Types and levels of Decisions to Be Made

In accordance with CEQ Regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and federal case law, two levels of decision making are allowed and encouraged to help establish the scope of a proposed action and promote efficient resolution of issues at the appropriate scales. CEQ regulations include descriptions of typical federal actions that include "adoption of formal plans…which guide or prescribe alternative uses of federal resources, upon which future agency actions will be based" and "approval of specific projects, such as construction or management activities located in a defined geographic area…" (40 CFR 1508.18(b).

NEPA also encourages tiering to "higher level" EIS's to avoid duplication of issues. The BLM planning regulations also provide that Resource Management Plans (RMPs) generally do not make site-specific decisions.

The nature of decisions in the Cline Buttes Recreation Area Plan will be site-specific, describing the location, nature, and timing of management actions in order to implement the long-term desired conditions, applying relevant standards and guidelines prescribed in the UDRMP.

The primary focus of the Cline Buttes Recreation Area Plan will be to design the long-term road and trail systems, access points, and vegetation management actions for the area. In designing the road, trail, and access points for the Cline Buttes Recreation Area, new roads and trails may be identified for construction, as well as existing routes identified for decommissioning and obliteration. Vegetation management issues may include thinning of juniper to maintain old growth juniper woodland resiliency in the absence of natural fire cycles, reduce the risk of wildland fire, and create areas of sagebrush steppe habitat.

What actions and decisions are not included in the Cline Buttes Plan?

Thornburgh Resort Rights of Way (Road and utility access to the proposed resort)

The BLM reviewed and analyzed effects of road and utility rights of way to provide access to private land for the proposed Thornburgh Resort. An Environmental Assessment (EA OR-056-05-066) was completed for these roads and utility lines in July 2007.

Division of State Lands In-lieu Selection Process

The BLM transferred approximately 240 acres of land in Cline Buttes to the Oregon Division of State Lands. These parcels were zoned for disposal (Z-3) in the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan (UDRMP) and were transferred to DSL in April 2008. These parcels are shown as State Land on all CBRA planning maps, and include 6 separate 40 acre parcels adjacent to Thornburgh Resort (see EA Maps 5 and 9 (PDF)). No other BLM managed lands within the Cline Buttes Recreation Area were identified for disposal in the UDRMP.

For additional information, view the State of Oregon In-Lieu Selection Process.

Oregon Department of Transportation Aggregate Site Study

The Federal Highway Administration and Oregon Department of Transportation are currently pursuing the transfer of approximately 105 acres of land for use as a mineral material site. This area (Site N) is located west of Barr Road and adjacent to the existing ODOT cinder pit material site (see Maps 5 and 9 (PDF)). The site specific analysis of mineral materials site authorization is being done by FHWA.

For additional information, view the Site N Material Site.