BLM---Public Comment Due on Resource Management Plans for Western Oregon

2/19/2014

Resource Management Plans (RMPs) for Western Oregon

EPA will accept written comments until May 5, 2014.

http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/comments.php

"The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in the process of revising the Resource Management Plans (RMP) for western Oregon. These 2.5 million acres have an important role to the social, economic, and ecological well being of western Oregon, as well as to the greater American public. Recognizing this importance, your engagement is important to us. Thus, we are striving for a whole different approach of engaging the public through outreach and community collaboration. We want to engage you in ways that are in your best interest and communicate where we're heading based on science, public inputs, regulations, and guidance.

There are a lot of important and complex issues that need to be addressed during this revision process. Needless to say there are also very diverse and strong opinions on how these lands should be managed in the future. In an effort to try to change the dialogue, besides changing how we engage the public, I want to focus our discussions around outcomes, not outputs. We realize we can't do this alone. Nor does the BLM have the sole 'solution.' Rather, we want to work together, across the board, to explore those solutions. Please join us in this exciting process of developing the RMPs for western Oregon to manage public lands for present and future generations."
— Jerome E. Perez, BLM State Director, Oregon/Washington

The Resource Management Plans (RMP) for Western Oregon will determine how the BLM-administered lands in western Oregon will be managed to further the recovery of threatened and endangered species, to provide for clean water, to restore fire-adapted ecosystems, to produce a sustained yield of timber products, and to provide for recreation opportunities.

There are approximately 2.5 million acres in western Oregon that are part of the BLM-administered public lands included in the RMPs for Western Oregon. These lands provide forest products, fish and wildlife habitat, and countless recreation opportunities. Unlike national forests, BLM western Oregon public lands are generally not large contiguous blocks. A "checkerboard" pattern of public land is what makes up the federal lands.

Why is the BLM engaging in this effort? Emerging environmental, economic, and social impacts are making the last plans unable to meet the needs of people, plants, and wildlife that depend on these public lands.

Public Comments Before including address, phone number, email-address, or any other personal identifying information in your comments, be advised that your entire comment, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While individuals may request that the BLM withhold personal identifying information from public view, the BLM cannot guarantee it will be able to do so. If you wish us to withhold your personal information you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from organizations or businesses available for public disclosure in their entirety.

Throughout the planning project, you may send your thoughts on this RMPs for Western Oregon planning effort via email to: BLM_OR_RMPs_WesternOregon@blm.gov.

In addition to always being able to send your thoughts and input through the email address above, there will be formal public comment periods related to specific stages of the plan revision process. These public comment periods are opportunities to provide the planning team with direct, formal feedback on components of the plan as well as on the effort's overall direction.

When a formal public comment period is open, you will be able to submit comments electronically, via email or a form on our website, or by mail during a specified amount of time. Once the public comment period closes the comments will be consolidated, summarized and included as part of the record.

Comments