PRINEVILLE, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management is temporarily setting aside roughly 4,037 acres of public lands associated with the proposed Expedition Solar Project near Redmond in Deschutes County. This means that the lands will be withdrawn from the public land laws for two years, including location under the Mining Law, subject to valid existing rights, while the BLM reviews the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project.

As of September 2024, the Biden-Harris administration approved 41 renewable energy projects on public lands (10 solar, 13 geothermal, and 18 gen-ties) and exceeded the goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025. In total, the BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of approximately 29 gigawatts of power – enough to power more than 12 million homes.  

The withdrawal notice will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register.

For more information, please contact Faith Simitz, BLM Prineville District Realty Specialist, at (541) 416-6783 or fsimitz@blm.gov. 

-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.  

LAKEVIEW, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management released a Final Environmental Impact Statement and proposed resource management plan amendment for the Lakeview planning area, covering 3.2 million acres of public lands in Lake and Harney counties. The amendment, which would update the existing 2003 plan, will preserve natural landscapes, manage off-highway vehicle use to protect important landscapes while providing continued public access, livestock grazing management, and protect 415,000 acres of lands with wilderness characteristics.

“These expansive, natural landscapes are special places that provide outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive, unconfined recreation,” said Lakeview District Manager Todd Forbes. “This plan update will help shape BLM’s management of these lands and resources for the next two decades.”

Tribal governments, wildlife agencies, the Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council, and members of the public provided valuable input and feedback during the planning process. The BLM considered approximately 1,300 comments while developing the plan amendment. The BLM’s updated analysis also responds to requirements of a 2010 settlement agreement on the Bureau’s management of lands with wilderness characteristics, as well as off-highway vehicle and grazing management.

To preserve unique and special landscapes, cross-country off-highway vehicle use will be limited to about 70,000 acres within the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes and other areas scattered across the planning area where cross country use is already occurring. Vehicular use will be allowed on existing or designated routes across nearly 3 million acres in the planning area.

The amendment also provides additional guidance on the implementation of Standards for Rangeland Health and processing of voluntarily surrendered livestock grazing permits.

The proposed resource management plan and associated final environmental impact statement is available at the BLM National NEPA Register. A Notice of Availability will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register, opening a 30-day protest period for the proposed Plan Amendment and associated FEIS. The protest period ends Dec. 9, 2024.

Those who participated in the planning process and have an interest that may be adversely affected by the proposed amendment may file a plan protest electronically via the BLM National NEPA Register (preferred) or deliver it to: BLM Director, Attention: Protest Coordinator (HQ210), Denver Federal Center, Building 40 (Door W-4), Lakewood, CO 80215. Please visit the BLM Filing a Plan Protest page for instructions.
 

Salem, Ore. -- Bureau of Land Management recreation managers are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to fill host positions at six unique locations for the 2025 summer recreation season. 

Volunteer hosts play a critical role at BLM recreation sites. They are the primary, daily connection between public land users and BLM staff. 

“Our volunteer hosts really help us create a positive, enjoyable recreational experience for our visitors,” said Dennis Teitzel, Northwest Oregon District Manager. 

The BLM seeks to fill volunteer positions at

• Alder Glen Recreation Site
• Clay Creek Recreation Site 
• Sharps Creek Recreation Site
• Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
• Whittaker Creek Recreation Site
• Wildwood Recreation Site

Hosts also assist BLM staff to open and close sites each day, manage campground and shelter reservations, answer visitor questions, encourage visitor rule adherence, and generally maintain the sites. 

A paved RV pad is provided at each site for host volunteers. Sites have varying degrees of amenities from full electric, water, and sewer hook-ups to completely primitive sites with only public potable water access. The selected volunteer(s) must provide their own trailer, motorhome, RV, or tent set-up. Each host will receive a modest daily stipend to off-set some living costs and incidental expenses.

Hosts are expected to live on site during the region’s busiest recreation season, typically from April through September.

(The start date for the selected host at Sharps Creek will likely be earlier in the year.)

For more information and to apply for these volunteer opportunities, please visit Volunteer.gov. If you have further questions, contact Kendra Barat at kbarat@blm.gov or (720) 591-6847. For information about each site, browse blm.gov or Recreation.gov

-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.

NORTH BEND, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking citizens with an interest in public lands management to fill vacant positions on its Western Oregon Resource Advisory Council. Applications are due November 15, 2024.

The Western Oregon RAC provides advice and recommendations on all aspects of public land management to the BLM’s Coos Bay, Medford, Roseburg, and Northwest Oregon Districts, as well as part of the Lakeview District. The Council is made up of citizens that represent diverse interest areas and organizations, including conservation, outdoor recreation, state and local government, academia, and forest management.

The 15-member Western Oregon RAC has four positions open for public application through November 15, 2024. The BLM is seeking interested individuals who represent:

• Energy and mineral development; commercial timber industry; organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups; developed outdoor recreation; off-highway vehicle use; commercial recreation activities; or non-industrial private forest landowners.
• National, regional, or local environmental organizations; dispersed recreation; archeological and historical interests; wildlife or hunting organizations; or watershed associations.
• State, county, or local elected office; represents Indian Tribes; is a teacher or school official; represents the public-at-large; or is employed by a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources, land, or water.

“The diverse membership of the Western Oregon RAC helps ensure that BLM land managers get the varying perspectives they need to achieve their mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses,” said Heather Whitman, the Designated Federal Official for the Western Oregon RAC.

Member of the Western Oregon RAC typically serve a three-year term. The Council meets two to four times per year, both virtually and in-person at various locations in western Oregon. All applicants must be Oregon residents. Although members serve without monetary compensation, travel and per diem expenses are reimbursed.

To receive an application, contact Western Oregon RAC Coordinator Megan Harper at (541) 751-4353 or by email at m1harper@blm.gov. Individuals can also download an application at.blm.gov/get-involved/resource-advisory-council/apply.

Individuals may submit their signed application and letter of recommendation by email to m1harper@blm.gov, by mail to the BLM, Coos Bay District Office, Attention: Megan Harper, 1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459, or deliver in person to the same address. 
 

-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.

Landslide block Windy Peak Road. BLM photo.

Eugene, Ore. — Windy Peak Road in Lane County is closed due to a landslide. The landslide is encroaching on the road, which is also known as BLM Road 17-8-3.1. The slide has deposited sediment on the road, eroded the road’s surface, and scoured a channel to Greenleaf Creek.  

Bureau of Land Management officials have placed warning signs blocking vehicle traffic where pavement ends at the Deadwood Creek entrance, and hazard flagging is posted around the slide.  

BLM engineers are still exploring options for road repair and slope stabilization. The BLM will close the road for the next two years to protect public safety and protect the fragile slope. While Windy Peak Road is unpassable, alternate routes are accessible.  

BLM officials first identified the slide while assessing the area following the January 2024 ice storm. While the exact cause for the slide is unknown, it is likely that a shallow, fast-moving debris flow was triggered by ice-tipped trees. Ongoing erosion is occurring in the upper reaches of the slide near the damaged road. 
 
Landslides are common throughout the Coast Range due to the underlying geology. In this location, shallow soils overlay hard, fractured sandstone. The difference in permeability makes the surface susceptible to slides. Similar geologic processes occurred in the past, such as the landslides that created Triangle Lake, and in the surrounding area, such as the ongoing slow-moving landslide at Lamb creek.  

Once the weather dries out, the soil is expected to stabilize for the season, but movement may be triggered over the coming years during prolonged wet conditions.  

The official closure order is posted on the BLM ePlanning website: eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2034013/510

-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.
 

Buckhorn_Fence_damage.jpg

Redmond, Ore. — The Prineville District is asking the public for information about a fence that was vandalized on public lands west of Redmond, Oregon. The fence served to mark the boundary between public and private land along Kingwood Avenue. In September, vandals systematically cut all four strands of the fence for almost a mile.  

The fence not only helped define the edge of the Buckhorn Off Highway Vehicle Trail System and a grazing allotment, but also helped limit access to public lands for illegal dumping. Although the fence was in an area with mule deer, the fence was built to wildlife standards. Its top and bottom strands used smooth wire, and it was built at a height that deer could go over or under the fence. 

“It’s incredibly frustrating,” said Field Manager, Lisa Clark, “this fence was installed through a grant funded by State ATV dollars, and the benefit was not only to the trail system but also to the neighbors.” 

Anyone having information about the vandalism is asked to call the Prineville BLM District Office at (541) 416-6700. The office will restring the wire when time and funds allow and with the support of local OHV groups. 

-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.

Hoary Potter, the hoary bat, photographed by Emma Busk, BLM.

When:      October 31

Where:     Virtual via Zoom, or

In person at the BLM Ashland Field Office, Oregon 

Who:         Emma Busk, Wildlife Technician

Contact:   Jeanne Panfely, jpanfely@blm.gov

[UPDATE] Hoary Potter, the hoary bat from Oregon, has won his final duel!

On Halloween—the last day of International Bat Week—he defeated Lestat, the western small-footed bat from Idaho, in the final round of the 2024 Bat Beauty Contest.

This victory marks the third year in a row a bat from Oregon has taken first place in the Bureau of Land Management contest.

Emma Busk, BLM wildlife technician, says she hopes the event has inspired more love for these winged creatures of the night.

“I took the photo of Hoary Potter, but all bats are the real winners,” she told the Washington Post.

Ashland, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management’s annual Bat Beauty Contest returns! Your local Oregon bats are here to defend their crown and try to take home the top prize for the third year in a row.

Each October, the BLM hosts a beauty contest to find the most stunning bat photographed on BLM public lands across the county. The event begins on October 24 and ends on Halloween. It also coincides with International Bat Week, which raises awareness about bat conservation and the essential role bats play in the natural world.

This year, there are two Oregon bats participating in the contest! Hoary Potter, a male hoary bat with a feisty personality, will compete in the first round of the contest October 24. Honey Bunches of Myotis, a long-eared myotis bat, will compete in the second round of the contest October 25.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, located primarily in 11 western states and Alaska. Those other states are working hard to end the batty three-peat. You can help Oregon bring home the crown by voting on the BLM National Facebook page or the BLM National Instagram page.

Last year, William ShakespEAR, a female Townsend’s big-eared bat from Butte Falls, took home the crown on the afternoon of October 31. During the final round, she beat out Gizmo, an Allen's Big-Eared Bat. William was photographed by Emma Busk, BLM wildlife technician.

The year before, the BLM crowned Barbara, a canyon bat from Lake County, the 2022 Bat Beauty Contest Winner. Barbara was photographed by Kate Yates, BLM wildlife biologist.

Both of this year’s bats were photographed by Busk.

“It’s important that we fact check what we think we know about bats,” said Busk. “There are a lot of myths around bats, but they’re amazing wildlife and they contribute so much to our ecosystem.”

Bats play an essential role in Oregon. All bats in the Pacific Northwest are insectivorous, meaning they rid our world of pests like mosquitos, beetles, and moths. Just one bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour!

Want to do your part? As we head into winter, avoid exploring mines and caves where bats may be hibernating. 

“In your own backyard, you can have a bat house!” said Emma. “It’s a shelter that helps protect bats during the winter. You can also make your garden more bat friendly by planting native flowers to attract insects and turning off any unnecessary lights. Light pollution is not great for bats."

Want to get involved? Follow the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington on Facebook (@BLMOregonAndWashington) or Instagram (@BLMOregonWashington). We’ll be sharing how you can vote for Hoary Potter and Honey Bunches of Myotis and support your native Oregon species!

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in the 11 Western states and Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In fiscal year 2018, the diverse activities authorized on BLM-managed lands generated $105 billion in economic output across the country. This economic activity supported 471,000 jobs and contributed substantial revenue to the U.S. Treasury and state governments, mostly through royalties on minerals.

PRINEVILLE, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest Service are proposing an emergency wild horse gather in the Murderer’s Creek Joint Management Area following extensive damage caused by the Rail Ridge Fire. The BLM is seeking public comment on the proposed gather, which will address critical forage shortages for the wild horse population and protect recovering habitat in this shared management area.

The Rail Ridge Fire, which began on Sept. 2, burned more than 58,000 acres in the JMA and reduced essential forage areas relied upon by wild horses and other wildlife. With limited forage remaining, particularly in lower elevations critical for winter grazing, the agencies propose to temporarily gather and hold about 400 wild horses to aid recovery efforts.

Need for the Emergency Gather

The Malheur National Forest and BLM officials have determined that, without intervention, both the horses and fragile habitats will face significant risk over the winter. An aerial survey estimated the current population of horses at around 650. The Gather operations would use bait and water trapping methods. Agencies will monitor range and horse conditions during the winter and determine if additional horses need to be gathered. Gathered horses will be held in BLM and Forest Service facilities until the range recovers sufficiently. Additionally, the agencies will continue the administrative process for setting an Appropriate Management Level and approving a Herd Management Area Plan and population management actions for the JMA.  No decision is being made at this time regarding the long-term disposition of horses gathered as part of this emergency gather.

Public Comment Period

The BLM is accepting public comments on this proposed emergency gather. The input gathered will inform BLM’s decision on whether to proceed with the gather. Given the urgent nature of the proposal, the BLM is offering a one-week public comment period, closing on November 4, 2024.

How to Submit Comments

The BLM encourages focused comments on the emergency gather.

Comment Submission Options

• Email: BLM_OR_PR_Wild_Horse@blm.gov (Subject: “Emergency Gather”)
• Mail/Hand Delivery: BLM Prineville District Office, 3050 NE Third Street, Prineville, OR  97754
• Online: Submit directly via https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2034934/510

The Determination of NEPA Adequacy and Finding of No Significant Impact documents are available online at BLM ePlanning.

Hines, Ore. – Did you know the Bureau of Land Management has Resource Advisory Councils – made up of people just like you – that give citizen-based advice and recommendations on the management of public lands? These groups provide an opportunity for individuals from all backgrounds and interests to have a stronger impact on decisions made for public lands. 

The 13-member Steens Mountain Advisory Council has seven positions open for public application through November 15, 2024: 

• a private landowner in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area,
• a person interested in fish and recreational fishing in the CMPA,
• two persons who are recognized environmental representatives, one to represent the State as a whole, and one who is from the local area,
• a member of the Burns Paiute Tribe,
• a person who is a recreational permit holder or a representative of a commercial recreation operation in the CMPA, and
• a person who participates in what is commonly called mechanized or consumptive recreation, such as hunting or off-road driving. 

If you are interested in public land management on Steens Mountain, this is a great opportunity to share your expertise and work with a collaborative group. 

“Resource Advisory Councils provide the BLM with vital feedback on current issues, concerns and proposals, and enable us to engage local communities and stakeholders to improve our management of public lands,” said Tara Thissell, BLM Public Affairs Officer. 

To nominate yourself or someone you know, submit a membership application and supporting letters of recommendation to the BLM Burns District Office, 28910 Hwy 20 West, Hines, Oregon. 

Nomination forms can be picked up at this same location, by mail or phone request at (541) 573-4400, or online at: https://bit.ly/42kLM1z. The nomination form is generalized for all BLM Resource Advisory Councils and may not have titles specific to the SMAC. Please ensure the position you are applying for is identified on the nomination form (you can write-in as needed) and in letters of reference. 

For the current open positions, the BLM, Harney County Court, Governor of Oregon, and Burns Paiute Tribe will review the applications and submit recommended nominees to the Secretary of the Interior, who has the responsibility for making the appointments. Nominees are evaluated on their training, education, experience with, and knowledge of the Steens Mountain area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. 

Appointed members must reside in the State of Oregon. The SMAC generally holds quarterly meetings virtually, and/or in Hines, Bend and Frenchglen. Although members serve without monetary compensation, travel and per diem expenses are reimbursed at current rates for government employees. SMAC members are normally appointed to three-year terms. 

For more information on the SMAC, call Tara Thissell at (541) 573-4519. 

– 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.