This bill designates two large recreation areas on federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Oregon: the Rogue Canyon Recreation Area (about 98,150 acres) and the Molalla Recreation Area (about 29,884 acres). It adds about 59,512 acres to the Wild Rogue Wilderness. The bill withdraws certain federal lands in Curry and Josephine Counties shown on specified BLM maps from public land entry, mining claims, and mineral or geothermal leasing, subject to valid existing rights.
The Secretary (Interior for BLM land and Agriculture for National Forest land) must prepare maps and legal descriptions for the new recreation areas and wilderness additions and make them available for public inspection. The Secretary must complete a wildfire risk assessment within 280 days covering the new recreation areas, the Wild Rogue Wilderness, and adjacent federal lands, and then develop a wildfire mitigation plan within one year after that assessment. The mitigation plan must identify treatments such as vegetation management, evacuation routes (developed with state and local fire agencies), and public dissemination of evacuation plans and routes. The bill limits new road construction inside the recreation areas (no new permanent or temporary roads except to implement wildfire mitigation, and not within designated wilderness). It preserves the Secretary’s authority to conduct wildland fire operations and requires wilderness areas within recreation areas to be managed under the Wilderness Act. The bill also states it does not alter tribal treaty rights.
No publicly available information. The bill requires the Secretary to prepare maps and legal descriptions, carry out a wildfire risk assessment within 280 days, and develop a wildfire mitigation plan within one year after that assessment. Those actions and any vegetation treatments or road work described in the bill would involve agency work and spending, but the bill text does not include cost estimates or funding details.
The bill states it is intended to protect, conserve, and enhance the recreational, ecological, scenic, cultural, watershed, and fish and wildlife values of the designated areas. It also seeks to reduce wildfire risk to nearby communities through assessment and planning, and to prevent new mineral development in the withdrawn areas.
No publicly available information.