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East Fork Meadow Creek sale approved |
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December 7, 2011 |
On December 2, Idaho Panhandle National
Forests Supervisor Mary Farnsworth signed the
final decision for the East Fork Meadow Creek
Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA). The
project will improve forest health and reduce
the risk of high intensity wildfires and
sedimentation in the Meadow Creek headwaters and
involves approximately 1,297 acres of vegetative
restoration work, 20 miles of road
decommissioning, 2.8 miles of new road
construction and 1.3 miles of trail
decommissioning.
“Our national forest has received a great deal
of support for this project from the local
community, Boundary County and the Kootenai
Tribe of Idaho,” said Forest Supervisor Mary
Farnsworth. “I am confident that this project
will be of great benefit to the ecosystem and
for the water quality in Meadow Creek.”
The Meadow Creek headwaters are the only source
of surface drinking water for more than 100
households in the Beeline Water Association.
Development of the East Fork Meadow Creek
project began in 2008 when Boundary County
Commissioners asked the Forest Service what
could be done on federal lands in the vicinity
of the Meadow Creek watershed to reduce the risk
of unwanted wildfires and potential damages to
the watershed.
In response to the Forest Service’s decision,
Boundary County Commissioner Dan Dinning said,
"I want to thank the Forest Service and their
staff for responding to the request from
Boundary County along with the Bee Line Water
Association. The East Fork Meadow Creek project
is an outstanding example of a federal entity
responding in a timely manner to a community by
designing a project to protect one of the basic
life sustaining needs of humans, water. I wish
to thank all of those that were involved in this
collaborative community effort."
In May of 2011, the Idaho Panhandle National
Forests staff completed analysis for the
southern portion of the project area (available
here) and issued a decision for that area
while field work for heritage concerns in the
north end of the project area continued. After
reviewing the heritage, economic and other
resource concerns, the Forest Service decided to
withdraw the decision for the southern half of
the project area, do additional analysis, and
issue a Supplemental Environmental Assessment
and a single Decision Notice for the entire
project area.
Friday's announcement marks the final decision
for the entire East Fork Meadow Creek project.
Copies of the Decision Notice and Supplemental
Environmental Assessment are available online on
the
East Fork Meadow Creek project web
page. Publication of the legal notice for this
decision is expected to occur the first week of
December and marks the beginning of a 45 day
appeal period for this decision. For more
information on this project, please contact Doug
Nishek at (208) 267-5561 or visit the
Idaho
Panhandle National Forests website. |
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