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UPPER DESCHUTES FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW

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Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
The Oregon BLM Prineville District Office Proposed Upper Deschutes Resource
Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement (UDPRMP/FEIS) was
released January 14, 2005.

The Plan affects over 400,000 acres of BLM lands in Central Oregon including
areas between Lake Billy Chinook on the north, La Pine on the south, Sisters
on the west, and Prineville Reservoir on the east, are included in this plan.
The Plan includes OHV closures in the Badlands, opening some areas that are
closed to winter use, popular trails being connected and so much more.
Related Newsclip: http://www.bendbulletin.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=15371
We recently talked with members of BLM's Interdisciplinary Team for this
project. The plan contains much that would be good for the OHV community.
However, we are concerned that we will find a situation where closures are
implemented immediately and trail development and management will be mired in
endless bureaucratic red tape. The onus is clearly on the OHV community to
ensure BLM implements this plan in total, not just the closures.
The 14th marked the first day of the 30 day count down for protest comments.
The last day to get your comments in is February 14, 2005. For more
information on the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan, visit BLM?s
website <http://www.or.blm.gov/Prineville/Deschutes_RMP/Home.htm> or contact
Mollie Chaudet, Project Leader, Bureau of Land Management, Prineville
District Office, 3050 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754 or call (541)
416-6700.



Thanks,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Director
BlueRibbon Coalition

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