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Medford Newsroom

Bureau of Land Management offices post News Releases to share news or let you know upcoming plans for their area. If you have questions regarding a specific News Release, contact information is at the top of each News Release. Please feel free to contact the Medford Office with your questions or comments, at (541) 618-2200 or by email.

The BLM in Oregon and Washington recently began offering news releases in the RSS format. This will allow you see a complete and ongoing list of press releases distributed by the various BLM Districts throughout Oregon and Washington. Additional information on RSS feeds, and how to subscribe to them, is available at our RSS page.

Medford News Releases in 2009		Show \| Hide
Jan 14 2009	Energy Corridors Designated in Eleven Western States
Jan 14 2009	New Purchases of Western Land Parcels with High Conservation Values
Jan 05 2009	BLM Director Names New National Landscape Conservation System Director
Dec 31 2008	BLM Western Oregon Plan Decisions Released
Dec 23 2008	Title II Money Available for Special BLM Projects
Dec 15 2008	BLM Annouces Rare Species Guidance
Dec 04 2008	BLM Announces Final Rule for Land Withdrawals
Dec 01 2008	2009 Rogue River Float Lottery Begins
Nov 20 2008	2008 PILT Payments Distributed
Nov 06 2008	BLM Waives Recreation-related Fees for Veterans on Veterans Day
Nov 04 2008	Western Oregon Plan Revision Protest Period
Oct 31 2008	Public Invited to Annual Rogue River Users Meeting On November 5
Oct 31 2008	Full Compensation for Payments In Lieu of Taxes
Oct 30 2008	Final Right-of-Way Rental Fee Regulations
Oct 28 2008	BLM Holds Field Tour of Proposed Fuels Demonstration Projects in the CSNM
Oct 23 2008	Geothermal Energy and Power Generation on Federal Lands
Oct 09 2008	Final BLM Western Oregon EIS Released

Announcements

BLM Western Oregon Plan Decisions Released

The BLM has issued the six Records of Decision (ROD) for the Resource Management Plans (RMP) that were developed under the Western Oregon Plan Revisions. With this action, the BLM has completed its revision of the land use plans that will guide the management of 2.6 million acres in western Oregon in the BLM's Salem, Eugene, Roseburg, Medford, and Coos Bay Districts, and the Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District. The RMPs also comply with all applicable Federal laws including the O&C Lands Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

The RODs formally adopt the Proposed Resource Management Plan (PRMP) that was put forward in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which was released in October 2008. Overall, when fully implemented, the six land use plans are expected to increase the timber harvest from current levels, increase receiprs to the O&C Counties, meet the conservation needs of the northern spotted owl, increase habitat for marbled murrelet, maintain water quality, and improve habitat for Federally-listed fish.

Relative Sizes Of The Land Use Allocations In The Western Oregon Plan Revisions

BLM Announces Availability of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Plan

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved the final plan for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The management plan sets forth the final direction for managing the 52,947 acres of BLM lands for the next ten years. The plan also provides the strategies needed to protect and preserve the biological, cultural, recreational, geological, educational and scientific values within the monument.

The 2000 Presidential Proclamation reserved the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in recognition of its remarkable ecology and to protect a diverse range of biological, geological, aquatic, archeological, and historic objects. The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is the first monument set aside solely for the preservation of biodiversity. Due to several complex biological and geological factors and processes operating simultaneously, the monument contains an unusually high variety of species in a geographically small area.

Land use decisions made in this plan include: land tenure zoning classifications; designations of vegetation management areas; visual resource management classifications; programmatic and site-specific decisions related to livestock grazing; decisions regarding transportation and access (except those mandated by the presidential proclamation); wildland fire management; recreation management; and management of rights-of-way and communication sites.

News Release (PDF)
Record of Decision (PDF) Note: Filesize - 37MB
Decision Fact Sheet (PDF)

Otak Reports on Little Hyatt Dam

BLM to Release Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Livestock Impacts Studies

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District today announced that is has completed the studies of livestock impacts for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (CSNM) and is releasing them to the public. A presentation of the results of the studies will be the subject of the February 1 "Science Friday" forum at the Southern Oregon University (SOU). The one hour presentation will begin at 3pm in Room 118 (Central Auditorium) in the Science Hall on the campus of SOU.

BLM Issues Temporary Off-Highway Vehicle Closure

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District Office is temporarily closing several areas within the Timbered Mountain off-highway vehicle (OHV) area – also commonly referred to as the John's Peak area. The Timber Mountain OHV Area is located just west of the City of Jacksonville. The purpose of the emergency closure is to protect soils, water, and fisheries resources that are being adversely impacted by OHV use. The closure is also needed to protect public safety on Forest Creek County road. Regulations (43 CFR 8364.1) authorize the BLM to close or restrict use of public lands in order to protect public safety and resources on public lands.

Federal Register Notice of Emergency Closure (PDF)
Closure maps (PDF)