The finalization of a resource management plan in southeast Oregon that has been in the works for more than two decades has sparked a mixed reaction from conservation groups that pushed for its adoption.
At issue is a record of decision issued this week by the Bureau of Land Management approving the plan covering 4.6 million acres of federal lands.
The revisions governing management of the area were first finalized during the George W. Bush administration but have been tied up in federal court for years, resulting in an eventual legal settlement between BLM and environmental groups that required the bureau to address how it manages off-highway vehicle use and livestock grazing, among other things, in the region.
BLM said its record of decision published in Monday’s Federal Register is aimed at balancing protections of sensitive wildlife habitat, including high desert landscapes and sagebrush rangelands that are home to greater sage grouse and many other species, including pronghorn antelope and golden eagles, with continued hiking, camping and hunting in the region.
record of decision
Federal Register