ACEC Nomination Results
BLM's Western Oregon Resource Management Plan Revisions

Last fall the public was given the opportunity to nominate potential Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) for consideration in the BLM's western Oregon plan revision process.  Nominations were due on December 2, 2005.  (PDF)

Nominations were received for 87 new ACECs.  BLM staff have evaluated these nominations and the existing ACECs in the planning area to determine which areas meet the minimum criteria for "relevance and importance" for further consideration in the plan revisions.  The results of that evaluation are below.

After review by the six districts, 88 of the existing ACECs and 35 of the nominated ACECs were recommended for further consideration.  These 123 potential ACECs involve approximately 100,400 acres or about four percent of the planning area.

Evaluation of Existing and Nominated ACECs for Relevance and Importance:

Note:  The following tables are summaries of the evaluation and recommendations.  The acres listed are estimates only.  In some cases, there are acreage differences for Existing ACECs, between the current Resource Management Plans and the information in the Western Oregon Plans Revision effort.  These acreage differences are due to boundary adjustments or mapping corrections.  For more information, contact the appropriate District. List of Acronyms Used in Tables Below

What Happens Next?

All existing and nominated ACECs that passed the evaluation for "relevance and importance" will be considered in the development of each of the management plan alternatives.  The special management needs of each area will be compared with the prescribed management under each of the planning alternatives.  It is quite likely that some of the potential ACECs may surface as suitable for designation under one alternative and designation will not be needed under another alternative.

For example, if a potential ACEC was nominated to provide special management attention for a unique ecosystem, and that area occurs within a broader area that would receive the same kind of management under one of the management alternatives, that ACEC would not be necessary.  However, under another planning alternative, special management attention may be necessary because the surrounding area would not receive the same type of management.

Final designation of ACEC status will occur after the final Environmental Impact Statement is approved and a formal Record of Decision for each revised Resource Management Plan is issued.  This should occur in 2008.