Okanogan-Wenatchee Opens Objections on Domestic Sheep Standards Aimed at Bighorn Disease Risk

The Forest Service has a final environmental impact statement and a draft record of decision that would add two grazing standards to the Okanogan and Wenatchee forest plans. Those amendments are not approved. Objections come first.

What happened

On October 23, 2026, the Forest Service published a notice of opportunity to object, 91 FR 66831. It covers the 1989 Okanogan National Forest Land Management Plan and the 1990 Wenatchee National Forest Land Management Plan. The agency says it has a final EIS for the Planning and Management of Domestic Sheep and Goat Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep Project, and a draft record of decision with a programmatic amendment to both plans.

The amendment would add standards BHS 1 and BHS 2. BHS 1 requires effective separation of domestic sheep and bighorn sheep on active grazing allotments to reduce the likelihood and risk of disease transmission. BHS 2 requires a risk assessment to inform whether and how domestic sheep and goat allotments are stocked, based on disease-transmission risk between domestic livestock, primarily domestic sheep and goats, and bighorn sheep.

The Wenatchee World legal notice is dated October 24, 2026, number WWO002838. It says the project changes grazing management on nine allotments to reduce disease-transmission risk to bighorn sheep, and that the plan amendments would cover that risk for potential new allotments. It does not name the nine allotments, and it does not say whether any allotment would close, stay in sheep or goats, or switch to cattle.

The legal notice posts the documents at project 53257. The Federal Register points to project 301825. On October 24, 2026, both opened one page that lists both numbers, says documents are coming soon, shows status pre-NEPA, and shows a last update of October 22, 2026.

Forest Supervisor Tara Umphries is the responsible official, and the Regional Forester is the reviewing officer.

Why it matters for hunters and anglers

The standards deal with disease risk where domestic sheep and goats use a national forest that also holds bighorn sheep. They do not close a bighorn season, set a bag limit, or change a fishing rule, and they do not say a road or trailhead would open or close. They are a review of grazing direction before the amendments can be approved.

Who's affected (states/species/dates)

The plans are in Washington. The project page lists Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima counties. The standards name bighorn sheep, domestic sheep, and domestic goats.

The legal notice counts both clocks from publication in the Wenatchee World, and it says not to rely on dates from any other source.

• Allotment objections are due within 45 calendar days following publication.
• Forest-plan objections are due within 60 calendar days following publication.

The notice is dated October 24, 2026, and it prints no end date. For email or fax, a calendar day ends at 11:59:59 p.m. in the reviewing officer's time zone. A period that ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday runs to the next federal working day.

The Federal Register says the newspaper date is the exclusive 60-day clock under 36 CFR 219.52(c)(5). It also says electronic plan objections may be filed by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on December 22, 2026. The legal notice does not print December 22. The same Federal Register notice says the 45-day and 60-day periods run concurrently.

What groups are saying

The October 23 Federal Register notice and the October 24 legal notice do not quote a hunting group, an angling group, or the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. They state only the Forest Service description of the standards and the objection rules.

What happens next / how to comment

Only people and entities who commented on time during an earlier comment period can object. Plan objections must connect to substantive formal comments under 36 CFR 219.53, unless the issue arose later. Allotment objections must connect to specific written comments under 36 CFR 218.5(a), unless the issue is new information that arose afterward.

A plan objection needs the objector's name and address, a lead objector if several people sign, the amendment name, the issues, an explanation, and a suggested change. It has to link to earlier comments unless the issue is new, and attachments beat a bibliography. Object to the allotments and the amendments in separate letters. Label plan objections "Amendments to the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest Land Management Plans."

The legal notice prefers two portals.

• Allotment objections: the project 53257 form.
• Plan objections: the NP-4727 form.

Mail or hand-deliver objections to the Regional Forester, Objection Reviewing Officer, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, USDA Forest Service, Attn: 1570 Objections, 1220 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204. Hand delivery is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Mark the envelope "Domestic Sheep Project" or "Domestic Sheep Forest Plan Amendments."

David Topolewski, Forest Wildlife Program Manager, is the contact at 509-664-9376. The legal notice also lists David.topolewski@usda.gov. The amendments are not in effect. Neither notice dates a final record of decision.

Other Washington season pages are the Washington fishing guide and the Washington spring turkey hunting guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What would standards BHS 1 and BHS 2 require?

BHS 1 would require effective separation of domestic sheep and bighorn sheep on active grazing allotments to reduce disease-transmission risk. BHS 2 would require a risk assessment before deciding whether and how domestic sheep and goat allotments are stocked. The Federal Register says the amendments are not approved yet.

When is the objection deadline?

The legal notice counts 45 calendar days and 60 calendar days from Wenatchee World publication and says not to use other sources' dates. The Federal Register also states 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on December 22, 2026 for electronic plan objections. The legal notice does not print that date.

Who can file an objection?

Only individuals and entities who submitted timely comments earlier. Plan objections must tie to substantive formal comments, and allotment objections to specific written comments, unless the issue arose after those comment periods.

Does this close bighorn hunting or change a bag limit?

No. Neither notice closes a hunting season, sets a bag limit, or changes a fishing rule.

Which places and animals are covered?

The 1989 Okanogan and 1990 Wenatchee plans are in Washington. The project page lists Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima counties. The standards name bighorn sheep, domestic sheep, and domestic goats. The legal notice refers to nine allotments and does not name them.

Where are the final EIS and draft decision?

The notices say they are on the Forest Service project pages for 53257 and 301825. On October 24, 2026, that page said documents were coming soon and listed the status as pre-NEPA.

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Sources

• Federal Register notice, 91 FR 66831 (October 23, 2026)
• Federal Register full text, document 2026-21654
• Wenatchee World public notices, notice WWO002838, dated October 24, 2026
• Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest project page, PALS 53257
• Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest project page, Enterprise 301825
• Unsplash: mountain lake ringed by conifer forest and rocky peaks