Prineville, Oregon – Noxious and other weeds and invasive plants infest millions of acres in Oregon and are spreading at a rate of 10 to 15 percent per year. To address this issue, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently completed a Vegetation Treatment Using Herbicides on BLM Lands in Oregon Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) that addressed the use of up to17 herbicides in Oregon. These herbicides can be applied aerially in eastern Oregon, but may not be used for commercial timber enhancement or livestock forage production. Because the ROD is a programmatic decision, specific projects are required to undergo site-specific analysis and decision-making at the field level.
The BLM is beginning the planning process to assess the site-specific effects of herbicide use on BLM lands in the Prineville District as one of several tools to control weeds and invasive vegetation to achieve ecological health objectives. As part of the planning effort, the District is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) titled, Environmental Assessment for Vegetation Treatments using Herbicides on BLM Lands, Prineville District, Oregon, which will focus on the effects of using the 17 herbicides authorized in the ROD.
The Prineville District manages over 1.6 million acres of public lands in Oregon, of which about 350,000 acres are infested with noxious and other weeds and invasive vegetation. The District treats approximately 13,000 acres of noxious and other weeds and invasive vegetation each year. Of those, about 1,000 acres are treated with herbicides and the remaining 12,000 acres are treated using non-herbicide methods, including manual, mechanical, and biological (insects and livestock) control methods, and fire for resource objectives.
Currently, the Prineville District uses four herbicides approved for use in Oregon. Additional herbicides would allow the District to use more effective methods that are more target-specific than the four herbicides currently available. Used in combination with other management practices, herbicide treatments slow the spread of noxious and other weeds and invasive plants, which in turn helps to restore ecosystem health and watershed functions.
The Prineville District BLM will be seeking public comments on this planning effort throughout the scoping period, which runs through July 15, 2011. Environmental Assessments are also being prepared by the eight other BLM Districts in the state as part of their planning process for the use of herbicides. While these EAs will be done concurrently, each will be District-specific.
Comments on the Prineville District EA can be submitted by mail to: Sarah Canham, District Weed/Invasive Plant Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District, 3050 NE Third Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754; by electronic mail (email) to BLM_OR_PR_Mail attention “Herbicide EA”; by facsimile to (541) 416-6798; or in person at the Prineville District office.
Written comments should be received by July 15, 2011, to ensure consideration. Another public comment period will occur when the Herbicide EA is released in early 2012.
The BLM manages 245 million acres of public land known as the National System of Public Lands. The lands are primarily located in 12 Western states, including 75 million acres in Alaska. With a budget of about $1 billion, the bureau also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
