public recreation while Alternative 1 and No Action could result in private 

 recreation. 



6. Taxes. Financial. Employment Opportunities. Private Business 



Proposed Action: FLT is offering to sell their portion of the island to FWP 

 for $22,000 or approximately $301/acre, a bargain sale price, well below the 

 1991 appraised value of $37,000 or ($507/acre). Through market analysis 

 completed by FLT, current value is estimated to range from $50,000-$75,000. 



A Socio-Economic Assessment for the proposed action is attached (Appendix 

 C). As discussed in this report, the Proposed Action will restore and maintain 

 the tax proceeds to Flathead County as FWP is required to make Payments in 

 Lieu of Taxes (PILT) to the county where they purchase land. Currently, no 

 taxes are paid to the county due to FLT's tax exempt status. Although 

 expected to be minimal, future taxes derived from extractive resources such as 

 sand or gravel, timber, fish, wildlife, or vegetative resources may be foregone 

 under the Proposed Action. 



The maintenance of current habitat and recreation opportunity will help to 

 maintain existing demand for outdoor recreation equipment and services. 



Alternative 1 (Conservation Easement): Due to their tax exempt status, no 

 property taxes would be derived for Flathead County if FLT retains 

 ownership. No property taxes would be derived if the land were purchased by 

 another tax-exempt organization. If FLT sells land to a private interest, the tax 

 impacts would be the same as the Proposed Action with the exception that 

 some potential business income and associated tax revenue which could be 

 derived from private commercial hunting or fishing operations may occur. 



No Action: The impacts would be similar to Alternative 1 with the addition 

 that under the No Action Alternative, sand and gravel, logging, and grazing 

 may occur at some point in the future. 



7. Cultural/Historic Resources 



Proposed Action: No expected impact. No permanent structures or vegetation 

 or soil disturbance would occur under this alternative. The EA is currently 

 being reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Confederated 

 Salish and Kootenai Tribes culture committees to determine if any cultural or 

 historic values exist within the proposed project area. 



Alternative 1 (Conservation flasement): Same as Proposed Action. 



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