Plum Creek seeks overall permit for rock projects
The Daily Inter Lake
Plum Creek Timber Co. is requesting a state operating permit to quarry and collect rock products on about 15,000 acres in Western Montana.
The Department of Environmental Quality recently completed a draft environmental impact study on the proposal. The department is accepting public comment through May 15.
The permit covers 94 rock-picking sites in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Sanders and Missoula counties.
The sites would provide decorative rock and building stone, riprap and crushed aggregate. All of them are located on Plum Creek land. None would be within 100 feet of any surface water or wetlands. Most would be reached via existing forest roads, with a maximum of 2,000 feet of new road being required.
Several of the sites would be visible from U.S. 2 or other public roadways and public waterways.
The environmental impact study indicates that a maximum of 3,600 acres within the 15,000-acre permit area would be disturbed over the life of the 20-year permit, with no more than 800 acres being disturbed or unreclaimed at all of the sites combined at any one point in time.
Three-quarters of the sites would be less than 5 acres. The remainder would range up to 135 acres.
"Plum Creek has proposed a worst-case scenario for permitting purposes," the study notes. The company "feels the operating permit has identified the most possible sites that could operate on its land."
However, the document also indicates that more sites can be added to the permit if necessary.
The study suggests that this operating permit would have cumulative - but largely minor - impacts on water and air quality, wildlife habitat, aesthetics and a variety of other environmental characteristics. There also would be positive impacts on taxes and employment.
Moreover, any of the 94 sites could be permitted individually. Most would qualify for a "small miner exclusion permit," which doesn't require any kind of bonding or reclamation.
Consequently, state officials concluded that the cumulative impacts under this overall operating permit would be lessened, in comparison with having a multitude of individual permits.
By taking this route, Plum Creek or its contract operators avoid the need for numerous permits. However, the company will face more significant bonding and reclamation requirements. An annual report will be required as well, documenting the number of active sites, total disturbed acres, acres reclaimed and other information.
The state agency tentatively has decided to approve Plum Creek's request. However, that decision could change, depending on the public comment received.
Public comment on the draft environmental study will be accepted through May 15. Written comments can be sent to Patrick Plantenberg at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 200901, Helena MT 59620, or e-mailed to pplantenberg@mt.gov
Copies of the draft are available at www.deq.mt.gov/eis.asp
For more information, contact Plantenberg at (406) 444-4960.