DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL 

 RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION 



JUDY MARTZ, GOVERNOR 



STATE OF MONTANA' 



NORTHWESTERN LAND OFFICE 

 2250 HIGHWAY 93 NORTH 

 KALISPELL, MT 59901-2557 



Telephone: (406) 751-2240 

 FAX: (406)751-2288 



FINDING 



PROPOSED BIG SLOWDOWN 

 SALVAGE PROJECT 



An interdisciplinary team (ID Team) has completed the Environmental Assessment 

 (EA) for the proposed Big Slowdown Salvage Project. After a thorough review 

 of the EA, project file, public correspondence, Montana statutes, and the 

 State Forest Land Management Plan (SFLMP) , I have made the following 3 

 decisions: 



1. ALTERNATIVE SELECTED 



Two alternatives are presented and were fully analyzed in the Environmental 

 Assessment (EA) : 



• No-Action Alternative A includes existing activities, but does not 



include the salvage of wind-damaged and blown-down trees or trees being 

 killed or damaged by the Douglas-fir bark beetle and white pine blister 

 rust . 



• Action Alternative B proposes tb: 



salvage approximately 1 to 1.5 million board feet (MMBF) of wind- 

 damaged and blown-down trees or trees being killed or damaged by the 

 Douglas-fir bark beetle and white pine blister rust; 

 remove an old wooden bridge; 



build approximately 0.25 mile of road to access the road system 

 isolated by removing the bridge; 

 replace native and undersized culverts; 



upgrade road- surface drainage to meet Best Management- Practices 

 (BMPs) ; 



apply forest fuel -reduction treatments to State lands and adjacent 

 private lands; and ■>» 



allow Friends of the Wild Swan to purchase logs in lieu of salvaging 

 within Area B of the Sprunger-Whitney Nature Trail Land Use License. 



I have selected Action Alternative B with the following requirements: 



• Friends of the Wild Swan will be offered the option of purchasing the 

 logs for $4,782 in lieu of salvaging within Area B of the Sprunger- 

 Whitney Nature Trail Land Use License. 



• Mitigations and specifications identified in the EA will be implemented 

 as prescribed. 



Action Alternative B has been selected for the following reasons: 



• Action Alternative B meets the PURPOSE OF ACTION and the specific 

 --^ project objectives listed on page 1 of the EA. 



KALISPELL OpnCE 



2250 Highway 93 North 



KaUspeU, MT 59901-2557 



Telephone (406) 751-2241 



Fax (406) 751-2286 



PLAINS OFFICE 



PC Box 219 



Plains, MT 59859-0219 



Telephone (406) 826-3851 



Fax (406) 826-5785 



POLSON HELD OFRCE 



PC Box 640 



Poison, MT 59860-0640 



Telephone (406) 883-3960 



Fax (406) 883-1874 



LIBBY UNIT 



14096 US Highway 37 



UbbyMT 59923-9347 



Telephone (406) 293-2711 



Fax (406) 293-9307 



STILLWATER STATE FOREST 

 PC Box 164 



OIneyMT 59927-0164 



Telephone (406) 881-2371 



Fax (406) 881-2372 



SWAN STATE FOREST 



58741 Highway 83 South 



Swan Lake, MT 59911 



Telephone (406) 754-2301 



Fax (406) 754-2884 



'AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER' 



