Comment period open for 54,000 acre Upper Bear Lake Project
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
PRAIRIE CITY – (Press Release from the Malheur National Forest)
The Malheur National Forest, Prairie City Ranger District has prepared a draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) and a final Environmental Assessment (FEA) for the Upper Bear Lake Project. The Upper Bear Lake Project area is located approximately 20 miles southeast of Prairie City, Oregon, adjacent to the eastern-most portion of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. The Upper Bear Lake project is approximately 54,300 acres in size, and located in the Upper Bear Lake, Lake Creek, and Big Creek sub-watersheds of the Malheur River Watershed.
The draft decision notice identifies the proposed action as the selected alternative. The selected alternative responds to the purpose and need to promote landscape resiliency by transitioning forest species composition and stocking levels to better reflect historical ranges across the landscape and shift to more disturbance-tolerant species; promoting vigorous and healthy forest stands that will be both resistant and resilient to natural disturbances; promoting forest conditions that reduce the risk of severe wildfire and allow for the introduction of controlled fires upon the landscape and conditions conducive to firefighter and public safety; and reducing fuel loads along main roads to provide safer ingress and egress routes for firefighters and the public. Proposed road activities would provide a road system that is safe, affordable, has minimal ecological impacts, and meets the immediate and projected long-term public and resource management needs. Additionally, a Forest Plan Amendment is proposed to increase the designated old growth network. Overall, the project would provide social, economic, and environmental benefits from forest resources; and create jobs and opportunities for local communities.
Documents may be viewed on the Malheur National Forest website at; https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/malheur/?project=65008. Documents are also available for review at the Prairie City Ranger District Office, 327 Front Street, PO Box 337, Prairie City, OR 97869. Additional Information can be obtained by contacting Chase Bloom, District Ranger, at 541-820-3800, chase.bloom@usda.gov. Ann Niesen, Malheur Forest Supervisor is the responsible official.
The opportunity to object ends 45 days following the date of publication of the legal notice. Only individuals or organizations who submitted timely and specific written comments (36 CFR 218.2) about this project during designated opportunities for public comment are eligible to file an objection in accordance with section 218.5. Please submit your objections by May 24, 2025. The preferred method to submit objections is electronically, at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=65008. We strongly advise submitting objections through this electronic portal. Electronic objections including attachments must be in Microsoft Word (.docx). rich text format (.rtf), or portable document format (.pdf) only.
Written objections may be delivered by regular mail, or carrier, or hand delivered to USDA Forest Service, Attn: Objection Reviewing Officer Jacqueline Buchanan, Pacific Northwest Region, 1570 Objections, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR, 97204. Hand-deliveries will only be accepted during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, excluding holidays).
