Energy and Minerals

Objectives

Maintain exploration and development opportunities for leasable and locatable energy and mineral resources.

Provide opportunities for extraction of salable minerals by other government entities, private industry, individuals, and nonprofit organizations.

Continue to make available mineral resources on the reserved federal mineral estate.

Land Use Allocations

The amount of BLM-administered lands with potential for occurrence of energy and mineral resources and available for exploration and development is as follows:

Mineral Resources	Approx. BLM Acres
Leasable	392,200
Locatable	376,000
Salable	171,800

There are approximately 27,800 acres of private land with reserved federal mineral estate (also referred to as federal subsurface mineral estate).

Management Actions/Direction —

Riparian Reserves

NOTE: The following management actions/direction differ from the standards and guidelines in the SEIS record of decision, since the standards and guidelines are not all implementable under current laws and regulations. The stronger standards and guidelines in the SEIS record of decision (appendix A-2) will be adopted at such time as changes in current laws and/or regulations authorize their implementation.

For any proposed locatable mining operation in Riparian Reserves, other than notice level (activity on less than five acres) or casual use, require the following actions by the operator consistent with 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3809:

Prepare a Plan of Operations, including a reclamation plan and reclamation bond for all mining operations in Riparian Reserves. Such plans and bonds will address the costs of removing facilities, equipment, and materials; recontouring of disturbed areas to an approved topography; isolating and neutralizing or removing toxic or potentially toxic materials; salvaging and replacing topsoil; and revegetating to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.
Locate structures, support facilities, and roads outside Riparian Reserves. If no alternative to siting facilities in Riparian Reserves exists, locate in a way compatible with Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives. Road construction will be kept to the minimum necessary for the approved mineral activity. Roads will be constructed and maintained to meet road management standards and to minimize damage to resources in Riparian Reserves. When a road is no longer required for mineral or land management activities, it will be reclaimed. In any case access roads will be constructed consistent with 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3809 and acceptable road construction standards and will minimize damage to resources in Riparian Reserves.
Avoid locating solid and sanitary waste facilities in Riparian Reserves. If no alternative to locating mine waste (waste rock, spent ore, tailings) facilities in Riparian Reserves exists, releases can be prevented, and stability can be ensured, then:

- Analyze the waste material using the best conventional sampling methods and analytic techniques to determine its chemical and physical stability characteristics.
- Locate and design the waste facilities using best conventional techniques to ensure mass stability and prevent the release of acid or toxic materials. If the best conventional technology is not sufficient to prevent such releases and ensure stability over the long term, prohibit such facilities in Riparian Reserves.
- Reclaim waste facilities after operations to ensure chemical and physical stability and to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.
- Monitor waste and waste facilities after operations to ensure chemical and physical stability and to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.
- Require reclamation bonds adequate to ensure chemical and physical stability and to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.
Where an existing operator is in noncompliance at the notice level (i.e., causing unnecessary or undue degradation), require actions similar to those stated above to meet the intent of 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3809.

For leasable minerals, prohibit surface occupancy for oil, gas, and geothermal exploration and development activities where leases do not exist. Where possible, adjust the stipulations in existing leases to eliminate impacts that retard or prevent the attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives consistent with existing lease terms and stipulations.

Allow development of salable minerals, such as sand and gravel, within Riparian Reserves only if Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives can be met.

Develop inspection and monitoring requirements and include such requirements in exploration and mining plans and in leases or permits consistent with existing laws and regulations. Evaluate the results of inspection and monitoring to determine if modification of plans, leases and permits is needed to eliminate impacts that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

Management Actions/Direction —

Late-Successional Reserves

Assess the impacts of ongoing and proposed mining activities in Late-Successional Reserves.

Include stipulations in mineral leases and, when legally possible, require operational constraints for locatable mineral activities to minimize detrimental effects on late-successional habitat.

Management Actions/Direction —

All Land Use Allocations

Leasable Minerals

See table 4 for restrictions on energy and mineral activities and appendix F for leasing stipulations.

Use standard and special stipulations for oil, gas, geothermal, and coal leases to protect fragile areas or critical resource values (see appendix F for a list of mineral restrictions by resource value). Special stipulations may include:

seasonal restrictions to protect resources such as critical wildlife habitat, prevent excessive erosion, etc.;
controlled surface use stipulations to protect valuable resources in small areas; and
no surface occupancy stipulations to protect valuable resources scattered over a large area while still providing an opportunity for exploration and development.

Waive special stipulations if the objective of a stipulation could be met in another way.

Provide opportunities for coal and geothermal exploration and development in areas with potential for occurrence. Coal activities are regulated under 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3400 and geothermal activities are regulated under 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3200.

Allow no leasing on lands within incorporated cities. Tracts within the planning area affected by this type of closure are located in Salem and Willamina.

Locatable Minerals

See table 5 for restrictions on energy and mineral activities and appendix F for operating standards.

Use general requirements in 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3809 and site-specific guidelines to avoid unnecessary or undue degradation of resources on mining claims.

Allow activities exceeding casual use, but disturbing five acres or less, to proceed 15 days after a notice is filed in the Salem District Office.

Require an approved plan of operation before work can begin on projects disturbing more than five acres or special resource areas.

Require bonding of plans of operation to ensure mitigating measures are followed and reclamation of the disturbed lands is completed.

Require reclamation at the earliest feasible time for all surface-disturbing operations, whether conducted under a notice or approved plan of operations.

Salable Minerals

See table 6 for restrictions on energy and mineral activities and appendix F for operating standards.

Address quarry development, management and reclamation needs through watershed analyses and project planning.

Emphasize long-term regional quarry use.

Develop new quarry sites in locations consistent with overall management objectives and guidelines of this resource management plan.

Continue to use rock from existing quarries for construction and maintenance of timber sale access roads and other purposes.

Make salable minerals available for other government agencies if requested, and if the action is consistent with management direction for protection of other resources.

Issue sales contracts for mineral materials which provide for reclamation of mined lands pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3604 or 3610.

Consider mineral material permits on a case-by-case basis. Issue them at the discretion of the area manager.

Issue free use permits to government agencies and nonprofit organizations pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations 3620. Designate new common use areas or community pits only if the level of localized activity warrants.

Reserved Federal Mineral Estate

Allow the reserved federal mineral estate to remain open for mineral development.

Allow development of locatable and salable minerals in accordance with restrictions determined by the surface owner/administrator.

Convey mineral interest owned by the United States where the surface is, or will be, in nonfederal ownership, to the existing or proposed owner of the surface estate only after a determination is made under section 209(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.