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Projects
Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
The central Oregon Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) is published quarterly and contains reports on Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests and Prineville District, Bureau of Land Management proposed activities and invites involvement as part of implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Forest Service (SOPA):
Current & Recent Forest NEPA Projects
Projects are proposed actions that are analyzed through the NEPA process (EIS, EA, or CE) that involves analyzing different alternatives to the proposed action, requires public notice and comment, and results in a NEPA decision (ROD, DN, or DM) which, subject to an administrative appeals process, and is implemented on the ground. The Forest Projects below are projects that we are analyzing or have analyzed under the NEPA process. Projects that are "Developing Proposal" or "Under Analysis" may have an opportunity for public collaboration and input on the proposed actions and the analysis being conducted.
The links below allow you to sort projects by Name, Status, Management Unit or Purpose.
The subscription below will sign up for all project notifications on the Deschutes National Forest. For instruction on how to sign up for notifications for only a particular project, click here.
Deschutes National Forest Current and Recent Projects
Note: Not all projects may appear on map. See list below for complete list of projects with more information or documentation.
Developing Proposal
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Region 6 Elite Tree Protection Project
The Pacific Northwest Region is collaborating with nine Forests to develop a region-wide project to protect whitebark pine trees (Pinus albicaulis) that have a high level of white pine blister rust resistance.
Under Analysis
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Bend Lava Lands Paved Path
Construct a non-motorized paved path that would provide connections to recreation sites south of Bend, OR. The entire length of the path would be from Baker Road to Lava Lands Visitor Center.
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Black Butte Ranch Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction
The BBR WUI project proposes to maintain and restore resiliency and forest health and to address the potential risk of large-scale high severity wildfires. Proposed actions include thinning, mowing and prescribed burning on up to 2,800 acres.
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Building Disposal Project
Remove 7 non-functioning structures at Black Butte (pit toilet), Fox Butte (lookout tower, cabin, and pit toilet), Trout Creek Butte (lookout tower), and Walker Mountain (lookout tower and garage).
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Class 1, Pedal-assist E-bikes on Select Trails
The Deschutes NF proposes to authorize class 1, pedal-assist e-bikes on 160 miles of existing trails and paved paths that receive high use by bicycles. Trails are in the Peterson Ridge, Phil's, Wanoga, and Sunriver areas. Please comment by July 31st.
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Cougar Rock Restoration Project
The project proposes to maintain and restore resiliency and forest health and to address the potential risk of large-scale high severity wildfires. Proposed actions include thinning, mowing and prescribed burning on upto 2,800 acres.
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Deschutes Fuels Maintenance Project
Forest wide fuels maintenance proposal including non-fire and prescribed fire treatments.
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Edison Snow Shelter Removal Project
This project proposes the removal of the Edison Shelter near Edison Sno-Park. The existing snow shelter is in disrepair and needs to be removed and replaced with a new structure in a more accessible and fire defensible area nearby.
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Green Ridge Landscape Restoration
The project would maintain and restore forest conditions closer to the historic range of variability and contribute to the restoration of ecosystem process and function in the planning area. Timber products are an outcome of restoration activities.
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Midstate Electric Gilchrist to Chiloquin Line Upgrade
Rebuild the Gilchrist to Diamond Lake transmission line. The existing transmission and smaller distribution lines and old wood poles removed. Both the Transmission and the distribution lines will be placed on the same poles spaced apart per code.
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Northwest Forest Plan Amendment
The Northwest Forest Plan Amendment provides an updated management framework that incorporates best available scientific information, considers public input, recommendations from the Federal Advisory Committee, tribes, and government partners.
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Odd Fellows Cabin Restoration - Phase II
This project proposes to continue restoration on 4 historic cabins to bring them into compliance with standards required to use them as recreation rentals.
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Royce Mountain Roadside Hazardous Fuels
Intent is to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire on Federal land or catastrophic wildfire for an adjacent, at-risk community by reducing fuel loading, ladder fuels, and raising canopy base heights.
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Sisters Trail Additions and Realignments (S.T.A.R.)
The STAR project proposes several trail actions including new trail construction, additions of existing routes to the official Forest Service trail system, as well as realignments and decommissioning of existing trails on the Sisters Ranger District.
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Twin Lakes Resort Structure Proposal
Twin Lakes Resort is proposing to install five new structures on the resort property, including two gazebos, two dock extensions, and one music stage.
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Two Rivers Hazardous Fuels
Establish shaded fuel breaks adjacent to NFS roads and Two Rivers North community to reduce hazardous fuels and wildfire risk. Treatment may include thinning, pruning, hand piling, pile burning, underburning, and mastication on about 350 acres.
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West Bend Trails Project
Trail modifications, such as reroutes, new trails, decommissioning to create a more sustainable trail network while minimizing resource impacts.
Analysis Completed
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2024 Crescent and Odell Lake Recreation Residences Projects
Nine Crescent Lake & seven Odell Lake rec residents submitted projects for improvements to privately owned structures such as stair, septic, and deck replacements among others. G-15 - Under 36 CFR 800.12, requested an emergency roof replacement.
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Darlene 3 Fire Salvage
Salvage of dead and/or dying trees that were burned in the 2024 Darlene 3 Fire.
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Invasive Plant Treatments
Supplemental EIS for site-specific treatment of invasive plants at approx. 1,892 sites on the Ochoco and Deschutes NF and Crooked River National Grassland. Methods include herbicides, manual, mechanical and cultural.
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Mt. Bachelor Grease Trap Installation and Water Line Repair
Mt. Bachelor is proposing to install a 2000-gallon commercial grease trap outside of the West Village Lodge building and to repair the water line that feeds their Vehicle Maintenance Shop.
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Mt. Bachelor Outlier Vault Toilet Project
Install prefabricated vault restrooms at the bottom of Cloudchaser, Outback, and Northwest chair lifts for employees and guests who are working or recreating in those areas. There are no restrooms located near these lifts currently.
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Sisters RD Recreation Shuttle Services
The Forest Service is proposing to approve special use permits for two local businesses, Stagecoach Adventures and Cog Wild. The two companies would provide shuttle services to and from several trailheads within the Sisters Ranger District.
On Hold
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MEC Walker Mountain Tower Replacement
MEC is proposing to replace their existing communications tower and expand their control building at Walker Mountain Communication Site. Proposal includes moving the tower's location to improve line-of-sight with nearby microwave devices.
Cancelled
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East Fort Rock OHV Trailhead Connections
The project would change the road designation for about 65 miles of road from "highway legal vehicles only" to "open to all vehicles," allowing for Class IV OHVs to legally connect from designated staging areas to the mixed motorized road network.
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Twin Restoration Project
The Twin project area is evaluating opportunities for landscape forest management, fuels reduction, habitat improvement and recreation management.
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USGS Petrologic Study Permit Authorization
USGS has requested to study lava flows in Newberry National Volcanic Monument to better understand how the flows formed and the plumbing for eruptions in the Northwest Rift Zone. The study would require drilling 1 inch cores and taking rock samples.
Project Archive
Some of our older projects can be accessed in our Project Archive.
Alerts & Warnings
- Firestone & Flat Top Fires Emergency Closure (October 11, 2024)
- Bachelor Complex Fires Emergency Closure (October 10, 2024)
- West Bend Area Trail Closures (Oct. 8, 2024)
- Red Fire Area Emergency Closure (Effective October 3, 2024)
- Public Use Fire Restrictions: Stage 1 (Effective September 20, 2024)
- Revised Wickiup Fire Area Emergency Closure (Effective July 25, 2024)
- Round Mountain Fire Area Emergency Closure (July 19, 2024)
- Blue-Green Algae Information (Summer 2024)
- Recreating in the Cedar Creek Fire Burned Area (June 2023)
- Willamette NF Fire Closures
