[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.
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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
