Settlement

The western Oregon Resource Management Plans are being revised in response to the American Forest Resource Council lawsuit settlement agreement. After the 1995 RMP's were completed, the American Forest Resource Council and others filed a lawsuit against the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture alleging that the Record of Decision for the Northwest Forest Plan violated the O&C Lands Act and numerous other laws. The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the American Forest Resource Council, and the Association of O&C Counties agreed to settle this lawsuit in August of 2003.

Among other requirements, the settlement agreement requires the BLM, contingent on funding, to consider in each proposed Resource Management Plan revision at least one alternative which will not create any reserves on O&C lands except as required to avoid jeopardy under the Endangered Species Act.