Bureau of Land Management Ore. & Wash.
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News Releases
BLM Boosts Internet Access and Reliability for Rural and Underserved Communities - 03/28/24

WASHINGTON – In support of access to reliable high-speed internet service for every American, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is updating regulations for developing and operating broadband infrastructure on public lands. The final rule on Broadband Authorization, Cost Recovery, and Vegetation Management for Fire Risk Management also reduces fire risk along power lines.

“Internet access is essential in an increasingly digital world, and ensuring that every American has reliable, high-speed access is a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, BLM Director. “Internet opens the door to job opportunities, educational resources, health care information, government services, and social networks. By making it easier for service providers to put communications infrastructure on public lands, BLM is helping to ensure communities across America are connected.”

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration is committing $83.1 billion to provide affordable, reliable high-speed internet to everyone in the United States.

As the nation’s largest land manager, BLM plays a major role in connecting communities to the internet in the Western United States. Updates in this final rule provide consistency in BLM’s review of applications to locate communications facilities on Federal land, allow project applications to be submitted electronically, and commit the agency to making a decision on applications within 270 days.

The rule also addresses the risks of wildfire to and from powerlines on BLM-managed public lands. Hazard trees and other vegetation near transmission and distribution lines can be ignition points for fires or become fuel for fires that start elsewhere. Clarifying requirements for vegetation management will enhance public safety while helping protect investments in infrastructure and resources on public lands.

In addition, the rule updates BLM’s cost recovery fee schedule for authorizing broadband projects, which will help ensure the BLM is fairly compensated for its work.

There are approximately 1,500 communications sites on BLM-managed lands, many of which include towers for cellular and wireless services. Additionally, BLM administers 5,000 miles of energy corridors for power transmission (connected to 1,000 miles of similar corridors on U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service lands), which are compatible with uses such as fiber optics and phone lines.

For more information on the BLM broadband rule, visit www.blm.gov/broadband-rule. For more information about BLM’s efforts to build and secure the nation’s infrastructure, visit our infrastructure site.

 

–BLM–

 

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations

BLM seeks input on proposed Grassy Mountain Gold Mine Project in Oregon - 03/15/24

VALE, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on the proposed Grassy Mountain Gold Mine Project near Vale in Malheur County to inform the scope of analysis for the environmental impact statement. The most helpful comments include potential local concerns and opportunities, identification of potential alternatives and issues to be analyzed, and possible measures to minimize or avoid adverse environmental impacts relevant to the proposed action.

Calico Resources USA Corp. proposes to develop an underground mine with a dedicated chemical processing mill and associated storage. If approved, the project would cover about 470 acres of public lands and about 19 acres of private lands. The development and production at the mine would take place over a 10-year period and be followed by four years of reclamation. 

The BLM is hosting public meetings to discuss the project in Jordan Valley and Ontario, Oregon. BLM will announce the public meeting dates and on the BLM National NEPA Register, including a virtual option for the Ontario meeting. Please contact Larisa Bogardus at 541-219-6863 for the meeting link to attend virtually. 

A notice will publish in the Federal Register on Monday, March 17, and begin a 30-day scoping period scheduled to close April 17, 2024. The public can submit comments through the BLM National NEPA Register (preferred), emailed to blm_or_vl_grassymtn@blm.gov or delivered to: Attn: Grassy Mountain Gold Mine Project c/o Malheur Field Office, 100 Oregon St., Vale, OR 97918.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

BLM proposes stronger greater sage-grouse conservation plans - 03/14/24

Analysis uses best available science and lessons learned to benefit species and western communities

 

WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing a draft plan to strengthen greater sage-grouse conservation and management on public lands, informed by the best-available science and input from local, state, federal, and Tribal partners. The draft plan is built on decades of partnership, research, and on-the-ground knowledge and experience in maintaining, protecting and restoring healthy sagebrush habitats. 

Greater sage-grouse rely on sagebrush lands for all aspects of their life cycle to meet seasonal needs for food, cover and reproduction. A local population may need up to 40 square miles of intact landscape to stay healthy. Populations once in the millions now number fewer than 800,000, largely due to habitat loss exacerbated by climate change, such as drought, increasing wildfires, and invasive species. Protecting and restoring sagebrush on BLM-managed public lands across the West is critical not just for greater sage-grouse, but also for the health of western communities and other iconic Western species that rely on healthy sagebrush, including mule deer, pronghorn, and the pygmy rabbit. Additionally, these collaboratively developed landscape-level plans will ensure that other multiple uses of BLM sagebrush lands – including clean energy projects – move forward in a manner that limits impacts to sensitive resources and can also help combat climate change—a main driver of greater sage-grouse habitat loss. 

“The majesty of the West and its way of life are at stake. Sagebrush lands are places where people work and play, and they are the headwaters for the West’s major rivers,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “Joint efforts to conserve the greater sage-grouse and its habitat led to the largest collaborative conservation effort in our history, and we are building on that work, together with our partners, to ensure the health of these lands and local economies into the future.” 

The BLM manages the largest single share of sage-grouse habitat in the United States—nearly 67 million acres of 145 million total acres. The draft plan offers a range of alternatives for sustainable management of these lands. Balancing a consistent management approach across the range while addressing conditions and policies unique to individual states, BLM will be able to work more effectively with state and local managers to protect and improve sagebrush habitats on public lands.  

Alternatives in the proposal build on the most successful components of the plans that the BLM adopted in 2015 and updated in 2019. The draft plan incorporates new sage-grouse conservation science and lessons learned, accommodating changing resources conditions while increasing implementation flexibility. The agency considered nearly 1,900 comments gathered during an initial public scoping period and information shared by state, local, federal, and Tribal partners in more than 100 meetings.  

The BLM will hold 13 public meetings to answer questions and take further comments on the draft alternatives and analysis. Information on public meetings will be posted in the events column on the main page of the BLM website

In addition to actions guided by the greater sage-grouse management plans, the BLM is actively restoring and conserving sagebrush habitat across the West through the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda. Annually, the BLM invests approximately $35 million of its congressional appropriation in sagebrush ecosystem projects, supplemented by $123 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and complemented by investments by state and local governments, Tribes, stakeholder groups, and private landowners.   

The draft environmental impact statement and plan amendments will open for public comment on March 15, 2024. The comment period will end on June 13, 2024. More information on how to comment on this draft will be posted at https://www.blm.gov/sagegrouse. A final environmental impact statement is expected this fall, followed by Records of Decision in each state.  

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

 

Bureau of Land Management employees transfer the pictured water tender to the Wheeler County Rangeland Fire Protection Association in 2022.
Bureau of Land Management employees transfer the pictured water tender to the Wheeler County Rangeland Fire Protection Association in 2022.
Bureau of Land Management offers partners wildland fire equipment (Photo) - 02/29/24

Portland, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management’s Rural Fire Readiness program is dedicated to enhancing the firefighting capabilities of wildland firefighting partners. Through the program, the BLM can provide training and equipment, including supplies and communication devices.


BLM fire managers are announcing the opening of a 30-day application period for wildland fire equipment under the RFR program in Oregon and Washington. 


The RFR program provides a streamlined process for local cooperators to request and receive excess BLM firefighting equipment to better protect communities, natural resources, and critical infrastructure.


“We value our important partnerships with rural fire protection districts and rangeland fire protection associations,” said Jeff Fedrizzi, BLM Oregon-Washington State Fire Management Officer. “This program helps us all work better together in our collective interest of public safety.”


The equipment the BLM transfers to local firefighting partners, including supplies and radios, is ready to use. Wildland fire engines are transferred with items like hoses, fittings, tools, and radios to ensure immediate use by cooperators.


The BLM is accepting applications for 2024 from rural fire protection districts and rangeland fire protection associations for available vehicles, fire engines, equipment, and supplies. Cooperators who submitted a request in 2023 and would still like to be prioritized for that request do not need to submit a new request. Please reach out to the cooperating BLM districts to discuss rolling this request into the 2024 cycle. As equipment is prioritized and available, the BLM will work to transfer excess items to qualifying cooperators. 


To participate in the BLM’s RFR program, cooperators should work with their local BLM districts prior to applying. To find district contacts and submit an application, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/rfr-apply


Cooperators must meet all the requirements to be considered for BLM RFR equipment transfers, including:
• Have an existing cooperative fire response agreement with the BLM;
• Serve a rural community or area;
• Have wildland fire protection responsibilities;
• Be in the vicinity of, or within, the wildland urban interface, or an established rangeland fire protection association;
• Be near BLM-administered lands and respond to wildland fires in support of BLM when available and as needed; and
• Provide a benefit to the BLM.

To apply, go to the BLM’s Rural Fire Readiness application page: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/rfr-apply. Online and hard copy applications are due on March 29. 


For more information contact fire management staff at the nearest BLM district office: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/rfr.


For additional information or questions, contact Larae Guillory, BLM OR/WA Fire Operations Specialist at 458-218-1598.


-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.