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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 2017)
A6 News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Area closed to firewood harvest for study Blue Mountain Eagle Firewood and post and pole permits are available from the Malheur Nation- al Forest, but a new area is closed to harvest this year. Within the completed Canyon Creek Complex Fire Salvage Project, an area has been closed to firewood and post and pole harvest as well as motorized cross country travel until 2019. Roads open for public use remain open within these areas. As part of the Canyon Creek Fire Salvage Envi- ronmental Assessment, the Rocky Mountain Research Station initiated a four-year study to help determine how different levels of salvage harvest relate to nesting densities of three species of woodpeckers during the first four years after a wild- fire. Results will help iden- tify post-fire salvage harvest prescriptions that balance economic benefit while min- imizing impacts to different woodpecker species. The specific density of trees left behind in each study unit is by careful design, and these numbers are crucial to in- forming this research. The price for personal use firewood permits remains at $5 per cord with a four-cord min- imum purchase. The personal use firewood program allows for a maximum of 16 cords per household per year. For those who wish to have someone else collect their fire- wood, a form is available for both parties to sign granting permission for a harvester to collect the wood under the household’s permit on record. Both parties must sign the form, and it must be on file with the original permit issued. All permits expire Dec. 31 of the year issued, whether products were removed or not. Detailed information may be found online at fs.usda.gov/ main/malheur/passes-permits. Permits may be obtained through the Supervisor’s Of- fice/Blue Mountain Ranger District, Prairie City Ranger District and Emigrant Creek Ranger District. For more information, con- tact the Malheur National For- est Supervisor’s Office at 541- 575-3000, or visit fs.usda.gov/ malheur. B RIEFLY The Eagle/Rylan Boggs Grant County Commissioner Boyd Britton answers questions from the public during a Grant County Court meeting Wednesday, Feb. 15. G RANT C OUNTY C OURT Airport runway lights to be repaired Employees to see guaranteed hours By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle Runway lights at the Grant County Regional Air- port are not functioning, lim- iting nighttime landings for planes. Grant County Airport Manager Haley Walker ap- pealed to the Grant County Court for permission to pur- chase a new regulator for the runway lights at the Feb. 15 meeting. The court approved her request to use a portion of the airport’s budget to pur- sue a new regulator. Walker received quotes between $12,000-15,000 for the reg- ulator. Walker also received approval from the court to guarantee part-time em- ployees at least 19.5 hours a week in order to help retain employees and avoid costs associated with acquiring new workers. The court also: • awarded an insurance contract to Bisnett Insurance. • awarded the annual audit to Oster Professional Group. • approved Grant County senior programs manager Veanne Wed- dle’s request for a new computer. • reviewed and signed an amendment to an Oregon Health Authority agree- ment regarding the treat- ment of tuberculosis. • approved funds spent by Victim Assistance Di- rector Andrea Officer for community awareness cam- paigns. County Road 20 reopened County Road 20 has been reopened. Grant County Roadmaster Alan Hickerson said the road on the Middle Fork had been closed to all but local traffic after five crashes happened during severe weather. He said, when the freeway was closed, GPS units would direct traffic onto County Road 20, so the road was closed to prevent further accidents. Dove project 45- day objection period open The 45-day objection filing period for the draft decision notice for the Dove Vegetation Management Project on the Emigrant Creek Ranger Dis- trict began Feb. 8 with publica- tion of a legal notice in the Blue Mountain Eagle and Burns Times Herald. Individuals and entities who have previously submit- ted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during the scoping period or the 30-day comment period on the draft environmental assessment may submit an objection. The draft includes ap- proximately 14,373 acres of vegetation and activity fuels treatments, 11,893 acres of res- toration type treatments and ac- tivity fuels treatments, 42,021 acres of prescribed burning, 4.9 miles of temporary road con- struction, use of 134 miles of existing Forest Service system road for log haul, road main- tenance on about 145 miles of road, 0.50 miles of road for opening (changing from main- tenance level 1 to 2), 9.32 miles of road decommissioning, 11.65 miles of road closures (changing from maintenance level 2 to 1), 2.85 miles of sea- sonal road closures and confir- mation of 15.00 miles of past administratively closed roads. This project also includes for- est plan amendments to reduce cover below Malheur Forest Plan standards in Big Game Winter Range (Management Area [MA] 4A), and summer 2017 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Water project grants, loans available The Oregon Water Resourc- es Department is accepting applications for water project grants and loans, with about $5 million available in the 2017 funding cycle. Applications are due by 5 p.m. April 5. Water Project Grants and Loans provide funding to eval- uate, plan, and implement in- stream and out-of-stream water resource projects that result in economic, environmental and social/cultural public benefits. Eligible projects include water conservation and reuse; above- and below-ground storage; streamflow protection or resto- ration; and water distribution, conveyance or delivery sys- tems. Non-profits, businesses, governments and others are eligible to apply. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/owrdwaterproj- ects, or contact Grant Program Coordinator Jon Unger at wa- terprojects@wrd.state.or.us or 503-986-0869. Nominations sought for female civic leadership award SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, April 29, 2017 Schedule of Events 10 a.m. – Registration 11 a.m. – Business Meeting 12:30 p.m. – Luncheon range, and to designate replace- ment old growth areas to bring these areas up to Malheur For- est Plan standards. The project documents can be accessed on the Forest Ser- vice website at: fs.usda.gov/ project/?project=45415, or you can request a copy by con- tacting Lori Bailey or Melissa Ward at 541-573-4300 or by emailing comments-pacific- northwest-malheur-emigrant- creek@fs.fed.us. Join Us! Drawings and Giveaways Music by Frank Carlson Catered Lunch All Members are Welcome Blue Mountain Conference Center 404 12th Street, La Grande, OR 05312 Oregon Trail Electric Co- operative is accepting nomina- tions for the 2017 Peggi Timm Civic Leadership Award, which will be given to a woman resid- ing in OTEC’s service territory who most exemplifies Timm’s ceaseless spirit of volunteerism. Emphasis will be placed upon recognizing individuals who have led in the creation, revi- talization and success of local organizations and institutions. OTEC will contribute $25,000 to a qualified 501(c) (3) non-profit organization chosen by the recipient. The beneficiary must be based within the four counties of OTEC’s service territory (Baker, Grant, Harney and Union). The award will be funded through OTEC’s un- claimed capital credit ac- count. Nomination forms are available online at otecc. com under the “Community” tab and should be submit- ted to OTEC’s Manager of Communications and Gov- ernment Affairs Lara Petit- clerc-Stokes by 5 p.m. April 3. Nominations may be made by an individual or group who wishes to acknowledge the work of the nominee or by the nominee themselves. Past applicants who have not received the award are encouraged to resubmit their nominations. Selection of the recipient will be made by the OTEC Board of Directors at the April board meeting. Timm, a longtime Eastern Oregon resident who died in 2013, was the driving force behind the creation of OTEC, serving as the first president of its Board of Directors.
