Oregon Resource Conservation Act of 1996

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Opal Creek Wilderness and Scenic Recreation Area

Title II: Upper Klamath Basin

Title III: Deschutes Basin

Title IV: Mount Hood Corridor

Title V: Coquille Tribal Forest

Title VI: Bull Run Watershed Protection

Title VII: Oregon Islands Wilderness, Additions

Title VIII: Umpqua River Land Exchange Study

Oregon Resource Conservation Act of 1996 - Title I: Opal Creek Wilderness and Scenic Recreation Area - Opal Creek Wilderness and Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Act of 1996 - Provides that on the determination of the Secretary of Agriculture that certain parcels of land have been donated to the United States without encumbrances and that a binding agreement between the Secretary and land owners for the disposition of specified lands to the Government has been executed: (1) certain land in the Willamette National Forest in Oregon shall be designated as the Opal Creek Wilderness (OCW); (2) that part of the Bull of the Woods Wilderness located within the Forest shall be incorporated into the OCW; and (3) the Secretary shall establish the Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area within the Forest.

Requires, with respect to such Area, the Secretary to: (1) prepare a comprehensive Opal Creek Management Plan which shall become part of the land and resource management plan for the Forest; (2) review and revise the inventory of cultural and historic resources on the public land; (3) prepare a transportation plan to maintain access to recreation sites and facilities, including access by persons with disabilities; (4) permit hunting and fishing, with limitations; and (5) prohibit the cutting of trees, with specified exceptions. Withdraws Area lands from operations under the public land laws, mining laws, and mineral and geothermal leasing laws. Places restrictions on new water impoundments in the Area. Specifies exceptions applicable with respect to the Bornite Project. Recognizes and prescribes authorized levels of recreational use of the Area.

(Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory council for the Area and to seek the views of that Council, the public, other government agencies, and nonprofit organizations regarding use of the Area.

(Sec. 106) Provides for the acquisition of lands within the Area. Authorizes the Secretary to conduct any necessary environmental response actions within the Area.

(Sec. 107) Provides for an equal-value land exchange between the Rosboro Lumber Company and the Government. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 108) Amends the Wild and Scenic Recreation Rivers Act to designate Elkhorn Creek as a wild and scenic river.

(Sec. 109) Requires the Secretary, upon certification of a management plan and receipt of an economic development projects plan developed by the State of Oregon, to provide $15 million to Oregon to be used to make grants and loans for such projects that benefit the local communities in the vicinity of the Area. Requires the State to report on the use of such funds annually.

Title II: Upper Klamath Basin - Directs the Upper Klamath Basin Working Group, through the Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office, to propose ecological restoration projects, economic development and stability projects, and projects designed to reduce the impacts of drought conditions to be undertaken in the Upper Klamath Basin in Oregon based on a consensus of the Working Group membership. Requires the Secretary to pay up to 50 percent of the cost of such projects during FY 1997 through 2001 (with a $1 million annual limit).

Requires the Secretary to formulate a cooperative agreement between the Working Group, the Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force, and the Klamath River Basin Compact Commission to ensure that projects proposed and funded through the Group are consistent with other basin-wide fish and wildlife restoration and conservation plans. Authorizes appropriations.

Title III: Deschutes Basin - Directs the Deschutes River Basin Working Group to propose ecological restoration projects on Federal and non-Federal lands and waters to be undertaken in the Deschutes River Basin based on a consensus of the Working Group membership, provided that such projects, when involving Federal land or funds, shall be proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in the Department of the Interior and other Federal agencies with affected land or funds. Requires BOR to pay up to 50 percent of the cost of such projects during FY 1997 through 2001 (with a $1 million annual limit). Authorizes appropriations.

Title IV: Mount Hood Corridor - Provides for an equal-value land exchange between Longview Fibre Company and the Secretary of the Interior. Requires: (1) all lands managed by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Mount Hood Corridor which can be seen from U.S. Highway 26 to be managed primarily for the protection of scenic values; and (2) management prescriptions for other resource values associated with these lands to be planned and conducted for purposes other than timber harvest, so as not to impair scenic quality in the Corridor. Allows timber harvesting in the Corridor after a resource-damaging catastrophic event only for specified management objectives.

Requires Forest Service Road 2503 to remain closed, except for limited uses, to protect resources and to prevent illegal dumping and vandalism in the Corridor. Exempts this title from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Authorizes appropriations.

Title V: Coquille Tribal Forest - Amends the Coquille Restoration Act to require the Secretary of the Interior: (1) to designate approximately 5,000 acres of forest lands in Coos County, Oregon, located in the historic territory of the Coquille Indian people, as the Coquille Forest; (2) two years after enactment of this title, to transfer such lands to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to be held in perpetuity for the Tribe; (3) to manage the Indian trust forest lands, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, under applicable forestry laws and in a manner consistent with the standards and guidelines of Federal forest plans on adjacent lands.

Allows the Secretary and the Tribe to authorize management of the Forest consistent with its management strategy developed by the Independent Scientific Advisory Team and set forth in the report entitled "A Forest Management Strategy for the Proposed Coquille Forest."

Provides guidelines for BLM management of the lands in the interim two-year period to the transfer to the BIA.

Allows the Secretary, after completion of the transfer, to enter into an Indian self-determination agreement with the Tribe which provides for it to carry out all or a portion of the forest management program for the Forest. Conditions the agreement on the Tribe entering into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Oregon relating to the establishment and management of the Forest. Sets forth MOA terms and conditions.

Subjects such lands to valid existing rights. Permits the lands to remain open to public access for purposes of hunting, fishing, recreation, and transportation, except when closed by Federal or State law.

Subjects unprocessed logs harvested from the Forest to the same Federal statutory restrictions on export to foreign nations that apply to unprocessed logs harvested from Federal lands. Requires all sales of timber from land subject to this title to be advertised, offered, and awarded in accordance with BLM public bidding and contracting laws and procedures.

Requires the Secretary to redesignate public domain land located in the Tribe's service area as land subject to the Coquille Tribal Restoration Act of 1989 so as to maintain current revenue flows. Prohibits payments due to Coos County, Oregon, from being diminished as a result of the land designations required pursuant to this title.

Requires the Secretary to complete a formal scientific peer review of the management strategy developed by the Team.

Title VI: Bull Run Watershed Protection - Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to prohibit timber cutting within the hydrographic boundary of the Bull Run River Drainage except for the: (1) protection or enhancement of water quality in the Area; (2) protection, enhancement, or maintenance of water quantity available from the Area; (3) construction, expansion, protection, or maintenance of municipal water supply facilities; or (4) construction, expansion, protection, or maintenance of facilities for the transmission of energy through and over the unit or previously authorized hydroelectric projects associated with such facilities.

Prohibits the Secretary from authorizing a salvage sale in the Area.

Title VII: Oregon Islands Wilderness, Additions - Designates as wilderness: (1) certain lands within the boundaries of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon; and (2) all other federally owned rocks, reefs, islets, and islands lying within three geographic miles off the Oregon coast and above mean high tide.

Makes permanent Public land Order 6287 which withdrew certain rocks, reefs, islets, and islands lying within three geographical miles off the coast of Oregon and above mean high tide as an addition to the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Title VIII: Umpqua River Land Exchange Study - Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to: (1) consult, coordinate, and cooperate with the Umpqua Land Exchange Project (ULEP), affected units and State and local agencies, and, as appropriate, the World Forestry Center and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to assist ULEP's ongoing efforts in studying and analyzing land exchange opportunities in the Umpqua River basin and to provide assistance and information to such entities; and (2) report thereon to specified congressional committees.

(Sec. 803) Authorizes appropriations.