Federal Areas Issues

The federal government owns a large percentage of Central and Eastern Oregon land. Each year the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management make decisions that significantly change our surroundings: how it looks, how clean our is our water, how much water do we have, where can we play and what will be the quality of that play, and how many of our wild fellow earth dwellers will survive for another year.

The pages linked to the left at describe the federal actions being taken by the Sierra Club through a combined effort of the Oregon Chapter, the Juniper Group, and collaborative environmental organizations such as Blue Mountain Biodiversity Project, Oregon Wild, and Oregon Natural Desert Association. The pages are arranged by federal office, which are also geographically oriented. This makes it easier for you to find issues that directly affect you.

Give these descriptions a read, and then we hope you'll be motivated to Volunteer with us to move these federal actions toward a more environmentally friendly direction.

Wildcat Timber Sale Withdrawn!!

More Great News! The Umatilla National Forest withdrew the Wildcat timber sale decision on the eve of the Forest Service legal response to our lawsuit due in Federal Court. Similar to Cobbler and Farley (see below), which were withdrawn under appeals, the victory is likely a temporary reprieve that we will have to challenge once again after the Forest Service conducts new public NEPA processes – subject to new comment and appeal periods and subsequent legal review in federal court(s) – unless their logging plans are significantly revised to incorporate the recommendations of credible scientific research and the ecological needs of the forests, wildlife, and fish. Read the entire Wildcat Withdrawal News Release. For a description of the Wildcat timber sale and why it was appealed, go to the Umatilla NF page. (11-16-09)

Farley Timber Sale Withdrawn!

Great News! The District Ranger of the North Fork John Day Ranger District, Umatilla National Forest, issued a statement withdrawing the Farley logging project during the week of October 19th. This withdrawal followed the appeal of this timber sale by the Sierra Club and the Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project, with the assistance of the Crag Law Center and Oregon scientists. For more information on this good news, read the Farley Withdrawal News Release. For all the details on this project and on the appeal, go to our Umatilla NF page, North Fork John Day Ranger District section. (10-23-09)

Cobbler Timber Sale Withdrawn!

Decision Notice for proceeding with this project has been withdrawn by the Umatilla National Forest on August 17th. This is likely a prelude to conducting a full NEPA evaluation, one of our requests. So, a temporary reprieve for the forest!

The Oregon Chapter Sierra Club, jointly with Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project and the Hells Canyon Preservation Council, on July 2nd appealed to the District Ranger the Cobbler Timber Sale Decision Notice. This appeal was based on the Club's assessment that the decision contained the numerous failings that pose a threat to the health of the forests and the environment. A summary of these failings can be read on the Umatilla National Forest page. The full text of the appeal can be read at Cobbler Timber Sale Appeal. (8-18-09)

Objection to West Tumbull Project Withdrawn

Agreement Reached with Forest Service Satisfies Several Key Concerns

The West Tumbull "Fuels Reduction" timber sale is a 4,500 acre timber sale located 10 miles west of Bend. The area includes the recreationally popular gateway to Tumalo Falls and the Tumalo/Skyliner Recreation Area. The final Environmental Assessment contained logging and related fuels reduction practices that do not follow the current science for wild/urban interface fire protection. Consequently, the Sierra Club filed the West Tumbull HFRA Objection. A meeting with the Bend-Fort Rock District Ranger resulted in modifications to the project that bring it much closer to the current science for fuels reduction projects. The text of the agreement can be read at West Tumbull Objection withdrawal Letter. More information on this project available on the Deschutes NF page. (9-10-09)

All Forests and Districts

Surveying Annes Butte OHV Damage
Photo by Asante Riverwind

1. Travel Management Plans and OHVs: Ongoing efforts with volunteers and agency staff addressing OHV issues in the region, including efforts for monitoring and enforcing the recent OHV closure victory on Anne's Butte (see below), community efforts in Deschutes River Woods, and Crescent District areas (Three Trails OHV system). The Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests are developing a Deschutes-Ochoco Travel Management Plan intended to address OHV use, harms, and impacts by closing the forests to cross-country OHV use. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forests has also issued a Travel Management Plan, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Draft Environmental Impact Statement for comment (the comment period close September 17th). However, these TMP's actually expand OHV trails and play areas far beyond the agency's capability to responsibly enforce regulations and protect forest wildlands from severe OHV abuse. In the Deschutes NF, the Lava Rock (Newberry Monument area), Three Trails (Crescent District), Meadow Lakes (Sisters District), and Wake Butte (Bend District) are proposed for widespread OHV trail systems with numerous play loops and staging areas. In the Ochoco NF, the Big Summit Prairie area is proposed for extensive OHV trails and staging areas. In the Wallowa-Whitman NF, if the Forest Service gets it wrong, ATVs will continue to have carte-blanche access to more than 9,000 miles of roads—the third most-roaded forest in the nation with more roads than ODOT maintains in the entire state—and ATVs will continue to drive off-road legally.
   
   Volunteers are needed to help protect our irreplaceable natural forest wildlands from intrusive motorized OHV noise, and widespread severe harms to forest soils, plants, waterways and wildlife. Together we can help ensure our forest wildlands provide the quality natural recreation and serenity treasured by most visitors to our national forests.