Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
01/01/2013 to 03/31/2013
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, 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
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)  Completed  Actual: 11/28/2012  01/2013 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.
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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 Mile and Elk Creek Landscape Restoration Project (15 Elk)
EIS
 - Recreation management
- Heritage resource management
- Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 On Hold  N/A  N/A Amy Waring
(406) 683-3948
amywaring@fs.fed.us 
Description: Proposes vegetation treatment & road mngt.activities on approx.14,194 ac. in 15 Mile and Elk Crk. watersheds.Manage forest vegetation to restore & improve resilency of fire adapted ecosystems, improve diversity in hardwood draws, & decommission roads
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. 15 Mile and Elk Creek watersheds.
Ashland Roadside Hazard Tree Abatement Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Road management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 01/2013  		Expected:02/2013  02/2013 Wayland Duerschmidt
406-784-2335 x 112
wduerschmidt@fs.fed.us 
Description: Dispose of logs decks created from Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation efforts that felled hazard trees. Also, w/in 150' each side of certain roads hazard trees w/in the Ash Creek Fire area will be felled, skided, decked & disposed by various means.
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. Several roads within the Ash Creek Fire area.
Cow Creek Rangeland Project
EA
 - Grazing management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 01/21/2010
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 03/2013  		Expected:05/2013
  		06/2013 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.
Whitetail Cabin and Holiday Campground Hazard Tree Project
CE
 - Recreation management
- Facility management 		 Completed  Actual: 11/29/2012  11/2012 Wayland Duerschmidt
406-784-2335 x 112
wduerschmidt@fs.fed.us 
Description: At Holiday Campground and Whitetail Rental Cabin, there is an immediate & long-term need to address safety concerns posed to the public from trees directly/indirectly killed &/or made unstable from Ash Creek Fire.
Web Link:  http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=40394
Location: UNIT - Ashland Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Powder River. LEGAL - T2S, R47E, Sec. 19. Whitetail Cabin Administrative Stie and Holiday Campground Developed Recreation Site.
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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
Burnt Fork, Hogan Crk On/Off, Rock Crk, Sage Crk and Proposed Red Butte Allotments Rangeland Project
EA
 - Grazing management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 12/21/2011
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 05/2013  		Expected:06/2013
  		09/2013 Terrill Jones
406-446-2103
tcjones@fs.fed.us 
Description: Comprehensive range planning (1995 Recissions Act) and analysis to determine the effects of livestock grazing.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - various. Beartooth face and Pryor Mountains.
Fred Inabit Interpretive Panel
CE
 - Heritage resource management  On Hold  N/A  N/A Jeff Gildehaus
406-446-4584
jgildehaus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Install Fred Inabit Interpretive Panel on Phantom Creek Trail.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T7N, R17E, Sec. 21. Phantom Creek Trail.
Greenough Lake Campground Improvement Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Land management planning
- Facility management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 01/2013  		Expected:03/2013  08/2013 Jeff Gildehaus
406-446-4584
jgildehaus@fs.fed.us 
Description: Rebuild 18 unit campground & add another loop that would add 10-12 camp sites. Would lengthen parking spurs, allow for accessibility at picnic tables, fire rings & pathways & repave roads & parking slots. Pave pathway to Greenough & add fishing pier.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T9 S, R19E., Sec. 8, Principal Meridian and 6th Principal Meridians. Greenough Lake Campground.
Horseman Flats Fuel Reduction Project
CE
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 12/2012  		Expected:04/2013  06/2013 Jeffrey Stockwell
406-446-2103
jstockwell@fs.fed.us 
Description: Treat hazardous fuels for defensible space, suppression options & in/egress for SMC, Cathedral Mtn. subdivision, Horseman Flats, Road 2848 to Initial Crk trlhead. Use heavy machinery & hand work to achieve stem spacing & reduce crown fire impacts.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - Sec. 8-9,16 T5S R15E. Stillwater Mine, Cathedral Mtn. Subdivision area including Horseman Flats and along FS Road 2848 to Initial Creek Trailhead.
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
 - Watershed management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 03/31/2011
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 02/2013  		Expected:03/2013
  		06/2013 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.
Palisades Trail
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Recreation management  In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 09/05/2012  		Expected:01/2013
  		06/2013 Allie Wood
406-446-2103
awood01@fs.fed.us 
Description: Proposed 2.5 mile trail will provide a non-motorized recreation opportunity from Palisades CG to Fox Lane using 1.75 miles of existing tread and construcing 0.75 miles of new trail. Project consists of brushing, down fall removal & new trail const.
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. LEGAL - T7S, R20 E, Sections 30, 31. Palisades Campground to Fox Lane.
Pryor Mountain Road Access Project
EA
 - Road management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 03/29/2012
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 05/2013  		Expected:06/2013
  		07/2013 Amy Waring
(406) 683-3948
amywaring@fs.fed.us 
Description: Pursue the Powerline Road as legal permanent access into the northern portion of the Pryor Mountain land unit of the Beartooth Ranger District.
Web Link:  http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=38899
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carbon. Pryor Mountains land unit, southwester corner of the Crow Indian Reservation.
SMC Blitz Proj Surface & Mineral Exploration PlnOfOps 13.0, 14.2, 18.2, & 25.0 Drill Sites
CE
 - Minerals and Geology  Completed  Actual: 10/30/2012  07/2013 Dan Seifert
406-446-4520
dseifert@fs.fed.us 
Description: Exploratory core drilling proposed & reclamation at 4 drill sites accessed by helicopter. Up to five holes would be drilled at each site. Total proposed ground disturbance is approx. 0.16 acres.
Web Link:  http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=40244
Location: UNIT - Beartooth Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Stillwater. LEGAL - T5S, R16E, Sec. 24; T5S, R15E, Sec(s) 19 & 20. Benbow area - Little Rocky, Burnt Creek, and Prairie Creek.
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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
2012 South Cave Hills AML Safety Closure Project
CE
 - Watershed management
- Minerals and Geology 		 Completed  Actual: 08/06/2012  09/2012 Tawni Cordell
605-797-4432
tdcordell@fs.fed.us 
Description: Continue to rehabilitate additional 15 abandoned mine pits by pushing in the puts with clean/existing soil and re-seeding with certified weed-free native seed mix.
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Harding. South Cave Hills land unit.
Dugan Fire Roadside Hazard Tree Abatement & Salvage Project
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Watershed management
- Road management 		 Completed  Actual: 12/08/2012  12/2012 Tawni Cordell
605-797-4432
tdcordell@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Sioux District proposes to dispose of hazard trees 150 feet from center line on either side of both roads and trails over the next five years in the Dugan Fire area to provide for human health and safety.
Web Link:  http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=40661
Location: UNIT - Sioux Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Carter. Dugan Fire Area, outside Ekalaka, MT.
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This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.