Lawsuit threatened over Swan Crest run

Keith Hammer and his Swan View Coalition have filed a 60-day notice of intent to file a lawsuit if a planned endurance run in the Swan Mountains is not moved to another location.

Hammer, the coalition’s chairman, says the Swan Crest 100-Mile Run should not be held on “sensitive roadless areas, proposed wilderness areas and threatened grizzly bear habitat.”

Rather, “moving the run outside these extra-sensitive and pristine habitats would lessen impacts of the run and likely reduce the level of environmental review need before the run could be approved,” Hammer stated in a press release.

“There are areas like the Foys-to-Blacktail Trail that could benefit from the money and publicity raised by this run. We’re hopeful good intentions can be redirected to an already impacted area in need of restoration.”

In case the June 29-31 run is not relocated, Hammer continued, the coalition filed a 60-day notice of intent, a technical requirement for proceeding with litigation related to the Endangered Species Act.

Hammer contends the run will displace grizzly bears, a threatened species, and because of that and other reasons he believes the Forest Service must carry out an environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act before it can issue a special-use permit for the event.

Brad Lamson, one of the event’s organizers, said Hammer’s claims are groundless.

The run involves only 50 participants over a three-day period and will have no impacts on bears or other wildlife, he said.

Lamson said relocating the run will not be considered.

“My response would be that the Swan really offers a super-unique opportunity to follow a course on a mountain range for 100 miles,” he said. “Most of the people who are coming to do this are advocates of outdoors opportunities and the ability to do wilderness stuff ... And these are public lands.”

The race is planned to start in the town of Swan Lake, take runners north on the Alpine No. 7 trail along the Swan Crest and finish near Columbia Falls.

The Swan Lake Ranger District received an application for a special use permit for the event May 13. The application is being reviewed and the district has promised a public comment period on the proposal.

District officials have not indicated whether they will pursue an environmental assessment.

On the Web:

http://swancrest100.com