Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
10/01/2009 to 12/31/2009
Custer National Forest

This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.
Report Contents (click to jump to a section) :
-  Projects Occurring in more than one Region (excluding Nationwide)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Custer National Forest,  Ashland Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Custer National Forest,  Beartooth Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Custer National Forest,  Sioux Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

Projects Occurring in more than one Region (excluding Nationwide)  

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Geothermal Leasing Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
EIS
 - Regulations, Directives, Orders  In Progress:
FEIS NOA in Federal Register 10/24/2008  		Expected:02/2010
  		03/2010 Tracy Parker
505-758-6310
tparker03@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service are preparing a joint Programmatic Environmental Impac Statement to analyze the leasing of BLM and USFS administered lands with moderate to high potential for geothermal resources in 11 western states.
Web Link:  http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/geothermal/geothermal_nationwide.html
Location: UNIT - Coronado National Forest All Units, Gila National Forest All Units, Lincoln National Forest All Units, Boise National Forest All Units, Bridger-Teton National Forest All Units, Clearwater National Forest All Units, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units, Bitterroot National Forest All Units, Lewis And Clark National Forest All Units, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest All Units, San Juan National Forest All Units, White River National Forest All Units, Carson National Forest All Units, Cibola National Forest All Units, Cleveland National Forest All Units, Eldorado National Forest All Units, Lassen National Forest All Units, Los Padres National Forest All Units, Mendocino National Forest All Units, Modoc National Forest All Units, San Bernardino National Forest All Units, Sequoia National Forest All Units, Tahoe National Forest All Units, Gifford Pinchot National Forest All Units, Malheur National Forest All Units, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest All Units, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest All Units, Umpqua National Forest All Units, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest All Units, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest All Units, Dixie National Forest All Units, Fishlake National Forest All Units, Payette National Forest All Units, Salmon-Challis National Forest All Units, Sawtooth National Forest All Units, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest All Units, R10 - Alaska Region All Units, Custer National Forest All Units, Gallatin National Forest All Units, Helena National Forest All Units, Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest All Units, Santa Fe National Forest All Units, Angeles National Forest All Units, Plumas National Forest All Units, Manti-Lasal National Forest All Units, Caribou-Targhee National Forest All Units, Shasta Trinity National Forest All Units, Deschutes National Forest All Units, Mt. Hood National Forest All Units, Rio Grande National Forest All Units, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests All Units, Klamath National Forest All Units, Sierra National Forest All Units, Ochoco National Forest All Units, Fremont-Winema National Forest All Units, Umatilla National Forest All Units, Willamette National Forest All Units, Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands All Units, Washington Office (National Headquarter), Uinta-Wasatch-Cache All Units, Lolo National Forest All Units, Nez Perce National Forest All Units, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests All Units, Tonto National Forest All Units, Inyo National Forest All Units. STATE - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. COUNTY - Aleutians East, La Paz, Colusa, Denver, Douglas, Bonner, Columbia, Coos. 11 contiguous Western States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) and Alaska.
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Custer National Forest,   Ashland Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
15-Elk HFRA Project
EA
 - Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 02/20/2008
Est. Objection Period Legal Notice 10/2009  		Expected:03/2010
  		09/2010 Martin Mitzkus
406-784-2344
mmitzkus@fs.fed.us 
Description: 15 Elk Fuels Reduction Project's purpose will be to reduce wildfire risk within the project area through strategic hazardous fuels reduction.
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. LEGAL - T5 & 6 S, R(s) 45, 46, &47. NFS lands within the 15 mile and Elk Creek drainages.
East Otter Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
EA
 - Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 In Progress:
Objection Period Legal Notice 04/05/2009  		Expected:09/2010
  		04/2011 Martin Mitzkus
406-784-2344
mmitzkus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Reduce hazardous fuels in the project area by reducing fire regime condition classes 2 and 3 to condition class 1.
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. LEGAL - T37N, R27W, S(s) 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, 32; T36N, 28W, S(s) 1, 2, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28; and T36N, R27W, S(s) 6-8. 10 airmiles northeast of Ashland, MT and is east and west of the East Fork Otter Crk Road.
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Custer National Forest,   Beartooth Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Island Lake Spawning Enhancement Project
CE
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants  Cancelled  N/A  N/A Darin Watschke
406-657-6200
dwatschke@fs.fed.us 
Description: Augmenting spawning habitat in the outlet channel (West Fork Fishtail Creek) of Island Lake. with up to 3 cubic yards of sorted small gravels (1 minus) to the spawning channel via ATV, with access through the 4K ranch.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Stillwater. LEGAL - T 5 S, R 16 E, Sec 23 SE 1/4. Island Lake, West Fork Fishtail Creek drainage.
Basin Campground Bank Stabilization
CE
 - Watershed management  Completed  Actual: 09/22/2009  09/2009 Mark Nienow
406-657-6205
mnienow@fs.fed.us 
Description: Bank stabilization at one site along West Fork Rock Creek adjacent to Basin Campground by armoring the bank w/ boulders and logs and removing conifer saplings from a cobble bar on the north side of the channel.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T5S, R19E, S4. Basin Campground, West Fork Rock Creek.
Beartooth Event 2009 Recreation Event Special Use
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Special use management  Completed  Actual: 09/21/2009  10/2009 Jeff Gildehaus
406-446-4584
jgildehaus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Beartooth Event to conduct a 10/3/2009 cross country foot race open to the public on the Silver Run Loop Trail System, the Ingles Loop and Road #2476 (Silver Run Road).
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. Silver Run Road and trail system, West Fork Rock Creek drainage.
Beartooth Front Storm Damage Clean-up & Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project- West Fork Rock Creek
EA
 - Forest products
- Fuels management 		 Completed  Actual: 07/29/2009  08/2009 Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: fuel reduction and clean-up in the West Fork Rock Crk affected by 11/2007 wind event and 8/2008 Cascade wildfire.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon, Stillwater. LEGAL - T8S, R19E; T7S, R18E; & T7S, R19E, PMM and 6th PM. West Fork Rock Creek.
Big Ice Cave Mineral Withdrawal
EA
 - Land ownership management  In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 05/09/2008  		Expected:07/2010
  		07/2010 Mark Slacks
406-657-6205 ext. 240
mslacks@fs.fed.us 
Description: Big Ice Cave Mineral Withdrawal
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T8S, R27E, Sec 3, SE1/4 and Sec. 10 N1/2 N1/2 NW1/4 NE1/4, PMM. Big Ice Cave and the surrounding 170 acre area.
Chrome Lake Inlet Restoration
CE
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Watershed management 		 Completed  Actual: 07/13/2009  08/2009 Darin Watschke
406-657-6200
dwatschke@fs.fed.us 
Description: Restore a degraded wetland at the Chrome Lake inlet area with hand tools & block access to an undesignated.ATV route from the main road (#2145).The inlet would be reshaped to natural contours & the undesignated route would be blocked using handtools.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Stillwater. LEGAL - T 5 S, R 16 E, Sec 31. Chrome Lake, Little Rocky Creek drainage, Benbow area.
Crooked Creek Road Improvement Project
CE
 - Road management
- Watershed management  		 On Hold  N/A  N/A Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: Road improvements on Custer NF portions of Crooked Creek Road #2085. Improvements include resurfacing, improving existing culverts, intallings turnouts and culverts, and improving slope stability and visibility along the road.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T8S, R27 E, Sections 5, 8, 16, 17, 21, 27, 28, and 34, Principal Meridian and 6th Principal Meridians. Pryor Mountains, Crooked Creek Road; National Forest System Road (NFSR) 2085.
East Pryor Interagency Communications Site Special Use Permit
CE
 - Special use management  On Hold  N/A  N/A Terrill Jones
406-446-2103
tcjones@fs.fed.us 
Description: Issue special use permit to other agencies (FBI, ATF, BLM, BIA, & MT Highway Patrol) occupying existing electronic site at East Pryor Mountain.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T8S, R28E, Sec. 6, Lot 4, P.M. Approximately 30 miles east of Belfry, MT on East Pryor Mountain.
Initial Creek ROW and Trail Construction
CE
 - Recreation management
- Land acquisition 		 On Hold  N/A  N/A Allie Wood
406-446-2103
awood01@fs.fed.us 
Description: Secure legal ROW and construct trail acros one mile of patented mineral land and construct a bridge to provide trail access from Initial Crk campground to the WF Stillwater River.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Sweet Grass. LEGAL - T5S, R14E, Sec. 14. Initial Creek Trail, West Fork Stillwater River.
North Pryors Exploration Pits Reclamation Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Minerals and Geology  Completed  Actual: 09/21/2009  09/2009 Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: Reclaim numerous uranium exploration pits to reduce and eliminate risks to human health and safety and restore previously disturbed areas.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. Pryor Mountains, Roberts Bench and along road to Dryhead Vista.
Pick, Shovel, Edsel, Silver Run, and Nichols Creek Abandoned Mines Closure Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Minerals and Geology  In Progress:
Scoping Start 08/11/2009  		Expected:10/2009
  		06/2010 Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: Close multiple hazardous mine openings to address potential to human health and safety concerns. Closure would be accomplished by installing metal grates or a combination of rock and polyurethane foam.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. Multiple locations in the Hellroaring and Silver Run drainages, Beartooth Mountains.
Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Territory Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP)
EA

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Grazing management  Completed  Actual: 05/22/2009  08/2009 Kim Reid
406-657-6205 x233
kreid@fs.fed.us 
Description: Joint project w/ Forest Service & BLM in revising HMAP. FS authority is limited to project activities on NFS lands. FS proposes to maintain, re-align, and extend the north boundary fence and associate cattleguard and improve one water source.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Territory.
Recreation Residence Deck Construction
CE
 - Recreation management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 07/28/2007  		Expected:10/2009
  		10/2009 Jeff Gildehaus
406-446-4584
jgildehaus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Replace existing concrete patio at recreation residence with a wood deck approximately 100 square feet larger.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T8S, R19E, Sec. 34. Lot 12 Snow Creek Recreation Residence Tract.
Senia Creek Trail Re-alignment
CE
 - Recreation management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 11/09/2007  		Expected:12/2009
  		06/2010 Allie Wood
406-446-2103
awood01@fs.fed.us 
Description: Re-align a section of Senia Creek trail to establish a new trail at grade within FS trail specifications.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T7S, R18E, Sec(s) 32-33. Senia Creek Trail, Red Lodge Creek Plateau, A-B Wilderness.
Stillwater Mining Company, Closure and Post Closure
EIS
 - Minerals and Geology  In Progress:
NOI in Federal Register 07/27/2001
Est. DEIS NOA in Federal Register 12/2009  		Expected:04/2010
  		08/2010 Patrick Pierson
406-657-6205
ppierson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Determine bonding and management practices necessary once mine ceases operations
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Stillwater. LEGAL - T5S, R15E, Sec(s) 21, 22. Stillwater Drainage.
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Custer National Forest,   Sioux Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Carter County Building Replacement SUP
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/09/2009  		Expected:11/2009
  		11/2009 Tawni Parks
605-797-4432
tparks@fs.fed.us 
Description: Carter County Commissioners propose installing a new 10'x20' pre-fabricated bldg mounted on 11'x21' concrete pad & use existing tower for communication equip. currently at the Tower Hill Comm. Site in the Ekalaka Hills.Old bldg would be removed.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carter. LEGAL - T1N, R58E, S25, Principal and Black Hills Meridian. Tower Hill Communication Site.
Chalk Buttes Range Project
EA
 - Grazing management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 10/2009  		Expected:04/2010  04/2010 Mark Buchanan
406-657-6200
mabuchanan@fs.fed.us 
Description: Analysis of domestic livestock grazing on six allotments located in the Chalk Buttes land unit.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carter. LEGAL - National Forest System lands in T1S, R57E, Principal and Black Hills Meridian. Chalk Buttes land unit.
Grand Electric Co-Op Special Use Permit
CE
 - Special use management  Completed  Actual: 08/28/2009  10/2009 Tawni Parks
605-797-4432
tparks@fs.fed.us 
Description: Issuance of special use permit to Grand Electric Co-Op for existing overhead and underground facilities that are National Forest System lands of the Sioux RD, Custer NF.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Harding. All South Dakota land units of the Sioux RD - North Cave Hills, South Cave Hills, West & East Short Pines, and Slim Buttes.
Reva Gap Campground Upgrades and Additions Project
EA

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Recreation management
- Facility management 		 In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 09/03/2009  		Expected:10/2009
  		05/2010 Tawni Parks
605-797-4432
tparks@fs.fed.us 
Description: Upgrade current camping facilities and increase campground capacity to accommodated increased recreation use and long-term uses of facility.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Harding. Reva Gap Campground, Slim Buttes land unit, Harding County, South Dakota.
Sioux Ranger District New Office Construction Project
EA

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Facility management  In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 08/29/2009  		Expected:10/2009
  		05/2010 Kurt Hansen
605-797-4432
kahansen@fs.fed.us 
Description: Construct a new office at the administrative site in Camp Crook, SD. Existing office would be removed through sale or demolition after the new office is in use. A new parking area would be constructed adjacent to the office
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Harding. Forest Service Administrative Site in Camp Crook, SD.
Slim Buttes Timber Stand Improvement & Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Project
CE
 - Grazing management
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 07/31/2009
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 11/2009  		Expected:02/2010
  		06/2010 Robert Cordell
605-797-4432
rcordell@fs.fed.us 
Description: Treat vegetation on approx. 714 acres in the Slim Buttes land unit. Activities include removing conifers from aspen stands, non-commercial tree thinning, treating woody draws, reducing fuel loading and prescribe burning.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Harding. Slim Buttes Land Unit.
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This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.