Blue Mountains Intergovernmental Council

Blue Mountains Oregon

Visit the new website of the Blues Intergovernmental Council

New BIC website

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Your input is needed

The Blue Mountains Intergovernmental Council (BIC) is hosting public meetings throughout fall 2022 to gather public input on BIC work products. The BIC's work will inform development of the next Blue Mountains Forest Plan. Please join us!

The Blues Intergovernmental Council (BIC) is the result of extensive dialogues over a period of eight months in 2019 between the county commissioners from eastern Oregon and the USDA Forest Service (USFS). NPCC served as facilitator for those dialogues and currently manages and facilitates the BIC process. The purpose of the BIC as defined in the draft operating charter is to “serve as an overarching entity for planning and guidance around land management issues related to the Blue Mountain Forests (consisting of the Wallowa-Whitman, Malheur, and Umatilla Forests), including but not limited to the forest plan revisions.” County commissioners from eastern Oregon and the USFS are serving as its initial conveners and believe that working together through the BIC will expedite and support the implementation of effective, sustainable management strategies on the ground that will advance environmental health and socio-economic goals for local communities dependent on the Blue Mountains. The BIC envisions that their work together will provide a new way for intergovernmental action to be part of the solution while respecting each entity’s laws, regulations, policies, and authorities.

Contact

For more information contact NPCC at (503) 725-9092 or npccdesk@pdx.edu.

Upcoming Meetings

Next Full BIC Meeting
Tuesday, October 25, 2022, 10 am - 3:00 pm
Umatilla County Sheriff's Office
4700 NW Pioneer Place
Pendleton, OR 97801

To attend virtually by Zoom, use this link https://pdx.zoom.us/j/89168695356
 
 
BIC Public Engagement Session
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Umatilla County Sheriff's Office
4700 NW Pioneer Place
Pendleton, OR 97801
 

BIC Participants

Federal agencies: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), Rural Development (RD), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), US Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Fish and Wildlife (USFW), US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Tribal governments: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, Burns Paiute Tribe

State government: Oregon State Governor’s Office, Washington State Governor’s Office, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA-DNR)

County government: all affected Oregon and Washington counties

State elected representatives and senators participate upon request from the BIC.

Statement from Susan Roberts (co-convener)

To the communities surrounding the Blue Mountains National Forests:

The Blues Intergovernmental Council (BIC) supports the USDA Forest Service’s plans to reinitiate Forest Plan Revision for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests. The work completed by the BIC over the past two years has established key foundations that will be crucial components of an improved Forest Plan Revision process by reflecting local values, incorporating input, and providing robust opportunities for meaningful engagement. Read the full statement (PDF)

NEWS

Susan Roberts Editorial, Other Views: A Solid Foundation to Move Forward with Forest Plan Revision, The Observer

Press Release: BIC Phase 1 Accomplishments and Support (PDF)

"BIC Completes Desired Conditions for Blue Mountain Forest Management Plan" - www.BlueMountainEagle.com

BIC Phase 1 Accomplishments, Press Release (PDF)

BIC Approved Agreements and Work Products

BIC Desired Conditions

BIC Operating Principles - Final Version (PDF)

BIC Framework and Timeline for Creating a Forest Plan (PDF)

BIC Assessment Draft (PDF)

BIC Socioeconomic Subcommittee - Risk Opportunity Index Report May 2022 (PDF)

Resources and Background

BIC Resources

BIC Background Materials

USDA Forest Service Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision Planning Website

Meeting Materials

2022

September 27, 2022, Meeting Materials

May 31, 2022, Meeting Materials

March 28, 2022, Meeting Materials

January 25, 2022, Meeting Materials

2021

November 2, 2021, Meeting Materials

June 4, 2021, Meeting Materials

April 30, 2021, Meeting Materials

March 26, 2021, Meeting Materials

February 26, 2021, Meeting Materials

January 26, 2021, Meeting Materials

2020

December 2020, Meeting Materials

November 24, 2020, Meeting Materials

October 27, 2020, Meeting Materials

October 19, 2020, Meeting Materials

August 25, 2020, Meeting Materials

May 26, 2020, Meeting Materials

April 28, 2020, Meeting Materials

The March 2020 BIC meeting was cancelled due to the COVID virus

February 25, 2020, Meeting Materials

January 28, 2020, Meeting Materials

2019

December 20, 2019, Meeting Materials

November 22, 2019, Meeting Materials