Oregon Owyhee Wilderness and Community Protection Act

The Oregon Owyhee Wilderness and Community Protection Act designates approximately 926,588 acres of Federal land in Malheur County, Oregon as wilderness areas, including 15 specific wilderness designations managed under the Wilderness Act. It establishes a Malheur County Grazing Management Program that provides operational flexibility for grazing permittees, allowing adjustments to grazing schedules and water infrastructure placement with 2-day written notice to the Bureau while maintaining existing grazing rights. The bill creates the Malheur C.E.O. Group, consisting of 8 members representing grazing permittees, businesses, conservation organizations, and tribes, to propose and manage projects related to ecological restoration, range improvements, and invasive species control. The legislation also includes provisions for land conveyances to the Burns Paiute Tribe and ensures continued livestock grazing on Federal lands with specific protections for grazing rights and management activities related to fire suppression and invasive species control.