FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Forest resiliency meeting
draws crowd to armory
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Around 30 community
members attended the last
public engagement session
for the Proposed Action for
the Blue Mountains Forest
Resiliency Project, held at
the National Guard Armory
in Baker City, on Thursday,
March 31, 2016, at 6 p.m.
Representation from
the United States Forest
Service (USFS) included
Forest Supervisor Tom
Montoya, District Ranger
Jeff Tomac, Public Affairs
Officers Darcy Weseman
and Katy Gray, and Blue
Mountains Restoration
Strategy Team Leader Ayn
Shlisky, among others.
Local attendance
included Bill and Lorrie
Harvey, Mike Kee, Gary
Timm, Alice Knapp, John
and Ramona Creighton, Ed
Hardt, Terry Drever Gee,
Carmelita Holland, Tim
and Jan Kerns, Eric Wuntz,
and Kody Justus.
Montoya welcomed the
crowd, and explained the
purpose of the project, a
large-scale effort to restore
about 680,000 acres of dry
forestland, across three Na-
tional Forests, the Ochoco,
Umatilla, and Wallowa-
Whitman, through thin-
ning, and prescribed fire
treatments. This is broken
down as: 118,000 acres
on the Ochoco National
Forest; 212,000 acres on
the Umatilla National
Forest; and 280,000 acres
on the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest.
These actions are pro-
posed to reduce the risks
of large wildfires, such as
during the 2015 season, the
worst in U.S. history, and
will result in reduced risk
of fire spread to adjacent
lands, increased jobs, and
other benefits, accord-
ing to the proposal. The
60-day scoping period for
the Proposed Action began
February 5, 2016, and the
USFS accepted comments
until April 5, 2016.
Montoya explained the
format for the session,
which was an informative
presentation from Shlisky
to begin with (without
questions from attendees),
followed by individual
group discussions, in order
to provide comments, at
four different commenting
stations, with the following
topics: Forest Manage-
ment, Fire, Communities,
and Wildlife, Aquatics, and
other Sensitive Habitats.
Attendees participated in
the discussion at each sta-
tion, rotating periodically
throughout the session.
The Forest Management
station posed the follow-
ing question: “A large part
of the landscape is over-
stocked with a combination
of small to large diameter
trees. What does the land-
scape need, and what can
the Forest Service do to
achieve that?”
Some of the answers
were: more thinning; ex-
ploring biomass; exploring
economic opportunities;
thinning watersheds on
north slopes; protecting
watersheds; opening up
more firewood areas; and
maintaining some ground
cover during prescribed
fire.
The Fire station posed
the following question:
“How would you suggest
the agency manage the
forest landscape to allow
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
The WWNF’s Matt Burks takes notes from attendees on their views of top
priorities.
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Crossroads
gets grants
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City is pleased
to announce two exciting new grants which have been
awarded in the last month.
Crossroads received a $12,875.00 grant from the Ford
Family Foundation Visual Arts Grant Program to make
needed improvements to the inside of the main gallery at
Crossroads. “This grant is a first step as part of four grant
package to make significant improvements to the inte-
rior of the Carnegie Library Building,” states Executive
Director Ginger Savage. “We forget that the restoration
of the Carnegie Library was over eight years ago, and its
time for some freshening up.” These four grants include:
repainting the interior of the building, replacing all the
lights in the building to high energy efficient LED lights
(gallery lights were replaced in 2012), signage improve-
ments, refinishing the floors, energy efficient blinds at the
front of the building, and other gallery improvements.
The Ford Family Foundation’s Visual Arts Program
honors the late Hallie Ford’s interests in the visual arts.
The goal: Help enhance the quality of artistic endeavor
and body of work by Oregon’s most promising visual art-
ists. The program also works to improve Oregon’s visual
arts ecology by making strategic investments in Oregon
institutions. Small Capital Projects: Awards are available
for improvements to and expansion of studios, and exhi-
bition and appropriate storage space and equipment at key
Oregon visual arts institutions.
With a two-year $20,000 Challenge Grant from the
James and Marion Miller Foundation, Crossroads is
challenged to increase membership and donations. If
the Board and Staff, with the community’s support, can
increase membership in 2016 by $10,000.00 they will
award Crossroads $10,000. The same challenge will be
in place for 2017.
“Crossroads is thrilled at this tremendous opportunity
to grow our membership and donations. This is a clear
path to sustainability—we have to increase our local
members. With our family membership only $50 a year
for the great programs we offer—our membership is
the best kept secret in town,” writes Executive Director
Ginger Savage.
The Miller Foundation grant will match dollar for
dollar all “new” money to Crossroads in memberships
and donations to funds such as the Hand to Heart Scholar-
ship Fund, Carnegie Library Building Endowment Fund,
BHS Art Scholarship and general operating support or to
any program a donor would like. Current members can
participate as well by increasing their membership gift.
“If you are an individual member ($35 a year) and
increase to the family membership level ($50), the in-
crease of $15 will be matched by the Miller Foundation
dollar for dollar. The same goes with current donations
or sponsorships; any increase above the current gift the
donor has made is matchable by the Miller Foundation,”
said Savage.
The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, an in-
dependent private foundation, was established in 2002 to
enhance the quality of life of Oregonians through support
of the Arts and Education.
The crowd listens to Tom Montoya (center right) speak.
for less destructive wildfire
events to occur?”
Some of the answers
were: listening to local
people and agencies, and
using local knowledge for
assistance with prescribed
fire or wildfire; wildland
fire fighting access; stag-
gering burns, to manage
forage for deer; established
community protection;
thinning projects; the
priority of the Baker City
Watershed; and livestock
grazing.
The Communities sta-
tion posed the following
question: “As a member
of the community, what
do you believe our top
priority should be for this
landscape-scale restoration
project?”
Some of the answers
were: starting controlled
burns near communities,
and working away, ensur-
ing more protection for the
communities; using local
resources for communica-
tion during fires; explain-
ing why not all dry forest
areas are treated; grazing
to manage the understory;
stopping conservationists
from appealing; no more
roadless areas; and opening
slash to wood cutters, and
biomass production.
The Wildlife, Aquat-
ics, and other Sensitive
Habitats station posed the
following question: “What
fish and/or wildlife species
and habitats are important
for us to consider when
planning the Forest Resil-
iency Project activities?
What conditions do you
see benefiting these species
and their habitats?”
Some of the answers
were: clarification of the
objection process/litiga-
tion; prescribed burning
within municipal wa-
tersheds; prescribed fire
impacts on huckleberries (a
common comment with the
public sessions); livestock
as part of projects, to
reduce weeds, and influ-
ence big game movement;
addressing medusahead/
thatch; the proposed action
was too general; effects on
municipal water supply;
effects on irrigation and
water rights/supply (short-
and long-term impacts);
overall watershed health;
and grazing, to help reduce
fuels.
Attendance for previous
public sessions averaged
around 20, which included
the following locations:
Clarkston, Washington,
on March 8, Walla Walla,
Washington, on March 9,
Pendleton, on March 10,
and Heppner, on March
15, for the Umatilla Na-
tional Forest; Prineville, on
March 16, for the Ochoco
National Forest; Enter-
prise, on March 29, La
Grande, on March 30, and
Bake City, on March 31,
for the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest.
Once the groups reas-
sembled into the main
group, the comments were
reviewed for each station,
displayed collectively for
attendees to see, and it was
explained that the com-
ments would become part
of the record, and taken
into consideration, as po-
tential solutions, which can
be incorporated into the
project. The draft environ-
mental impact statement
(DEIS) internal review is
anticipated to be in April/
May 2016, and the publish-
ing of the DEIS, and com-
ment period are anticipated
to be in June/July 2016.
Weseman said, “We’re
getting quite a few com-
ments...There has been
overall support for the
project—interest in main-
taining recreational access,
maintaining old roads,
etc. More commercial
harvests—that’s been a
big theme, and using local
labor, reducing the fire
risks—a lot of what we’re
trying to do ... In general,
most people understand the
concept of why we’re do-
ing this ... Our team (res-
toration strategy team) is
dedicated to this project...”
Gray said, “It’s been
really interesting, the dif-
ferent focus areas, within
the communities. This one
was a lot more focused
on watershed health, and
stream health ... La Grande
was more focused on big
game species—keeping
them on public land, hunt-
ing resources, that type
of thing ... Huckleberries
were consistent, across
the board...Grazing came
up quite a bit ... Lots of
great comments, and good
conversations ...Good par-
ticipation, and substantive
feedback ...”
Planning to hear
Idaho Power
housing plans
The Baker County Planning Commission will hold
a public hearing at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 28th,
2016, in the Commissioner’s Chambers located in the
Baker County Courthouse, 1995 Third Street, Baker City,
Oregon, to consider two permit requests.
CUP-16-004: The applicant and property owner, Idaho
Power Company, Inc., requests approval for a Planned
Unit Development (PUD) and a Conditional Use Permit
(CUP) in the Rural Residential (RR-5) Zone and the
Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) Zone. They are requesting
development of 3 duplex units (6 residential dwellings,
total) and a 28-unit capacity recreational vehicle (RV)
storage area. The proposed development will provide
employee housing and vehicle storage. The Planned Unit
Development will be occurring in the RR-5 Zone. The
subject property is also identified as Tax Lots 200 (RR-5)
& 300 (RR-5 and EFU) in Township 8 South, Range
48 East, W.M., Baker County, OR (Refs. 14772, 12373,
900584, 900799).
PA-16-001: Richard and Lori Daniels, applicants and
property owners, are proposing a Plan Amendment to
re-zone a ±7 acre portion of their property from Timber
Grazing (TG) to a Limited Use Tourist Commercial Com-
bined (LUTCC) Zone. The subject property is identified
as Tax Lot 400 of Township 07 South, Range 38, Section
05C, W.M., Baker County, OR (Ref. 10315). The situs
address is 51078 Anthony Lakes Highway, North Powder,
OR 97867. The applicants propose 16 RV sites, 10 camp-
sites and a toilet facility, as well as a commercial dwell-
ing for business office, caretaker residence, and retail to
accommodate on-site guests.
A copy of the application, all documents and evidence
submitted by or on behalf of the applicant, and the ap-
plicable criteria are available for inspection. The staff
report the Planning Commission will use in its decision
making process for this request will be available at the
Baker City-County Planning Department by April 21st,
2016. A digital copy of the documents can be emailed to
you at no cost.
If you have questions regarding the application for PA-
16-001, please contact Carson Quam at cquam@baker-
county.org. The Baker County Planning Department can
be reached at 541-523-8219.