The Oregon Owyhee Wilderness and Community Protection Act designates approximately 924,440 acres in Malheur County as wilderness areas and special management zones while allowing continued livestock grazing, motorized access for specific purposes, and resource management activities on federal lands. The bill streamlines grazing operations by permitting ranchers with federal permits to make minor adjustments—such as shifting grazing seasons or relocating water sources—without lengthy environmental reviews, and establishes a local advisory group called the Malheur County Economic Opportunities (C.E.O.) Group to recommend and fund ecosystem restoration and community projects across the county. The legislation also transfers approximately 28,000 acres, including Jonesboro Ranch, to the Burns Paiute Tribe to be held in trust, and directs the Secretary of Interior to create a co-stewardship agreement with the tribe for the Castle Rock area while preserving existing grazing permits and rights. Throughout these designated lands, the bill explicitly permits wildfire suppression, invasive species control, and livestock management, and prohibits new permanent roads and mining activities. No specific funding amounts or implementation timelines are detailed in the provided sections.
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