United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Klamath Falls Resource Area
2795 Anderson Avenue, Building 25
Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603-7891
Phone: (541) 883-6916 | Fax: (541) 884-2097
E-Mail Address: [email protected] Website: http://www.or.blm.gov/Lakeview/kfra/index.htm
February 17, 2012
:
1790 (ORL040)
IN REPLY REFER TO
Dear Interested Parties:
A. Background and Invitation for Public Input
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to construct a ¼ mile extension to road 39-6E-19
(Buck Mountain Road). The extension of the road is needed to harvest a unit in T39S, R6E, Section 19.
The Klamath Falls Resource Area (KFRA) staff previously analyzed the Cold Onion Forest Health
Treatments Environmental Assessment #OR-014-08-01 (Cold Onion EA). Treatment of the plantation
was approved in Decision Record (DR) #2 for the Cold Onion EA. The additional road length is
necessary to remove harvested material from a portion of the plantation that is not safely accessible from
the existing roads.
I am asking for your help in identifying issues and concerns that you may have regarding the project. The
Interdisciplinary Team will use your comments to assist in developing alternatives for analysis, including
the proposed action.
B. Proposed Action
The Proposed Action is designed to provide access into a portion the Buck Mountain plantation (see Map 1
). Access exists to the south end of the unit on road 39-6E-19.54. Upon reviewing the harvesting plan for
this unit with the contractor, it was determined that the existing access is insufficient. This unit has a
number of loosely packed windrows of soil and rock that make the proposed adverse yarding (dragging
logs uphill) dangerous for machine operators. Adverse yarding on this uneven terrain can also cause more
soil damage than dragging logs downhill. This situation was not obvious when the Cold Onion EA was
analyzed. Therefore, it is proposed that ¼ mile of permanent road be built to allow approximately 50
acres of the plantation area to be harvested. The additional ¼ mile of new road would extend road 39-6E19 (see Map 1). This existing road is currently blocked (not open to regular vehicular use) and would be
re-blocked following harvesting operations until subsequent thinning entries are deemed necessary in
10-20 years. Drainage features including waterbars, seeding, and placement of slash would be used to
mitigate the potential of any erosion occurring between uses. The BLM considered a variety of options
before proposing to construct this additional road.
C. Environmental Analysis
The Klamath Falls Resource Area is proposing the Buck Mountain Road Environmental Assessment (EA)
which will evaluate extending an existing road approximately ¼ mile on BLM lands. This analysis is
within the Cold Onion EA project area and will largely tier to the Cold Onion Forest Health Treatments
EA # OR-014-08-01. An interdisciplinary evaluation of any effects to resources in addition to those
address in the Cold Onion EA, including wildlife, recreation, soils, fisheries, timber, cultural, and
hydrology, will be completed as part of the EA.
D. Location
The proposed Buck Mountain road analysis area land is located approximately 15 miles west of Klamath
Falls, Oregon. The legal location of the Buck Mountain road analysis area is Township 39 South, Range 6
East, Section 19. (Refer to the attached map.)
E. Purpose and Need For Action
The KFRA has identified the purpose and need for the project as follows:
There is a need to improve access to facilitate removal of harvested material from an overstocked
portion of the Buck Mountain plantation.
The purpose of the project is to construct approximately ¼ mi. of road to implement the treatment of
the plantation.
F. Further Information and Commenting
For further information, contact Shane Durant or Don Hoffheins at 541-883-6916. I encourage you to
submit your comments electronically at the following address: [email protected].
To submit comments via regular mail please send a letter to:
Donald J. Holmstrom, Manager
Klamath Falls Resource Area
2795 Anderson Avenue, Building 25
Klamath Falls, OR. 97603
To facilitate planning, it would be most beneficial if your comments were submitted before March 18,
2012. Once an EA has been prepared, you will be notified again and will have an opportunity review and
provide comments if you request.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, please note that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information –
may be made publicly 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.
All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in
their entirety. Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, can be reviewed at the
KFRA Office during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Holmstrom
Field Manager
Enclosure