Schedule of Proposed Action (SOPA)
04/01/2016 to 06/30/2016
Bighorn National Forest
This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.
Project Name
Project Purpose
Planning Status
Decision
- Vegetation management
(other than forest products)
Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 03/2016
Expected:06/2016
CE
*NEW LISTING*
Crater Ridge Vegetation
Management Project
EA
*UPDATED*
Debra Lozinski
307-674-2629
dlozinski@fs.fed.us
UNIT - Bighorn National Forest All Units. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Sheridan, Washakie, Big Horn,
Johnson. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Management Areas 3, 4, and 5 in the Bighorn National Forest and excluding
the Cloud Peak Wilderness and inventoried roadless areas.
Medicine Wheel Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
Bernie Bornong
- Forest products
Completed
Actual: 03/29/2016
04/2017
307-674-2685
- Vegetation management
bbornong@fs.fed.us
(other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Road management
Description: Forested vegetation management with multiple objectives, including wood product production, fuels reduction,
wildlife habitat enhancement, and travel management.
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=43845
Location:
04/01/2016 04:07 am MT
07/2016
Description: Thin conifer trees two feet tall to five inches diameter at breast height in areas previously harvested and where
stand-replacing fires and/or severe wind/weather events have occurred. Average of 500 acres annually in MAs 3,
4, and 5.
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=48751
Location:
Bighorn National Forest
Project Contact
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
Bighorn National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)
Forest-wide Timber Stand
Improvement
Expected
Implementation
UNIT - Medicine Wheel Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Sheridan. LEGAL - Not Applicable.
Medicine Wheel/Paintrock Ranger District in the Little Bighorn River watershed.
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Bighorn National Forest
Project Name
Bighorn National Forest
Project Purpose
*UPDATED*
Decision
Medicine Wheel Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
FSR #329 Conversion Project
EA
Planning Status
- Recreation management
- Road management
In Progress:
Comment Period Public Notice
02/01/2016
Expected:05/2016
Expected
Implementation
Project Contact
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
07/2016
Robert Cochran
307-548-5308
rcochran@fs.fed.us
Description: Forest Service Road (FSR) #329 would be partially closed to full sized vehicles and converted to a motorized OHV
trail 50 inches or less. Sections of the old road bed would be narrowed to be more compatible with a 50 inch or
less trail.
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=48442
Location:
UNIT - Medicine Wheel Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Big Horn. LEGAL - Section 33, T52N,
R88W, and Section 4, T52N, R88W, 44.428 latitude, 107.556 longitude. Located off Forest Service Road #17 just
southeast of Spanish Point, approximately 12 miles south of the Shell Ranger Station.
Robert Cochran
Medicine Wheel Ranger District - Special use management
In Progress:
Expected:05/2016
06/2016
Outfitter and Guide Permit
307-548-5308
Scoping Start 01/01/2016
Issuance and Modification
rcochran@fs.fed.us
Project
Description: East Fork Outfitters LLC: permit for 251 days, summer; 178 days, fall; 4 assigned sites. Ken McNabb
CE
Horsemanship: permit for one assigned with grazing privileges and 180 service days. Wyoming High Country
Lodge:60 additional days for motorized tours
*NEW LISTING*
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=49178
Location:
UNIT - Medicine Wheel Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Sheridan, Big Horn. LEGAL - Not
Applicable. Multiple sites/areas %u2013 see maps on Bighorn National Forest website - Land and Resource
Management - Projects.
Robert Cochran
Ranger Creek Campground and - Recreation management
In Progress:
Expected:04/2016
05/2016
Adelaide Trailhead
307-548-5308
- Facility management
Scoping Start 01/28/2016
Reconstruction Project
rcochran@fs.fed.us
Description: Reconstruction of Ranger Creek Campground and improvement of parking area for the Adelaide and Bench
CE
Trailheads.
*UPDATED*
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=48483
Location:
04/01/2016 04:07 am MT
UNIT - Medicine Wheel Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Big Horn. LEGAL - Section 33, T52N,
R88W, and Section 4, T52N, R88W,. Located off Forest Service Road #17 approximately ¼ southeast of Shell
Ranger Station.
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Bighorn National Forest
Project Name
Bighorn National Forest
Project Purpose
Planning Status
Decision
Medicine Wheel Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
Ranger Creek Guest Ranch
- Special use management
Resort Term Special Use Permit
In Progress:
Scoping Start 02/22/2016
Expected:04/2016
Expected
Implementation
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
04/2016
CE
Location:
Shell Falls Commercial Use
Permitting Project
UNIT - Medicine Wheel Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Big Horn. LEGAL - 96 acres within
Sec. 29/30, T. 53 N., R. 88W., 6th P. M. Approximately 20 miles east of Shell, Wyoming via US Highway 14 and
Forest Service Road 17.
- Recreation management
- Special use management
Completed
Actual: 01/13/2016
07/2016
CE
Pole Creek Gravel Pit
Expansion
UNIT - Medicine Wheel Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Big Horn. LEGAL - Not Applicable.
Located on Hwy 14 in Shell Canyon approximately 11 miles east of Shell Wyoming.
Powder River Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
- Minerals and Geology
In Progress:
Scoping Start 11/03/2014
Expected:05/2016
EA
*UPDATED*
04/01/2016 04:07 am MT
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
09/2016
Gayle Laurent
307-674-2656
glaurent@fs.fed.us
Description: The Wyoming Dept of Transportation submitted an application to increase the existing gravel pit by 38 ac to
facilitate transportation projects and maintenance operations on US Hwy 16. Includes mining, gravel operation,
and a temporary hot mix plant
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=46124
Location:
Bighorn National Forest
Robert Cochran
307-548-5308
rcochran@fs.fed.us
Description: Authorization of Priority Use Outfitter and Guide permits to commercial tour operators stopping at the Shell Falls
Visitor Center. Permits may be issued for periods up to ten years.
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=48482
Location:
Bighorn National Forest
Gayle Laurent
307-674-2656
glaurent@fs.fed.us
Description: Big Horn Basin Mental Health Group dba Ranger Creek Ranch has applied to renew its existing resort special use
permit for a twenty year term. No changes to the authorized facilities or activities are a part of this proposal.
*NEW LISTING*
*UPDATED*
Project Contact
UNIT - Powder River Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Johnson. LEGAL - NE1/4SE1/4, Section
26, T.49N., R84W., 6th P.M. The Pole Creek Gravel Pit is located immediately west of US Highway 16 just north of
milepost 67, approximately 17 miles southwest of Buffalo, Wyoming.
Tongue Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
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R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
Bighorn National Forest
Project Name
Bighorn National Forest
Project Purpose
Planning Status
Decision
Expected
Implementation
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
Tongue Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
Lodge Connector ATV Trail
Project
- Recreation management
On Hold
N/A
N/A
EA
*UPDATED*
UNIT - Tongue Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Sheridan. LEGAL - T55N R88W sec. 7 and
16-18, T55N R89W sec. 1 and 12-13. ATV trail between Arrowhead Lodge, Elk View Lodge and Bear Lodge.
- Watershed management
Completed
Actual: 03/10/2016
09/2016
CE
*NEW LISTING*
Leslie Horsch
307-674-2632
lhorsch@fs.fed.us
Description: ATV trail to connect the three lodges on the north end of the Tongue Ranger District.
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=45472
Location:
Shutts Flats Mitigation Project
Project Contact
Cheri Jones
307-674-2652
cajones02@fs.fed.us
Description: Return the Shutts Flats wetland to a functioning wetland ecosystem to offset wetland impacts covered in the
WYDOT's Burgess Junction South project. Wetland plan and design are complete and NEPA analysis was for the
Burgess South project.
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=48741
Location:
UNIT - Tongue Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Sheridan. LEGAL - T 55N R 88W Sec 9.
Access to the site is off of National Forest Service Road 193 and National Forest Service Trail #430 on the South
Tongue River.
Cheri Jones
307-674-2652
cajones02@fs.fed.us
Wyoming's Finest Outfitter
Permit Area Expansion
Proposal
- Special use management
CE
Description: Proposal is for additional permitted area for outfitting and guiding archery and rifle hunts. Permitted rifle area
would expand to include currently authorized archery area. Overall permitted area would extend to Skull Ridge and
Steamboat Point
Web Link: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=49131
*NEW LISTING*
Location:
04/01/2016 04:07 am MT
Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 03/2016
Expected:05/2016
05/2016
UNIT - Tongue Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Sheridan. LEGAL - T57N, R89W; T57N,
R88W; T57N, R87W; T56N, R88W; T56N, R87W. Dry Fork Ridge-West Pass to Freezeout Point-Steamboat
Point areas.
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Bighorn National Forest
Project Name
Project Purpose
Planning Status
Decision
Expected
Implementation
Project Contact
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial
status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA
is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.
04/01/2016 04:07 am MT
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Bighorn National Forest