The allies of several thousand endangered seabirds and shorebirds that died after an oil spill in 1999 didn't make a peep Wednesday night during a public comment session on a restoration plan that seeks to bolster the bird populations.

Instead, several employees of the Bureau of Land Management, on hand at the North Bend Public Library to listen to feedback on the plan, heard from numerous outspoken foes of the plan.

Some threatened lawsuits if the draft plan wasn't changed, while others voiced serious reservations over the great expense specified to compensate for the birds' deaths.

The M/V New Carissa ran aground off the North Spit, and later Waldport, in 1999, spilling tens of thousands of gallons of oil that killed nearly 2,500 birds, including 262 marbled murrelets and an estimated four to eight Western snowy plover - both endangered species.

Wednesday's public comment session followed on the heels of the release of a report late last month. The draft plan, prepared by the New Carissa Natural Resource Trustees - a conglomeration of federal and state agencies and confederated Indian tribes - calls for the purchase of almost 1,500 acres of critical habitat for the birds from willing sellers who own private coastal land from Astoria to Brookings.

The draft plan earmarks about $400,000 for various projects on the North Spit including signs, informational kiosks and trail rehabilitation.

About $4 million already is allocated toward the purchase of the properties, money from a $25 million lawsuit settlement with the shipping company that owns the New Carissa. In addition, a yet-to-be acquired sum generated by an oil tax created under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 after a massive oil spill in Valdez, Alaska, also would be used for the restoration plan.

The most often repeated remarks from those in attendance at Wednesday's meeting focused on public agencies taking private lands off the tax rolls, worries over accessing the property if acquired, and what those in opposition to the plan called governmental agencies' inability to effectively manage the acreage they currently maintain.

"We already have millions of acres locked up - that can't be touched by man," said Jim Bice, a staunch opponent to the plan. "We have timber lying around rotting. That land hasn't been managed, and now you want to take even more land, so it won't be properly managed and not generate revenue for people. Does this make sense?"

Larry Mangan, a BLM wildlife biologist, tried to curb fears over accessing the property, stating that 90 to 95 percent of federal forest lands already are accessible by the public.

"By and large, the majority of the forest lands would be open to the public," Mangan said.

Coos County Board Chairman John Griffith also spoke in opposition to the plan. He said BLM already lacks funding, and has approached the county board in the past for funding to carry out its duties.

"Why take more money for kiosks in light of your current fiscal situation," Griffith said, referring to plans to establish educational signs around the North Spit. He also was frustrated that the trustees did not seek out input from local stakeholders for the development of the draft, noting that the county board passed a resolution in March opposing further governmental acquisition of private land.

Helen Franklin, a resident of North Bend, said the environmental assessment developed by the trustees was the wrong tool used. Instead, she said, for a "major federal action" such as was being considered, a more wide-ranging mechanism - an environmental impact statement which includes an economic impact report if the plan were carried out, should have been conducted.

"For this much money, you need to be writing an EIS," Franklin said, threatening adjudication if that was not completed.

She, too, was adamantly opposed to the projects proposed for the North Spit, fearing, she said, more limitation for all-terrain vehicle, hiking and horsebackriding access.

"You want to put up a bunch of stupid kiosks and interpretive centers? This area doesn't need to be interpreted," she said. "No more signs and no kiosks."

Mike Smith, an avid ATV-rider, suggested the money be used for "recreation management," for those who use the North Spit. There was an opportunity for the agencies to use the funds to benefit ATVers by increasing access to the area, he said.

"The ATV species was affected, too," he said.

He also suggested the money be saved for potential oil spills in the future.

"Leave it in the fund until we have a real oil spill - and need real rehabilitation," Smith said.

On Thursday, Megan Slothower, who moderated Wednesday's meeting said BLM had received several written comments in favor of the plan.

BLM was not on hand to debate with those opposed to the plan, but simply to listen and record their comments for inclusion into another draft of the plan. The public comment period ends at the close of business on Friday, June 24. Those interested in providing feedback can contact Mangan at 751-4231 or by e-mail at at coos_bay@blm.gov. A summary of the comments made Wednesday also is being published on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Web site - http://OregonFWO.fws.gov - next week.