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Regional Interagency Executive Committee 333 SW 1st P.O. Box 3623 Portland, Oregon 97208-3623 Website: www.reo.gov E-Mail: REOmail@or.blm.gov Phone: 503-808-2165 FAX: 503-808-2163 |
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Memorandum |
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Date: |
April 8, 2008 |
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To: |
Regional Interagency Executive Committee (see attached distribution list) |
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From: |
/s/Kath Collier, Management Analyst, Regional Ecosystem Office |
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Subject: |
REGIONAL INTERAGENCY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING NOTES FOR March 19, 2008 |
Enclosed please find summary notes from the March 19, 2008 Regional Interagency Executive Committee (RIEC) meeting. The meeting included discussions on the following ongoing topics:
The Annual RIEC Meeting will be scheduled in August or September and held in the Robert Duncan Plaza. The Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) representatives are currently canvassing agencies for a range of ‘best dates’ which will be used to narrow the date options. A final list of options will be coordinated through your support staff. In the meantime, you may want to be thinking about topics that need to be on the agenda for this meeting. Topic suggestions should be sent to:
Debbie Pietrzak, BLM REO representative, dpietrza@blm.gov, 503-808-6006, or
Joyce Casey, FS REO representative, jcasey01@fs.fed.us, 503-808-2286
If you have any questions regarding the upcoming meeting or these notes, please contact your REO Representative, or Debbie and Joyce mentioned above
Enclosure:
1 – March 19, 2008 Agenda and summary notes (4p)
cc: Presenters, REO Staff
2293/kc
Regional Interagency Executive Committee Distribution List
Renne Lohoefener, Fish & Wildlife Service
Terry Rabot (Alt)
Ed Shepard, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington
Mike Mottice (Alt)
Tom Fontaine, Environmental Protection Agency, Western Ecology Division
Robert Lackey (Alt)
Cal Joyner, Forest Service Region 6
Lisa Freedman (Alt)
Bob Graham, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Tom Makowski (Alt)
Col. Thomas E. O’Donovan, US Army Corps of Engineers
Eric Bluhm (Alt)
Jon Jarvis, National Park Service
Rory Westberg (Alt)
Frank Shipley, US Geological Survey, Western Region, Biological Resources
Division
Carol Schuler (Alt)
Robert Lohn, National Marine Fisheries Service
Mike Tehan (Acting) (Alt)
John Stein (Research)
Michael J. Pool, Bureau of Land Management, California
Paul Roush (Alt)
Dave Powers, Environmental Protection Agency, Region-10 OR Operations
Socorro Rodriguez (Alt)
Bov Eav, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station
Cindi West (Alt)
Beth Pendleton (acting), Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
Garland Mason (Alt)
Stan Speaks, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Alex Whistler (Alt)
Steve Thompson, US Fish & Wildlife Service, California/Nevada Operations Office
Darrin Thome (Alt)
Randy Moore, Forest Service, Region 5
Art Gaffrey (Alt)
Others:
Dick Prather (BLM)
Monty Knudsen (FWS)
Chris Iverson (FS)
REO Representatives
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Regional Interagency Executive Committee |
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Time |
Topics |
Purpose |
Presenter |
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9 a.m. |
Welcome
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House-keeping |
Kath Collier, Facilitator |
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9:05 |
Opening Remarks |
Opening |
Ed Shepard, Chair |
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9:10 |
Coordination on BLM Western Oregon Plan Revisions |
Update |
Dick Prather, BLM |
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10:30 |
Break |
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10:45 |
Energy Impacts to the NWFP Area and Agencies
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Update |
Monty Knudsen & Terry Rabot, FWS |
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11:00 |
Barred Owl Control
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Update |
Terry Rabot, FWS |
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11:15 |
Hot Topics
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Updates |
Dave Powers, EPA Debbie Pietrzak, BLM and Lisa Freedman, FS Terry Rabot, FWS Mike Tehan, NOAA |
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11:45 |
Closing Remarks & Recognition |
Closing |
Ed Shepard, Chair |
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11:50 |
Closing Reminders
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House- keeping |
Kath Collier, Facilitator |
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12:00 noon |
Adjourn |
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TOPIC SUMMARIES
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Topic: BLM WESTERN OREGON PLAN REVISIONS |
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Sponsor: Ed Shepard, BLM State Director, Oregon and Washington |
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Presenter: Dick Prather, BLM Project Manager |
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REO Contact: Debbie Pietrzak, BLM Representative |
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Issue Statement: The BLM has been coordinating with the RIEC regarding western Oregon resource management plan revisions. |
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Summary: The BLM has been coordinating with the RIEC regarding proposed resource management plan revisions for western Oregon. Consistent with the August 21, 2007 RIEC discussion, the revisions have also been a standing topic at monthly interagency Senior Managers’ Group meetings. Ed Shepard mentioned his recent one-on-one discussions with some agency executives, noting that he planned to contact other executives after the RIEC meeting. Dick Prather reviewed the status of the plan revision effort, summarized comments received during the public comment period, and described key provisions of the proposed resource management plans and final environmental impact statement. He noted that the proposed plan revisions are in the process of being finalized, and that BLM now expects to issue its decisions in late fall of 2008. The RIEC discussed numerous aspects of the proposed plan revisions and agreed to provide written documentation acknowledging that BLM completed coordination with the RIEC under the provisions of the Northwest Forest Plan. Consistent with the specifics of that agreement, a concise memorandum was drafted and distributed to REO representatives for review, and the final memorandum to BLM was signed by Linda Goodman the following week (on March 26, 2008). |
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Topic: ENERGY IMPACTS TO THE NWFP AREA AND AGENCIES |
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Sponsor: Terry Rabot, FWS |
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Presenter: Monty Knudsen, FWS, Energy Committee Lead |
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REO Contact: Mike Roy, REO representative (FWS) |
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Issue Statement: This presentation updated the RIEC on Energy Committee recent and planned activities/workload. |
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Summary: Monty’s presentation provided an overview of the Energy Committee’s function and impact to agencies. The committee is co-chaired by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Monty Knudsen with Doug Young) and Diana Enright, Oregon State Department of Energy; the committee includes representatives from seven federal agencies and six State agencies. Members are currently discussing common theme that participating agencies can present on an individual basis. The Energy Committee reports regularly at the Senior Managers’ Group meetings. The next Energy Committee meeting is scheduled for April 8, 2008. |
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Topic: BARRED OWL CONTROL |
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Sponsor/Presenter: Ren Lohoefener, FWS, Barred Owl Working Group Lead |
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REO Contact: Mike Roy, FWS Representative |
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Issue Statement: The interim, interagency Barred Owl Working Group (BOWG) will be asking the Senior Managers’ Group (SMG) to provide direction on the final study design and experimental removal project, as well as collecting advice on developing an outreach program for stakeholders. |
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Summary: The BOWG has been working on a number of issues related to barred owls. Agencies were advised of upcoming decisions and opportunities to participate. Additional work is needed relative to public outreach on this highly sensitive topic. |
HOT TOPICS
Northwest Natural Resources Forum (NWNRF) - Dave Powers presented a follow-up on the 2007 Northwest Natural Resources Forum (NWNRF) and an update on the 2008 NWNRF planning process. Key themes, tasks, and dates include:
2008 Workshop: NRCS and EPA will be hosting the 2008 NWNRF, was tentatively slated for November 18-19 in Astoria, Oregon. UPDATE: Per the RIEC discussion, EPA checked on alternate meeting dates given multiple agency conflicts and now recommends November 12-13. The 2008 forum will be focused on Water Resources in the PNW. An invitation and additional information will be sent out shortly to agency executives.
Tasks: At the 2007 workshop, executives agreed to look at green/sustainable activities underway in their respective agencies and to share these with each other. It is anticipated that this will be a topic of discussion at the 2008 workshop.
Carbon sequestration and offsets workshop: In January, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) hosted a workshop on carbon trading in Portland. EPA is planning a follow-up workshop focused on carbon sequestration and offsets; dates will be announced soon.
RIEC Review of Proposed Plan Amendments – The current process is working smoothly, and no major increase in the number or complexity of reviews is expected this year (the Forest Service anticipates about six project-specific plan amendments to be submitted for RIEC review in 2008). To boost efficiency, the RIEC Chair’s REO representative will approve the intermediate transmittal memos used to conduct the review process. The RIEC Chair will continue to sign the final memo which documents completion of each RIEC review.
RIEC Support and Facilitation – Consistent with Senior Managers’ Group agreements, the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and PNW Research Station REO representatives will serve as co-leads on most RIEC support tasks. REO will continue to provide interagency staff work in support of RIEC decisionmaking. However, prework and notes relative to informational topics will be handled less formally. REO will continue to streamline their processes, and the RIEC Chair’s REO representative will approve routine information transmittals such as those formerly signed by the REO Executive Director. Questions regarding REO or RIEC support can be addressed to individual agency REO representatives, or to any of the three co-leads noted above.
Updates on Recovery Plans, Critical Habitat Designations, and Monitoring – Various members provided quick overviews or timeline changes for recovery plans, critical habitat designations, and monitoring activities. A copy of the First Decade Results of the Northwest Forest Plan Report (GTR-720) was distributed to RIEC members.
HOUSEKEEPING
Potential future topics include:
Energy
Owls and other sensitive species
Northwest Natural Resource Forum
Monitoring and Research activities
Handouts:
Extra copies of the prework
Annual Progress Report 2006, Interagency Regional Monitoring & Research Accomplishment
NMFS NWR Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan (map)
BLM Coordination with the RIEC Powerpoint and maps
Attendance:
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Sara Bickford (BLM) |
Becky Gravenmier (PNW) |
Debbie Pietrzak (BLM) |