Elliott State Research Forest Habitat Conservation Plan

The Oregon Department of State Lands developed a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Elliott State Research Forest in Oregon’s Coos and Douglas Counties. The HCP supports forest research and management activities and the conservation of listed species and their habitat on the Elliott State Research Forest. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepared a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HCP considering input from individuals and interested parties submitted on the 2022 draft EIS. Cooperating agencies for the development of the EIS included NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

The final EIS is one of the last steps before the Service decides whether to issue an 80-year incidental take permit to Oregon Department of State Lands for northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet based on the HCP. A separate decision whether to issue an incidental take permit regarding Oregon Coast coho salmon would be made by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service.

The final EIS will publish in the Federal Register on January 10, 2025, under docket number FWS–R1–ES–2022–0029 and the Service will issue a record of decision no sooner than February 10, 2025.

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

Final Environmental Impact Statement
Elliott State Research Forest Final Habitat Conservation Plan
Federal Register Docket (publishing Jan 10, 2025)
News release for the final EIS

Draft Environmental Impact Statement --- Extended Public Comment Period Closed January 10, 2023

Public comment period extension (published Dec. 20)
Recording of the DEIS public meeting
Draft Habitat Conservation Plan
Draft EIS
Federal Register notice for the draft EIS (published Nov. 18)
News release for the draft EIS

Public Meeting for the draft EIS

The Service held a virtual public meeting on December 13, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pacific time. The meeting included presentation on the proposed HCP and draft EIS, followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. Public comments were not taken at this meeting. We encourage you to submit your written comments using one of the methods described above. 

Additional Information

The Service also held a public comment period during scoping that closed June 6, 2022. We encouraged the public and stakeholders to help identify issues and alternatives for the plan. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office and NOAA Fisheries West Coast, a cooperating agency, held a virtual public meeting on May 16, 2022 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT. A closed captioned recording of the meeting is available.

Federal Register notice for the public scoping period
News release for the public scoping period
Habitat Conservation Plan factsheet
Frequently asked questions about the National Environmental Policy Act

More information on the Elliott State Research Forest Habitat Conservation Plan is available the Oregon Department of State Lands website.