• precedent getting and Cumulative Impacts - The project area is located on state- 

 owned lands that are "principally valuable for the timber that is on 

 them or for growing timber or for watershed protection" (Montana Codes 

 Annotated 77-1-402) . Since the EA does not identify future State 

 actions that are new or unusual, the proposed timber sale project is not 

 setting precedence for a future action with significant impacts. 



Taken individually and cumulatively, the impacts of the proposed timber 

 sale are not significant. The proposed activities are common practices 

 and none are being conducted on important fragile or unique sites. 



The proposed timber sale project conforms to the management philosophies 

 of DNRC and is in compliance with existing laws, policies, and standards 

 applicable to this type of proposed action. 



SHOULD DNRC PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) ? - No 



Based on the following, I find that an EIS does not need to be prepared: 



• The EA adequately addressed the issues identified during project 

 development and displayed the information needed to make the decisions. 



• Evaluation of the potential impacts of the proposed Dog Meadow Timber 

 Sale Project indicates that no significant impacts will occur. 



• The ID Team provided adequate opportunities for public review and 

 comment. Public concerns were incorporated into the project design and 

 analysis of impacts. 



Robert L. sandman 



Unit Manager 



Stillwater/Swan State Forests 



January 30, 2003 



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