FWP seeking public comment on several environmental assessments

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on several environmental assessments (EAs). For more information, including how to submit comments, click on the link provided or visit fwp.mt.gov/public-notices.

FY23 Western Montana Fish and Game Shooting Range Grant EA

The Western Montana Fish and Game Association (WMFGA) is requesting funding to help pay for the concrete for the Youth Shooting Sports Complex. This multi-use facility will be a designated area for youth shooting sports programs. This new two-story facility will be built on the current DCSC property. The main level of the 19,568-square-foot facility will include a meeting room/lobby area, storage, bathrooms, changing rooms, kitchenette, an armory, a 6,000 square foot shooting area and an elevated scoring platform. The indoor shooting area is designed so that it can accommodate up to 30 10-meter air rifle/pistol or archery lanes. Conversely it can be configured to provide 10 shooting lanes (20 shooters) for 20-meter and 25-meter indoor archery competition. The indoor range will provide space dedicated to youth shooting sports programs to safely practice and compete. It will allow for year-round indoor access and offer a permanent place for youth to participate in shooting sports; a place for youth to make friends, learn new skills, firearms safety, and be a part of a team. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Thompson Falls Trap Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Thompson Falls Trap Club proposes to improve their shooting range by constructing a skeet shooting field at their facilities. All funds granted would be used to develop the field and purchase the materials for the skeet houses and skeet machines. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Helena Trap Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Helena Trap Club proposes to continue projects initiated by the grant awarded in 2018 by creating ADA accessible lanes and sidewalks for each of their traps and associated fields. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Havre Rifle and Pistol Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Havre Rifle and Pistol Club proposes to improve their shooting range by:

• Replacing the shooting range safety rules signage with updated, higher quality signage.
• Purchasing gravel and performing maintenance on the range’s access road and target access areas.

Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Gallatin Sporting Clays Shooting Range Grant EA

The Gallatin Sporting Clays proposes to improve their shooting range by purchasing and installing six new clay target traps. These traps will be mounted on wheeled carts and installed on the main, five-stand and hunter (short) courses. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Fallon County Shooting Range Grant EA

The Fallon County Shooting Range proposes to improve their trap shooting range by:

• Widening the existing sidewalks on the trap shooting range and constructing new sidewalks around the clubhouse to meet ADA standards.
• Purchasing two new trap shooters with voice release systems.
• Installing three baseboard heaters in the bathroom and mechanical room, and two forced air heaters in the main room of the club house.

Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Custer Rod and Gun Shooting Range Grant EA

The Custer Rod and Gun Club proposes to install new electrical wiring and service to the main gate for their Sunday Creek Rifle Range, in addition to the pistol bay and bathroom areas. This electrical service will allow the use of a wireless connection to the HID card gate lock, increasing the convenience of access for club members and other range users. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Crooked Falls Practical Shooters Shooting Range Grant EA

The Crooked Falls Practical Shooters Shooting Range proposes to improve their shooting range by purchasing additional steel targets and a storage conex for storing them and other equipment. Additional steel targets requested include one drop-turner, one swinger and one clamshell target. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Boone and Crockett Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Boone and Crockett Club seeks grant funding to improve the accessibility and safety of the range and associated facilities at the Palmer Shooting Range. Proposed improvements will include:

• Smoothing out unlevel ground and obstacles and placing fine grade, compacted gravel in parking areas and near shooting stages, benches and target locations.
• Installation of permanent target stands (wooden posts), which will decrease the number of times folks must walk downrange.
• Installation of a fiber optic communications cable underground to the classroom building, which will allow users to access the internet to make emergency phone calls when needed.

Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Butte Trap Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Butte Trap Club proposes to improve the trap and skeet range by:

1. Adding a new ADA accessible concrete parking/camping pad on the east side of the handicap bathroom.
2. Updating existing, outdated electrical wiring in the main clubhouse.

Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Chinook Rod and Gun Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Chinook Rod and Gun Club proposes to 1) construct a new archery range, 2) install lighting for the trap range to increase safety and create more opportunities for use, and 3) install ADA-accessible seating for the pistol range where none currently exists. Comments due Aug. 9.

FY23 Billings Rod & Gun Club Shooting Range Grant EA

The Billings Rod and Gun Club is seeking funding assistance to construct a new five stand facility, including a small clubhouse, electrical power, parking lot, and vault toilet, in addition to constructing a new skeet field adjacent to the existing sporting clays north course. Comments due Aug. 9.

Boxelder Reservoir Habitat Placement Draft Checklist EA

FWP is proposing to install a variety of habitat structures in Boxelder Reservoir in Plentywood. Boxelder Reservoir is a public reservoir on Sheridan County property where fisheries resources present are managed by FWP. This 77-acre reservoir is and has been a crucial fishery resource for anglers in and around the Plentywood area since construction. It currently supports a fish assemblage comprised of walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, black bullhead and common carp. The addition of artificial habitat will bolster yellow perch spawning habitat availability while also providing critical rearing habitat for other species of juvenile and small-bodied fishes. Comments due Aug. 10.

Brackett Creek Future Fisheries Grant EA

FWP released an EA for a project on Brackett Creek, located in east of Clyde Park (Park County). The Future Fisheries Improvement Program would provide funding to remove a bridge, restore the stream channel, vegetate the riparian area and improve floodplain access on Brackett Creek. The goals of the project are to reduce erosion and improve habitat many species, including Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Comment due August 12.

Wilson Creek Restoration Grant EA

FWP released an EA for a project on Wilson Creek, located near Gallatin Gateway (Gallatin County). The Future Fisheries Improvement Program would provide funding to address a straightened, widened channel that was also impacted by dewatering during peak irrigation season and vegetation loss. This created poor habitat for salmonid reproduction or rearing and reduced the overall health of the stream. The project would restore the incised stream channel and connect it to the floodplain, create in-stream habitat complexity and partially relocate the stream channel. Comment due August 12.

Rock Creek Cattle Company Pond - Checklist EA

Rock Creek Cattle Company has applied for a private fishpond license for a pond located at 325 Tavenner Drive in Deer Lodge. The pond is a 2-acre pond that was excavated and is filled using a surface water right on Rock Creek. The applicant is seeking to be licensed to plant westslope cutthroat trout, brown trout, brook trout and/or triploid (sterile) rainbow trout into the pond for personal use and enjoyment. The pond currently supports these species from prior permitted stocking or entrainment from Rock Creek.  This document summarizes physical, environmental, and social considerations related to the issuance of a private pond license. Comments due Aug. 21.

Gray Kelly-Private Pond - Checklist EA

Kelly Gray has applied for a private fishpond license for a pond located at 104 Mara Route in Hamilton. The pond is a 12.5-acre reclaimed gravel pit with a water right that has an enforceable priority date of Dec. 31, 1958. The applicant is seeking to be licensed to plant rainbow trout into the pond for personal use and enjoyment. Comments due Aug. 21.

Checklist EA Ruiz Private Pond 2023

Eugene Ruiz has applied for a private fishpond license for a pond located at 11705 Gracie’s View near Missoula. The pond is approximately a 0.25 acre surface area and was constructed by excavating a depression at the site and was lined. The applicant is seeking to be licensed to plant westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout, which are typically purchased from licensed suppliers in Montana. The pond currently contains several goldfish, but the landowner does not intend to continue supporting this species. Comment due August 21.

Wildcat Wildlife Management Area Fee Title Acquisition Draft EA Checklist

FWP is proposing the establishment of the Wildcat Wildlife Management Area (WMA) along the Lower Yellowstone River Corridor (LYR) in Rosebud County. Public access to lands along the LYR is currently limited and in areas where public access opportunities do exist, such resources are heavily utilized. Due to the abundance of recreational potential along the LYR, and the current lack of public access, recreational opportunities are cherished. The proposed Wildcat WMA is situated along the Yellowstone River and is located 7 miles east of Forsyth, in Rosebud County. The property provides approximately 2.2 miles of riverfront and associated high quality riparian wildlife habitat with no existing farm or croplands. FWP’s objective is to purchase the 328-acre property and establish the new WMA by the end of calendar year 2023. Comments due Aug. 30.

Partial Closure of the Marshall Creek Wildlife Management Area in Missoula County

Partial closure of the Marshall Creek WMA in Missoula County due to the Colt Lake fire. Comments due Sept. 1.

Holmgren Fishing Access Site Emergency Closure

Holmgren FAS will be used as a worksite and staging area for the assessment and cleanup efforts for the Yellowstone trail derailment in Stillwater County. Nine rail cars containing chemicals entered the river system. Chemical containment efforts and river cleanup processes are ongoing. Comments due Sept. 1.

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