FEDERAL JUDGE ALLOWS PRIVATIZATION OF ALL RECREATION ON ALL NATIONAL FORESTS

ouch, not liking this

FEDERAL JUDGE ALLOWS PRIVATIZATION OF ALL RECREATION ON ALL NATIONAL FORESTS

Ruling says concessionaires are exempt from the requirements and restrictions in federal recreation fee law.

In a ruling handed down March 28, 2014, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the DC District Court wrote that Forest Service concessionaires are not subject to the restrictions on recreation fees that apply at agency-managed recreation sites.

The ruling essentially means that private companies operating under permit on National Forest land can require everyone to pay a fee for doing anything, anywhere within their permit area.

The ruling concludes a lawsuit filed by several individuals and a watchdog organization, challenging the Forest Service policy of allowing concessionaires to charge fees that the agency is not allowed to charge under the limitations in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

source of this post is http://forestpolicypub.com/2014/03/30/federal-judge-allows-privatization-of-all-recreation-on-all-national-forests/

Interagency Workgroup Seeks Public Input in Energy Corridor Review

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – An interagency workgroup consisting of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking the public’s assistance with an ongoing review of Federal energy corridors (Section 368 Corridors) in 11 western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

A Request for Information (RFI) was published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2014 soliciting information for consideration in developing the Section 368 Corridor Study and provides the foundation for an initial Regional Periodic Review of the Section 368 Corridors. The RFI is an important step for the BLM, USFS and DOE’s efforts to determine if Section 368 Corridors should be modified to better serve public interests. The public comment period will be open for 60 days.

The corridors were designated in 2009, as required by Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. To resolve a lawsuit filed by several non-profit groups that challenged the corridor designation decisions, the agencies and the plaintiffs entered into a settlement agreement. This RFI seeks to gather information relevant to specific provisions set forth in the settlement. The RFI can be found at http://corridoreis.anl.gov.

The information sought by the RFI covers two major areas: (1) a Section 368 Corridor Study, and (2) Regional Periodic Review of Section 368 Corridors.

Section 368 Corridors Study

1. Advances/Updates in GIS Data. Because the original corridors were designed with data available prior to 2009, the Agencies are interested in obtaining new GIS information that may affect the location of Section 368 Corridors.

2. Types of Projects Considered. The Agencies are focused on 100kV and larger transmission projects, and oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines 10 inches or more in diameter that have been authorized on Federal lands. The Agencies are interested in knowing if the public thinks that there are other types of projects that they should consider in assessing use of Section 368 Corridors.

3. Method for Assessing Inter-Agency Operating Procedures (IOPs). The Agencies will assess the effectiveness of the IOPs in expediting the siting, permitting, and review process and are interested in receiving suggestions of methods for assessing the effectiveness of IOPs.

Regional Periodic Review of Section 368 Corridors

1. Additional Public Information. The Agencies have listed several studies and reports they are considering and are interested in learning if there is other publicly available information that the Agencies should consider as part of the initial Regional Periodic Review of Section 368 Corridors, including review of the IOPs.

2. New Laws and Regulations That Affect Section 368 Corridors. The Agencies are interested in learning if there are any laws, regulations, or other requirements that have been implemented after January 2009 that the Agencies should consider when reviewing Section 368 Corridors.

3. Stakeholder Fora. The Agencies are interested in learning if there are any additional fora that could be considered for stakeholder engagement during Regional Periodic Reviews.

4. IOP Modifications. The Agencies are interested in learning if there any additions, deletions, or revisions the Agencies should consider making to IOPs.

5. Comments on New IOPs. The Agencies have committed to consideration of new IOPs submitted by the plaintiffs who are parties to the settlement. The new IOPs are available at http://corridoreis.anl.gov . The Agencies are soliciting comment on these new IOPs.

Through this outreach, the agencies hope to engage government agencies, tribes, industry, and the general public in designating the location and use of Section 368 Corridors.


Read more: KCSG Television - Interagency Workgroup Seeks Public Input in Energy Corridor Review 

Clackamas County hamlet and village leaders say excluding members from elections conflicts with free speech

ODF Needs Revenue Diversification

Source:  

http://orsierraclub.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/odf-needs-revenue-diversification/

ODF Needs Revenue Diversification

The Oregon Department of Forestry is almost totally reliant on timber dollars to manage our state forests. This model of funding is failing to provide sufficient revenue for ODF. Moreover, it forces the Department to log at unsustainable levels that do not allow for adequate conservation, leaving the state susceptible to messy and expensive ESA lawsuits.

Timber harvest is a critical revenue source for the Department and provides important family-wage jobs to Oregonians. However, it should only be a part of the equation to provide solvency for ODF. The Tillamook and Clatsop forests provide a range of values to all Oregonians–clean drinking water, diverse recreation, fishing and hunting opportunities, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat. If the Department’s revenue continues to come wholly from timber dollars, these other values will eventually be lost.

Tell Governor Kitzhaber to lead the effort to diversify ODF funding!

Mt. Hood Bicycle/Pedestrian Coalition/Special Notice

from George Wilson

MT. HOOD BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN COALITION

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

BLM MARKET OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS – MT. HOOD’S WILDWOOD PARK RECREATION SITE

•

Recently, I was contacted by Margaret Baily-Senior Vice President/CHM Government Services. Her comments are as follows:

CHM Government Services www.chmgov.com has been engaged to assist the Oregon State BLM office with undertaking analysis which will inform their leadership in regards to the operation of selected day use and overnight facilities within the Salem and Coos Bay Districts in Oregon. One of the identified sites is the Mt. Hood Wildwood Recreation Site http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/site_info.php?siteid=221.

Currently, this site is available for individual and group day use only. As part of the CHM government survey analysis, the opportunity of expanding overnight accommodations on portions of Mt. Hood’s Wildwood Park Recreation Site is being evaluated. CHM is interested in gaining ideas and perspectives from stakeholders in the Mt. Hood/Clackamas County area regarding your thoughts on overnight accommodations at this location. Please share your comments, thoughts and ideas no later than Monday; March 31, 2014.

Please submit comments to:

George Wilson Director/Villages at Mt. Hood BOD Organizer - Mt. Hood Bicycle-Pedestrian Coalition georgewilson@wavecable.com

Margaret Bailey Senior Vice President mbailey@chmgov.com www.chmgov.com www.chmhotel.com

Personally, I feel this to be an excellent opportunity to improve cycling tourism for our local communities by providing lower cost accommodation for visiting cyclists with limited budgets who may otherwise not be able to afford more expensive lodging facilities in our area. These facilities would be close to the Sandy Ridge Bike Park, andVILLAGES OF MT HOOD TOURISM MARKETING ALLIANCE AWARDS $3000.00

GRANT TO MT. HOOD BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN COALITION

•

•

would also service the touring road cyclists carrying camping gear. I look forward to receiving your comments prior to Monday; March 31, 2014!

Funds from this grant will be used to create a website/database for the Mt. Hood Bicycle/ Pedestrian Coalition, and for advertising, promotion and support for the May 23 – 25, 2014 Mt. Hood Wine, Dine & Ride weekend.

A special thank you to the Mt. Hood Tourism Marketing Alliance on behalf of the Mt. Hood Bicycle/Pedestrian Coalition for your support!

The April 2014 meeting date, time and place TBA after the first of the month. We are still coordinating schedules due to the following:

o Oregon Active Transportation Summit – April 21 & 22 o Inaugural Statewide Rural Tourism & Bike Tourism Studio Gathering – April 25 o Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism – April 27 - 29

George Wilson Director – Villages at Mt. Hood BOD Organizer – Mt. Hood Bicycle/Pedestrian Coalition

Conservation Easement Enables Landowners to Restore Wetland, Help Protect Fish

Conservation Easement Enables Landowners to Restore Wetland, Help Protect Fish

Posted by Spencer Miller, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on March 24, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Oregon landowner Dave Budeau said he dreamed of protecting wetlands. An NRCS-led conservation partnership helped Budeau restore and enhance these wetlands, providing habitat for native fish and birds. NRCS photo.

Through conservation easements, people like Dave Budeau are able to protect and restore important landscapes, like wetlands, grasslands and farmlands.

Budeau wanted to restore and protect a wetland. When the wildlife biologist searched for a new home in 2003, his passion for wildlife and nature led him to purchase what may have seemed to some as an unfriendly plot of land for wildlife. But a conservation program helped him change that.

The recently passed 2014 Farm Bill continues to provide financial and technical assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners wanting to put their land into easements. But rather than separate programs, the major easement programs offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service have been bundled into one – the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, or ACEP. One additional easement program, the Healthy Forests Reserve Program, remains separate.

ACEP streamlines the conservation easement options into two primary components: a working lands component where NRCS provides assistance to partners with farmland protection programs to purchase agricultural land easements, and a wetlands reserve component where NRCS works directly with the landowner, like Budeau, to restore and protect their agricultural wetlands.

The pasture in Marion County, Ore., that caught Budeau’s eye was dominated by one species of plant, bentgrass. Bentgrass can be invasive in the state’s wetlands, but Budeau knew the land could be transformed from a one-species landscape, or monoculture, to a wetland haven that gives sanctuary to a variety of wildlife, including a threatened Oregon fish.

“I saw signs of tufted hairgrass and other wetland indicators growing, and I knew this was the place,” Budeau said.

Tufted hairgrass thrives in moist soil and provides cover to small mammals, song birds and waterfowl.

After learning about conservation easement programs from his local NRCS district conservationist, Budeau decided to enroll 30 acres into the former Wetlands Reserve Program, one of the three programs now combined under ACEP. The other two are the Grassland Reserve Program and Farm and Ranchland Protection Program.

Conservation easements enable landowners to voluntarily restore and protect wetland ecosystems. Landowners may select either a permanent or 30-year easement while retaining ownership of the land. In the past 20 years, more than 2.6 million acres of wetlands have been restored through conservation easements.

Through the easement program, Budeau began restoring the wetlands in 2008, converting an existing pond and other low-lying areas into wetlands.

“Wetlands are home to so many species,” said Les Bachelor, NRCS district conservationist in Salem, Ore. “We need to make sure that wildlife has a place to live.”

The restoration work created the ideal habitat for the Oregon chub, which was listed as endangered at the time. Budeau wanted his land to serve as a sanctuary for them. Loss of key wetland habitat had pushed the chub to the brink of extinction.

Scientists with NRCS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitored the depth and temperature of Budeau’s ponds for two years to ensure they provided suitable habitat before introducing 623 chub in 2010. By May 2012, more than 10,000 chub lived in the ponds.

Wetlands like the ones on Budeau’s property are integral to the increasing chub population. Since 2010, the Oregon chub has joined more than a dozen other species that were downlisted from endangered to threatened.

Chub isn’t the only success linked directly to Budeau’s property. Plant and wildlife diversity is steadily increasing. “Every year it seems like a new bird shows up,” Budeau said. “I’ve also seen red-legged frogs, long-toed salamanders and amazing invertebrate diversity.”

Budeau is excited with how the conservation easement with NRCS has led to so much success.

“This is the (conservation) easement we all dreamed of,” Budeau said. “It turned out as good as I could have ever expected.”

To get started with NRCS, visit your local USDA Service Center or www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted.

The new Farm Bill bundles major easement programs into one – the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. NRCS photo.

    

- See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/03/24/conservation-easement-enables-landowners-to-restore-wetland-help-protect-fish/#sthash.Xj4qHBHs.dpuf

use of public lands

Several articles have popped up on this topic and I putting up the link to them

In light of run-ins with angry couple, BLM will increase patrols, presence at Sandy Ridge

Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

"The Bureau of Land Management says they will step up patrols of the Sandy Ridge Trail Systemafter reports of confrontations gained traction among local riding groups and in the media last week."   source with many comments - http://bikeportland.org/2014/03/17/in-light-of-assaults-blm-will-increase-patrols-presence-at-sandy-ridge-103054

Walden: Northwest timber is under threat

By Louie Opatz
“Forests are not static,” U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, said to a group of three dozen at the Best Western in Seaside Saturday. “So if you fail to act, that’s an action in and of itself. The forest doesn’t stop.”
source: http://www.dailyastorian.com/news/walden-northwest-timber-is-under-threat/article_d1f45096-a955-11e3-9406-0019bb2963f4.html

Walden bill targets 'travel management rule'

By KTVZ.COM news sources
Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) today announced Monday he has introduced the Forest Access in Rural Communities Act (H.R. 4272) to stop the problematic travel management rule on national forests in the West and promote local control over future proposals to restrict forest access.
source: http://m.ktvz.com/news/walden-bill-targets-travel-management-rule/25019026

Celebration for the Environment

David,  We are so pleased to announce our speakers and special guests for the 17th annual Celebration for the Environment: US Senator Jeff Merkley Governor John Kitzhaber Representative Jules Bailey Representative Alissa Keny-Guyer Together, we will celebrate our community, our volunteers, our friends and our environment.Space is limited. We are more than three-quarters of the way sold-out. Make sure you get your tickets today! It wouldn't be the same without you! Don't miss it. It's going to be a blast. WHEN: Saturday, April 19, 2014 TIME: 5:30pm WHERE: 921 SW 6th Ave. Portland, OR 97204 COST: $150 per person or $1,500 per table of ten Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Heather Langhorst-Kahl atheather@olcv.org or 503-224-4011. Illustration (c) Nikki McClure, from "Mama, is it Summer yet?" published by Abrams Books for Young Readers. Oregon is known for its beautiful places, and our passion for preserving them.  In Oregon we understand the economic and moral imperative we face to tackle climate change, because the consequences of inaction are so dire.  In Washington the special interests try to drown out the voices of those committed to protecting and preserving our environment, spending millions  on lobbying and television attack ads.  That is why OLCV and the people who support it are so important.  They help us fight back against these attacks and win the struggles that we know are so important to preserving our environment. -US Senator Jeff Merkley

Oregon League of Conservation Voters
133 SW 2nd Avenue Suite 200
Portland OR 97206 United States

USDA calls for nominations to the Forest Service Planning Rule Advisory Committee

NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release Contact: (202) 205-1005 Twitter: @forestservice USDA calls for nominations to the Forest Service Planning Rule Advisory Committee WASHINGTON, March 13, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a call for nominations to serve on the Planning Rule Federal Advisory Committee that guides better management of our national forests. This first-of-its-kind independent advisory committee, formed in January 2012, advises the Secretary of Agriculture through the Chief of the Forest Service by providing advice and recommendations on the new rule and its directives. The proposed planning directives guide implementation of the planning rule which was published in the Federal Register in April 2012, and became effective a month later.  “Input from the public is critical to successful land management planning,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “Having a diverse panel and the unique perspectives they bring will continue to be a tremendous asset as we move forward with the national planning rule.” The committee presented its first set of recommendations for the implementation of the U.S. Forest Service’s 2012 Planning Rule to U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Robert Bonnie and Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell in November 2013, recommending strengthened collaboration, improved planning efficiencies and more effective and informed decision making. The committee also made recommendations that strengthen ecological, social, economic and cultural sustainability objectives of the rule. This includes recommendations intended to deepen the level of stakeholder collaboration in forest planning, as well as recommendations regarding outreach, adaptive management, monitoring, wilderness, climate change, intergovernmental relations, species protection and water resources.   The committee is comprised of 21 members with diverse backgrounds, who represent the full range of public interests in management of the National Forest System lands and who represent geographically diverse locations and communities. The current committee’s membership expires in June, 2014 and this current call for nominations seeks applicants for membership on the committee for the next two years through June, 2016.  Up to seven members will be selected from each of the following three groupings:   Timber industry Grazing or other land use permit holders or other private forest landowners Energy and mineral development Commercial or recreational hunting and fishing interests Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users or commercial recreation interests National, regional or local environmental organizations Conservation organizations or watershed associations Dispersed recreation interests Archaeological or historical interests Scientific community The public at-large State-elected official (or designee) County or local elected official American Indian Tribes representation Youth representation The 45-day nomination period closes April 28, 2014. Details on the current Committee and further information such as the application form (http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5203568.pdf) and the Federal Register notice are available at the U.S Forest Service website (http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule), or by calling Chalonda Jasper at 202-260-9400.  The mission of the U.S. Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Recreational activities on our lands contribute $14.5 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.

Organic Agriculture: 'The Way Forward' in the Age of Climate Change

New report contrasts how industrial and organic systems affect and are affected by climate change

- Andrea Germanos, staff writer

Photo: Don Shall/cc/flickrCling to a food system that contributes to climate change and jeopardizes food security, or adopt a regenerative system that strengthens food security and helps mitigate the climate crisis—"The choice is ours to make," a new report states.

From the Center for Food Safety's Cool Foods Campaign, Food & Climate: Connecting the Dots, Choosing the Way Forward contrasts the dominant, fossil-fuel dependent industrial agriculture system with organic and agroecological systems, and shows how the environmentally-friendly approach is also the best hope for future global food security as it not only reins in runaway carbon emissions but offers climate resilience as well.

The concept of resilience is key, report author and Cool Foods Campaign director Diana Donlon explained in an interview with Common Dreams.

for the rest of the post https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/02/27-6

Portland Mountain Rescue hosts The Mountain Film March 12

Oregon State Parks - 2014 Guide

02/24/2014

“The Parks Guide is a great resource for our visitors,” said Chris Havel, spokesperson for the Department. “It’s one of our most popular publications because it gives them essential information about the location of each park, its unique assets or activities, and the facilities and campsites available there.”

The guide has been thoroughly updated for 2014, with revised or expanded listings for each property, up-to-date rules and regulations, and the addition of several parks and scenic bikeways. Special icons denote parks with pet-friendly yurts or cabins, day-use parking fees, scenic views, and other features as well as facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities.

Notable enhancements to this edition include an enlarged statewide map, an index that can be used to look up individual parks, and a new “snapshot” design with photos that convey the diversity of each region. Feature stories explore new trails in development, the 20th anniversary of yurts in Oregon State Parks, and the new nature play area at Silver Falls State Park. There are also recommendations for tidepooling and wildlife viewing spots and profiles of Golden State Heritage Site, the historic Wolf Creek Inn, and the newest state park, Cottonwood Canyon, in north-central Oregon.

The 2014 Guide is available in print from OPRD’s offices in Salem and Portland as well as online: the electronic version has virtual pages that can be turned as well as clickable links to park webpages.

Detailed information about any park is always available by calling the toll-free State Parks info line at 1-800-551-6949. Camping reservations can be made through Reservations Northwest (1-800-452-5687) or by visiting the website.

Link to the digital copy http://oregonstateparks.org/parksguide/

Clackamas River Trail upriver of Estacada closed until further notice due to washouts

By Terry Richard | trichard@oregonian.com 
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on March 03, 2014 at 2:28 PM, updated March 03, 2014 at 2:29 PM

0Due to winter storm damage, the Clackamas River Trail is closed until further notice, according to Chris Bentley of the Mount Hood National Forest.

Trail No. 715 is washed out in two locations about 100 feet apart: 1.8 miles up from Fish Creek campground and six miles down from Indian Henry campground. Large debris slides washed out the trail, leaving drop offs 200 feet or more. No detours are possible at either of these locations due to steep terrain.

link http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2014/03/clackamas_river_trail_upriver.html#incart_river