I wish to register my objections to the Western Oregon Plan Revision.

**Increase in logging:**\
The basis for increasing logging seems to be related to outdated laws
and a desire for additional revenues. We should continue with the plan
that is currently in place. Certainly we do not need additional road
building with the destruction of our watersheds.

Although there have been changes in road construction, we don\'t
understand all of the impacts. In fact, I have been told that one of the
ways impacts have been reduced is by constructing roads through areas
with seasonal rather than permanent streams. We do not know the impact
to seasonal streams which have unique aquatic communities that are
adapted to those habitats.

We should also be preserving all remaining old growth. It seems ironic,
indeed, that we work to reduce the destruction of the tropical
rainforest while logging our own.

**Reduction of riparian buffers:**

It is simply amazing that anyone would be considering reducing
streamside buffers. After all of the research that has been done
especially in the Coast Range in the late 60\'s and early 70\'s. I
thought we had shown the impact from logging along streams with the
study of clearcut/buffer/old growth/old clearcut that was done. This
work led to our current regulations. Many of our streams are water
quality limited right now for temperature. Clearcuts are still likely to
cause temperature to rise in runoff, and, of course, water runs off more
quickly and peak flows are higher on streams draining clearcuts. All one
has to do is look at a stream draining a watershed with clearcuts and
compare it to one draining old growth. The difference in suspended
solids due to erosion does not require any sophisticated testing.

**Grazing:**

The focus on grazing in this plan has not received much attention. There
are a number of reservoirs proposed to be built causing unknown damage
to stream habitat and aquatic species. I find the boilerplate approach
to this plan unsettling. There is continual reference to sampling but no
specifics as to what that means. Has anyone surveyed the aquatic
insects/amphibians/etc in these streams. These reservoirs are often in
areas that are dry and especially sensitive to destruction. The BLM
should be ashamed of what has been done to some of our streams in
eastern Oregon such as Cottonwood Creek near Fields. This was the only
known Oregon habitat of Paltothemis lineatipes, a dragonfly. It has not
been found there for several years. In fact, we saw no Odonata there on
visits last summer. The banks were broken down, riparian vegetation
gone, cattle feces in the stream, and ample sediment on the substrate.
Many springs have also been severely damaged by grazing as this is, of
course, where cattle congregate with water and better grazing.

Monitoring of current grazing leases should be increased to determine if
leases are being followed in terms of number of animals and time limits
on grazing. In addition, BLM should be monitoring some typical streams
in western and eastern Oregon to determine the impact on our aquatic
resources.

We know that reservoirs will increase stream temperatures, disrupt
aquatic drift, and change the composition of the aquatic community
downstream. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to any
construction of additional reservoirs.