Withdrawals

Objectives

Protect lands with important resource values and/or significant levels of investment by withdrawing them from the operation of public land and mineral laws. Withdrawal is necessary to avoid irreparable damage that may be caused by nondiscretionary activities.

Land Use Allocations

All withdrawals identified in Appendix K are recommended for continuation pending formal withdrawal review recommendations.

Two new public land and mineral law withdrawals are being considered in the Recreation section. They will not be withdrawn from the mineral leasing laws, but will have a no surface occupancy stipulation applied to any leases that may include those areas.

It is expected that new proposals for acquisition and/or development of special concern areas (e.g. recreation sites, Area of Critical Environmental Concern/Riparian Management Area) will arise over the next decade. Whenever existing regulations are not adequate to guarantee protection of improvements or resources, or whenever additional lands are acquired to enlarge the size of existing special concern areas, a withdrawal that will be consistent with the management objectives will be considered.

Classifications will generally withdraw land from the operation of general land laws and mining laws, but not mineral leasing laws. Classifications recommended for termination are listed in Table 4. These include three Small Tract Act and one Recreation and Public Purpose Act classifications. Once revoked, the lands will be restored to the operation of general land and mining laws. Since the lands involved are being managed for purposes established through the classification process, but under different authorities, no change in land use is anticipated. New classifications for Recreation and Public Purpose Act leases will be considered in land tenure Zone 2 and 3 for all new proposals that surface during the life of this plan. A ten acre tract located in Lot 1, Section 28, T. 24 S., R. 7 W. will be classified for Recreation and Public Purpose Act lease purposes for a boat ramp facility on the Umpqua River.

Management Actions/Direction

See Management of Newly Acquired Lands (toward the end of this section).

Complete the review of existing withdrawals to determine whether continuation of the withdrawal is consistent with the statutory objectives of the programs for which the lands were dedicated and with other important programs.

Terminate unnecessary or duplicate withdrawals and continue those which still meet the intent of the withdrawal.

Implement the BLM-proposed withdrawals listed under land use allocations. This will involve recommendations to and approval by the Secretary of the Interior.

Evaluate future withdrawal proposals for compliance with program objectives and federal law and recommend appropriate action to the Secretary of the Interior.

Limit withdrawals to the minimum area needed and restrict only those activities that would be detrimental to the purposes of the withdrawal.

Withdrawals generally segregate the lands from operations under the nondiscretionary general land laws, mining laws, and sometimes mineral leasing laws. All withdrawals remaining to be reviewed are identified in Appendix K. These withdrawals will be reviewed during the 1990s and may be continued, modified, or terminated. The BLM currently manages lands withdrawn as Power Site Reserves, Power Site Classifications, and Water Power Designations. These lands will be managed in accordance with the objectives of the plan whether the withdrawals are continued, modified, or terminated.