Prineville, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management is asking for public input on a proposal to make improvements to the Priest Hole Recreation Site. The site is located about 25 miles north of Mitchell, within the corridor of the John Day Wild and Scenic River.
The Priest Hole Recreation Site has experienced a steady increase in recreational use over recent years. The increase in use is polluting the river.
The BLM’s proposed improvements include building new pull-through campsites and limiting camping to designated sites, with new picnic tables, fire rings, shade trees, and gravel pads. Designating campsites would eliminate the trash, ashes, and human waste washing into the river. The proposal also includes the addition of a toilet and group-use area, a universally accessible day-use area, and parking lots.
“These proposed upgrades will improve the overall visitor experience,” Amanda Roberts, Prineville District Manager, said. “The project expands public access while also helping to minimize impacts to the area’s important natural resources.”
The proposed improvements are included in the Priest Hole Site Plan Environmental Assessment. The BLM is now accepting public input on the proposals and whether the environmental effects of the project have been adequately considered.
Interested people can provide comments during the 14-day public comment period, which started April 14, 2023. Substantive comments will help BLM officials identify any new information about the proposal before making a final decision.
All comments must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on April 28, 2023, to be considered. Written comments will be accepted at the address below or can be emailed to [email protected]. Please include “Priest Hole Recreation Site Upgrade” on the envelope or in the subject line.
BLM Central Oregon Field Office
Central Oregon Field Manager
3050 NE 3rd Street
Prineville, OR 97754
Comments can also be submitted directly to the ePlanning website.
All comments, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available. People can ask to withhold personal identifying information from public review; however, it cannot be guaranteed.
The documents are available on the BLM’s ePlanning website. The previously completed Priest Hole Site Plan Environmental Assessment is also available for review. You can request a copy of the documents or EA from the Prineville District Office by calling (541) 416-6700 on weekdays between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., excluding federal holidays. For more information, please contact Anna Smith, Project Lead, at (541) 416-6700 or [email protected].
People in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
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