EA DEVELOPMENT AND DECISION 

 PROCESS 



Public comments related to issues 

 that could affect the project were 

 incorporated into the document. 

 Upon completion of the analysis, the 

 EA and Finding will be circulated to 

 parties who, through a Request for 

 Information, requested for a copy. 

 To ensure that adequate 

 environmental analyses have been 

 done, DNRC provides a 3 -day comment 

 period for public and internal input 

 regarding the EA and Finding. 



The decisions presented with the 

 Finding will become recommendations 

 by DNRC to the Land Board. 

 Ultimately, the Land Board will make 

 the final decisions regarding the 

 proposal . 



PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES 



If the action alternative were 

 selected, it is likely that 2 timber 

 sale contracts will be prepared, one 

 in the winter of 2003 and the other 

 at a later date. 



The first contract package would be 

 tentatively scheduled for 

 presentation to the Land Board in 

 the spring of 2003, the second at a 

 later date. If the Land Board 

 approves the packages, the timber 

 sales would be advertised for bid. 

 Harvesting and roadwork under both 

 contract packages would occur over a 

 single 4-year period. After 

 harvesting activities are completed, 

 site preparation, tree planting, and 

 hazard reduction would occur. 



OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS 

 RELATED TO THE PROJECT 



To address direct, indirect, and 

 cumulative effects to resources on a 

 landscape level, resource analyses 

 will consider the required potential 

 effects from past, present, and 

 future actions to resources within 

 defined analysis areas. The Taylor 

 South Timber Sale Project 

 Environmental Impact Statement 

 (EIS) , completed in 2000, updated 



the existing environment in 

 reference to vegetation in the 

 coarse-filter analysis area, 

 accounting for changes that were not 

 reflected in the stand level 

 inventory (SLI) . The analysis for 

 the Dog/Meadow Timber Sale Project 

 uses this information to examine 

 conditions in the existing 

 environment . 



OTHER AGENCIES WITH JURISDICTION/ 

 PERMIT REQUIREMENTS 



Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife 

 and Parks (DFWP) has jurisdiction 

 over the management of fisheries and 

 wildlife in the project area. DFWP 

 is on the mailing list for the Dog/ 

 Meadow Timber Sale Project and has 

 received the initial proposal, 

 newsletter, and letter update. 



DNRC has an ongoing contract with 

 DFWP to collect data on Stillwater 

 State Forest and monitor streams for 

 existing fisheries habitat and the 

 presence/absence of bull trout and 

 westslope cutthroat trout. 



PERMITS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO 

 IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSED ACTION 



A Stream Protection Act Permit (124 

 Permit) is required from DFWP for 

 activities that may affect the 

 natural shape and form of a stream's 

 channel, banks, or tributaries. 



A Short-term Exemption from 

 Montana's Surface Water Quality 

 Standards (3A Authorization) , issued 

 by the Montana Department of 

 Environmental Quality (DEQ) , may be 

 required if: 



- temporary activities would 

 introduce sediment exceeding 

 natural levels into streams, or 



- DFWP feels the permit is necessary 

 after reviewing mitigation 

 measures in the 124 Permit. 



DNRC is a member of the Montana 

 Airshed Group, which regulates DNRC 

 slash burning. DNRC receives an 

 air-quality permit through 

 participation in the Montana Airshed 

 Group . 



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Dog/Meadow Timber Sale Project Draft EA 



