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ODFW is revising the boundaries for Sage Grouse PAC's.
A PAC is a Priority Area for Conservation.
You can learn about it here: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/sagegrouse/cas_update_2023.asp
Click the landscape tool to open the map and zoom around.
It looks like this:
Public land inside a PAC is subject to special sage grouse restrictions. The goal is to preserve and restore sage grouse habitat.
The ODFW PAC boundaries are reasonable. It's a decent program, working well in many areas.
There is one improvement they could make: they should exclude a few more developed areas along highways where the highways enter PAC boundaries.
Because all available studies show that sage grouse stay ~2 miles away from highways, especially when development exists along the highway. So those areas should not be included in PAC boundaries.
ODFW already does this in some areas, like Brogan, west of Vale.
We need them to do it in a few more areas, like Hwy 86 easy of Baker.
The Powder River Sportsmen's Club leases the land for our shooting range from BLM. Since 1968.
We are renewing our lease this year.
Our range is just inside the Baker PAC, right alongside Hwy 86.
Our negotiations were going fine until two days ago, then BLM decided to add sage grouse restrictions to our lease.
Like we have to close the range for the first and last two hours of every day from March through June, and maybe some other months too, to avoid disturbing sage grouse.
This doesn't make sense because our shooting range is right on a busy highway.
The highway is the predominant disturbance in our area.
If BLM deleted our range from the map, sage grouse still would not use habitat within 2 miles of that highway. Because it's a highway.
There are two ways we can fix this problem: negotiate with BLM, but also ask ODFW to revise the PAC boundary so we are not in the PAC. If they do that, all our problems are solved.
You can help us. Here's how:
Send an email to three email addresses:
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected] and [email protected]
Paste this text into the body of the email:
"Dear ODFW,
The new sage grouse PAC boundaries should exclude areas of pre-existing human development and activity at points where highways enter PAC's, because those areas are non-viable for sage grouse habitat.
Sage grouse will not use habitat near highways, especially when pre-PAC development and human activity are present adjacent to the highway.
Including such areas in PAC boundaries will not achieve any conservation objective, but it will invite conflict and undermine public support for the sage grouse conservation initiative.
ODFW has already drawn "exclusion fingers" in some PAC's, such as Brogan, west of Vale.
I ask that you consider drawing more of those exclusion areas at other places where highways enter PAC boundaries, such as Hwy 86 east of Baker.
Thank you."
That's it.
It will take you two minutes.
Paste the addresses into the To and CC boxes, paste the text into the body, click send.
If you don't mind, do it very soon, like now.
The public comment period for the revised PAC maps ends Sep 30.
However, any time in the next several days will be fine. ODFW didn't do a very good job of informing the public that they are asking for public comments, so they will accept "late" comments.
If a lot of people send this email it will help us greatly. It will help us take a stand against pointless policy, and it will help ODFW improve their map and avoid other potential conflicts.
If you recall, our Club sprayed M114 signs all over the state last fall. Many people on this board helped us get that job done, and we dang near won that election.
We would be very grateful for each one of you who spends two minutes to send that email.
Thank you!
David Spaugh
PRSC
Baker City
A PAC is a Priority Area for Conservation.
You can learn about it here: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/sagegrouse/cas_update_2023.asp
Click the landscape tool to open the map and zoom around.
It looks like this:
Public land inside a PAC is subject to special sage grouse restrictions. The goal is to preserve and restore sage grouse habitat.
The ODFW PAC boundaries are reasonable. It's a decent program, working well in many areas.
There is one improvement they could make: they should exclude a few more developed areas along highways where the highways enter PAC boundaries.
Because all available studies show that sage grouse stay ~2 miles away from highways, especially when development exists along the highway. So those areas should not be included in PAC boundaries.
ODFW already does this in some areas, like Brogan, west of Vale.
We need them to do it in a few more areas, like Hwy 86 easy of Baker.
The Powder River Sportsmen's Club leases the land for our shooting range from BLM. Since 1968.
We are renewing our lease this year.
Our range is just inside the Baker PAC, right alongside Hwy 86.
Our negotiations were going fine until two days ago, then BLM decided to add sage grouse restrictions to our lease.
Like we have to close the range for the first and last two hours of every day from March through June, and maybe some other months too, to avoid disturbing sage grouse.
This doesn't make sense because our shooting range is right on a busy highway.
The highway is the predominant disturbance in our area.
If BLM deleted our range from the map, sage grouse still would not use habitat within 2 miles of that highway. Because it's a highway.
There are two ways we can fix this problem: negotiate with BLM, but also ask ODFW to revise the PAC boundary so we are not in the PAC. If they do that, all our problems are solved.
You can help us. Here's how:
Send an email to three email addresses:
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected] and [email protected]
Paste this text into the body of the email:
"Dear ODFW,
The new sage grouse PAC boundaries should exclude areas of pre-existing human development and activity at points where highways enter PAC's, because those areas are non-viable for sage grouse habitat.
Sage grouse will not use habitat near highways, especially when pre-PAC development and human activity are present adjacent to the highway.
Including such areas in PAC boundaries will not achieve any conservation objective, but it will invite conflict and undermine public support for the sage grouse conservation initiative.
ODFW has already drawn "exclusion fingers" in some PAC's, such as Brogan, west of Vale.
I ask that you consider drawing more of those exclusion areas at other places where highways enter PAC boundaries, such as Hwy 86 east of Baker.
Thank you."
That's it.
It will take you two minutes.
Paste the addresses into the To and CC boxes, paste the text into the body, click send.
If you don't mind, do it very soon, like now.
The public comment period for the revised PAC maps ends Sep 30.
However, any time in the next several days will be fine. ODFW didn't do a very good job of informing the public that they are asking for public comments, so they will accept "late" comments.
If a lot of people send this email it will help us greatly. It will help us take a stand against pointless policy, and it will help ODFW improve their map and avoid other potential conflicts.
If you recall, our Club sprayed M114 signs all over the state last fall. Many people on this board helped us get that job done, and we dang near won that election.
We would be very grateful for each one of you who spends two minutes to send that email.
Thank you!
David Spaugh
PRSC
Baker City
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