e-mail
to ULEP@or.blm.gov.
6. Times, dates, locations of public meetings: Preliminary scoping
meetings are scheduled as follows: July 16, 2001: Reedsport, Oregon,
3:00-5:00 p.m. and 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Reedsport High School, Pacific
Auditorium, 2260 Longwood Drive. July 17: Roseburg, Oregon, 7:00-9:00
p.m. at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1036 SE Douglas Ave, #216. July
18: Drain, Oregon, 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the Drain Branch Library, 205 West
A Ave. July 19: Eugene, Oregon, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Eugene City
Council Chambers, 777 Pearl Street #105. Public meetings also will be
held in Reedsport, Roseburg, Drain, and Eugene during the comment
period on the Draft EIS, anticipated to be May through July 2002.
7. Name, title, address, and telephone number of BLM official: For
further information contact either the BLM project manager or the
Foundation operations manager. The BLM project manager for the Umpqua
Land Exchange Project is Patrick Geehan, BLM, P.O. Box 2965, Portland,
OR 97208, phone 503-952-6445. The Foundation Project Coordinator is
Robert Gill, Foundation for Voluntary Land Exchange, 4033 SW Canyon
Road, Portland, OR 97221, phone 503-274-2855.
8. Location and availability of documents relevant to the planning
process: Final published documents relevant to the planning process
will be available at the BLM Oregon State Office in Portland, Oregon,
at the address stated above. These documents will also be available in
PDF format on the project website: http://www.or.blm.gov/umpqua.
9. Privacy Act disclaimer for individuals who may wish to have
their address withheld: Comments, including names and street addresses
of respondents, will be available for public review at the Oregon State
Office in Portland, Oregon during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m.). Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you
wish to withhold your name or address from public review or from
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests
will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their
entirety. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments may not have
standing to protest the proposed decision under 43 CFR 1610.5-2.
Dated: June 28, 2001.
Patrick H. Geehan,
Project Manager.
[FR Doc. 01-17128 Filed 7-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P