A work session was held during the regular meeting of the Harney County Court on Nov. 21 to discuss the status of the Malheur Lakes Redband Trout Conservation Plan.

According to a press release published in the May 2 edition of the Burns Times-Herald, the plan intends “to protect, conserve, and manage redband trout in the Blitzen and Silvies rivers, Silver Creek, and other streams surrounding Malheur and Harney lakes in Southeast Oregon with the voluntary help of local groups and landowners.”

Dave Banks, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) district fisheries biologist, proposed an outline for updating the plan.

“There is going to be a lot more room for comment as we’re going through the process, not a checking at the end like we tried to do with the last plan,” Banks said.

In June, ODFW postponed presenting the plan to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to allow more time to work with key stakeholders and local partners.

Tom Sharp of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association asked how data collection will be addressed in the plan, and Banks replied that the most current and intensive data was collected from 2007-2012. However, he acknowledged that there are some holes.

“That’s a major concern for me,” Harney County Farm Bureau President Rusty Inglis said. “Your old data doesn’t address that agriculture really is not a significant driver of populations, and to continue on and develop a plan with 2012 data…It’s hard for me to swallow. It’s hard for my members to swallow.”

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh said there’s been quite a bit of change in the watershed during the last six years. Inglis stressed that the plan will critically impact irrigators and cattle producers, and he encouraged the department to collect more data before proceeding.

“I can definitely push that up the chain,” Banks said, noting that new data is being collected on public land, but information regarding private land is limited.

Inglis said he can reach out to Farm Bureau members to determine whether they’d allow data collection on their property. An audience member stressed that it would have to be anonymous to ensure that information isn’t used against private landowners.

Sharp said legislation was passed in 2013 to secure the data of private landowners who entered into Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAAs) for sage grouse. He added that the legislation significantly increased participation.

Banks noted that fish populations are driven by water years, not agriculture, and Susan Doverspike stated that excessive juniper and pine trees are impacting water availability.

“Juniper can drink 30 gallons a day apiece, and when you have that kind of soil moisture being consumed by a tree, it can’t percolate down to fill the stream bank,” she said. “Then we get these nasty wildfires, and then you get soil runoff into the streams, and that’s not good for the fish either.”

Banks said ODFW doesn’t have management authority over the trees, but the plan could identify stem reduction as a positive action.

Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens said, “If it’s on federal land where we need to make our biggest change to actually affect this, say that, even if it’s a state plan. If we’re going to enter a volunteer agreement, let’s enter a volunteer agreement within our federal agencies.”

Owens added that he hopes the new plan will discuss the positive impacts of current management on the redband population. He also stated that he appreciates ODFW’s decision to slow down and reexamine the plan.

“As long as we get it right, to me, that was the most important thing,” Banks said. “If we can’t go out and work with the local community to do good things for everybody, we just have a plan that sits on a shelf.”

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Dorroh made a motion to adopt by title only Ordinance 2018-83 in the matter of amending the Harney County Comprehensive Plan to establish public lands goals, objectives, policies, and policy actions.

The ordinance aims to provide a local land use plan element specific to public lands to better the social, economic, and ecological well-being of Harney County’s rural communities.

“All federal and state agencies are directed to use this Comprehensive Plan element as a guide in the coordination of planning for management of federal and state trust lands within the geographical boundaries of Harney County,” the ordinance states. “Harney County looks forward to meaningful communication, early and often, with state and federal agencies.”

The motion carried unanimously. The ordinance will need to be approved at the next county court meeting for full adoption.

Harney County Planning Director Brandon McMullen said once the ordinance is approved and recorded, the final order and decision will be sent to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). The department will have an opportunity to respond and could take it to the Land Conservation and Development Commission.

However, McMullen said, “Based on the feedback that we’ve received and their participation in the project, I’d be highly surprised if that step is taken by the DLCD.”

Owens said, “It’s been one of the more positive processes that I’ve been involved in as a county commissioner.”

Harney County Judge Pete Runnels agreed, noting that multiple community members and agencies were involved in the process.

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In other business:

• Burns resident Pat Brewster attended the meeting to discuss the community’s deer population. She proposed a partnership among Harney County, the cities of Burns and Hines, ODFW, and the Harney County Health Department to provide low-cost or free deer fencing to community members who need it.

Owens said he’ll follow up with ODFW, and Runnels said he’ll contact the two cities;

• Lisa Moody of Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) attended the meeting to discuss the outreach center’s budget, enrollment, and available classes.

“Right now, I have 24 regular Treasure Valley students. Twelve are full time. Twelve are part time and working in the community,” Moody reported.

She added that there are also 23 college-level math students and 20 college-level history students at Burns High School (BHS) this term, and three Crane Union High School students are taking advantage of reduced tuition.

“We had 12 GED students pass last year, which is amazing too,” Moody said.

She also discussed Proto Business Camp, which is a free entrepreneur class for high school students that will be offered at the TVCC outreach center starting Jan. 8.

After some additional discussion, the court agreed to have Runnels sign the 2018-19 TVCC and Harney County Oregon Contract Out of District Service Delivery Agreement;

• discussed water use requests.

Owens noted that there was an application to split a permit, which he hasn’t seen before. He will seek additional information;

• the court received correspondence from Forest Service Contracting Officer Arnie J. Cole regarding the Ridge Decks timber sale;

• the court received correspondence from Acting Emigrant Creek District Ranger Aaron Gagnon regarding the South Silvies Complex Grazing Allotments Environmental Analysis.

The next meeting of the Harney County Court will be held Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.