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Coos Bay Newsroom

Bureau of Land Management offices post News Releases to share news or let you know upcoming plans for their area. If you have questions regarding a specific News Release, contact information is at the top of each News Release. Please feel free to contact the Coos Bay Office with your questions or comments, at
(541)756-0100 or by email.

The BLM in Oregon and Washington recently began offering news releases in the RSS format. This will allow you see a complete and ongoing list of press releases distributed by the various BLM Districts throughout Oregon and Washington. Additional information on RSS feeds, and how to subscribe to them, is available at our RSS page.

Coos Bay News Releases in 2010
Nov 25 2009	BLM Distributes Payments to Counties
Nov 23 2009	Secretary Salazar to Hold Media Teleconference to Discuss Onshore Oil and Natural Gas Leasing and Development
Nov 20 2009	Christmas Tree Tags Available for Sale
Nov 04 2009	Increase in Oil and Gas Drilling Permit Application Fees
Nov 03 2009	Veterans Fees Waived Next Wednesday
Oct 27 2009	North Spit Docks Removed for Winter
Oct 14 2009	Department of the Interior Launches Work Plan for BLM Western Oregon Forests
Oct 02 2009	BLM Herbicide Plan Available for Public Review

Coos Bay News Releases in 2009	Show \| Hide
Sep 28 2009	Two Forest Roads Closing for Repairs
Sep 25 2009	Volunteers Sought for National Public Lands Day 2009
Sep 23 2009	Some Fees Waived for Public Lands Day
Sep 15 2009	Snowy Plover Nesting Season Ends Today
Sep 04 2009	Culvert Replacement Forces Temporary Road Closure
Sep 01 2009	Nat'l Wild Horse Board meets in Virginia
Aug 28 2009	Mining Fees Due 9/1/2009
Aug 17 2009	Marcilynn Burke Named Deputy Director of BLM
Aug 07 2009	Confirmation of Bob Abbey for Director of the Bureau of Land Management
Aug 04 2009	Portion of Blue Ridge Trails Close for Timber Sale
Jul 27 2009	Solar Energy Comment Period Extended
Jul 20 2009	Interior Withdraws Legally Flawed Plan for Oregon Forests, Presses For Sustainable Timber Harvests
Jul 13 2009	Free Training Will Help Boaters Protect Local Waterways
Jul 02 2009	Special Events Planned at New River
Jun 29 2009	BLM Announces Adjustments to Mining-Related Location and Annual Maintenance Fees
Jun 29 2009	DOI Fast-Track Initiatives for Solar Energy Development on Western Lands
Jun 11 2009	Secretary Salazar Announces $381.6 Million in 2009 PILT Payments to Local Governments with Federal Lands
Jun 03 2009	National Geological Carbon Capture Program Can Help Develop Cleaner Energy, Reduce Greenhouse Gases
May 29 2009	BLM Sells 5.8 Million Board Feet of Timber
May 18 2009	Campgrounds, Other Sites Open for Summer
May 18 2009	BLM Offers Reward for Information
May 11 2009	BLM Roads Close for Bridge Paving
May 07 2009	Interior Releases Budget Numbers
May 06 2009	BLM Announces Stimulus Investment on Coos Bay District
May 05 2009	ARRA Stimulus Projects Funded
Mar 30 2009	President Signs Legislation that Enhances Protection for Public Lands in Oregon and Washington
Mar 11 2009	Docks Installed at North Spit Boat Ramp
Mar 09 2009	Snowy Plover Nesting Season Begins March 15
Mar 04 2009	BLM Prepares for Upcoming Oil and Gas Lease Sale
Mar 04 2009	Tree Seedlings for Sale at BLM Office
Feb 27 2009	BLM Sells 1.2 Million Board Feet of Timber
Feb 12 2009	Northwest Firefighters to Help in Australia
Feb 06 2009	BLM Executes Addendum to National Agreement and Conducts Tribal Outreach
Jan 30 2009	BLM and Forest Service Announce 2009 Grazing Fee
Jan 30 2009	BLM Sells 1.3 Million Board Feet of Timber
Jan 21 2009	BLM to Establish Special Offices to Expedite Development of Renewable Energy
Jan 14 2009	Energy Corridors Designated in Eleven Western States
Jan 14 2009	New Purchases of Western Land Parcels with High Conservation Values
Jan 05 2009	BLM Director Names New National Landscape Conservation System Director
Dec 31 2008	BLM Western Oregon Plan Decisions Released
Dec 15 2008	BLM Annouces Rare Species Guidance
Dec 04 2008	Coos Bay BLM Seeks Volunteers for Advisory Committee
Dec 04 2008	BLM Announces Final Rule for Land Withdrawals
Nov 20 2008	2008 PILT Payments Distributed
Nov 19 2008	Christmas Tree Permits Go On Sale Next Week
Nov 06 2008	BLM Waives Recreation-related Fees for Veterans on Veterans Day
Nov 04 2008	Western Oregon Plan Revision Protest Period
Oct 31 2008	Full Compensation for Payments in Lieu of Taxes
Oct 30 2008	Final Right-of-Way Rental Fee Regulations
Oct 24 2008	North Spit Docks Removed for Winter
Oct 23 2008	Tough Year for Snowy Plovers on Oregon Coast
Oct 23 2008	Geothermal Energy and Power Generation on Federal Lands
Oct 09 2008	Final BLM Western Oregon EIS Released
Oct 06 2008	Forest Roads Close for Bridge Repairs

Coos Bay News Releases in 2008	Show \| Hide
Sep 17 2008	Volunteers Needed for North Spit Project
Sep 16 2008	Agencies, Industry Partner to Improve Fish Habitat
Sep 02 2008	Watershed Event Planned at New River
Jul 15 2008	Special Events Planned at New River
Jun 19 2008	Prescribed Burns Planned at Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area
Jun 05 2008	Rail Damage Prompts Access Enforcement on North Spit
May 20 2008	Smith River Road Open
May 19 2008	Slide Closes Smith River Road
Mar 14 2008	New Carissa Removal Right of Way Document Available for Public Review
Mar 05 2008	Snowy Plover Season Begins March 15
Mar 05 2008	Snowy Plover Season Changes Access to Olson
Feb 21 2008	Mystery Shipwreck Identified
Feb 13 2008	Shipwreck Traffic Re-Routed on North Spit
Feb 13 2008	North Spit Shipwreck Map
Feb 13 2008	Shipwreck Traffic Re-Routed on North Spit
Dec 10 2007	District Roads Clear after Storm
Nov 19 2007	Christmas Tree Permits Available for the Holidays
Nov 19 2007	Christmas Tree Permit Vendors
Nov 01 2007	Sixes River Campground Closed for Season

Coos Bay News Releases in 2007	Show \| Hide
May 25 2007	Explore New River this Summer
May 25 2007	Conservation District Moves into Dean Creek Building
May 24 2007	Coos Bay BLM Recreation Sites Open for Summer
May 24 2007	New Docks Installed at North Spit Boat Ramp
May 11 2007	Weed Wrenches Now Available for Loan
Mar 22 2007	Doerner Fir Road Closed Temporarily
Mar 20 2007	Working to Fight Sudden Oak Death
Mar 13 2007	Snowy Plover Season Begins March 15
Feb 08 2007	New Email Address for Coos Bay BLM
Nov 20 2006	Christmas Tree Permits Available Locally from BLM & Forest Service
Nov 17 2006	Doerner Fir Road Closed Temporarily
Nov 03 2006	North Spit Docks Removed for Winter
Nov 02 2006	New Field Manager Arrives at BLM Office

Coos Bay News Releases in 2006
Aug 16 2006	North Spit Boat Launch Damaged and Under Repair
Aug 08 2006	Advisory Committee Recommends Projects for Funding
Jul 25 2006	Coos Bay District Resource Advisory Committee to Meet
Jul 20 2006	District seeks comment on North Spit Land Sale Environmental Assessment
Jun 16 2006	New District Manager Selected for Coos Bay

Announcements

BLM Distributes Payments to Counties

Date: 11/25/09

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was reauthorized as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 signed into law in October 2008 (Public Law 110-343). The reauthorized act provides declining payments to 18 westside Oregon Counties from Fiscal Year 2008 through 2011. Eligible counties in Oregon and several other “transition” States will receive declining payments from Fiscal Years 2008 to 2010 based upon their Fiscal Year 2006 payments. Then, in Fiscal Year 2011, counties will receive payments based on a new formula detailed in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. The Act included other changes, such as limiting how counties may spend their Title III project funds. The Oregon/Washington BLM made payments to each of the eligible western Oregon counties for Fiscal Year 2009 on November 25, 2009.

News Release (PDF)
Official 2009 Payments (PDF)

Secretary Salazar to Discuss Next Steps for Western Oregon Forest Management

Date: 10/14/09

On Wednesday, October 14, 2009, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar hosted a news media teleconference to discuss a schedule of timber sales on public lands in Western Oregon and initial steps for forest management in the area.

To provide additional certainty to local mills and local communities, the BLM released a list of about 60 proposed timber sales scheduled over the next 12 months. The program of work reflects an interim approach as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife continues to work on refinement of the northern spotted owl recovery plan via a number of technical workgroups.

BLM Prepares for Upcoming Oil and Gas Lease Sale

Date: 3/4/09

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office has announced that it will offer four parcels totaling approximately 5,342 acres, in Oregon, at its March 12, 2009 Oil and Gas Lease Competitive Sale. All four parcels to be offered are in Wheeler County near Mitchell, Oregon. The sale will be held at 9:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, at the Robert Duncan Plaza Building, 333 SW 1st Avenue, Portland, Oregon in the 3rd floor conference rooms.

Oil and Gas Lease Sale News Release (PDF)

Mystery Shipwreck Identified

The wooden hulled ship buried in sand on the North Spit of Coos Bay has been identified by archeologists as the George L. Olson.

Research suggests there is strong evidence that the mystery shipwreck is the bow-section of the steam schooner George L. Olson. Comparing historical photographs of the George L. Olson with current pictures of the shipwreck, both ships have three portholes with three chain plates aft of the portholes. The location of the Samson Post, Hawespipes, and the black vertical bumpers are identical. The pattern made by the through hull iron fasteners also appears identical (see attached photograph).

The story of the George L. Olson is outlined below:

The George L. Olson was originally named the Ryder Hanify. The steam schooner Ryder Hanify was built for J.R. Hanify and Company of San Francisco by the W.F. Stone shipyards of Oakland, California. The ship was launched on January 22, 1917. At 223 feet long and nearly 44 feet wide, the Ryder Hanify was one of the largest ships built to date at the Stone shipyard. The boat was powered by a 1,000 horse power steam engine and was designed to carry 1.4 million board feet of lumber at a time. read more>>

The Ryder Hanify was put into service in May 1917 hauling lumber. It completed several voyages during that year, including a shipment of lumber to South America in October, 1917.

On December 6, 1917, the Ryder Hanify, along with six other lumber carrying ships, was sold to the French government. The French government renamed the Ryder Hanify the Gabriel.

On March 9, 1922 an announcement was made in the Los Angeles Times that Oliver J. Olson , a “prominent lumber and steamship owner” had purchased two steam schooners from the French government and was now refitting them for the lumber trade. This included the Gabriel, which Olson renamed the George L. Olson.

The George L. Olson worked as a lumber carrying schooner in the Northwest for over 20 years until June 23, 1944 when it struck Coos Bay’s North Jetty and drifted aground on Guano Rock inside the Coos Bay channel. There were no casualties when the ship wrecked, but the ship was declared a total loss. At the time it wrecked, the George L. Olson was loaded with about 1.4 million board feet of lumber.

Salvage of the ship’s lumber cargo was conducted for the next six months. Five hundred thousand board feet of lumber recovered off of the ship was used to construct the Baptist Church in Charleston.

In December 1944, the hulk of the George L. Olson was towed to sea and was cut adrift with the intention she beach on the North Spit. During the following years, build-up of the foredune in the area covered the wreck.

The BLM, along with State of Oregon Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the Coos County Historical and Maritime Museum, and NOAA, continue to consult with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office to review options and make plans for the ship’s future. BLM and Museum staff continue to document the ship with photographs.

For additional information feel free to contact:

Megan Harper – BLM - (541) 751-4353
Steve Samuels – BLM - (541) 751-4244
Anne Donnelly – Coos County Historical and Maritime Museum – (541) 756-6320
Calum Stevenson – Oregon Parks and Recreation Department – (541) 888-9324
Robert Schwemmer – NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in Santa Barbara – (805) 884-1466

Original George L. Olson Photos

Ryder_Hanify_Bow – Bow section of the Ryder Hanify (George L. Olson) taken June 3, 1917 in San Pedro, CA on one its first voyages. Photo courtesy of Robert Schwemmer at the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Full ship – The Ryder Hanify taking the water. Photo courtesy of Robert Schwemmer at the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Present Day George L. Olson Photos

George Olson Shipwreck. February 2008. BLM Photograph	George Olson Shipwreck. February 2008. BLM Photograph	George Olson Shipwreck. February 2008. BLM Photograph
George L. Olson wreck floating – The George L. Olson floats in the water after being cut loose to drift to the North Spit. Photo courtesy of the Coos Historical and Maritime Museum.	Comparison of architectural features of the Ryder Hanify (George L. Olson) and the mystery shipwreck. Photo courtesy of Robert Schwemmer at the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.	View a detailed shipwreck location map along the Coos Bay coast.