MALHEUR COUNTY, OR — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is asking for public input on a U.S. Air Force proposal to withdraw roughly 5,000 acres of public land near Fields, a remote community in southeast Oregon not far from the Nevada border, for use in a homeland defense radar project.
If approved, the land would be set aside for 20 years, withdrawn from sale, mining, and leasing under federal land laws, and placed under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Air Force. The project, known as the Whitehorse Ranch Project, would allow the construction, operation, and maintenance of an over-the-horizon radar system designed for homeland defense.
The notice of application will appear in the Federal Register, temporarily reserving the land for two years while the Air Force prepares an environmental impact statement and the BLM reviews the proposal.
A public meeting is planned to provide details and accept comments, though the date and location are not yet finalized. Community members may also submit written feedback by emailing lpoff@blm.gov or mailing the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office, Attn: Luke Poff, 1220 SW 3rd Ave., 11th Floor, Portland, OR 97204.
For additional information, the public may contact BLM Realty Specialist Luke Poff at 503-808-6249 or lpoff@blm.gov.
