United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Coos Bay District Office
1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459
Web Address: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/coosbay
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: (541) 756-0100 Toll Free: (888) 809-0839 Fax: (541) 751-4303
IN REPLY REFER TO
1792/5400
DOI-BLM-OR-C040-2014-0005-EA
New River Mineral Withdrawal Environmental Assessment
July 17, 2014
Dear Concerned Citizen:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Coos Bay District Office has prepared a scoping document for the New
River Mineral Withdrawal Environmental Assessment. The scoping document and associated maps are now posted on
the Coos Bay District website at the following address: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/coosbay/plans/index.php.
The BLM proposes to complete a land withdrawal application action of approximately 1,140 acres of Federal land
within in the New River Area of Environmental Concern (ACEC). This land withdrawal would close Federal land
from location and entry under the 1872 United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing or
geothermal leasing laws. The ACEC is now closed to mineral entry under a two-year segregation due to expire in
2015. The proposed action would further withdraw those lands for a period of 20 years.
You are invited to submit written comments on any issues or concerns that you may have regarding this proposal by
August 17, 2014. Comments which are helpful to the analysis process are those which identify new scientific or
technical information, determine the scope of issues to be addressed, and express site-specific concerns related to the
proposed action. Opinions agreeing or disagreeing with established laws and policies are not helpful in refining the
proposed action.
Please direct questions to Racheal Jones at (541) 751-0100. You may send your comments to the Bureau of Land
Management, Myrtlewood Field Office, 1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459, Attn: Racheal Jones. Comments
may be submitted electronically to [email protected], Attn: Racheal Jones.
Sincerely,
/s/ Todd M. Curtis
Todd M. Curtis
Myrtlewood Field Manager
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Coos Bay District Office
1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459
Web Address: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/coosbay
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: (541) 756-0100 Toll Free: (888) 809-0839 Fax: (541) 751-4303
IN REPLY REFER TO
1792/5400 (ORC040)
DOI-BLM-OR-C040-2014-0005-EA
New River Mineral Withdrawal Environmental Assessment
Scoping Document
New River Mineral Withdrawal Environmental Assessment
Dear Citizen:
The following information and the enclosed map briefly describe a proposed action to complete a land
withdrawal application to withdraw Federal land within in the New River Area of Environmental Concern
(ACEC).
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Coos Bay District Office is preparing the New River Mineral
Withdrawal Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-OR-C040-2014-0005-EA) to analyze the impacts of
implementing a land withdrawal for the New River ACEC. This land withdrawal would close Federal land
from location and entry under the 1872 United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral
leasing or geothermal leasing laws.
Project Summary
The BLM proposes to complete a land withdrawal application action of approximately 1,140 acres of Federal
land within in the New River ACEC. All of the land identified below would be withdrawn from settlement,
sale, location, entry, or patent under the United States mining laws for a period of 20 years (30 U.S.C. Ch. 2).
Location
The project would be located within the New River ACEC, in portions of the following Township, Range
and Sections of the Willamette Meridian:
Table 1. Location of Federal land within the New River ACEC
Township & Range
Sections
29 S., 15 W.
35, 36
30 S., 15 W.
02, 03, 10, 11, 15, 21, 22, 28, 32, 33
31 S., 15 W.
07, 08
Need for the Project
The New River ACEC provides visitors with a unique experience, where a variety of coastal habitats are
found in a relatively small area. The ACEC was designated to protect relevant and important values of the
area including sensitive species (plant, fish, and wildlife), natural systems, and cultural resources.
2
Land withdrawals authorized by Public Land Orders (PLO) No. 6967 and 7043 that prohibited mining within
New River ACEC from 1993 to 2013 are expired. The ACEC is now protected under a two-year segregation
due to expire in 2015.
A new land withdrawal would protect the unique mixture of geologic and geomorphologic features, natural
and valuable wildlife habitat, threatened botany species, known cultural resources, public recreation, and the
health and safety of the public within the New River ACEC. ACECs differ from other special management
designations (such as wilderness study areas) in that designation by itself does not automatically prohibit or
restrict other uses within the area, like mining.
Project Objectives
Any action alternative given serious consideration as a reasonable alternative to a project proposed to be
implemented within the New River ACEC planning area must meet the objectives provided in the 1995 Coos
Bay District the Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan and the 1995 New River ACEC
Management Plan. The proposed action would accomplish the following objectives:
•
•
•
Maintain, protect, or restore relevant and important values at New River.
Maintain, enhance or restore ecosystem health, and ensure management which supports a variety of
habitats at different successional levels, particularly (but not limited to) those which are necessary
for the special status species using the area.
Provide protection to wildlife habitats by promoting management actions which decrease adverse
impacts at New River.
You are invited to submit written comments on any issues or concerns that you may have regarding this
proposal by August 17, 2014. Comments which are helpful to the analysis process are those which identify
new scientific or technical information, determine the scope of issues to be addressed, and express sitespecific concerns related to the proposed action. Opinions agreeing or disagreeing with established laws and
policies are not helpful in refining the proposed action.
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the
address listed below during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except
holidays, and may be published as part of the EA document or other related documents. Before including
your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made
publically available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Please direct questions to Racheal Jones at (541) 751-0100. You may send your comments to the Bureau of
Land Management, Myrtlewood Field Office, 1300 Airport Lane, North Bend, OR 97459, Attn: Racheal
Jones. Comments may be submitted electronically to [email protected], Attn: Racheal
Jones.
/s/ Todd M. Curtis
July 17, 2014
Todd M. Curtis
Myrtlewood Field Manager
Date
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No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy,
reliability, or completeness of these data for individual or aggregate use
with other data. Original data were compiled from various sources and may
be updated without notification.
New River ACEC - Vicinity Map
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