• PRECENDENT SETTING & CUMULATIVE IMPACTS: The project area is located or\ 840 acres of 

 State-owned lands that are "principally valuable for the timber that is on them or for growing 

 timber of 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 sigiuficant. 

 The proposed activities are common practices and none are being conducted on important fragile 

 or unique sites. 



The proposed timber sale project cor\forms to the management philosophies of DNRC and is in 

 compUance with existing laws, poHcies, and standards applicable to this type of proposed action. 



3. 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 Richard's Peak Timber Sale 

 Project indicates that no significant impacts would occur. 



• The ID Team provided adequate opportunities for public review and comment. 

 PubUc concerns were incorporated into the project design and analysis of impacts. 



Beverly O'Brien 



DNRC, Kalispelfynit 



Forest Management Supervisor 



February 6, 2003 



