Buckhorn Access Project 

Final 

Environmental Impact Statement 

RECORD OF DECISION and Summary 

Tonasket Ranger District 

Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests 

1 West Winesap 

Tonasket, WA 98855 

Marias Creek Road 

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture 

Forest Service 

Pacific 

Northwest 

Region 

January 2007 
Record of Decision and Summary 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

Buckhorn Access Project 

Okanogan County, WA 

January 2007 

Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service 

 Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests 

Responsible Official: James L. Boynton 

 Forest Supervisor 

 Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests 

 215 Melody Lane 

 Wenatchee, WA 98801 

For Further Information Contact: Phil Christy 

 Project Manager 

 1 West Winesap 

 Tonasket, WA 98855 

 (509) 486-5137 

Abstract: The Buckhorn Access Project final Environmental Impact Statement describes the 

purpose and need for an access project over and on National Forest System lands, the 

proposed action, issues raised regarding the proposal, alternatives to the proposed action, 

mitigation and monitoring measures, affected resources and effects to those resources. 

The Responsible Official has identified Alternative B1, with modifications, as the preferred 

alternative, which will allow Crown Resources/Kinross Gold Corporations to utilize the Marias 

Creek route to construct and reconstruct roads, build a pipeline to a water infiltration gallery and 

water augmentation sites, construct a project fence, drill wells, construct livestock management 

features (fences, cattle guards, gates, well, water troughs) and construct utilities across National 

Forest System lands to facilitate Crown’s plan to mine an ore body on their private lands that 

are surrounded by Federal lands. Alternative B1 will reconstruct approximately 5.2 miles of 

existing road and construct approximately 1.5 miles of new road, and would close approximately 

2.6 miles of existing road in Bear Trap Canyon. Other alternatives considered a variation on 

Alternative B1, or other access routes up to the private lands. All alternatives include the project 

fence, water infiltration gallery and pipeline, water augmentation sites, monitoring well and water 

monitoring, wildlife guzzlers and utility construction. Alternative B considers the same Marias 

Creek route as Alternative B1, but has fewer mitigation measures. Alternative C considers the 

Nicholson Creek route, with 12.4 miles of reconstruction and 0.6 miles of new road construction. 

Alternative D considers the Cow Camp route, with 2.1 miles of reconstruction and 0.6 miles of 

new road construction. None of the other alternatives include closures in Bear Trap Canyon. 

Each alternative also has different mixes of mitigation measures. Comments on the draft EIS, 

and its preceding preliminary EA were considered and resulted in alternative and analysis 

modifications presented in the final EIS. Response to comments on the draft EIS and 

preliminary EA are located in Appendix F. Changes between draft and final EIS are highlighted 

at the end of Chapter I of the final EIS. 
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