United States Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Montana State Office July 2003

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

MARCH 3, 1849

FIRE/FUELS MANAGEMENT PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT/

PLAN AMENDMENT

for MONTANA AND THE DAKOTAS
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the stewardship of our public lands. It is committed to manage, protect, and improve these

lands in a manner to serve the needs of the American people for all times. Management is based on the principles of multiple use and sustained

yield of our nation's resources within a framework of environmental responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include

recreation; rangelands; timber; minerals; watershed; fish and wildlife; wilderness; air; and scenic, scientific, and cultural values.

BLM/MT/PL-03/108
In Reply To:

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Montana State Office

5001 Southgate Drive, P.O. Box 36800

Billings, Montana 59107-6800

http://www.mt.blm.gov/

1600/9210(923)

Dear Reader:

Enclosed is the Fire and Fuels Management Environmental Assessment (EA)/Plan

Amendment for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Montana and the Dakotas.

This document replaces the Fire Management Plan EA that was available for public

review in August 2001. After the EA was released in August 2001, the analysis

was expanded to consider mechanical fuels treatments, chemical weed treatments

to support fuels treatments, and other land use plan decisions necessary to

implement the National Fire Plan and 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management

Policy. The EA has also been updated in response to the 35 public comment

letters that have been submitted since August 2001.

Additional copies of this plan are available at each of the BLM field offices in

Billings, Butte, Dillon, Glasgow, Great Falls, Havre, Lewistown, Malta, Miles

City, Missoula, Dickinson (ND) and Belle Fourche (SD). A copy is also available

on the internet at www.mt.blm.gov.

You have the right to protest the State Director’s decision on the proposed plan

amendments if you believe that you or your interests will be negatively affected

by the proposed management, and if 1) you can document that you have

participated in the planning process and 2) during the planning process, you

raised for the record the issue(s) that you wish to protest.

Protest letters should include:

1. The name, mailing address, phone number, and interest of the person filing

the protest;

2. A statement of the issue or issues being protested;

3. A statement of the part or parts of the plan amendment being protested;

4. A copy of all documents addressing the issue that were submitted during

the planning process by the protesting party or an indication of the date

the issue or issues were discussed for the record; and

5. A concise statement of why the State Director’s proposed decision is

believed to be incorrect. Include documentation of relevant facts and

reference or cite planning documents, environmental analysis documents,

available planning records (i.e. meeting minutes or summaries,

correspondence, etc.), and include this material with the protest letter.
2

Protest letters must be filed in writing to:

(Regular Mail)

Director, Bureau of Land Management

Attention: Ms. Brenda Williams, Protest Coordinator

P.O. Box 66538

Washington, D.C. 20035

(Overnight Mail)

Director, Bureau of Land Management

Attention: Ms. Brenda Williams, Protest Coordinator

1620 L Street, N.W., Room 1075

Washington, D.C. 20036

The protest period will close on August 30, 2003. To be considered timely, the

protest must be sent to the Director and must be postmarked no later than August

30, 2003.

Thank you for your continuing interest and participation in the planning

process. If you have any questions, please contact John Thompson at (406) 896-

5030 at the BLM Montana State Office.

Sincerely,

Martin C. Ott

State Director
United States Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

FIRE/FUELS MANAGEMENT PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT/

PLAN AMENDMENT

FOR

MONTANA AND THE DAKOTAS

Montana State Office

Billings, Montana

July 2003