THE EASTSIDE EDGE

"THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROJECT SHOULD HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ON NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT EAST OF THE CASCADES. IT WILL ALLOW US TO DEFINE AND IMPLEMENT ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY COMBINING SCIENCE, PUBLIC VALUES, AND ECONOMICS."

WHAT IS THE EASTSIDE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROJECT

• On July 1, 1993 President Clinton announced his "Forest Plan for a Sustainable Economy and A Sustainable Environment." Although this effort focused on forested lands west of the Cascades, in this plan the President directed the federal natural resource management agencies to:

"...Develop a scientifically-sound and ecosystem-based strategy for management of forests east of the Cascades. This strategy should be based on the forest health study recently completed by agency scientists (Eastside Forest Ecosystem Health Assessment Report) as well as other studies.

• So, to move forward with this Presidential direction, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Jim Lyons and Speaker of the House Tom Foley announced on August 30, 1993 that a new management strategy will be developed for the National Forests in Eastern Oregon and Washington. This effort is the Eastside Ecosystem Management Project.
• Several studies and reviews relative to the eastside have been completed over the last few years. Much of this new information will provide us with the foundation for the Eastside Project.
• A charter outlining the expectations and summary of project products was signed by Jack Ward Thomas, Chief of the USDA Forest Service and Jim Baca, Director of the USDI Bureau of Land Management in January 1994. The BLM and Forest Service will be the lead agencies involved in the project.

BUILDING THE TEAM

• A special interagency team, is being established to:
  1) build a Scientific Framework for ecosystem management in the Interior Colombia River Basin;
  2) develop a Scientific Assessment for ecosystem management in the Interior Columbia Basin;
  3) complete an eastside Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for federal public lands;
  4) provide an eastside ecosystem management Scientific Evaluation of the planning alternatives developed in the EIS.
• The EIS will examine different strategies for ecosystem management in eastern Oregon and Washington that are scientifically-sound and ecosystem-based. We expect to produce a Draft EIS within one year. The final EIS will probably lead to adjusting the forest plans.
• The scope of the EIS will include, as a minimum, all lands administered by the Forest Service east of the Cascade crest in the states of Oregon and Washington. It will also include eastside Bureau of Land Management lands within the existing range of the Pacific Salmon, forested lands and bull trout habitat.
• Because of its centralized eastside location, the Eastside Ecosystem Management Project team will be located in Walla Walla, Washington- recognizing that other team members will come and go as needed or work from their home units.

Plans include the development of four teams: a science integration team, a communications team, an administrative support team, and an environmental impact statement team. Potential team members with the best expertise available are being actively sought. The goal is to build a balanced interagency team. An outline of the proposed organization will look something like this: (Please see hardcopy for organizational structure chart)

• There will be close coordination between all four teams. We anticipate the Science Integration Team will help the EIS Team with development of alternatives and evaluation of effects. The Communications Team will have full-time liaisons with both the Science Integration Team and the EIS Team.
• Insofar as possible, employee surplus lists will be used to help build these teams. However, specialized skills and knowledge are required to provide the optimum knowledge base. Most positions are anticipated to be temporary assignments (details), that will not change an employee's status on their home unit.

SETTING UP AN OFFICE

• The new Eastside Ecosystem Management Project office is located at 112 East Poplar Street, Walla Walla, Washington 99362, (509) 522-4030.
• There is no new additional funding for this project beyond the agencies regular allocated budgets from Congress. Therefore, project personnel are being as cost conscious as possible with any expenditures associated with the project. Surplus equipment and furniture is being utilized wherever possible.

WHO WILL BE INVOLVED?

• From the outset, an extensive public involvement strategy will pursued to insure that a broad community of interests can participate throughout the process. In addition, it is imperative to keep all agency line officers and employees involved and informed as this project develops. This newsletter is the beginning of this process.
• In addition, ten sites in Oregon and Washington are scheduled for initial public workshops about the project. Employee briefings are also scheduled at several sites. For specific dates and places in your vicinity, contact your local BLM or Forest Service Public Affairs Officer.
• The Native American Tribes will be apprised of developments on the project. and give them a means to input their concerns and viewpoints. A Tribal Liaison has been assigned to the project to maintain the government to government relationship with the Native American Tribes.
• There is no intent to alter or layer a new decision on those lands already covered by the President's Forest Plan. There may be some complementary outcomes, however, in exploring ecosystem-based options and some National Forests may be involved in both the westside and eastside efforts.
• At this time, several additional federal agencies have expressed interest in participating in the project including: The Environmental Protection Agency, National Biological Survey, Soil Conservation Service, National Marine Fisheries Board, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Some of these agencies will be assigning employees to the project full time.