Accepted July 28,, 2015
WALLOWA COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
June 23, 2015
9 AM –OSU Meeting Room
NRAC Standing Committee Members Present
Bruce Dunn, Chairman
John Williams, OSU Extension
Rod Childers, Rancher
Nils Christoffersen, Wallowa Resources
Kris Stein, USFS
Jeff Fields, TNC
NRAC Members
Matt Howard, ODF
Coby Minton, GRMWP
Others
Eileen Williams
Susan Roberts, WC Co. Commissioner
Kathryn Ackley, Wallowa Land Trust
The meeting was called to order at 9:05 am by Chairman Bruce Dunn.
Legislative Report - John.
Ways and Means – 30 items this last week
Gregg Barreto has two bills important to him now
Wolf Compensation–put in to a Christmas tree bill to balance tax raise, so don’t
have to have 3/5ths. Gregg asked that compensation be taken out, and found
that it was taken out and was dead. Will put back in if Gregg will vote for it.
Gregg is against the bill.
Comp bill has been voted on and is back to where it was last year.
Talked to Democratic leader and was assured it would be voted on.
Speed Bill -ODOT has gotten his speed bill pulled. Hansel said he thought he
could get it in.
Forest bill is in, money is there.
Marijuana bill has to be worked through before end of session.
Transportation bill the governor wants. Speaker of house doesn’t want it.
The minutes were approved with corrections.
OLD BUSINESS
WC NRAC Standing Committee
June 23, 2015
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Accepted July 28,, 2015
Wallowa-Whitman Forests Collaborative
Update East Face
4 action alternatives ranged as far as 2,500 -7,000 acres mechanical
Overall timber approximately 44,000 acres
-East face has turned back into a normal process of a Forest Service project
-Not helping the collaborative be a collaborative, Decided to develop a project with
Collaborative being the lead on North end on about 3,000 acres in Wallowa Co. Want the
collaborative to work together and be successful
-Tomorrow meeting at lab on Gekeler Lane.
-Given resources and time better to do a smaller project with insect CEs and have discussion of
where will go in next 5 years.
-Meeting tomorrow presentation on predicting where a fire will start and where it will go
-Goal is to have the collaborative work together and trust each other.
-Collab has not seen the maps so we do not know where.
Kitzhaber Last biennium asked for 2.885 million to support groups for restoration work
Proposed this year 6.5 for more boots on ground for implementation
Did get 5.5 million as part of ODF budget package. One line item is collaborative
Lower Joe decision
-OGC to look at east side screens because of litigation on snow basin.
-Need to do on a regional level not project level unless special circumstances.
-Made case that there are special circumstances.
-HCPC in not supporting removal of trees greater than 21 inches .
NEW BUSINESS
ATLES – process from BPA
-Letter from Coby
-BPA pushing ATLES and Coby is pushing OWEB
-Technical review of projects
-All wet projects, stream fish passage type projects. Not watershed projects.
-Projects to recover salmon.
Nils- Seems that there needs to be something clear on the role of NRAC. Found letter of intent
Vague.
John – If we write the plan and don’t have some say, could end up all of Wallowa County
producers at level 2 and Union County level 1.
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June 23, 2015
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Accepted July 28,, 2015
Bruce – Coby needs something by July 1
Rod – Let’s see if Coby has a plan that we can send out and look at. Don’t feel we want to sign
it without seeing something.
John – What is the part about Capacity-Building ….?
Bruce - To build funds to write plan
John – Let’s call Coby and see if he can come down and ask questions.
Coby joined the meeting to help answer questions.
John brought Coby up to speed of earlier discussion
Coby –
-OWEB membership dictates partnership.
- partnership between NRAC and OWEB is important.
-This letter is first step of building capacity for funding,
-Implementation OWEB would give a block grant to partnership, and then partners then can
apply for funds for restoration.
1. Contract services
2. Compensation for staff time of partners
-Second stage of application would be this fall
-Taking existing projects and putting on GPS map and utilizing data we have
-Willingness to act could raise ranking.
Jeff -NRAC’s comfort would be greater if letter was more explicit.
Coby - This letter does not include Union county
Susan- After getting BPA to put money down that would be available to Wallowa Co., not Union
Coby - Not for going out and doing work on the land but taking all the plans and data and putting
it together.
Coby -Take existing data and create locations to work and develop lead entities to do a project.
Gives people writing grant request to have relevance. Eliminates competition and reduce
wasted time.
John – This will take in the work that has already been done.
Coby – Yes
Nils – Would help create a base map of what has already been done.
Susan - If project is identified as best done by FS does not mean that another group can’t come in
and implement the project.
Coby – Another group could come in.
John – will this help us get of fair share of the money out there?
Coby – John, I can’t honestly say, but I think this would help.
Coby – Would be willing to edit with your input. Need to send off first of next week.
WC NRAC Standing Committee
June 23, 2015
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Accepted July 28,, 2015
Group was okay with the letter with small changes.
1.Clearly state Social Opportunity,
2. We are involved in actual proposal development.
UPDATES
Alder Slop Fuels Reduction
Tour - Matt Howard was tour guide
State and Regional managers for Forest Service etc., NRCS and Tom Montoya
State concern is that if state deploys resources that FS doesn’t take their funds to support to say
Recreation.
West Moraine to Lostine.
Kris - Group was impressed at the collaborative aspect of the group
Nils – Prime reason the large group was here was the push of East Face, then came here.
Matt –Our relationship really stood out.
Coordination with land owners was great; Sally Goebel, Heather Melville, and Bruce
Dunn
Lower Imnaha Range Analysis
-Have had one formal meeting on objection process
Kris - has asked for extension and McClarans have given some suggestions as to how to address
HCPC objection - extended to July 15th
-Have not had very fruitful proposals
-Working with the 3 groups with objections McClarens are willing and are writing up their
proposals, have not heard from HCPC
-Can’t extend past July 15th.
-Tom is the reviewing officer; a brief will be prepared with findings on objections and give to
Kris and she would need to implement changes and finalize
Title II
-All RAC positions are open.
-Kris in concerned that the Forest Service moneys are one year moneys and have to be obligated.
-Susan explained what she has been requested to do. In the process to seat the RAC
-Rod said he would apply and that anyone in the room who qualifies they should apply, so that
someone gets on the RAC.
-Cynthia needs to get the tweaking done and turned in so that the money is obligated.
-Rod, Susan and Jeff said he would check with his group to be sure that they have a rep applying.
-John will also apply.
WC NRAC Standing Committee
June 23, 2015
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Accepted July 28,, 2015
-Open public meeting so Susan will attend even if not on RAC
Blue Mtn. Forest Revision
June 26 – County meeting at 6-8 pm at Cloverleaf hall
For public input on Blue Mtn. Forest Revision
Meeting to get ready for the Forest Service meeting.
Goal of meeting to keep public informed and to select 15-20 people to attend the
FS meeting representing the three areas of the plan.
1. Permittees
2. Access/Wilderness
3. Pace and Scale
Those selected will be from Wallowa County.
John offered to take a stab at separate into the three above areas
Nils - Everything we have talked about today HCPC has stopped us yet they tell us they want to
work with us.
Rob – It has always been that way there is always one who says they want to work with us, but
they turn around and sue.
Travel Management Plan
On the back burner.
Part A - current actual conditions of roads still being worked on. 130 roads difference
between Wallowa County’s inventory and FS data base.
Salmon Plan/SP Implementation
Hopefully ATLES thing will help finish this. Tie in to base map.
Old/New Photos
Nothing
Wolves
-Eating Beef
-North of Wallowa on Hancock ground, investigated Sat and Sunday. Have not heard
back from, ODFW.
-Relationship with ODFW has gone down hill. They know they are going to get sued,
but not who and when.
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June 23, 2015
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Accepted July 28,, 2015
OTHER
Bird Blitz – each year bird counters identify and count birds. We were asked to help contact
people in the hot spots. NRAC sent out the letters for them as a supporter of a partner.
Wallowa Resources and Watershed Festival
Oregon Parks and recreational Dept. Board meeting here tomorrow, June 23.
ODF new employee, Tim Cudmore. Working with NRCS Alder Slope Project.
On the Lower Joseph Creek Project Kris asked Rod and Bruce about roads Bruce sent his in, Rod
is ready.
Shed Antler netted 12,000 dollars to split with FFA and 4-H Fat stock Show. Collected 11
hundred pounds.
11:08 adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted
Eileen Williams
WC NRAC Standing Committee Secretary
WC NRAC Standing Committee
June 23, 2015
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