Oregon · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Sandy River
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource, a cultural value, a scenic value, a fish resource and a natural hazard here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place 48 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 11,447 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
48 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 41 under non-energy facilities, 5 under other energy facilities and 2 under fiber optic facilities.
- Holder not listed by BLM7rights of way
- OREGON - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION5rights of way
- NORTHWEST OREGON DISTRICT OFFICE4rights of way
- USFS (MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST)4rights of way
- USFS (R6 PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION)4rights of way
- CLACKAMAS 800 RADIO GROUP3rights of way
- PORTLAND GENERAL ELECTRIC2rights of way
- CLACKAMAS COUNTY (Oregon)2rights of way
- BONNEVILLE POWER ADMN2rights of way
- VERIZON WIRELESS2rights of way
- CLACKAMAS CNTY TECH SERVICES1right of way
- AT&T MOBILITY1right of way
- LENART ACRES WATER SYSTEM1right of way
- SLEEPY HOLLOW WATER DISTRICT1right of way
- QWEST CORP DBA CENTURYLINK QC1right of way
- NORTHWEST FIBER, LLC DBA ZIPLY FIBER1right of way
- RIVERSIDE WATER DIST1right of way
- WASSER & WINTERS CO1right of way
- CLACKAMAS CO DEPT. OF TRANS1right of way
- T-MOBILE1right of way
- T-MOBILE USA INC1right of way
- MULTNOMAH COUNTY (Oregon)1right of way
- CINGULAR WIRELESS1right of way
The nearest areas
- Soosap MeadowsOregon/Washington · 343 acres · nothing placed inside23miles
- Wilhoit SpringsOregon/Washington · 136 acres · 2 rights of way32miles
- Lower Scappoose EagleOregon/Washington · 314 acres · 1 right of way43miles
- McCully MountainOregon/Washington · 102 acres · nothing placed inside52miles
- Silt CreekOregon/Washington · 119 acres · nothing placed inside55miles
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 Sandy 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