Record of decision for the John Day Basin resource management plan

2015·74.9 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Prineville District Office

8806970
John Day Basin Prineville
District
Record of Decision
and
Resource Management
Plan
As the Nation’s principal
conservation agency, the The mission ofthe Bureau of Land Management in Oregon and Washington is
Department ofthe Interior has to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use
responsibility for most ofour
and enjoyment of present and future generations. In Oregon and Washington,
nationally owned public lands
and natural resources. This the BLM provides innovative leadership in managing natural resources of the
includes fostering the wisest use Pacific Northwest.
of our land and water resources,
protecting ourfish and wildlife,
preserving the environmental and
cultural values of our national
parks and historical places, and
providing forthe enjoyment of life
through outdoor recreation. The
Department assesses our energy
and mineral resources and works
to assure that theirdevelopment
is in the best interest ofall our
people. The Department also
has a major responsibility for
American Indian reservation
communities and for people who
live in Island Territories under
U.S. administration.
We are committed to functioning with technical excellence, fiscal responsi-
bility, and human sensitivity in fulfilling the following objectives:
• Instilling a stewardship ethic for conservation and prudent use of
the land and its resources.
• Promoting public partnerships and global policies that sustain
health and diversity of ecosystems.
• Fostering social and economic responsibility in the use and
management of lands and resources.
Privacy
Comments, including names and street addresses ofrespondents, will be retained on file
in the Prineville District Office as part ofthe public record forthis planning effort. Individual
U.S. BureauofLandManagement respondents may requestconfidentiality Ifyou wish towithhold your name orstreet address
JohnDayBasinRMP from public inspection, or from disclosure underthe Freedom of InformationAct, you must
3050NE3rdStreet state this prominently at the beginning ofyourwritten comment. Such requests will be
5Pr4i1n4ev1i6l-le6,7O0r0egon97754 honored to the extent allowed by law All submissions from organizations or businesses, and
Email:[email protected] from individuals identifying themselves as representatives orofficials of organizations or
Website:http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville businesses, will be made available for public inspection in theirentirety.
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I
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Prineville Field Office
3050 NE Third St.
Prineville, OR 97754 -
In reply refer to: 1610
Dear Interested Party:
In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the attached Record of Decision (ROD)
and approved John Day Basin Resource Management Plan (JDBRMP). The JDBRMP addresses management of
about 456,600 acres of public land in eight counties in central Oregon.
The JDBRMP integrates all resource management activities in the plan area into a single unified land use plan that
replaces three land use plans, one Wild and Scenic River Plan, and one Coordinated Resource Management Plan.
The ROD was prepared in accordance with 40 CFR Part 1505.2, which requires a concise document linking the
final decision to the analysis presented in the Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact
Statement (PRMP/FEIS).
A30-day protest period was provided on the proposed land use planning decisions in the John Day Basin PRMP/
FEIS in accordance with 43 CFR Part 1610.5-2. The BLM received 27 protest letters. All but three were classified as
form or comment letters. After careful consideration of all points raised in those protests, the BLM Director con-
cluded that the BLM Oregon State Director and the Prineville District followed all applicable laws, regulations,
policies, and pertinent resource considerations in developing the proposed plan. Responses were sent from the
BLM Director to all protesting parties to address their concerns. The BLM's protest summary report is available on
the Prineville BLM District's planning web page at: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/plans/jolTndayrmp/
jdbsupportdocs.php.
The Governor of Oregon was provided a formal 60-day review period to determine if the proposed plan con-
formed to existing state and local plans, programs, and policies. No inconsistencies were identified.
The ROD serves as the final decision for the land use plan decisions described in the attached approved JDBRMP
and becomes effective on the date the ROD is signed. No further administrative remedies are available at this time
for these land use plan decisions. Some of these planning decisions will require preparation of a detailed, project-
specific environmental analysis prior to on-the-ground implementation. Future public involvement opportunities
will be provided as appropriate at that time.
Other decisions have been addressed to a sufficient level of detail in the John Day Basin PRMP/FEIS process to
be implemented over time without further NEPA analysis. These are considered to be new "implementation
decisions" (see the Implementation Decisions section of the ROD). These will be implemented as funding and
staff are available. A separate appeal opportunity for these selected decisions is being provided at this time. The
appeal period will close 30 days from the date the Notice ofAvailability of the John Day Basin ROD/RMP appears
in the Federal Register. This date will also be announced via local news releases, legal notices, and/or individual
mailings. Please review the ROD carefully for more detailed discussion of the appeal process.
Updates on implementation of the JDBRMP will be available on the internet at: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/
Prineville/index.php.
We appreciate your interest and help in this planning effort and look forward to your continued participation as
the plan is implemented.
Sincerely,
Carol Benkosky V
BLM
Prineville DistrictManaa/er
John Day Basin ROD & RMP
IV
Table ofContents
Table of Contents
RECORD OF DECISION
3
Summary 3
Decision 3
Land Use Plan Decisions 4
Implementation Decisions 4
Appeal Procedures for Implementation Decisions 5
What the Plan Will Provide 6
What the Plan Will Not Provide 6
Application of the Plan to Existing Projects 6
Valid Existing Rights 7
Changes to the RMP between PRMP/FEIS and ROD 7
Management Considerations - Rationale for the Decision 8
Overview of the Alternatives Considered 8
Environmentally Preferable Alternative 10
Plan Maintenance 14
Mitigation 14
Plan Monitoring and Evaluation 14
Cooperating Agencies 15
Tribal Participation 15
Public Involvement in the Planning Process 16
Consultation 17
Consistency Review 17
RMP
Implementation 17
Manager's Recommendation 18
State Director's Approval 18
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
21
Introduction 21
Management Direction 25
Soils 25
Air Quality 27
Vegetation 27
Fire and Fuels 34
Aquatics 40
Wildlife 56
Wild Florses 66
Wilderness Characteristics (areas identified for protection of) 67
Cave Resources 68
Visual Resources 71
Special Management Designations 72
Wild and Scenic Rivers 72
Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas 77
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 79
Back Country Byways 83
Native American Uses 83
Paleontological Resources 84
Cultural Resources 85
Livestock Grazing 86
Recreation Opportunities 90
Public Flealth and Safety 102
Access and Travel Management 103
Energy and Mineral Resources 110
Lands and Realty 121
Management of Newly Acquired Lands 129
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John Day Basin ROD & RMP
Agricultural Land Management 130
Hazardous Materials Management 132
Glossary 135
References 155
Appendices 161
List of Tables
Table A - Comparison ofAlternatives Analyzed 8
Table 1 - Summary of Decisions 22
Table 2 - Down Wood Densities for Managed Stands 31
Table 3 - Management Direction for Riparian Management Areas by Function Rating 55
Table 4 - General Guidelines for Seasonal Restriction and Distance Buffers 59
Table 5 - Minimum Snag Densities for Managed Stands 65
Table 6- Benefits-Based Recreation Setting Criteria 98
Table 7- Prescribed Route Density Standards 107
Table 8 - Areas Subject to Restrictions of Minerals, Rights-of-Way, Renewable Energy, Communication
Sites, and Facilities Ill
Table 9 - Lands Suitable for Acquisition 125
List of Figures
Figure 1 - Linear Feature Decision Tree for Aquatics 49
Figure 2 - Biophysical Setting Serai Structural Classes with potential to provide sage-grouse habitat 258
Figure 3 - Sagebrush canopy cover classes by Biophysical Setting Serai Structural class with potential
to provide sage-grouse habitat 260
Maps
List of
Map 1 - Plan Area with Wild and Scenic River Segments 20
Map 2 - Fire Response Zones 35
Map 3- Wildlife Habitats 61
Map 4 - Special Management Areas and Wilderness Characteristics 69
Map 5- Visual Resource Management Classes 73
Map 6- Special Recreation Management Areas, Back Country Byways, and Public Health and Safety 91
Map 7 - Recreation Management Zones 93
Map 8 - Off Highway Vehicle Designations 95
Map 9- Interim Travel Management Plan - Lower John Day (See Map Packet)
Map 10 - Interim Travel Management Plan - Sutton Mountain (See Map Packet)
Map 11 - Interim Travel Management Plan - Rudio Mountain/Johnson Heights (See Map Packet)
Map 12 - Interim Travel Management Plan - South Fork John Day (See Map Packet)
Map 13 - Interim Travel Management Plan - UpperJohn Day (See Map Packet)
Map 14 - Interim Travel Management Plan - North Fork John Day (See Map Packet)
Map 15 - Route Density Prescriptions and Travel Management Areas 105
Map 16 - Land Tenure Zones and Energy Corridors 123
VI
Table ofContents
Appendices
List of
Appendix A - Best Management Practices 163
Appendix B - Monitoring 207
Appendix C - Biophysical Setting Summary and Comparison of Current Vegetation Conditions to the
Acceptable Range of Variability 219
Appendix D - Snags and Salvage 227
Appendix E - Stream Channel Objectives and Instream Flow Reservations 229
Appendix F - Management Direction for Greater Sage-Grouse 235
Appendix G - Wild and Scenic River Suitability Report 263
Appendix H - Oregon State Scenic Waterways 277
Appendix I - Rules of Conduct for Designated and Suitable River Corridors 295
Appendix J - Interim Wilderness Management Plan - Spring Basin Wilderness Area 297
Appendix K - Grazing 319
Appendix L - Special Recreation Management Areas 327
M
Appendix - Withdrawals 343
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John Day Basin ROD & RMP
Acronyms and Abreviations
Acronyms and Abbreviations
AACEC - Area of Critical Environmental Concern
ACS - Aquatic Conservation Strategy
AML - Appropriate Management Level
AMS - Analysis of the Management Situation
AR - Appropriate Response
ARPA - Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979
ARV - Acceptable Range of Variability
ASQ - Allowable Sale Quantity
ATV - All-Terrain Vehicle
AUM
- Animal Unit Month
BLM - Bureau of Land Management
BMP - Best Management Practices
BPA- Bonneville Power Administration
BPS (BpS) - Biophysical Setting
CAA
- Clean Air Act
CAMP - Cooperative Area for the Management of Paleontology
CEQ - Council on Environmental Quality
CFR- Code of Federal Regulations
CFS - Cubic Feet per Second
COFMS - Central Oregon Fire Management Service
CTWSRO - Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
CWA
- Clean Water Act
CWPP - Community Wildfire Protection Plan
DBH
- Diameter at Breast Height
DEIS - Draft Environmental Impact Statement
DEQ - Department of Environmental Quality (Oregon)
DOI - Department of Interior
DRMP - Draft Resource Management Plan
EA - Environmental Assessment
EDRR - Early Detection and Rapid Response
EIS - Environmental Impact Statement
EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency
ERMA - Extensive Recreation Management Area
ESA - Endangered Species Act
FEIS - Final Environmental Impact Statement
FLPMA - Federal Land Policy and Management Act
FLTFA - Federal Land Transaction - Fire Management Unit
FR - Federal Register
FRCC - Fire Regime Condition Class
FS - Forest Service
GIS - Geographic Information System
HMA
- Herd Management Area
HRV - Historic Range of Variability
HUC
- Hydrologic Unit Code
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John Day Basin ROD & RMP
ICBEMP - Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project
IM - Instruction Memorandum (BLM)
INFISH - Inland Fish Strategy for managing native fish-producing watersheds in eastern Oregon and Washington,
Idaho, western Montana, and portions of Nevada
IWM - Integrated Weed Management
JDB John Day Basin (Plan Area)
-
JDBRMP - John Day Basin Resource Management Plan
JDBPRMP John Day Basin Proposed Resource Management Plan
-
JDMWSR - John Day Mainstem Wild and Scenic River
JDR-John Day River
LAC - Limits ofAcceptable Change
MBF - Thousand Board Feet
MMBF
- Million Board Feet
MMHOS
- Millimhos (a unit of electrical conductance)
MOU - Memorandum of Understanding
MRDG - Minimum Requirements Decision Guide
NF - National Forest
NHPA
- National Historic Preservation Act
NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act
NMFS - National Marine Fisheries Service
NPS - National Park Service
NRCS - Natural Resources Conservation Service
NSO - No Surface Occupancy
NTT - National Technical Team
OAR - Oregon Administrative Rules
ODEQ - Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
ODFW
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
OHV
- Off-Highway Vehicle
OLEA - Oregon Land Exchange Act of 2000
OMSI - Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
ONDA
- Oregon Natural Desert Association
OPRD - Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department
ORV - Off-Road Vehicle or Outstandingly Remarkable Value
OWRD
- Oregon Water Resources Department
PACFISH - Pacific Anadromous Fish Strategy (Interim strategies for managing anadromous fish-producing
watersheds in eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, and portions of California)
PFC - Proper Functioning Condition
PGH
- Preliminary General Habitat (sage-grouse)
PIBO - PACFISH/INFISH Biological Opinion
PNC - Potential Natural Community
PNW
- Pacific Northwest
PPH - Preliminary Priority Habitat (sage-grouse)
PRMP/FEIS - Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement
PSQ - Probable Sale Quantity
PWR
- Public Water Reserve
R&PP - Recreation and Public Purposes Act
RM
- River Mile
RMA - Riparian Management Area
x