|
Friday, September 30, 2016
SALEM, Ore.—The Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Thursday and Friday, Oct. 6-7, in La Grande to be briefed on the Wolf and Cougar Management Plan reviews. The meeting agenda is online at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/16/10_oct/index.asp
Thursday’s meeting is a field tour of the Starkey Experimental Forest which includes a look at ODFW research projects. Later, Commissioners will travel to a private ranch to discuss elk damage. Members of the public may join Commissioners on the tour but must provide their own transportation and lunch. The tour will depart America’s Best Sandman Inn, 2410 East R Ave in La Grande at 8 a.m.
On Friday, the Commission will host its regular monthly meeting beginning at 8 a.m. at the Blue Mountain Conference Center, 404 12th Street, La Grande. ODFW will live-stream portions of Friday’s meeting via Periscope on our Twitter Feed (https://twitter.com/MyODFW)
There are just three items on the agenda for Friday. First, the Commission will decide on funding for several Access and Habitat Projects, including the Hancock Forest Project to continue hunter access to 250,000 acres of private land in northeast Oregon thru 2021.
Next the Commission will be briefed on the status of Oregon’s Cougar Management Plan, which is currently under review. The review process is not meant to completely rewrite the plan, but to incorporate the latest science and address any new challenges. Public testimony is welcome during this agenda item. The Commission will not be making a final decision on the plan until a future meeting.
Similarly, the Commission will also be briefed on the Wolf Management Plan review during Friday’s meeting, and public testimony is welcome during this item. ODFW staff will brief Commissioners on the policy issues and concerns raised during the current review based on meetings and input from staff, stakeholder groups and some state and federal agencies. Again, the Commission will not adopt a final updated Wolf Management Plan until a future meeting.
The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in the state. Public testimony before the Commission will be held first thing Friday morning, just after the adoption of temporary rules. Persons seeking to testify on issues not on the formal agenda may do so by making arrangements with the ODFW Director’s Office, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, by calling 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044.
Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations may call the ODFW Director’s Office at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
### |
