Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
01/01/2019 to 03/31/2019
Bitterroot 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) :
-  R1 - Northern Region, Bitterroot National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Bitterroot National Forest,  Darby Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Bitterroot National Forest,  Stevensville Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Bitterroot National Forest,  Sula Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R1 - Northern Region, Bitterroot National Forest,  West Fork Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

Bitterroot National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)  

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
2017 Bitterroot Stand Improvement Thinning Project
CE
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)  On Hold  N/A  N/A Amy Campbell
406-777-7421
aacampbell@fs.fed.us 
Description: Non-commercial thinning of small trees in stands previously harvested, planted and are now densely stocked. Thinning will increase tree health and vigor, and reduce the risk of mountain pine beetle caused mortality and large fires in the future.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51131
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Units are scattered across the Bitterroot National Forest.
Bitterroot Fly Company Shuttle Permit Issuance
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/25/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		12/2018 Bill Goslin
406-777-7419.
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Reissuance of a revoked shuttle permit to another permitee for the remainder of 10 year period.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. FS river access sites along the West Fork of the Bitterroot River.
Bitterroot Outfitters Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/02/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year period to allow overnight hunting
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Idaho. COUNTY - Idaho. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Portions of the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church Wilderness Areas south of the Little Clearwater Drainage and north of the Salmon River and West of the Selway River to the Forest boundary.
Bitterroot Outfitters Snow Shuttle Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/02/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year term to allow day-use over snow shuttling
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Idaho, Montana. COUNTY - Idaho. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Shuttling over snow at Nez Perce Pass - Roads 468 & 6223.
East Fork Outfitters Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/02/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year period to allow overnight hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness and adjacent portions of the Bitterroot National Forest.
MT Hunting Outfitter, Inc. Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year term to allow day-use hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Forest-wide in Montana excluding the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness.
Montana All Mountain Adventures Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year period to allow day use hiking, mountain biking, interpretive walks, snowshoeing and skiing.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Montana portion of the Bitterroot Forest on trails designated in the 5-year operating period.
Montana Rivers and Ridges Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a ten year period to allow day-use hunting and overnight hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Piquett Creek drainage for overnight use. Day use on Montana portion of the Bitterroot National Forest.
Montana West Outfitters Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10 year term to allow day-use and overnight hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Montana portion of the Bitterroot National Forest.
Montana Wilderness School Special Use Permit
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Issue a 2-year transitional permit to allow for guided Leave-No-Trace backpacking trips for youth. This is a new outfitted use. After 2 years, reissue as a 10-year priority use permit provided performance is satisfactory.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Idaho, Montana. COUNTY - Idaho, Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Portions of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness on Stevensville, Darby and West Fork Ranger Districts. Travel on and off-trail. Emphasis is on Leave-No-Trace camping and traveling practices.
Ranger Peak Outfitting Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year term to allow day-use hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Forest-wide in Montana.
Trapper Peak Outfitters Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a ten-year period to allow day-use hunting and overnight hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Big Creek and Bear Creek for overnight use, Day use on Montana portion of the Bitterroot National Forest.
Western Hunt Company Permit Renewal
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		01/2019 Bill Goslin
406-821-3269
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10 year period to allow day-use hunting.
Location: UNIT - Bitterroot National Forest All Units. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Montana portion of the Bitterroot National Forest.
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Bitterroot National Forest,   Darby Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Canyon Lake Dam Access for Repairs 2018
EA

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Special use management  In Progress:
Comment Period Public Notice 12/07/2018  		Expected:05/2019
  		09/2019 Eric Winthers
406-821-4244
ewinthers@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Forest Service proposes to authorize Canyon Creek Irrigation District adequate access to their facilities at Canyon Lake Dam. CCID requests access to their easement to make their facilities safe as required under federal dam safety laws.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55165
Location: UNIT - Darby Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - T6N, R22W, SE1/4 Sec. 27, PMM, Ravalli County, Montana. The proposed project is located approximately 8 air miles west of Hamilton, Montana, on trail No. 525 in the Canyon Creek drainage in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
Como Ridge Trail Construction
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Regulations, Directives, Orders  In Progress:
Scoping Start 03/28/2018  		Expected:12/2018
  		04/2019 Mark Smith
406-821-1218
markrsmith@fs.fed.us 
Description: Como Ridge Trail will be a newly constructed mountain bike designed trail. It will be 3.02 miles located on the ridge immediately south of Lake Como. Starting at the 550 and 13200 road junction and ending at the 550 and 550A road junction.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54206
Location: UNIT - Darby Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - R21w, T4N, Sec 6. R21w, T4N, Sec 6. Lake Como.
Darby Lumber Lands Phase 2
EA

           *UPDATED* 		- Recreation management
- Watershed management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Comment Period Public Notice 10/21/2018  		Expected:04/2019
  		05/2019 Eric Winthers
406-821-4244
ewinthers@fs.fed.us 
Description: Road system and vegetation management, commercial timber harvest.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=49700
Location: UNIT - Darby Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. The project is located along the Forest boundary, east of Darby, from Robbins Gulch watershed at the south end to Little Sleeping Child in the north. Rye Creek and North Fork Rye Creek are the larger streams in the project area.
North Sleeping Child Grazing Allotment EA
EA
 - Grazing management  On Hold  N/A  N/A Gilbert Gale
406-544-6321
ggale@fs.fed.us 
Description: Analysis of the North Sleeping Child Grazing Allotment for reissuance of grazing permits.
Location: UNIT - Darby Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Sec 36 & portions of 35, T5N, R20W; Portions of Sec 31 & 32, T5N, R19W; Portions of Sec 1,2 & 3 T4N, R20W; Sec or portions of Secs 6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13, PB38, PB39, PB40 & PB41 T4N, R19W. Two Bear Creek on the Darby Ranger District.
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Bitterroot National Forest,   Stevensville Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Gold Butterfly
EIS
 - Recreation management
- Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 06/16/2018
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 01/2019  		Expected:02/2019
  		09/2019 Tami Sabol
406-777-7410
tjsabol@fs.fed.us 
Description: Project to harvest, thin, and prescribe burn forest stands to improve resilience to insects, disease, and wildfire and restore the fire return intervals. Move trailheads and manage roads to improve stream conditions.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51486
Location: UNIT - Stevensville Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - T.6N.R.18W. sec.1-12, 16-20, 29,30, T.6N.R.19W. sec. 1,2,10-15,22-27, T.7N.R18W.sec. 2-36,T.7N.R.19W. sec. 1,2,11-14,22-27,34-36, T.8N.R.18W.sec. 20,21,28-34. On the east side of the Bitterroot Valley, from Little Three Mile Creek south to Saint Clair Creek and from the Bitterroot Forest boundary east to the boundary with the Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF.
Sawmill Undetermined Roads
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Watershed management
- Road management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 03/08/2017  		Expected:12/2018
  		01/2019 Marilyn Wildey
406-363-7101
mwildey@fs.fed.us 
Description: This project proposes to decommission 12.1 miles and store 2.9 miles of unneeded, non-system roads that are grown in with vegetation and pose no resource concerns. No physical ground disturbance is proposed other than installation of one Kelly hump.
Location: UNIT - Stevensville Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - T8N R18W Sec(s)16, 17, 18, 20. Project located in the Sawmill Drainage, accessible from County Road 2700, the Burnt Fork Road, to NFSR 710 in the Sawmill drainage.
Threemile Good Neighbor Authority
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products) 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 12/2018  		Expected:02/2019  06/2019 Melissa Christensen
406-777-7425
melissajchristensen@fs.fed.us 
Description: Improve overall forest health in the WUI by increasing resilience to disturbance (insects, diseases, and fire) and provide wood products. Projects would be conducted in conjunction with vegetation management carried out by Montana Fish Wildlife and P
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55246
Location: UNIT - Stevensville Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Township 10N, Range 19W, Sections 3,4,32, 34. Approximately 12 miles NE of Stevensville, MT.
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Bitterroot National Forest,   Sula Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Schultz Saddle Prescribed Burn
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 01/2019  		Expected:10/2019  03/2020 Jacquie Parks
406-821-4271
jmparks@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Schultz Saddle Rx is approx. 6,300 acres within the 2000 Valley Complex fire. The intent of this burn would be to clean up the fuels, open corridors for winter range, rejuvenate the elk habitat and improve a grazing allotment conditions.
Web Link:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/bitterroot/landmanagement/projects
Location: UNIT - Sula Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - T1N R18W Sec 22-24, 36,25-26,13-14 T1N R17W Sec 19, 29-30. Schultz Saddle Rx is located 7 air miles southeast of Sula, MT and 8 air miles east of Lost Trail Ski Area.
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Bitterroot National Forest,   West Fork Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R1 - Northern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Bitterroot Anglers, Permit Renewal
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/02/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		12/2018 Bill Goslin
406-777-7419.
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year term to allow day use fishing access.
Location: UNIT - West Fork Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. River access sites along the West Fork of the Bitterroot River.
Triple Creek Ranch Outfitting Permit Renewal
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/06/2018  		Expected:11/2018
  		12/2018 Bill Goslin
406-821-1222
bgoslin@fs.fed.us 
Description: Renewal of a special use permit for a 10-year term to allow day use horse riding.
Location: UNIT - West Fork Ranger District. STATE - Montana. COUNTY - Ravalli. LEGAL - Not Applicable. West Fork Ranger District.
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