Oregon · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Low Elevation Headwaters of the McKenzie River
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource, a scenic value, a natural process and a fish resource here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place 14 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 10,633 acres and was designated August 5, 2016, in the Northwestern and Coastal Oregon RMP. In the plan's name, RMP stands for resource management plan.
One of the 1,120 places the Bureau of Land Management has designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. This page shows its line, what BLM found there and what sits inside it.
Plan in motion
Northwestern and Coastal Oregon and Southwestern Oregon RMP revision names this area among the ACECs it covers. BLM's notice of February 19, 2026 says:
The BLM will reevaluate these designated ACECs for consideration in the Draft RMP/EIS.BLM, Notice of Intent To Revise Resource Management Plans for Northwestern and Coastal Oregon and Southwestern Oregon, 91 FR 8017, Feb. 19, 2026, FR Doc. 2026-03290, read Oct 18, 2026
Notice of intent February 19, 2026. Scoping comments closed March 23, 2026. We found no later notice for it in the Federal Register when we read it on October 18, 2026. The plan on BLM's ePlanning, project DOI-BLM-ORWA-0000-2026-0001-RMP-EIS.
The line
The rights of way
14 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 11 under non-energy facilities and 3 under other energy facilities.
- NORTHWEST OREGON DISTRICT OFFICE5rights of way
- ROSBORO, LLC1right of way
- CHAMPION INTL CORP1right of way
- Holder not listed by BLM1right of way
- WEYERHAEUSER CO1right of way
- EUGENE CELLULAR TELEPHONE CO1right of way
- GIUSTINA BROS1right of way
- BONNEVILLE POWER ADMN1right of way
- WEYERHAEUSER TIMBER HOLDINGS INC1right of way
- GIUSTINA LAND & TBR1right of way
The nearest areas
- Grassy MountainOregon/Washington · 65 acres · nothing placed inside18miles
- Upper Willamette Valley MarginOregon/Washington · 5,968 acres · 14 rights of way18miles
- Horse Rock RidgeOregon/Washington · 370 acres · 2 rights of way23miles
- MohawkOregon/Washington · 290 acres · nothing placed inside25miles
- McGowan MeadowOregon/Washington · 71 acres · 3 rights of way26miles
More from BLM's Oregon/Washington office
Every area BLM's Oregon/Washington office holdsThe proposed rule
A proposed rule, RIN 1004-AF53, would change how BLM drafts every land use plan, and how it designates ACECs like Low Elevation Headwaters of the McKenzie River. The comment window hasn't opened: the proposed rule wasn't in the Federal Register at our last check. The Watch sends one email the day it prints.
The rule's abstract
The purpose of this rulemaking is to establish in regulations an updated process for the approval of the development, revision, amendment, and maintenance of land use plans, as provided for by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Additionally, this rulemaking will provide clarification of the process the BLM uses for designating Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.Unified Agenda entry for RIN 1004-AF53, Publication ID 2026, reginfo.gov (OMB OIRA), read Oct 18, 2026