Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
04/01/2011 to 06/30/2011
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 Nationwide
-  R1 - Northern Region, Occurring in more than one Forest (excluding Regionwide)
-  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 Nationwide  

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: A Cooperative Approach
EIS

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Vegetation management (other than forest products)  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 09/19/2008
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 09/2011  		Expected:10/2011
  		10/2011 Noel Schneeberger
610-557-4121
nschneeberger@fs.fed.us 
Description: The USDA Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are analyzing a range of strategies for controlling gypsy moth damage to forests and trees in the United States.
Web Link:  http://www.na.fs.fed.us/wv/eis/
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. Nationwide.
Land Management Planning Rule
EIS
 - Regulations, Directives, Orders  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 02/25/2011
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 11/2011  		Expected:12/2011
  		12/2011 Larry Hayden
202-205-1559
lhayden@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Department of Agriculture proposes to promulgate a new planning rule, which will set out the process for development, revision, and amendment of National Forest System land management plans.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. Agency-wide Rule.
Nationwide Aerial Application of Fire Retardant on National Forest System Lands.
EIS
 - Regulations, Directives, Orders  In Progress:
NOI in Federal Register 08/27/2010
Est. DEIS NOA in Federal Register 05/2011  		Expected:12/2011
  		01/2012 Glen Stein
208-869-5405
gstein@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Forest Service will prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement for the continued nationwide aerial application of fire retardant on National Forest System lands.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/retardant/index.html
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. Nationwide.
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R1 - Northern Region, Occurring in more than one Forest (excluding Regionwide)

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
East Boulder Mine Post Closure Water Management Plan and BOE Ranch LAD Alternative
EIS
 - Minerals and Geology  Cancelled  N/A  N/A Peter Werner
406-587-6962
pgwerner@fs.fed.us 
Description: Analysis of operational and post-closure water management at the East Boulder Mine, GNF, Big Timber District.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District, Big Timber Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass. East Boulder River near confluence with Dry Fork Creek.
Nevoro Mountain, Inc. West Vez project Plan of Operatins for Mineral Exploration Activities on GNF
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Minerals and Geology  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2011  		Expected:06/2011  07/2011 Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: Exploratory core drilling proposed at 8 sites on the GNF using small drill rigs transported overland or via helicopter or pack stock. Total proposed disturbance is less than 0.5 acres.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District, Bozeman Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Sweet Grass. LEGAL - T4S R13E, Sections 1,2,3,4; T5S R14E Sections 7 and 21. Beartooth Plateau - Chrome Mountain.
Stillwater Mining Company's Revised Water Management Plans and Boe Ranch LAD
EIS
 - Minerals and Geology  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 11/26/2010
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 08/2011  		Expected:08/2011
  		09/2011 Patrick Pierson
406-657-6205x213
ppierson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Determine bonding and management practices necessary once mine ceases operations. (Was formerly listed as East Boulder Mine Post Closure Water Management Plan and BOE Ranch LAD Alternative). Peter Werner is Gallatin NF contact.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=7466
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District, Big Timber Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass. LEGAL - T5S, R15E, Sec(s) 21, 22. Stillwater Mine, Beartooth RD, Custer NF; and, East Boulder Mine, GNF, Big Timber RD, Gallatin NF.
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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 		 Cancelled  N/A  N/A Amy Waring
(406) 657-6205x210
amywaring@fs.fed.us 
Description: District Ranger Walt Allen has decided to withdraw the 15 Elk HFRA project. In the event the Forest Service proposes a new project in this area, we will complete appropriate NEPA environmental analysis, public involvement, and issue a decision.
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.
Beaver Creek Landscape Management Project
EIS
 - Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Road management 		 Completed  Actual: 03/10/2011  06/2011 Amy Waring
406-657-6205x210
amywaring@fs.fed.us 
Description: Manage forest vegetation in a manner that increases resilency of the ecosystem to future wildland fires. Proposed vegetation treatments will consist of a variety of hand and mechanical thinning (commercially/noncommercially) & prescribed burning.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=31892
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. 17 miles east of Ashland, Montana, north of Hwy 212.
Cow Creek Prescribed Fire Project
CE
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 On Hold  N/A  N/A Martin Mitzkus
406-784-2344
mmitzkus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Prescribed burning in 2000 Stag Fire perimeter to reduce heavy dead and down fuel loadings.
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. LEGAL - T6S, R45E, in portions of Sec(s) 9-17, 20-23, and 27-28; and T6S, R46E, Sec 18-19. Cow Creek drainage.
Cow Creek Rangeland Project
EA
 - Grazing management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 01/21/2010
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 08/2011  		Expected:09/2011
  		05/2012 Megan Dawson
406-784-2344
mbdawson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Conduct environmental analysis of livestock grazing on the 16,189 acres Cow Creek allotment. The District Ranger will decide whether or not to authorize grazing, & if so, the site specific livestock grazing preseciptions to be implemented.
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River, Rosebud. LEGAL - T6S, R45E, various number of sections. Cow Creek Allotment, 20 miles south of Ashland, Montana.
Otter Creek Coal Tract Groundwater Baseline Date Collection and Monitoring Well Installation
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Watershed management
- Minerals and Geology 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2011  		Expected:06/2011  06/2011 Patrick Pierson
406-446-2103
ppierson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Proposal to install four batteries of water monitoring wells which will monitor baseline data related to groundwater conditions adjacent to the shared Ashland RD and Otter Crk Coal Tract boundary. Three to five wells are proposed well battery.
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. LEGAL - T3S, R46E, Sec 31 and T4S, R46E, Sec 31 PM and 6th PM. T3S, R46E, Sec 31 and T4S, R46E, Sec 31 PM and 6th PM.
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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
Beartooth Ranger District Aquatic Organism Passage Project, Little Rocky Creek Culvert Replacement
CE
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Watershed management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 12/08/2009  		Expected:05/2011
  		07/2011 Joseph Vacirca
406-657-6205x225
jvacirca@fs.fed.us 
Description: Replace two smaller dia. culverts w. a large dia. culvert on Benbow Rd (2414), as well as reconstruct the west approach btwn the culverts & the Benbow millsite. This project was separated from the Benbow portion of project #31906.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Stillwater. LEGAL - T5S, R16E, Sec 21. Benbow Rd #2414, Little Rocky drainage.
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.
Main Fork Rock Creek Road Maintenance and Watershed Improvement Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Watershed management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 03/31/2011  		Expected:06/2011
  		06/2011 Amy Waring
(406) 683-3948
amywaring@fs.fed.us 
Description: Conduct road mtc, reconstruction, & minor alignment adjustments along the length of the road (approx. 10.7 mi). Activities include gravel re-surfacing, ditch maintenance, replace & add culverts, replace Hellroaring bridge & vegetation clearing.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T9S, R19E, Sec(s) 7, 8, 18, & 19; T9S, R18E, Sec(s) 24, 25, 26, & 33-35. Main Fork Rock Creek Road.
Nevoro Montana, Inc. West Vez Project Plan of Ops for Mineral Exploration - Custer NF
CE
 - Minerals and Geology  In Progress:
Scoping Start 05/14/2010  		Expected:06/2011
  		07/2011 Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: Exploratory core drilling proposed at two sites on the Custer NF using small drill rigs transported to the sites via helicopter or pack stock. Total proposed disturbance is less than 0.25 acres.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Sweet Grass. LEGAL - T5S, R14E, Sec(s) 8 & 20. Beartooth Plateau - Iron Mountain.
Senia Creek Trail Re-alignment
CE
 - Recreation management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 11/09/2007  		Expected:06/2011
  		10/2011 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.
Sheridan Campground Hazardous Tree Removal Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Facility management 		 Completed  Actual: 01/07/2011  04/2011 Jeff Gildehaus
406-446-4584
jgildehaus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Removal of hazard trees within the Sheridan CG.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T8S, R20E, Sec. 30. Sheridan Campground.
West Rosebud Road Maintenance and Watershed Improvement Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Watershed management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 03/31/2011  		Expected:06/2011
  		06/2011 Amy Waring
(406) 683-3948
amywaring@fs.fed.us 
Description: Conduct road maintenance, reconstruction, replace & add culverts, vegetation clearing, reconstruct fill and cut slopes, revegetate disturbed areas, some road widening to meet single lane standards.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T7S, R16E, Sec(s) 1-3, 9, & 10; T7S, R17E, Sec 6; T6S, R16E, Sec 31; T6S, R17E, Sec(s) 28, 32, & 33. West Rosebud Road.
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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
Ekalaka Hills/Chalk Buttes Allotments Grazing Environmental Assessment
EA
 - Grazing management  In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 03/31/2011  		Expected:05/2011
  		06/2011 Mark Buchanan
605-797-4432
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.
Lewton Road Re-alignment
CE
 - Road management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 08/04/2010  		Expected:04/2011
  		06/2011 Tawni Cordell
605-797-4432
tdcordell@fs.fed.us 
Description: Re-align part of Lewton Road to provide better line-of-sight around a blind curve. The work is being proposed so as to provide for better driver safety on the South Dakota portion of Lewton Rd. The Right-of-Way would be updated.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carter. LEGAL - T1N, R59E, Sec 19. Lewton Road, Long Pines land unit, South Dakota.
Sioux District Road Clearing Project
CE
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 12/07/2010
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 04/2011  		Expected:05/2011
  		06/2011 Robert Cordell
605-797-4432
rcordell@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Forest Service is proposing to thin, pile (by hand and small equipment), small diameter trees within 75 feet of road and/or trail centerline due to heavy slash & debris buildup along roads and trails following severe storms from 2006 thru 2009.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - Montana, South Dakota. COUNTY - Carter, Harding. Roads and trails acros the Ranger District.
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This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.