§460nnn–23 Land Use Authorities

Summary

The Secretary must allow only uses of the Federal lands in the Cooperative Management and Protection Area that help the area meet its goals. Commercial logging is banned, except the Secretary can remove trees if clearly needed for ecological restoration or public safety; selling wood from those removals is allowed except in the Wilderness Area and the wilderness study areas in section 460nnn–64(a). The Secretary must manage Western Juniper to restore the historic fire pattern, using natural and prescribed burns. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are allowed under U.S. and Oregon laws, but after talking with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife the Secretary can set zones or times when those activities are banned for safety, management, or public use reasons. New structures are allowed only if they are small, fit the area’s purpose, and are needed for plant, fish, wildlife, or watershed work; public information, health, or safety; livestock management; or managing recreation (not promoting it). Federal lands in the Area are withdrawn from most public-land claims, except for land exchanges that the Secretary certifies to Congress will help the Area’s goals. Existing grazing laws still apply, but the Secretary must cancel grazing inside the “no livestock grazing area” shown on the map in section 460nnn–11(a) for the Fish Creek/Big Indian, East Ridge, and South Steens allotments and must install and maintain any needed fencing there. Forage is reallocated as follows: O’Keefe pasture (Miners Field allotment) to Stafford Ranches; Fields Seeding and Bone Creek Pasture east of the county road (Miners Field) to Amy Ready; Miners Field Pasture, Schouver Seeding and Bone Creek Pasture west of the county road (Miners Field) to Roaring Springs Ranch; and 800 animal unit months in the Crows Nest allotment to Lowther (Clemens) Ranch. The Secretary must build fences and water systems needed to let livestock use those forage areas reasonably and efficiently.