1 

Dear Reader 

This issue of Frankly Speaking is a summary of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 

(FEIS) for the revision of the Frank Church – River of No Return Management Plan. The 

FEIS provides the basis for our decisions to revise the management plan that will provide 

programmatic direction for day-to-day management decisions in the 2.4 million acre Wilderness. This analysis began with a Notice of Intent in December 1994. Since that time we published a Draft EIS (DEIS) in January 1998, and a Supplemental Draft EIS (SDEIS) in September 1999. 

As the FEIS was completed we reviewed the decisions to be made that rely on this analysis. 

The decisions that are programmatic in nature have been identified and will be reflected in 

the revised management plan. Some decisions that were identified in the DEIS or SDEIS involve site-specific actions that are not appropriately addressed in the management plan revision. Still other decisions are administrative in nature, are decided under different authorities 

and will not be based upon this EIS. 

The result of our review is the alternatives previously presented in the DEIS and SDEIS have 

been restructured to better integrate the management decisions. All components of the restructured alternatives were presented in the DEIS or SDEIS but are formatted differently in 

the Final EIS. 

We would like your comments on the analysis we have disclosed in this FEIS. Specifically, 

we want your thoughts about issues we should consider before we make our decision. You 

may request more information, receive a copy of the FEIS, or provide comment by contacting Ken Wotring, FC-RONR Wilderness Coordinator at the Forest Supervisor’s Office, 

Salmon-Challis National Forest, 50 Highway 93 South, Salmon, Idaho 83467, by phone at 

(208) 756-5131, or by email at comments-intermtn-salmon-challis@fs.fed.us. Please state 

that your comments are for the FC-RONR Wilderness Management Plan FEIS. The FEIS is 

also available online at www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/. Your comments must be received no later than 

October 27, 2003 to be considered. 

The Record of Decision (ROD) and Revised Management Plan are expected to be available 

in early December. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

STEPHEN SOLEM 

Acting Forest Supervisor, Salmon—Challis National Forest. 

Frankly Speaking

Report of the Frank Church — River of No Return Wilderness August, 2003 

_____________________________________________________________ 

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture 

Forest Service 

Intermountain and 

Northern Regions 

Final EIS Is Finally Out 
2 

RESTRUCTURED ALTERNATIVES 

Alternatives 1 through 11 from the DEIS 

and SDEIS have been consolidated into Alternatives A through E in the FEIS. These 

alternatives display and analyze the full 

range of actions displayed in the DEIS and 

SDEIS. Alternatives considered have been 

renamed to reduce confusion. 

Alternative A, No Action 

Continues current management, and provides a baseline for comparisons of effects. 

Alternative B, Primitive Emphasis 

Emphasizes opportunities for solitude by 

greatly reducing float boat use levels, and 

maximum party sizes, and keeping current 

jetboat limits. No maintenance of the 4 

landing strips. Painter Bar road closed. 

Alternative C, Private User Emphasis 

Emphasizes private access by increasing 

float boat launches on he Middle Fork and 

by greatly increasing noncommercial summer jetboat use. 4 landing strips maintained 

for public use. Painter Bar road open. 

Alternative D, Preferred Alternative 

Reduces potential for growth in float boat 

use while maintaining current use levels. 

Increases noncommercial jetboat use. 4 

landing strips maintained for emergency 

use only. Painter Bar road closed during 

summer season. 

Alternative E, Proposed Action 

Reduces potential for growth in float boat 

use while maintaining current use levels. 

Slightly increases noncommercial jetboat 

use. 4 landing strips maintained for public 

use. Painter Bar road closed during summer 

season. 

DECISIONS, DECISIONS 

 The planning process for revision of the 

management plans for the FC-RONR Wilderness officially began in December 1994. 

Since then your interests and those of others have caused us to consider and evaluate 

a number of possible changes to the management plans that govern activities within 

the Wilderness. The resulting Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and 

Supplement to the Draft (SDEIS) were, as 

some reviewers said, confusing at best. 

Therefore, we have taken a hard look at our 

original objectives in proposing revision 

and have made some changes in the Final 

EIS designed to simplify and clarify our 

proposed action and alternatives examined. 

FEIS Decisions 

The July 30 issue of Frankly Speaking explained how we narrowed the decisions to 

be made in the FEIS down to the following 

programmatic points: 

♦ Management of Dewey Moore, 

Mile-Hi, Simonds, and Vines landing strips in the Big Creek Drainage, 

♦ Management of commercial and 

noncommercial float boat use on 

the Middle Fork and Salmon rivers, 

♦ Management of noncommercial jetboat use on the Salmon River; and 

♦ Management of the Painter Bar 

Road. 

Other Decisions 

Decisions and actions discussed in the 

DEIS and SDEIS that will not be based on 

the FEIS are discussed on page 11. 

Background 
3 

Background 

Maintenance of Landing Strips

The levels of maintenance are described in 

a range from no maintenance, to maintenance for emergency use only, to maintenance for use as public landing strips. 

Painter Bar Road 

Use of the road is described a open, restricted or closed to motorized use. The 

alternatives range from closed to motorized use (trail access maintained) to closed 

to motorized use during the summer, to 

open to motorized use yearlong. 

River Use 

Float boat and Jet boat use levels are described in terms of people at-one-time 

(PAOT). The PAOT number represents 

the maximum potential number of people 

that could be in the river corridor at-onetime if all the limiting factors were at the 

maximums for the alternative. The maximum potential PAOT is used to compare 

the alternatives, not to predict actual or 

anticipated numbers of people at one time. 

Float Boat Use 

1 permit allows 1 party to launch, with a 

set numbers of people and length of stay / 

launch. 

Float boat PAOT = Launches X People / 

Party X Length of Stay. 

Jetboat Use 

1 permit allows 1 person to launch 1 jetboat in the river corridor. 

BUDs (Boat Use Days) / week, one BUD 

= one jetboat on the river for one day or 

part of one day. BUDs / week is the limiting factor in Alternatives A, B, E. The 

BUDs / week value ties the number of 

launches and length of stay together so 

that as one number increases the other 

decreases. Maximum launches = minimum length of stay while maximum 

length of stay = minimum launches. Because of this maximum vs. minimum factor most noncommercial jet boat numbers 

for length of stay, launches / week, trips / 

season, BAOT and PAOT appear in 

paired sets. 

BAOT is the maximum number of boatsat-one-time, that can be in the river corridor. In Alternatives A, B, D, and E the 

maximum BAOT could only occur on 1 

day per week, with no use or much lower 

levels of use on other days of the week. 

Jetboat PAOT is BOAT X maximum 

party size. The maximum party sizes 

used in the calculations are based on 

campsite capacities and/or maximum 

party sizes for all corridor users, not on 

jet boat capacity. 

The Toolbox 

The tool box contains brief explanations of the measurements or factors used to describe 

and compare the alternatives. 
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The Alternatives 

Alternative A: No Action

Alternative A is the No Action Alternative 

which would continue management as directed by the existing management plans 

for the FC-RONRW. Alternative A provides the baseline by which to compare the 

other action alternatives. 

The current management strategy would 

continue to manage Dewy Moore, Mile-Hi, 

Simmonds and Vines landing strips as 

emergency use only. 

On the Middle Fork commercial float boat 

use would generally remain 3 launches per 

day, 30 people per party, 8 days length of 

stay during the summer. Noncommercial 

use would generally remain 4 launches perday, 24 people per party and 8 days length 

of stay. Outside the summer season there 

could be 7 launches per day, first come first 

served. (See Tables 2 & 3 for details.) 

On the Salmon River commercial and noncommercial use would remain at 4 

launches (each) per day, 30 people per 

party, and 10 days length of stay. Outside 

the summer season float boat numbers 

would continue to be unlimited. (See Tables 4 & 5 for details.) 

Noncommercial Jetboats on the Salmon 

River would continue to be limited to 15 

boat use days (BUDs) per week during the 

summer. Outside the summer season use 

would continue to be unlimited. (See Tables 6 & 7 for details.) 

The Painter Bar Road would remain open 

yearlong. 

Alternative B: Primitive Emphasis 

Alternative B provides for a more primitive 

wilderness experience by strongly emphasizing opportunities for solitude. 

Dewey Moore Mile-Hi, Simonds, and 

Vines landing strips would not be maintained for public aviation use. Over time 

these emergency-only landing strips would 

be naturally restored. 

On the Middle Fork during the summer 

there would be 3 launches per day 

(commercial and noncommercial combined), people per party and lengths of stay 

would vary based on a maximum PAOT of 

290. A party of 19 could stay 5 days, - a 

party of 9 or less could stay 10 days. Outside the summer season launches per day 

vary from 0 winter, to 4 spring, to 2 fall. 

(See Tables 2 & 3 for details.) 

On the Salmon River during the summer 

there would be 2 float boat launches per 

day (commercial and noncommercial combined), people per party and lengths of stay 

would vary based on a maximum PAOT of 

130. A party of 13 could stay 5 days, - a 

party of 4 or less could stay 14 days. Outside the summer season launches per day 

vary from 1 winter, to 2 spring, to 1 fall. 

(See Tables 4 & 5 for details.) 

Noncommercial recreational jetboat numbers using the 1978 motorboat level would 

be the same as Alt. A, with a maximum 

party size limit of 15 people per party. (See 

Tables 6 & 7 for details.) 

The Painter Bar Road would be closed to 

motorized use and rehabilitated to a trail. 
5 

The Alternatives 

Alternative C: Private User Emphasis 

This alternative provides maximum access 

to the wilderness by partitioning use within 

the Wilderness. Daily noncommercial float 

boat launches would increase on the Middle 

Fork during the summer. The number of 

noncommercial jetboat launches would increase significantly on the Salmon River 

during the summer. 

Dewey Moore Mile-Hi, Simonds, and 

Vines landing strips would be maintained 

as public landing strips. 

On the Middle Fork commercial float boat 

use would be the same as Alt. A. 

Noncommercial use would include 4 

launches per day with 15 people per party, 

plus 3 launches per day with 8 people per 

party. All parties could stay up to 8 days. 

These numbers would be in effect year 

round.(See Tables 2 & 3 for details.) 

On the Salmon River the float boat use 

numbers would be the same as Alt. A. 

(See Tables 4 & 5 for details.) 

Noncommercial recreational jetboat use 

during the summer would include 24 

launches per day, 12 people per party, and 

10 days length of stay. Outside the summer 

season the noncommercial jetboat use 

would be the same as Alt. A. (See Tables 6 

& 7 for details.) 

The Painter Bar Road would remain open 

yearlong.

Alternative D: Preferred Alternative

This is the Preferred Alternative and is a 

modification of SDEIS Alternative 6, which 

incorporates public comment on the SDEIS. 

Dewy Moore, Mile-Hi, Simmonds and 

Vines landing strips would be maintained 

for emergency use only. 

On the Middle Fork commercial float boat 

use would generally remain 3 launches per 

day. Noncommercial use would generally 

remain 4 launches per day. A variable trip 

length option would allow small groups (10 

or fewer people) to stay 8 days; medium 

groups (11-20 people) to stay 7 days; and 

large groups (21-24 noncommercial or 21-

30 commercial) to stay 6 days. 

Outside the summer season there could be 

7 launches per day, first come first served 

during spring and fall. There would be no 

float boat use during the winter. 

(See Tables 2 & 3 for details.) 

On the Salmon River the commercial and 

noncommercial float boat use would generally remain 4 launches per day each. A 

variable trip length option would allow 

small groups (10 or fewer people) to stay 8 

days; medium groups (11-20 people) to stay 

7 days; and large groups (21-30 people) to 

stay 6 days. 

There are approximately 100 currently unused commercial launches each year. Half 

of these would be made available to noncommercial floaters through the annual lottery. 

(Continued on next page) 
6 

The Alternatives

(Alt. D continued from previous page) 

Outside the summer season there could be 

unlimited launches per day. 

(See Tables 4 & 5 for details.) 

Noncommercial Recreational Jetboat use 

would be limited by BAOT not BUDs per 

week during the summer. Jetboat users 

would be limited to 5 overnight boats on 

the water at one time. The overnight boats 

could stay in the river corridor for 2-7 days. 

When any of these boats ends a trip another 

can take its place the following day. In addition noncommercial recreational jetboaters are allocated 5 single-day trips per 

week, with no overnight stay. If all single 

day trips occur on the same day and all 5 

overnight slots are filled the maximum 

BAOT would be 10. Outside the control 

season the launches per day would be 

unlimited. (See Tables 6 & 7) 

The Painter Bar Road would be closed to 

mechanized or motorized transport from 

June 20 to September 7. 

Alternative E: Proposed Action

Alternative E is SDEIS Alternative 6 which 

reflects public comment received on the 

DEIS. 

Dewy More, Mile-Hi, Simonds and Vines 

landing strips would be maintained for use 

as public landing strips. 

On the Middle Fork float boat use would be 

the same as Alt. D. However, these factors 

would be in effect throughout the year. (See 

Tables 3 & 4 for details.) 

On the Salmon River float boat use would 

be the same as Alt. D. Outside the summer 

season the number of launches would be 

unlimited. 

(See Tables 4 & 5 for details.) 

Noncommercial Jetboats on the Salmon 

River would be limited to 20 boat use days 

(BUDs) per week during the summer. Outside the summer season use would be 

unlimited. (See Tables 6 & 7 for details.) 

The Painter Bar Road would be closed to 

mechanized or motorized transport from 

June 20 to September 7. 

Table 1: Comparisons of Alternatives 

Landing Strips & Painter Bar Road 

Management of Dewey Moore, Mile-Hi, Simonds, and Vines Landing Strips 

Alt. A Alt. B Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E 

Landing Strip 

Maintenance 

No maintenance 

would occur, strips 

allowed to recover. 

No maintenance 

would occur, strips 

allowed to recover 

Landing strips 

maintained for use 

as public landing 

strips. 

Landing strips 

maintained for 

emergency-only 

use. 

Landing strips 

maintained for use 

as public landing 

strips. 

Painter Bar 

Road 

open / closed 

Open to motorized 

use. 

Close road. 

Maintained tread 

for trail access. 

Open to motorized 

use. 

Close road to motorized use during 

Summer. 

Close road to motorized use during 

Summer. 

Painter Bar Road 
7 

* There are only 7 launches available / day. Tables show results of either all commercial or all noncommercial launches. The 

PAOT totals are mutually exclusive. 

**Alt. A; If all 7 launches were commercial the max. PAOT = 1680 - If all 7 were noncommercial the max. PAOT = 1344. 

* Variable, based on 290 PAOT as the limiting factor. Party of 19 could stay 5 days – party of 9 or less could stay 10 days. 

** Variable Trip Length Option larger party size = shorter stay. Max. PAOT would be with 30 people / party comm. and 24 people noncom. Each party would have a max. 6-day stay. Other combinations would provide lower max PAOT numbers. 

*** 4 launches allocated through the initial lottery, party size 15; 3 additional launches through a second lottery, party size 8. 

Table 2: Comparisons of Alternatives 

Middle Fork Float Boats – Summer Season 

Commercial 

Float Boats Alt. A Alt. B Alt. C Alt, D Alt. E 

Launches / Day 3 3 3 3 3 

Party Size 30 1-19* 30 30 30 

Length of Stay 8 1-10* 8 6 – 8** 6 – 8** 

Max. PAOT 720 290 720 540 540 

Noncommercial Float Boats 

Launches / Day 4 4 & 3*** 4 4 

Party Size 24 15 & 8*** 24 24 

Length of Stay 8 8 6 – 8** 6 – 8** 

Max. PAOT 768 714 576 576 

Total Max. 

PAOT 1488 290 1,434 1,116 1,116 

Alt. B combines 

commercial and 

noncommercial 

users. For table 

purposes comm. & 

noncom. uses are 

shown together 

above. 

Table 2: Comparisons of Alternatives 

Middle Fork Float Boats – Outside the Summer Season 

Commercial 

Float Boats Alt. A 

Alt. B 

W, Sp, F Alt. C 

Alt, D 

W, Sp & F Alt. E 

Launches / Day 0 - 7* 0 4 2 3 0 0 - 7* 3 

Party Size 30 0 1-14 1-10 30 0 30 30 

Length of Stay 8 0 1-8 1-14 8 0 6 – 8 6 – 8 

Max. PAOT 1680** 0 170 170 720 0 1260*** 540 

Noncommercial Float Boats 

Launches / Day 0 - 7* 4 & 3 0 0 - 7 4 

Party Size 24 15 & 8 0 24 24 

Length of Stay 8 8 0 6 - 8 6 – 8 

Max. PAOT 1344** 714 0 1008*** 576 

Total Max. 

PAOT 1344 - 1680 0 170 170 1,434 0 1008 -1260 1,116 

Alt. B combines 

commercial and 

noncommercial 

users. For table 

comm. & noncom. 

uses are shown 

together above. 

7 
8 

* Variable, based on 130 PAOT as the limiting factor. Party of 13 could stay 5 days – party of 4 or less could stay 14 days. 

** Variable Trip Length Option larger party size = shorter stay. Max. PAOT would occur with 8 launches / day and 30 people / 

party (comm. & noncom.) Each max. party would have a max. 6 day-stay. Other combinations would provide lower maximum 

PAOT numbers. 

Table 2: Comparisons of Alternatives 

Salmon River Float Boats – Summer Season 

Commercial 

Float Boats Alt. A Alt. B Alt. C Alt, D Alt. E 

Launches / Day 4 2 4 4 4 

Party Size 30 1 - 13* 30 30 30 

Length of Stay 10 5 - 14* 10 6 – 8** 6 – 8** 

Max. PAOT 1200 130 1200 720 720 

Noncommercial Float Boats 

Launches / Day 4 4 4 4 

Party Size 30 30 30 30 

Length of Stay 10 10 6 – 8** 6 – 8** 

Max. PAOT 1200 1200 720 720 

Total Max. 

PAOT 2400 130 2400 1440 1440 

Alt. B combines 

commercial and 

noncommercial 

users. For table 

purposes comm. & 

noncom. uses are 

shown together 

above. 

Table 2: Comparisons of Alternatives 

Middle Fork Float Boats – Outside the Summer Season 

Commercial 

Float Boats Alt. A Alt. B* 

W, Sp, F

Alt. C Alt, D Alt. E 

W & Sp, F

Launches / Day unlimited 1 2 1 unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Party Size unlimited 1-8 1-16 1-14 30 30 30 20 

Length of Stay 10 5-14 3-14 5-14 10 6 - 8 10 14 

Max. PAOT unlimited 40 100 70 unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Noncommercial Float Boats 

Launches / Day unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Party Size unlimited 30 30 30 20 

Length of Stay 10 10 6 - 8 10 14 

Max. PAOT unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Total Max. 

PAOT unlimited 40 100 70 unlimited unlimited 

unlimited 

Alt. B combines 

commercial and 

noncommercial 

users. For table 

comm. & noncom. 

uses are shown 

together above. 

* In Alt. B Party size and Length of stay are variable, based on various PAOT numbers as the limiting factors. 
9 

* Alt. B. numbers included comm. & noncomm. 

* Alternative A, B, and E are limited by BUDs / week. Alt. C is limited by 24 launches/day. Alt. D is limited by 10 BAOT. 

** Length of stay- if all users chose the maximum or minimum. Rows below show launches/ week, max. trips / season, and 

max. BAOT that would result from the choice of all max. or all min. lengths of stay. 

*** For jetboats PAOT= BAOT X maximum people per party. 

Table 6: Comparisons of Alterneatives 

Jetboat Use — Summer Season 

Noncommercial 

Rec. Jetboats Alt. A Alt. B Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E 

BUDs / week* 15 15 1680 40 

Length of Stay 

(days) ** 

Max. Min. 

Stay Stay

 10 1 

Max. Min. 

Stay Stay

 10 1 10 

Max. Min. 

Stay Stay

1 & 7 1 & 2 

Max. Min. 

Stay Stay

 10 1 

Launches/week 3 15 3 15 168* 

(24/day) 

10 22 4 20 

Trips/season 34 171 34 171 1920 114 257 46 228 

BAOT 3 15 3 15 240 10* 4 20 

People/party 30 15 12 30 30 

PAOT*** 90 450 45 225 2880 300 120 600 

Max. Jetboats 

(traveling together) 

3 unlimited unlimited 3 unlimited 

PAOT 540 270 540 540 540 

Commercial Jetboats (18 permits) 

Table 6: Comparisons of Alterneatives 

Jetboat Use — Summer Season 

Noncommercial 

Rec. Jetboats Alt. A Alt. B* Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E 

BUDs / week* unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Length of Stay 

(days)** 

10 10 10 14 14 F 

10 W & Sp 

Launches/week unlimited 49 unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Trips/season unlimited 900 unlimited unlimited unlimited 

BAOT unlimited 70 unlimited unlimited unlimited 

People/party unlimited 15 20 30 20 F 

30 W & Sp 

PAOT*** unlimited 700 unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Permit required no yes self-issued self-issued self-issued 

PAOT unlimited (see above)* unlimited unlimited unlimited 

Commercial Uetboats (18 permits) 
10 

Other Sections of the FEIS 

Affected Environment

Chapter 3 of this Final EIS describes current human uses and biophysical resource 

conditions within the planning area relative 

to the environmental issues. This information provides the baseline for assessing and 

comparing the potential effects of the alternatives. 

This section is subdivided into 13 areas/

disciplines, which allows readers to target 

those resources or disciplines of greatest 

interest to them. It also allows readers to 

compare information presented in the Environmental Consequences of the Alternatives section with corresponding current 

conditions presented in this Existing Condition section. 

The disciplines discussed in Chapter 3 for 

human uses include aviation, recreation, the 

Middle Fork and Salmon Rivers and associated use levels, non commercial jetboat use, 

jetboat use for private land access, Painter 

Bar Road, economics and cultural resources. 

The biological resources addressed in this 

chapter include river campsite conditions 

and capacity, water quality, fisheries, wildlife and plants, including Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive species for these 

three resources, and air quality.

The Preferred Alternative? 

The Forest Service has identified 

Alternative D as the Preferred 

Alternative. However, the final 

Forest Service decision document will 

be the Record of Decision (ROD). 

Public comments received on the 

FEIS will assist the Forest Service in 

its decision making. 

Comments on the FEIS must be received by October 27, 2003. 

The ROD and the revised FCRONRW Management Plan FEIS 

are planned for release in December. 

Environmental Consequences 

Chapter 4 of the Final EIS provides a comprehensive scientific and analytical comparison of the potential environmental consequences for Alternatives A through E. To 

facilitate comparison of information provided in Chapters 3 and 4, the Environmental Consequences section is subdivided 

into the similar resource area/disciplines as 

Chapter 3. 

Using the baseline established in the Existing Condition section, each subsection in 

Chapter 4 details the possible direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of each alternative. At the end of the resource subsections, an assessment of unavoidable impacts 

that arise from implementing each alternative is disclosed. 

Send Comments to Ken Wotring, 

FC-RONR Wilderness Coordinator 

Forest Supervisor’s Office, 

Salmon-Challis National Forest, 

50 Highway 93 South, Salmon, 

Idaho 83467 

 or email at 

comments-intermtn-salmon-challis@fs.fed.
11 

Decisions Not Being Made in the FEIS 

Types of Decisons 

The principle objective in revising the FCRONRW Management Plan and amending 

the six Forest Plans is focused on programmatic management direction. Many comments that were received and some of the 

actions presented in the Drafts included site 

specific actions and suggestions to take actions that are beyond the authority of the 

Forest Service. Some actions could be 

made under existing authorities or under the 

terms and conditions of special use permits, 

or are contrary to the provisions of the 

CIWA. These actions are not appropriately 

decided in a programmatic amendment to 

the Forest Plans or revision of the Wilderness Management Plan. 

Decisions and actions discussed in the 

DEIS and SDEIS that will not be made in 

the FEIS include: 

• Site specific decisions that are beyond the scope of this programmatic 

EIS 

• Decision made within existing management authority 

• Decisions on issues not identified in 

the purpose and need for this EIS 

• Decisions that are the within the 

purview of, or shared with, other 

governmental agencies 

For more information on specific decisions 

that will not be based on the FEIS see the 

August 31 issue of Frankly Speaking. 

Noxious Weeds Decisions 

The ROD for the FC-RONRW Noxious 

Weed Treatment EIS selected an alternative 

that was to be applied until the FWRONRW Management Plan revision is implemented. The Forest Service also committed to the development of coordination, 

education, inventory, and prevention practices that would proceed in conjunction 

with noxious weed treatments. 

A Noxious Weed Prevention Plan for the 

FC-RONRW has been developed. The 

Weed Prevention Plan utilizes existing authorities which provides guidance on actions to reduce the spread of weeds within 

the FC-RONRW. 

The Noxious Weed Treatment EIS was 

written as an interim plan until the completion of the FC-RONRW Management Plan 

EIS. As the Forest Service has implemented 

noxious weed treatments, additional analysis needs have been identified that were not 

considered in the original analysis. These 

include: 

• A new herbicide (Weed-R) has become available which should be 

analyzed for use within the wilderness. 

• The fires of 2000 created many 

more acres of susceptible habitat 

than was predicted in the EIS. This 

is a changed condition that should 

be analyzed. 

A Supplemental EIS to the noxious Weed 

Treatment EIS will be initiated. Therefore, 

decisions regarding noxious weeds are 

beyond the scope of this FEIS.
12 

 TO:

Frankly Speaking 

FC-RONR Wilderness 

Coordinator 

50 Highway 93 So. 

Salmon, ID 83467 

PRSRT STD 

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