For Release: October 8, 2003
Contact: Jeff Fontana (530) 252-5332 or Lynda Roush (707) 825-2300
CA-N-04-5

HEADWATERS FOREST RESERVE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AVAILABLE

The U. S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) have released the proposed resource management plan and environmental impact statement/environmental impact report, called an EIS/EIR, for the Headwaters Forest Reserve in Humboldt County.

The proposed resource management plan (RMP) outlines management direction for the 7,500-acre Reserve. The plan and EIS/EIR describe and analyze the environmental effects of management actions including watershed restoration, forest restoration and development of compatible recreation facilities, including provisions for public access. The plan also addresses research programs, fire and fuels management and special designations within the Reserve.

"The plan is the culmination of three years of extensive involvement by the public and local, state and federal government agencies," said BLM Arcata Field Manager Lynda Roush. "We carefully considered all the comments we received during public scoping, and during the review of the draft management plan as we developed this proposed resource management plan."

Copies of the proposed plan and EIS/EIR are available on the BLM Arcata Field Office website, www.ca.blm.gov/arcata, or by contacting the field office at (707) 825-2300. Copies are also available at the BLM Arcata Office, 1695 Heindon Rd., Arcata, Calif.

A protest period on the resource management plan runs for 30 days. Written protests will be accepted if received by Nov. 10, 2003.

Protests must submitted to: Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 66538, Washington, D.C. 20035 (regular mail), or Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L Street, N.W., Suite 1075, Washington, D.C. 20036 (overnight mail).

Although not a requirement, the BLM recommends that the protest be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. E-mail protests will not be accepted.
Faxed protests will be considered valid if the signed, faxed letter is received by the protest coordinator in Washington, D.C. by the closing date of the protest period, and the protesting party provides the original letter by either regular or overnight mail, postmarked by the close of the protest period. Faxed protests must be submitted to "BLM Protest Coordinator" at (202) 452-5112, with the follow-up letter sent to the appropriate address provided above.

Procedures for filing a protest are outlined in proposed RMP and in volume 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations 1620.5-2. BLM requests that a duplicate of the protest be sent to BLM's Arcata Field Office, 1695 Heindon Rd., Arcata, CA 95521.

The Headwaters Forest Reserve was acquired for the public in 1999, and is jointly managed by the BLM and the DFG. It contains stands of thousand year-old redwoods and provides habitat for threatened species including the northern spotted owl, the marbled murrelet, Chinook and Coho salmon and steelhead trout.

-BLM-

Arcata Field Office 1695 Heindon Rd. Arcata, CA 95221