Background and Purpose and Need The Daisy Dean ATV Trail Construction Project is located in the Little Belt Mountains, Musselshell Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest approximately 32 miles northeast of Harlowton, Montana. The project was identified in the 2007 Little Belt, Castle, and Crazy Mountains Travel Management Plan Record of Decision(ROD) to address unacceptable sedimentation levels in Daisy Creek and associated trail 619 due to trail location and nature of past construction in Daisy Creek. The Travel Plan EIS decision stated that Daisy Creek trail 619 would be closed to motorized use to eliminate sedimentation until it was reconstructed or repaired. This proposal would construct a reroute trail that would be reopened to provide motorized access to other trail systems. The proposal would eliminate (restore) many of the steam crossings in addition to portions of the trail that have been identified as contributing sediment to Daisy Creek. The purpose of this project is to: Address Resource issues identified in the 2007 Travel Plan ROD and include: Reduce sediment delivery into Daisy Creek from a recreation trail system Maintain or restore healthy soil and water conditions by reducing or mitigating factors that are impacting these resources. Reduce impacts to fisheries and reduce numbers of road/stream crossings. Proposal and Rationale To eliminate and reduce sedimentation into Daisy Creek per the October 2007 Little Belt Castle and Crazy Mountains Travel Plan Record of decision I am proposing to construct a 1 mile reroute of trail 619 that will connect to existing trail 628. This reroute will provide an alternate route around Daisy Narrow eliminating approximately 20 creek crossing and a segment of trail which is entirely within Daisy Creek. A 1.5 mile segment within the Daisy Narrows of trail 619 would be closed to motorized use in section 3 and 10, T10N, R11E, although the trail would continue to support non-motorized travel. The trail would be constructed to ATV standards; 6 feet clearing width and 4 feet wide trail tread width. The Deciding Officer has taken into consideration the implementation of the travel plan decision and resource specialist input contained in the project case file. This proposal addressed routes identified in the travel plan that would continue to serve the motorized users in the area, and also the need to address the sedimentation issues within Daisy Creek. Travel planning (use level/type of use) was addressed in the 2007 (FEIS and ROD) and would not change under this project because this proposal is only for the trail work needed to implement the 2007 decision. Design Features The following design features have been incorporated into the project. 1
Drainage features will be constructed in the trail and construction will utilize natural terrain features to assist with drainage. The new trail will utilize portions of existing trail 628 to reduce the need for new construction. The trail will be adequately marked and signed to prevent illegal use off designated trails. Project Mitigation The following mitigation measures will be followed: Soils 1. Limit timing of construction to dry soils and minimize the extent of disturbance. Range 1. Monitor noxious weed spread, and re-vegetation of efforts with timely treatment of problem areas as guided by the Lewis and Clark Noxious Weed Control Record of Decision. 2. Remove all mud, dirt, and plant parts from all contract equipment before moving into project area. Cleaning must occur off National Forest System lands. Sensitive Plants 1. If a sensitive plant species or population is located in project areas prior to or during implementation of the project, the population will be evaluated, delineated, and avoided. Wildlife 1. To mitigate impacts on elk habitat effectiveness, security and vulnerability, existing gates closed yearlong to restrict access to public motorized uses will remain closed to public use. Categorically Excluding from Documentation in an EA or EIS Pursuant to 36 CFR 220.6, a proposed action may be categorically excluded from further analysis and documentation in an environmental impact statement (EIS) or an environmental assessment (EA) if there are no extraordinary circumstances related to the action and if: 1. The proposed action is within one of the categories established by the Secretary at 7 CFR part 1b.3; or, 2
2. The proposed action is within a category listed in 220.6(e). After review and preliminary analysis this project was found to meet the category of actions referenced above and listed at 36 CFR 220.6(e)( 1)- Construction and reconstruction of trails. No extraordinary circumstances have been identified as outlined at 36 CFR 220.6(b) that would warrant further analysis and documentation in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Resource reports and conclusions are located in the project case file. The following resource conditions identified in agency procedures have been considered in determining whether extraordinary circumstances might exist have been accounted for: a. Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) provide a list of threatened, endangered, proposed, and candidate species known or suspected to occur in Montana and within the Jefferson Division of the Lewis and Clark National Forest on their web site. Per their most current list, the USFWS identifies no threatened, endangered or proposed species within the Little Belt Mountain range in accordance with section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act. Therefore, this project would have No Effect on any threatened, endangered, proposed, and candidate species. Biological Evaluations (BEs) for impacts on sensitive plants, fish, and wildlife species listed by the R1 Forester, were conducted by the project botanist and wildlife biologist respectively. The February 2011 Regional Foresters Sensitive Plant List update letter was amended on October 20, 2011 to include the designation of Whitebark pine. Whitebark pine does not occur in the project area. The evaluations (located in the Project Case File) found that this project may impact individuals or habitat, but will not likely contribute to a trend towards federal listing Short Styled columbine, and have No Impact on any of the remaining plants, fish or wildlife species listed as sensitive by the R1 Regional Forester. b. Flood plains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds. The project reroute is not located in a floodplain, wetland or municipal watershed. Project would eliminate crossing streamside trail segments. c. Congressionally designated areas such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas. There are no Wildernesses, Wilderness Study Areas, or National Recreation Areas in the project area. This decision will not affect these areas. 3
d. Inventoried roadless areas or potential wilderness areas. The new trail is located within the Bluff Mountain Roadless Area. At time of construction there will be temporary affects to the solitude of the area while the project is being implemented but they will be short in duration. The IRA will continue to function and will result in reduced motorized use through the Daisy Narrows and the new trail will direct motorized traffic onto other trail systems outside of the IRA e. Research natural areas. There are no Research Natural Areas in or adjacent to the project area. This decision will not affect Research Natural Areas. f. American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites. The Forest s Ethnographic Overview was consulted. No sites of special interest to the Tribes or of Traditional Status are identified in the project area (Deaver 1995). There are no existing reserved rights (e.g. treaty rights) in the Little Belt Mountains. Tribes within the sphere of influence for the Little Belt Mountains include the Blackfeet, Gros Ventre/Atsina/White Clay People, Salish and Kootenai, protohistoric Shoshone and historic Chippewa-Cree peoples. No sensitive sites or areas of traditional cultural (tribal) use have been previously identified for the project area. There are no reserved treaty rights remaining on lands within the Little Belt Mountains. g. Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas. The project area and proposed impacts were considered by the forest heritage staff. The proposed connector trail and relevant portions of Daisy Creek Trail 619 were surveyed on September 9, 2011 and the Daisy Dean Trail recorded. Following trail recordation, the connector trail can be constructed under provisions of the Programmatic Agreement on trails arranged between Region One of the Forest Service and the Montana Historic Preservation Officer. Public Involvement The 2007 Travel planning effort completed extensive public involvement phases. The proposed project and specific reroute has been discussed with various user groups including the Treasure State ATV Association, and Great Falls Trail Bike Riders Association. The consideration of issues and resource concerns from the interdisciplinary team and Montana Fish,Wildlife and Parks has been incorporated including the following: Trail users group field review meeting conducted September 9, 2008 Project Posting on the Lewis and Clark National Forest Schedule of Proposed Action (PALS) 30 day public comment period (2012) as listed in the Great Fall Tribune Legal Section. 4
Findings Required by Other Laws and Regulations This proposal is consistent with the Lewis and Clark National Forest Land Management Plan (USDA, Forest Plan, 1986) and management area direction specific to Management Area C, where the project would occur. The goal of management area C is to: Maintain or enhance existing elk habitat by maximizing habitat effectiveness as a primary management objective. Emphasis will be directed toward management for habitat diversity to support a variety of indigenous wildlife species. The management direction for trails: open all areas and trails to ORV s except where use is restricted by season, type of vehicle use or type of activity. Closures or restrictions may be used to: (1) resolve user conflict; (2) promote user safety; or (3) protect resources. How to Comment Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following publication of this notice in the Great Falls Tribune. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period for this proposal. You should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. Written comments must be submitted to the Responsible Official: Carol Hatfield, District Ranger, 204 W. Folsom, White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645. The office hours for those submitting hand-delivered comments are: 8;00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Hand-delivered comments will also be accepted at the Musselshell Ranger District at 809 2nd Street NW, Harlowton, MT. Oral comments may be provided to the Responsible Official during regular business hours via telephone 1-406-547-3361 or 1-406-632-4391 or in person at the White Sulphur Springs or Musselshell Ranger District offices. Electronic comments must be submitted to comments-northern-lewisclark-musselshell@fs.fed.us. Please type Daisy Dean in the subject line. For electronically mailed comments, the sender should normally receive an electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of receipt. If the sender does not receive an acknowledgement of the receipt of comments, it is the sender s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means. 5