The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Oregon is holding a series of meetings to take public input on important planning guidance developed by the Oregon BLM State Director's office. The guidance will be used to revise BLM's Resource Management Plans in western Oregon. The guidance is contained in a document called "Planning Criteria and State Director Guidance" for the Western Oregon Plan Revisions.
This is an important document that will guide the planning process and the goals of the revised Resource Management Plans themselves. It lists five distinct management alternatives that the BLM proposes to use as the basis in their Environmental Impact Statement being prepared this year. The document can be downloaded from the BLM's Web site at
http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/wopr, or paper or electronic copies can be requested from the BLM's Western Oregon Plan Revisions Office at P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208; (503) 808-6629; or by e-mail at orwopr|removethispart|@or.blm.gov.
Of special interest in Chapter 3 of this document are, the sections on "Recreation" and "Access and Roads".
The meetings are for the general public who wish to learn more about the guidance and how it will affect the planning process. BLM is also asking for public review and comment on the document. These meetings will all start at 7 p.m. and last about 90 minutes.
Monday, March 6, 2006 Eugene, OR BLM Office, 2890 Chad Drive
Tuesday, March 7, 2006 North Bend, OR BLM Office, 1300 Airport Lane
Wednesday, March 8, 2006 Roseburg, OR BLM Office, 777 N.W. Garden Valley Blvd.
Thursday, March 9, 2006 Grants Pass, OR Interagency Office, 2164 N.E. Spalding Ave.
Monday, March 13, 2006 Salem, OR BLM Office, 1717 Fabry Road S.E.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006 Klamath Falls, OR BLM Office, 2795 Anderson Ave., Building No. 25.
Comments will be accepted until March 17, 2006.
Thanks in advance for your support,
Brian Hawthorne
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT:
As many of you know, the environmental groups are working as hard as they can to close up and lock away as much land as they can. This includes closing many of the roads and trails we all use for recreation. The only way to prevent losing your favorite recreation areas is to get involved. Show up for the workshops, make comments and let your voice be heard. If we stand by and do nothing, then nothing is what we will end up with.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Go to one of the workshops.
Learn everything you can about the process and what to do.
Send in your comments.
------------------------------------------------------------
The BLM wants to work with us on this. They want us to map and let them know our trails so they can be put on a list for further consideration. They even bought GPS units for one area to us to map the trails! They just didn't have anyone to go RUN those trails! If they don't make it on this "list", they will be closed forever. The PNW4WDA is having people at all the meetings, and we (pnw members) reccomend if you want to get involved to go to your local meeting and see how you can help. There are big voids in Oregon where keeping in contact with the BLM is hard because of lack of man power.
Jeff Cook
Pesident - Oregon Trail 4X4 Assoc.
Proud Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association Member.
