Resource Management Plan ce Management Plan 

Transportation and Utilities ransportation and Utilities 

Objective TU - 1: Provide new or modified rights-of-way for transportation/utility 

corridors and communication/energy sites to meet expected demands and minimize 

environmental impacts. environmental impacts. 

Rationale: Rationale: 

FLPMA (43 USC 1761 (a) (1-7) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to grant, issue, or 

renew rights-of-way over, upon, under, or through public lands for “reservoirs, canals, 

pipelines, impoundment, storage, transportation, or distribution of water; systems for 

generation, transmission, and distribution of electric energy, systems for transmission 

or reception of radio, television, telephone, telegraph, and other electronic signals, and 

other means of communication; and roads, trails, highways, railroads, or other means of 

transportation or other systems or facilities which are in the public interest and which 

require rights-of-way over, upon, under, or through such lands.” Each right-of-way 

grant must “Minimize damage to scenic and esthetic values, fish and wildlife habitat and 

otherwise protect the environment; require compliance with applicable air and water 

quality standards; require compliance with State standards for public health and safety, 

environmental protection, and citing, construction, operation, and maintenance of or for 

rights-of-way for similar purposes if those standards are more stringent than applicable 

Federal standards...” Each right-of-way grant is subject to terms and conditions to 

“(i) Protect Federal property and economic interests; (ii) manage efficiently the lands 

which are subject to the right-of-way or adjacent thereto and protect the other lawful 

users of the lands adjacent to or traversed by such right-of-way; (iii) protect lives and 

property; (iv) protect the interests of individuals living in the general area traversed by 

the right-of-way who rely on the fish, wildlife, and other biotic resources of the area for 

subsistence purposes; (v) require location of the right-of-way along a route that will cause 

least damage to the environment, taking into consideration feasibility and other relevant 

factors; and (vi) otherwise protect the public interest in the lands traversed by the rightof-way or adjacent thereto.” (43 USC 1765 (a) and (b)) ay or adjacent thereto.” (43 USC 1765 (a) and (b)) 

Objectives in granting rights-of-way and temporary use permits (43 CFR 2800) are to 

“(1) protect the natural resources associated with the public lands and adjacent private 

or other lands administered by a government agency, (2) prevent unnecessary or undue 

environmental damage to the lands and resources, (3) promote the utilization of rightsof-way in common with respect to engineering and technological compatibility, national 

security and land use plans and (4) coordinate, to the fullest extent possible, all actions 

taken pursuant to this part with State and local governments, interested individuals, and 

appropriate quasi-public entities.” appropriate quasi-public entities.” 

Allocations/Allowable Uses: Allocations/Allowable Uses: 

1. All transportation/utility corridors identified by the Western Regional Corridor 

Study are designated as transportation/utility corridors. Existing communications 

sites in the planning area are identified. 

2. Areas of critical environmental concern, wilderness study areas, and Wild and 

Scenic Rivers are designated as right-of-way exclusion areas. ay exclusion areas. 

3. All areas identified as having special status plant or animal species are designated 

as avoidance areas. oidance areas. 

4. Designate all existing right-of-way routes as local corridors for future collocation of 

compatible projects. compatible projects. 

Guidelines: Guidelines: 

1. BLM administered lands will continue to be available for rights-of-way, including 

multiple use and single use utility/transportation corridors, following existing 

routes, and roads. routes, and roads. 

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2. Corridor widths vary depending on the number of parallel facilities, but are a 

minimum of 1,000 feet on each side of the existing centerline, unless adjacent to 

exclusion areas. exclusion areas. 

3. Applicants are encouraged to locate new facilities adjacent to existing facilities to 

the extent technically and economically feasible and meet resource objectives. 

4. All right-of-way applications will be reviewed using the criteria of following 

existing corridors wherever possible and to avoid the proliferation of separate 

rights-of-way. 

5. All areas having high or sensitive (VRM classifications 1-3) visual qualities will be 

avoided or appropriate mitigation measures taken. oided or appropriate mitigation measures taken. 

6. Each right-of-way will be limited to the area necessary for operation and 

maintenance. The project will consider the protection of public safety and will do no 

unnecessary damage to the environment. unnecessary damage to the environment. 

7. Each right-of-way will contain terms and conditions requiring compliance with 

environmental quality standards applicable to Federal or State law. 

8. Each right-of-way grant or permit will reserve to the BLM the right to issue 

additional rights for compatible uses on or adjacent to the project. additional rights for compatible uses on or adjacent to the project. 

9. Locate and design new rights-of-way to minimize fragmentation of public lands, 

and only construct new projects when the use of existing alignments will have 

substantially less desirable environmental impacts than new construction. substantially less desirable environmental impacts than new construction. 

10. Consolidate transportation and utility systems within existing corridors if possible 

to reduce habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation caused by new construction. to reduce habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation caused by new construction. 

11. In T15S, R13E sections 1, 13, 24, 25, and 26 consult with Redmond Airport officials 

to ensure that Transportation and Utility decisions do not conflict with the safe 

operation or development of the airport. elopment of the airport. 

Objective TU – 2: Objective TU – 2: Provide an integrated, functional, safe, efficient, transportation 

system that: system that: 

• Supports approved land uses that cannot be met on private, state, or county lands ate, state, or county lands 

• Provides links between local communities een local communities 

• Reduces or minimize conflicts with adjacent landowners icts with adjacent landowners 

• Supports approved common guidelines of joint jurisdictions ed common guidelines of joint jurisdictions 

• Balances public access needs with resource protection Balances public access needs with resource protection 

Rationale: Rationale: 

See Rationale for TU – 1. See Rationale for TU – 1. 

Allocations/Allowable Uses: Allocations/Allowable Uses: 

1. Do not allow activities in transportation corridors and airport safety zones that will 

not meet the requirements of these areas. not meet the requirements of these areas. 

2. In all areas, construction, placement or maintenance of roads or trails without 

authorization, contract, or approved operating plan will be prohibited. ed operating plan will be prohibited. 

Guidelines: Guidelines: 

1. Coordinate development of transportation systems with State, local, and other 

federal jurisdictions to provide links between communities within and outside of 

the region. the region. 

2. Use existing travel routes where possible to provide access and meet road 

density objectives; however, new alignments may be considered if they provide 

beĴer resource management, reduce social conflicts, provide beĴer recreation 

opportunities or if existing routes are determined to be unfeasible. opportunities or if existing routes are determined to be unfeasible. 

3. Apply minimum design standards for roads to accomplish transportation and 

resource management objectives. Manage the road system to minimize disturbance 

to wildlife habitat and reduce conflicts with non-motorized recreational activities. icts with non-motorized recreational activities. 

4. Provide adequate road maintenance for safe vehicle use (which does not require 

passenger car or recreational vehicle standards), and minimize the proliferation of 

roads and braided road systems. roads and braided road systems. 

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5. Maintain roads providing access to trailheads, staging areas, picnic areas, 

campgrounds or other developed sites to a standard that provides safe access for 

passenger cars and recreational vehicles (campers, trailers, etc.). ehicles (campers, trailers, etc.). 

6. Where grantees have alternative existing rights-of-way in the area of a new 

proposal, they will vacate the existing right or provide other reasonable 

compensation as a condition of the new authorization, if it is determined to be in 

excess of access needs. excess of access needs. 

7. Public access along transportation and utility corridors will be managed to meet 

recreational and travel management objectives. 

Access 

8. Designation of access points to public lands will provide safe ingress and egress 

from state highways and county roads. The network of local roads through public 

lands will be dependent upon administrative needs, recreational use and travel 

management objectives. 

9. For areas where motorized use is designated as Limited or Closed, access points/ 

trailheads/and staging areas will be identified and developed based on the 

following criteria: following criteria: 

a. Access points off paved public roads (arterials, not expressways) as a first 

priority. 

b. Second priority will be given to developing access points from collector roads. eloping access points from collector roads. 

c. Low priority will be given to developing motorized access points from local or 

subdivision roads. subdivision roads. 

10. Designated motorized access points/staging areas will be located away from 

residences or other sensitive land uses, to the extent practicable. Authorized rightsof-way may be designated as the primary public access point, or in an effort to 

reduce social conflicts, could be closed to general public use. icts, could be closed to general public use. 

11. Obtain permits from respective jurisdictions for all designated access points. e jurisdictions for all designated access points. 

12. Retain public use of rights-of-way that provide access to the Middle Deschutes and 

Crooked River. 

13. Minimize conflicts between landowners and users of public lands by relocating 

trails and parking areas away from private property boundaries, wherever feasible. er feasible. 

14. Plan cooperatively with the Oregon Department of Transportation, County Road 

Departments, and other agencies to designate grade-separated crossings for 

recreation trails on public lands. Emphasis will be placed on the need for safe trail 

crossings of Millican/West BuĴe Road/Highway, State Highway 126, State Highway 

20, O’Neil Highway, Johnson Market Road, and the Powell BuĴe Highway. 

15. In consultation with Deschutes County Road department and Crooked River 

Ranch, upgrade and provide maintenance for the emergency exit route. Consider 

realigning this route and exit point onto Lower Bridge Road if it provides a safer 

route and improved resource and recreation management on BLM administered 

lands. 

Roads 

16. See Objective R—3, Guidelines 10-15 for Interim use of Existing Roads and Trails. 

Also see RMP Maps 11-24. Maps 11-24. 

17. All local roads that are not needed to meet specific management objectives are 

available for designation as system roads or for closure following site specific 

analyses. analyses. 

18. Roadways may be closed that meet the following criteria: ays may be closed that meet the following criteria: 

a. Repeated law enforcement violations exist. Repeated law enforcement violations exist. 

b. Extremely difficult to maintain at prescribed maintenance levels. 

c. Public safety hazards exist. Public safety hazards exist. 

d. Resource damage cannot be mitigated. Resource damage cannot be mitigated. 

e. Necessary to accomplish other resource objectives. 

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f. User created roads (unauthorized travel ways created though public lands since 

passage of FLPMA, based on evidence found on aerial photos and maps of that 

period) not designated for use as a trail or needed for administrative access. e access. 

g. Local roads (defined as minimum standard roads that existed through public 

lands prior to passage of FLPMA, based on evidence found on aerial photos 

and maps of that period) that “dead end” or do not provide connectivity with 

the designated transportation system. the designated transportation system. 

19. Existing road systems will be designated to create loop routes that return to the 

same access point. BLM may develop new roads to create understandable loops that 

rely on fewer access points. er access points. 

20. Motorized routes not selected for designation, but required for other uses, may 

have locked gates installed. Examples may include utility access roads, grazing 

access roads, or local roads needed for administrative access. e access. 

21. Motorized routes may have gates or caĴle guards installed to allow for continued 

grazing activities and to insure visitor safety. 

22. Rights-of-way determined not to be a necessary component of the transportation 

system may be closed to the general public to reduce dumping, illegal activities, 

and cross-country travel. 

23. During planning provide affected tribes the opportunity to review all proposed 

road closures to determine if opportunities for cultural uses will be adversely 

affected. 

Objective TU - 3: During the design and application process for proposed new or 

expanded rights-of-way, incorporate mitigating measures in the plan of development 

for land restoration, habitat improvement, recreation opportunities, and visual 

resources. resources. 

Rationale: Rationale: 

The planning area contains a high density of roads, railroads, canals, power line, and 

pipelines. As Central Oregon continues to develop, requests for rights-of-way across 

public land is expected to continue. The presence of these facilities may impact natural 

resource and scenic values. Appropriate mitigation during design and development 

of new or expanded rights-of-way will help compensate for long-term and cumulative 

impacts to natural resources. impacts to natural resources. Also see Rationale for Objective TU – 1. e TU – 1. 

Guidelines: Guidelines: 

1. An environmental analysis will determine cumulative effects of the proposed 

project and appropriate mitigating measures. project and appropriate mitigating measures. 

2. BLM’s contrast rating system will be used to assess visual resource impacts and 

develop appropriate mitigation measures or project design changes (see also Visual 

Resources Section). Resources Section). 

3. Treatments or mitigations should normally occur adjacent to or in the immediate 

vicinity of the development. elopment. 

4. Treatments or mitigations may include activities such as seeding, planting, thinning, 

fencing, and road closures, road and trail realignment, road and trail development, 

provision of grade-separated crossings, placement of signs, volunteer agreements, 

etc. 

5. Specific mitigation requirements should be determined and mutually agreed upon 

between the applicant and BLM during the design and application phase. een the applicant and BLM during the design and application phase. 

Objective TU – 4: Identify and develop a long-term transportation system for military 

training use that meets specific training objectives, maximizes benefits to other users, 

including recreation use of public lands, and minimizes impact to natural resources. including recreation use of public lands, and minimizes impact to natural resources. 

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Rationale: Rationale: 

Repeated use of a road or other staging area by tanks and other heavy equipment can 

damage the facilities. Site hardening and surfacing or grading roads can minimize the 

damage caused by this equipment. damage caused by this equipment. 

Guidelines: Guidelines: 

For repeated activities involving heavy equipment (greater than 10,000 GVW), provide 

surfacing and maintenance that protects the roadbed. surfacing and maintenance that protects the roadbed. 

Objective TU - 5: Consolidate transportation and utility systems with consideration for 

ecological and recreational values, while providing for regional transportation systems 

and meeting regional objectives. and meeting regional objectives. 

Rationale: Rationale: 

See Objective TU - 1. e TU - 1. 

Allocations/Allowable Uses: Allocations/Allowable Uses: 

1. Designate the collector road network and transportation/utility corridors as shown 

on RMP Map 2. 

2. Designate a transportation corridor, approximately 1⁄2 mile wide and extending 

from approximately the end of 19th Street in Redmond to Deschutes Market Road. 

This includes a corridor connection to Quarry Avenue that will allow for a future 

Federal Highway interchange. ay interchange. 

3. Designate a corridor between the existing Antler road north of State Highway 

126 and connecting with the existing State Highway 126 outside of the Redmond 

Airport runway protection zone for future realignment of Highway 126. ay 126. 

Objective TU - 6: Provide motorized access to facilitate reasonable entry and 

operations for administrative purposes. operations for administrative purposes. 

Rationale: Rationale: 

To meet BLM administrative needs for land and resource management activities, 

public access restrictions may not apply or may be temporarily modified (see RMP 

Map 3 for Travel Management Designations). Administrative access will be required 

in cases of access required by law or regulation, to provide a more cost-effective means 

of protecting, restoring, or studying natural resources, and to construct, maintain, and 

access private property or facilities. Examples of such administrative and management 

activities include but may not be limited to: emergency access (i.e. fire suppression, 

hazmat clean-up, law enforcement), rights-of-way and facilities construction/ 

maintenance and ingress/egress to private in-holdings, research/education, monitoring/ 

inventory, military training, land treatments, authorized mineral material sites, 

traditional cultural uses, and other activities allowed under wriĴen authorization. en authorization. 

Allocations/Allowable Uses: Allocations/Allowable Uses: 

1. Vehicle use off of designated roads/trails is not allow of designated roads/trails is not allowed: 

a. In WSAs and ISAs (Instant Study Areas) at any time of the year (access on 

designated roads in the Badlands WSA only for approv only for approved activities). ed activities). 

b. In the Peck’s Milkvetch ACEC during March 1 - August 15. August 15. 

Guidelines: Guidelines: 

1. Groups and personnel granted administrative access will be guided by provisions 

and requirements in the specific contract, permit, or agreement which will stipulate 

what types of activities and travel will be allowed, and under what conditions. ed, and under what conditions. 

2. Administrative access includes but is not limited to: e access includes but is not limited to: 

a. Access to designated Closed areas (seasonally or year-round). -round). 

b. Access on designated or existing road systems that are closed (seasonally or 

year-round). -round). 

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c. Access off designated roads and trails. designated roads and trails. 

3. Administrative access authorization will include mitigation measures to protect 

resources and to rehabilitate impacts caused by temporary motorized access or 

activities. activities. Some of these mitigations could include, but are not limited to: Some of these mitigations could include, but are not limited to: 

a. Closure and rehabilitation of temporary access routes. Closure and rehabilitation of temporary access routes. 

b. Activities/travel over snow or frozen ground. er snow or frozen ground. 

c. Activities/travel limited by season or soil moisture conditions. el limited by season or soil moisture conditions. 

d. Use of low-impact equipment and techniques. Use of low-impact equipment and techniques. 

e. Use of gates and signs to preclude general access. Use of gates and signs to preclude general access. 

4. Decisions regarding access authorization and special requirements will be 

decided on a case-by-case basis. The authorizing officer will consider the resource 

values involved, potential effects of the activity, cost vs. benefit, and appropriate/ 

reasonable mitigation measures to be applied. Access recommendations will 

normally be made during project planning through an interdisciplinary team 

process and with the appropriate level of NEPA analysis. analysis. 

5. Grazing permiĴees/lessees must apply for a permit to provide supplemental 

livestock feed, salt, or nutrients, or to construct new fences or other range 

improvements. The BLM will decide during the permit process whether or 

not off-road vehicle use will be allowed for these activities. If allowed, wriĴen 

authorization and conditions will be included in the permit/lease. The annual 

grazing billing process will also provide an opportunity to include or change 

wriĴen access authorizations prior to turnout. Motorized vehicle use off of 

designated roads/trails will generally be approved when: ed when: 

a. Moving caĴle in to or out of a pasture, and checking for stragglers a day or two 

later. 

b. Checking/repairing fences prior to turnout. Checking/repairing fences prior to turnout. 

c. Checking for breaks in fence or open gates aĞer finding strays. nding strays. 

d. Checking all perimeter fences/gates once per month (special authorization will 

be required for more frequent access). be required for more frequent access). 

e. Hauling water to troughs that are off-road. 

6. If road closures eliminate access to sites used for traditional cultural uses, tribal 

members may be granted administrative access for purposes of those uses. e access for purposes of those uses. 

Land Ownership Land Ownership 

Public lands have been classified for retention or disposal pursuant to the Section 7 of the 

Taylor Grazing aylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315f) and other authorities described in ) and other authorities described in Appendix Appendix A. 

Objective LO – 1 (Z-1): Identify lands for retention based on resource values and 

overall management objectives. Lands allocated for retention are identified as having 

high public resource values. They include areas that will generally be retained in 

public ownership, and where emphasis will be placed on increasing public land 

holdings. holdings. 

Rationale: Rationale: 

Public lands in Central Oregon provide a variety of resource values. These include but 

are not limited to native or natural species dominance, archaeological values, special 

or unique plant and animal habitats, support for wildlife populations, recreational 

opportunities, solitude and open space, and providing undeveloped space between 

burgeoning population areas. Underlying the objectives for land ownership is the 

assumption that retention of large blocks of public lands best serves these diverse values. 

Allocations/Allowable Uses: Allocations/Allowable Uses: 

1. Those public lands in Wild and Scenic River areas, identified for retention in the 

Middle Deschutes/Lower Crooked River (Chimney Rock Segment) Management 

140