Hirsch Ranch conservation easement amendment proposal : draft environmental assessment

54 Pages·1999·1 MB·English

by  Montana. Dept. of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks

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Industrial Site West, P.O. Box 1630, Miles City, Montana 59301
P.O.Box 1630
MilesCity,MT 59301
October1, 1999
EnvironmentalQualityCouncil.CapitolBuilding,Helena.MT 59620-1704
Dept.ofEnvironmentalQuality,MetcalfBuilding,POBox200901.Helena,MT 59620
MontanaFish.Wildlife,andParks
Director'sOffice WildlifeDivision LandsSection
LegalUnit Commissioners FisheriesDivision
RegionalSupervisor InformationOfficer ParksDivision
MontanaHistciicalSociety,SH"0,225N.Roberts,Veteran'srlemorialBulging,Helena,K*T ^9620
MontanaStateLibrary, 1515E.SixthAve,Helena,MT 59620-1800
JGiemorJgeensOecnh.eMnosknit.anPaOEBnovxir6o8n9m,enHteallenIan,foMrmTati5o9n6a2l4Center,POBox 1184,Helena.MT 59624
MontanaRiverActionNetwork.POBox8298.Bozeman.MT 59773-8298
JoeGutkoski.304N. IS*Ave,Bozeman,MT 59715
TDownayynJeeweAtntd.reMwosn,taDnNaRWCi,ldlPiOfeBFoexder1a7t9i4o.n,MiPlOesBCoixty,11M7T5,H5e9l3e0n1a,MT 59624
TimMurphy.BLM, 111 GaryOwenRd..MilesCity,MT 59301
RichDay.NationalWildlifeFederation.240N.Higgins.Missoula.MT 59802
JanetEllis.MontanaAudubonCouncil.POBox595.Helena,MT 59624
JohnGatchell,MontanaWildernessAssn.,POBox635.Helena,MT59624
IraHolt.548CieloVista.Hamilton.MT 59840
NatureConservancy.32S.Ewing,Helena.MT 59601-5702
DaveMajors.MontanaWildlifeFederation.3289WoodDuckLn.,Stevensville.MT59870
SteveAntonioli.SkylineSportsmen,POBox 173.Butte.MT59703
JimRichard.MontanaWildlifeFederation,POBox508,WhiteSulphurSprings.MT 59645
AlanRollo.MontanaWildlifeFederation.80852ndSt.S.,GreatFalls,MT 59405
JProihcnklWyilPseoanr,SMpoornttsamnean'LsanAdssRoecl.ian1c7e2,1PVOirgBionxia3D55a.leHeStl.e.nHae.lMenTa.5M9T62459601 STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION
GlennMarx.Governor'sOffice,CapitolStation.Helena.MT59620
JMiomntPaetnearsPoanr.ksMoAnstsaonc.aSPtOocBkoGxr6o9w9e.rsBiAllsisnogsc,,MPTOB5o9x1013697.Fielena.MT 59604 DEC .' TO
BudClinch,POBox201601. 1625 1 thAve..Helena,MT 59620-1601 MONTANA STATE LIBRARY
BMiokbeHaFrrirsiinngat.on1.33R0egWi.onGo3ldH.eaBduqtutaer,teMrTs.519470001S. 19,h,Bozeman.MT59715 HELEN1A51,5MEO.N6TtAhNAAVE5.9S20
LesandDonnaHirsch,HC32.Box4311.MilesCity,MT 59301
TedandRuthHirsch,MoonCreekRoad.MilesCity,MT 59301
OTHERINTERESTEDPARTIES:
CusterCounr>'Commissioners.CusterCountyCourthouse. 1010MainStreet.MilesCity,MT 59301
DannyMaag,Powderville,MT 59345
ClydeLeischner, 1709N.Strevell,MilesCity,MT 59301
JohnKillen,2506Brisbin.MilesCity,MT 59301
JohnHamilton.TongueRiverStage.MilesCity,MT 59301
BobPauley.TongueRiverStage.MilesCity,MT 59301
AaronEssex.TongueRiverStage,MilesCity,MT 59301
MaryChezum.MoonCreekRoad.MilesCity,MT 59301
CharlesBumgardner.MoonCreekRoad.MilesCity.MT 59301
ErvinWaldie.TongueRiverStage.MilesCity,MT59301
PatLanders.TongueRiverStage,MilesCity,MT 59301
Dr.TomPezzarossi,2505Stower.MilesCity,MT 59301
RobertShy.319LakeAve.MilesCity.MT 5930

LadiesandGentlemen:
RecentlyyoureceiveddocumentsrelatingtoMontanaFish,WildlifeandParks(MFWP)proposaltoamend
the conservation easement, consummatedin 1997,between MTFWPand Les andDonnaHirsch and Ted
andRuthHirsch. Theamendmentwill incorporateanadditional 1,760acresofdeededinholdingsand land
adjacent to the Hirsch Ranch into the original easement. The property is located 30 miles south ofMiles
CityalongtheTongueRiver.
Minorwordingchangesweremadetooriginaldraftdocuments senttoyouafterthepublicreviewperiod.
These changes are summarized in the attached DECISION NOTICE. With these changes incorporated
pleaseconsiderthepreviouscopiessent youasfinal.
Severalcommentswerereceivedregardingtheproposal; all positivecomments insupportoftheproposal.
ThecommentsaresummarizedinattachedDECISIONNOTICE.
It is my recommendation to proceed with the proposal and approve the amendment, subject to
incorporationofthewordingchangesintheattachedDECISIONNOTICE andsubject toapprovalbythe
FWP Commission.
TheFWPCommissionwillbeaskedtoapprovetheamendmentattheirmeetingon October 8, 1999.
Thankyouverymuchforyourinterestandinvolvement.
Sincerely,
cS^vtn.Ho"^ p ps^-
DonHyyppa
RegionalSupervisor
Enclosure
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DECISION NOTICE
HIRSCHRANCH
CONSREVATIONEASEMENTAMENDMENT
Preparedby Region7, MontanaFish. Wildlife& Parks
October 1, 1999
PROPOSAL
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) is proposing to amend the conservation easement,
consummated in 1997, between MT FWP and Les and Donna Hirsch and Ted and Ruth Hirsch. The
amendmentwill incorporateanadditional 1,760acresofdeededinholdingsandlandadjacenttotheHirsch
Ranch intothe original easement. The property is located 30 miles south ofMiles City along the Tongue
River.AllacreageislocatedinCusterCountyandaccessedbyHighway332.
The amendment to the original easement is beingproposed to conserve the riparian, sagebrush grassland
and plains forest habitats and to allow for more consistent and effective management and allow for
implementationoftheoriginaleasementtermsacrosstheentireproperty. MFWPproposestopurchasethe
additional easement and implement the easement terms while maintaining the present private use and
ownershipoftheranch.
MONTANAENVIRONMENTALPOLICYACT PROCESS
The public comment period for this action ran from September 9, 1999 through September 30, 1999.
Approximately 50 copies ofthe Environmental Assessment, assessing impactstothe human and physical
environmentof thisactionweredistributedtoadjacent landowners, environmental andsportsmengroups,
thestate library,CusterCountyCommissioners andotherinterestedparties. FWPmetwithCusterCounty
CommissionersonSeptember21, 1999toexplaintheproposalandansweranyquestions. Apublichearing
on this proposed easement was held at MFWP headquarters in Miles City, Montana on September 21,
1999. LegalnoticeofthepublichearingwasadvertisedintheMilesCityStar,TheBillingsGazette, Great
FallsTribuneandtheMissoulapaper.
SUMMARYOF PUBLIC COMMENTS
Twowrittencommentswerereceived.OnefromStan WilmouthwiththeStateHistoricPreservationOffice
stating they agree that the easement amendment would have beneficial effects to cultural resources. The
othercommentreceived from CusterCounty Commissioners statedthey had no outstandingconcerns and
endorseditsimplementation.
The public hearing was attended by one memberofthe public. This individual expressed support forthe
proposal.
Internal comment was received from Steve Knapp suggesting that in the Management plan under III.B.
(EvaluationandMonitoring)theword"will" bechangedto"may"inparagraphs2,3,and4.

MODIFICATIONS
TheManagementPlanwillbechangedtoincorporateSteveKnapp'srecommendationsasfollows:
InSectionIII.B. Paragraph2"Transectswillbeestablished..."willbechangedto"Transectsmaybe
established.." Paragraph3 "Two,oneacreenclosureswillbeconstructed..."willbechangedto"Two,
oneacreenclosuresmaybeconstructed..."Paragraph4"Generalaspectphotoplotswillbeestablished..."
willbechangedto"Generalaspectphotoplotsmaybeestablished...."
DECISION
Afterreviewofthisproposalandcorrespondingpubliccomment itismyrecommendationto proceedwith
the proposedaction andapprovetheamendment,withthemodificationsrecommendedbySteveKnapp,
andsubjecttoapprovalbyFWPCommission.
cS^vJro^p p^
Don Hyyppa
RegionalSupervisor,MTFWP
MilesCity,MT 59301
October 1, 1999

MONTANASTATELIBRARY
3 0864 0014 5488 6
HIRSCH RANCH
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
"*T# • i
HELEN1A01,5MOE.N"6.th r- -
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
•
MANAGEMENT PLAN
•
SEPTEMBER 1999