Blue Mountains National Forests announce forest plan revision public meetings for December
By Garrett Christensen on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON – (Release from the U.S. Forest Service) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is revising the Land Management Plans for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests (Blue Mountains National Forests) and hosting a series of public meetings to bring awareness to the upcoming National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Meetings will be offered in person and virtually to ensure the public has ample opportunity to engage. The full schedule for the December 2024 public meetings is at the end of this News Release.
As the plan revision effort transitions from the Assessment into the NEPA process, the Forest Service invites the public to attend informational public meetings about the important upcoming scoping period estimated to occur in early 2025. The Blue Mountains National Forests aim to publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and release a draft Land Management Plan addressing the need to change from the 1990 Land Management Plans. This will initiate a formal scoping period for the public to review the materials and provide input. Land Management Plans do not authorize any specific projects or actions on the ground but instead guide future decision-making on the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests.
The preliminary agenda for the upcoming December public meetings aims to cover the following:
- The draft Preliminary Need to Change from the 1990 Land Management Plans.
- The development of the draft Land Management Plan.
- Updates on the National Wild and Scenic Rivers review, the preliminary Species of Conservation Concern lists, and the review of lands that may have Wilderness characteristics.
- The NOI approval process along with the forthcoming EIS development.
- The formal scoping period commencing when the upcoming NOI is published in the Federal Register in early 2025, along with the associated public engagement tools.
The Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision website has up to date information including public participation tools, public meeting calendar with virtual links, informational webinars, background information, and much more.
Have questions about the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision process or want to sign up for the mailing list? Email the revision inbox at sm.fs.bluesforests@usda.gov or call (541) 278-3716.
Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision December 2024 Public Meeting Schedule
All public meetings will be held from 5 – 8 p.m. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Virtual links and information will be available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umatilla/home/?cid=fseprd1200075
| Date | Host Forest | Location |
| December 2, 2024 | Umatilla National Forest | Gilliam & Bisbee Event Center 106 E May St. Heppner, OR 97836 |
| December 3, 2024 | Umatilla National Forest | The Vert Auditorium, Little Vert Theater Room 480 SW Dorion Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 |
| December 4, 2024 | Umatilla National Forest | Columbia County Fairgrounds, Pavilion 5 N Pine St. Dayton, WA 99328 |
| December 9, 2024 | Malheur National Forest | Grant County Fairgrounds, Trowbridge Pavilion 411 NW Bridge St. John Day, OR 97845 |
| December 10, 2024 | Malheur National Forest | Harney County Fairgrounds, Memorial Building 69660 S Egan Ave. Burns, OR 97720 |
| December 11, 2024 | Wallowa-Whitman National Forest | Baker County Fairgrounds 2600 East St. Baker City, OR 97814 |
| December 12, 2024 | Wallowa-Whitman National Forest | Eastern Oregon University, Gilbert Event Center EOU – 1 University Blvd. La Grande, OR 97850 |
| December 13, 2024 | Wallowa-Whitman National Forest | Cloverleaf Hall 600 NW 1st St. Enterprise, OR 97828 |
