1.4.1 Objective 



Generate revenue for the Public School (CS) and Public Building (PB) trust grants 

 by salvage harvesting approximately 52,000 tons of timber killed by wildfires. If 

 significant tree morality occurs as a result of insect infestation brought about by 

 the fire, there could be an additional volume harvested of subsequent bug killed 

 timber. 



1.5 Decisions to be Made 



• Determine if alternatives meet the project objectives. 



• Determine which alternative should be selected. 



• Determine if the selected alternative would cause significant effect(s) to the 

 human environment, requiring the preparation of an Envirormiental Impact 

 Statement (EIS). 



1.6 Relationship to the Administrative Rules for Forest 

 Management 



On March 13, 2003, the Department adopted Administrative Rules for Forest 

 Management (ARM 36. 1 1.401 through 450). The Department will manage the lands 

 involved in this project in accordance with the Rules. 



The proposed action is limited to specific management activities that are needed to 

 implement the salvage sale and provide resource protection. This assessment 

 documents site-specific analysis and is not a general management plan or a 

 programmatic analysis of the area. The scope of this environmental analysis (EA) 

 was determined through DNRC interdisciplinary analysis and public involvement. 



1.7 History of the Planning and Scoping Process 

 Public Involvement - Agencies, Individuals or Groups 

 Contacted 



Comments from the general public, interest groups, and agency specialists were 

 solicited in September of 2003. Newspaper legal notices were run in the Missoulian 

 on September 23, 2003 and in the Mineral Independent on October 8, 2003. Scoping 

 letters were mailed to 10 organizations and individuals (a list of the 

 organizations/individuals contacted is available in the project file). Written 

 comments were received from the following organizations: Montana Department of 

 Fish, Wildlife and Parks and The Ecology Center. 



The following resource specialists were involved in the project design, assessment of 

 potential impacts, and development of mitigation measures: Bob Rich, Supervising 

 Forester, Missoula Unit; Cindy Bertek, Forester, Missoula Unit; Rich Stocker, 

 Forester, Missoula Unit; Mike McGrath, Wildlife Biologist, Southwest Land Office; 

 Jeff Collins, Soil Scientist, Forest Management Bureau; Renee Hanna, Hydrologist, 



Fish Creek Salvage Environmental Assessment 1-2 



