FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Public invited to comment on Sumpter City
sage-grouse conservation plan Council meets
Given a finding by the
U.S. District Court for
the District of Nevada
that the Bureau of Land
Management’s designation
of Sagebrush Focal Areas
in its 2015 greater sage-
grouse plan amendment
for Nevada was illegal,
the Bureau today offered
the public an opportunity
to comment and share is-
sues for its consideration
as it explores potential
amendments to greater
sage-grouse land use plans,
to help improve sage-
grouse conservation, and to
strengthen communication
and collaboration between
states and the federal gov-
ernment.
The plans, which were
adopted in 2014 and 2015,
provide guidance and di-
rection about the manage-
ment of public lands in 10
Western states: California,
Colorado, Idaho, Nevada,
Oregon, Wyoming, North
Dakota, South Dakota,
Utah and Montana.
“The BLM is committed
to being a good neighbor
and cooperating with its
partners at all levels of
government, including
states, as well as tribal
leaders, industry and con-
servation groups, ranchers,
and other stakeholders
throughout the amendment
process,” said BLM Act-
ing Director Mike Nedd.
“During this process, we
are particularly interested
in hearing from the many
governors whose states put
hard work and time into
collaborative efforts to
develop the existing plans.
We welcome their input.”
The U.S. District Court
for the District of Ne-
vada ruled in March 2017
that the BLM failed to
adequately evaluate the
designation of Sagebrush
Focal Areas in its 2015
greater sage-grouse plan
amendment for Nevada.
In order to comply with
the court’s order and to
address issues raised by
various interested parties,
and to consider recom-
mendations in the August
4, 2017 report prepared
by the Department of the
Interior’s Greater Sage-
Grouse Review Team in
Response to Secretary’s
Order 3353 (SO 3353), the
BLM intends to consider
amending these plans.
The BLM will soon
publish a Notice of Intent
in the Federal Register to
announce the beginning
of a scoping process to
solicit public comments on
greater sage-grouse land
management issues that
could warrant land use
plan amendments.
The BLM also wants to
receive input on whether
that planning effort should
occur through state-by-
state amendment pro-
cesses, and in particular
looks forward to receiv-
ing comments from the
Governors of each state.
The notice has been sent to
the Federal Register and is
awaiting publication.
Publication of the notice
initiates a process that
could eventually result in
some changes, significant
changes or no changes
at all. The notice can be
read on the BLM website:
https://on.doi.gov/2fNuFPt.
“The federal agencies
and states involved in
developing the Report in
Response to Secretarial
Order 3353 remain com-
mitted to an approach
that balances durable,
long-term conservation of
the Greater Sage-Grouse
without adversely affecting
economic development in
local communities across
the West,” added Nedd.”
The Notice of Intent is
posted on the BLM web-
site here and is awaiting
publication.
The public can provide
comments for 45 days
from the date the notice
appears in the Federal Reg-
ister using this webpage:
http://bit.ly/GRSGplan-
ning.
The BLM will announce
any public meetings it
plans to hold through local
media in each state.
BLM reversal: Mining not
deemed threat to sage-grouse
Based on a recent
analysis and review of
data available that showed
that future mining is not
a significant threat to
sage-grouse habitat, the
Bureau of Land Manage-
ment has canceled its
Sagebrush Focal Area
withdrawal application and
the Department’s proposed
withdrawal of 10 million
acres of federal lands from
location and entry under
the mining law in Greater
Sage-grouse habitat in six
Western States.
The BLM also terminat-
ed the associated environ-
mental analysis process.
The notice of cancellation
can be found on the BLM
website here: https://
on.doi.gov/2hOpRxn.
The BLM determined the
proposal to withdraw 10
million acres was unrea-
sonable in light of the data
that showed that mining af-
fected less than .1 percent
of sage-grouse-occupied
range.
“The proposal to
withdraw 10 million acres
to prevent 10,000 from
potential mineral devel-
opment was a complete
overreach,” said Acting
BLM Director Mike Nedd.
“Secretary Zinke has said
from the beginning that by
working closely with the
states, who are on the front
lines and a valued partner
in protecting the health
of these lands, we can be
successful in conserving
greater sage grouse habitat
without stifling economic
development and job
growth. And that’s what
we intend to do--protect
important habitat while
also being a good neighbor
to states and local commu-
nities.”
The recommendation to
withdraw nearly 10 million
acres from location and
entry under the mining law
was one of many land use
restrictions proposed for
a new management area
designated as the Sage-
brush Focal Area (SFA).
However, that recommen-
dation was unreasonable in
light of the data available.
In particular, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service’s
2005 “Not Warranted”
decision, the 2010 “War-
ranted But Precluded” De-
cision and the 2015 “Not
Warranted” decision all
showed that mining—in-
cluding locatable mining—
was not a significant threat
to sage-grouse.
The lands will con-
tinue to be managed in
accordance with existing
plans, programs, policies
and regulations in Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon,
Utah and Wyoming.
They had been tempo-
rarily segregated, or closed
to new mining claims for
2 years when the Depart-
ment originally proposed
the lands for withdrawal
in 2015, while the agency
studied whether locatable
mineral exploration and
mining projects would
adversely affect habitat
important to the greater
sage grouse.
That temporary seg-
regation period expired
September 24, 2017.
Arrests made in Lookout
Mountain game violations
On September 25, 2017,
Chase Rusinovich (dob
01/03/97) of 92891 Island
View Road, Astoria,
Oregon, Austin Barter
(dob 12/02/1996) of 92100
Makai Road, Astoria,
Oregon, Max Andersen
(dob 09/10/1996) of 2
McClain Road, Astoria,
Oregon and Jake Mari-
novich (dob 06/18/1996)
of 40164 Angberg lane,
Astoria, Oregon were all
charged with multiple
game violations following
a lengthy investigation by
the Oregon State Police
Game Division.
Jake Marincovich was
charged by a District Attor-
ney’s Information in Baker
County Circuit Court for
Aiding the Taking of a
Buck Mule Deer during
closed season and Offen-
sive Littering.
Max Andersen was
also charged by District
Attorney’s Information
with Unlawful Hunting
of Wildlife during closed
season, three counts of
Unlawful Taking of a Buck
Mule Deer, Unlawful Tak-
ing of a Doe Mule Deer,
three counts of Unlawful
Waste of Wildlife, Hunting
without a Valid License,
Hunting during a Closed
Season and Offensive Lit-
tering.
Austin Barter was also
charged by District At-
torney’s Information with
Unlawful Hunting of Wild-
life, Unlawful Taking of a
Buck Mule deer, Unlawful
Taking of a Doe Mule deer,
two counts of Unlawful
Waste of Wildlife, Aid-
ing the Unlawful Taking
of Mule deer, Unlawful
Possession of Wildlife and
Offensive Littering.
Jake Marincovich was
charged by District At-
torney’s Information with
Aiding in the Unlawful
Taking of a Buck Mule
deer and Offensive Litter-
ing.
All of the charges
stemmed from an inves-
tigation of illegal poach-
ing of mule deer in the
Lookout Mountain Unit in
Baker County.
The illegal activity is
alleged to have occurred
between the dates of
November of 2015 through
November of 2016.
The case originated
based on citizen involve-
ment. Citizens called the
Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife who
notified the Oregon State
Police game division upon
finding dead mule deer in
the lookout unit.
Because some of the
animals that were illegally
taken were trophy mule
deer under Oregon statute
the penalties can include
$7500 restitution per deer
and mandatory hunting
license suspension.
Citizen participation in
the case lead to the arrest
of all of the individuals
involved.
Quail Ridge ladies golf and bridge
The October 4th Quail
Ridge Ladies Golf Win-
ners were: 1st Flight Dana
Endicott; 3rd Flight Carol
Irvine.
Bridge Winners: 1st Mar-
tha Cassidy; 2nd Lavelle
Raley; and 3rd Marilyn
DelFatti.
For September 27, the
Golf Winners were: 1st
Flight Judy Karstens;
2nd Flight Sammye Linzel;
and 3rd Flight Marianne
Klinger.
Birdies: Dana Endicott
(2) and Judy Karstens.
Bridge winners for Sep-
tember 27 were: 1st Sandy
Grover; 2nd Janice Smull;
and 3rd Karen Lewis.
• CANNABIS SALES TAX CHECKS TO BE
CUT SOON
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter City Council met on October 10, 2017 to hear
reports and discuss several items of business. Meeting
minutes of September 12 and 18 were approved, as was
payment of bills.
Fire Department Report
Fire Chief Kurt Clarke reported the open house went
well, with some new faces there. Some equipment was
moved to the pavilion to be stored for the winter. Ev-
erything with the burn pile went well last Saturday and
he thanked those who participated. He mentioned an
upcoming wildland fire course in La Grande. The Fire
Department’s annual Spaghetti Feed fundraiser will be
October 24 from about 4 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m.
He reminded everyone that the brush truck is on call
and whenever it leaves town, it is actually expanding
coverage for Sumpter, because the more it goes out, “the
more they come when we have an issue.”
Council member Robert Armbruster said he received
a nice e-mail from Diane Miller regarding the burnpile.
Clarke stated there will be another one on the 21st.
Clarke asked when the check from the 3% marijuana
tax is expected and if it is no longer required that the
funds go to public safety. City Recorder Julie McKinney
stated that according to an e-mail she received, OLCC is
supposed to be cutting checks tomorrow. The 3% that
was originally designated for public safety now goes in
the general fund.
Planning Commission Report
John Young reported no new applications. The com-
mission spent 45 minutes going over the Comprehensive
Plan, goal 12. They are not quite done with it.
Mayor Cary Clarke asked, in light of all the fires in
California, what is the status of the City’s evacuation
plan. Young stated he has about two-thirds of it and that
he will set a goal to have it to Council by next March for
their consideration.
Utility Manager Report
Julie McKinney read a report from Utility Manager
Jeff McKinney. Water tests were conducted at five loca-
tions for lead and copper residual. These have always
showed little to no contaminant and he anticipates similar
results. Water is processing at 90 gallons per minute,
with the source stream running a little higher than in past,
due in part to heavier than usual snowfall. The four-
wheel-drive quit working on the City truck and will be
repaired during the normal fall maintenance.
McKinney will be pushing for winterizing a little
earlier than usual. City ordinance requires customers to
take all reasonable precautions to avoid damage to utility
lines, including during freezing weather. He reminded
everyone to let a small amount of water run during the
coldest months. If the City has to excavate the street to
thaw lines, it is likely the homeowner will be billed. He
hopes with everyone’s cooperation to avoid the expense
and inconvenience of having to make such winter repairs.
RFP for Equipment Shed
Julie McKinney said CIS gave her three names to
contact about the building but she needs design specifics.
The foundation is 40’x83’ and the building will need two
equipment doors and a man door. She asked if the stem
wall that is there can be used and Clarke stated it can.
Clarke will try to put something together in the next week
or so with details on needs for power, lights, plugs, and
such.
Resolution 344: Move Budget Capacity
Resolution 344 to move cannabis-related capacity
within fiscal water and sewer funds for the 2017/2018
budget, removing the funds from funds to be used to
repay an expected federal loan for DEQ-mandated sewer
upgrades, was approved unanimously.
Council Input
Clarke stated that during the last mayors’ meeting, the
city manager of Baker City mentioned the possibility of
Sumpter losing ambulance service, with a cost of sixty
thousand between transporting from Sumpter and Haines.
Clarke suggested this might be something to which to ap-
ply the cannabis sales tax funds, as it’s too expensive for
the Sumpter Fire Department to transport.
Clarke stated that with winter coming, everyone needs
to check and clean flues to avoid flue fires. The City has
a stovepipe brush available to loan out.
Public Input
LeAnne Woolf read the list of Sumpter’s October
events.
Jim Sheller, grooming chairman and president of the
snowmobile club, reported they just got a new replace-
ment Cat. Instead of pulling a groomer, they will be till-
ing—the new way of grooming trails. He stated the need
for everyone to get behind the snowmobile club and said
otherwise the Forest Service is going to try to force the
trails out. He mentioned the decision of a judge in Idaho
that snowmobiles must be included in forest management
plans. Membership in the snowmobile club is only $35
per year.
Sheller also mentioned the need for younger volunteers
and there was some discussion of how to reach out to
them. Sheller said there are lots of young riders but they
are not joiners. He stated the Poker Run is a big draw for
Sumpter, but they need volunteers to run it.
Kurt Clarke asked about insurance on the old fire truck.
McKinney stated it had liability coverage only. Clarke
said it got mashed up pretty good due to the building col-
lapse and it will take about $1,000 to make it presentable.
He said they will work on that and may look at fundrais-
ing for repairs after the tender is paid for.