Hahn Ranch conservation easement : a proposal by Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks

56 Pages·1998·1.4 MB·English

by  Montana. Dept. of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks

346.0435
F2hrce
1998
HAHN RANCH STATE DCwU'wZnio vjui.i.i.i/iijN
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
MCr.T/TlA STATE LIErJARY
1C15 E. 6th AVE.
HELENA. MONTANA 59C20
A proposal by tne Montana Department of Fisn, Wilalife & Parks
April 13, 1998
ENVIRONMENTALASSESSMENT
MANAGEMENT PLAN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
Comment period on lliis proposal is from April 13, 1998 toMay 13, 1998. Pleasesutmit
comments to: Montana Department ofFish, Wildlife& Parks, c/oTom Carlsen, P.O. Box 998,
MT
Townsend, 59644.
MONTANASTATELIBRARY
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3 0864 0014 6330 9
HAHN RANCH
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
A proposal by Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Included in This Document:
o Draft EnvironmentalAssessment
Draft Management Plan
o Socio-EconomicAssessment
Comment period on this proposal is fromApril 13, 1998 until May 13, 1998. Submit
Comments to:
Montana Fish,Wildlifeand Parks
c/o Tom Carlsen
Hahn Easement
P.O. Box998
MT
Townsend, 59644
Public Hearing: May 7, 1998 at 7 p.m., CommunityRoom,BroadwaterSchool and
Community Library,Townsend, MT.
Foradditional information contact:
Joel Peterson, Region 3 Wildlife Manager,[phone]
Michael Korn, Helena Area Coordinator, [phone]

.
TableofContents
INTRODUCTION
I. 1
n. AUTHORITY ANDDIRECTION 1
m. LOCATIONOFTHEPROJECT
1
IV. PURPOSE ANDNEED 4
V. DESCRIPTIONOFTHE PROPOSED ACTION 5
VI. DESCRIPTIONOF REASONABLEALTERNATIVESTOTHEPROPOSED
ACTION 6
1 No Action Alternative 6
VII. EVALUATION OF IMPACTSONTHEPHYSICALENVIRONMENT 6
L Land Resources 6
2. AirResources 7
3. WaterResources 7
4. Vegetation Resources 7
5. FishAVildlifeResources 8
6. Adjacent Land 8
VIII. EVALUATIONOF IMPACTS ON THEHUMANENVIRONMENT 8
1. Noise/Electrical Effects 8
2. LandUse 9
3. Risk/HealthHazards 9
4. CommunityImpacts 9
5. Public Services/Taxes/Utilities 9
6. Aesthetics/Recreation 9
7. Cultural/HistoricResources 10
8. Socio-EconomicAssessment 10
IX. SUMMARYEVALUATIONOF SIGNIFICANCE 10
X. EVALUATION OFNEED FORANEIS 10
XI. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 11
COMMENTS
11
XII. NAME, TITLE ANDPHONENUMBEROFPERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR
PREPARINGTHE E.A 11
XIII. PERSONS PROVIDINGASSISTANCEINPUT AND/ORREVIEWDURING
PREPARATION OF THE E.A 11
APPENDIX A. ANIMAL SPECIES LIST 13
MANAGEMENTPLAN 17
ATTACHMENTA. (GRAZINGPLAN) 24
SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT 29

Montana Fish, Wildlife& Parks
Wildlife Division
Draft Environmental Assessment
HAHN RANCH CONSERVATION EASEMENT
INTRODUCTION
I.
The stateofMontanarecognizesthat certainnativeplantcommunitiesconstitutingwildlifehabitat
are worthy ofperpetual conservation These communities include riparian, sagebrush-grassland,
montane forest, and intermountain grassland. Property owned by the Hahn Ranch includes such
habitatsand TheDepartment hasdetermined that it warrantsperpetual conservationconsideration
A conservation easement was offered to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) bythe Hahn
Ranchandanagreementhasbeenreachedonthetermsofthiseasement The termsoftheproposed
conservation easement reflect the Hahns' desireto maintainand protect theirranchinglifestyleand
agriculturalproductionoperationwhileenhancingwildlifehabitats. It isproposed that apermanent
conservationeasementbepurchasedbyMFWP fromtheHahnRanch. Theproposed easementwill
keepthepropertyinprivateownershipandoperationwhilepreservingimportant wildlifehabitatsand
perpetuatingpublicrecreational opportunities.
AUTHORITY ANDDIRECTION
II.
MFWP
hastheauthorityunderlaw(87-1-201)toprotect, enhanceand regulatetheuseofMontana's
fishandwildliferesourcesforpublicbenefitnowandinthefuture. In 1987, theMontanaLegislature
passed HB 526 which earmarked hunting license revenuesto securewildlifehabitat throughlease,
conservation easement, orfeetitle acquisition (87-1-241 and 242) This is now referred to asthe
Habitat Montana Program As with other MFWP real property proposals, the Fish, Wildlife and
Parks Commission and the State Land Board must approve this conservation easement proposal.
This Environmental Assessment is part ofthedecision makingprocessasdirectedbytheMontana
Environmental PolicyAct (MEPA).
LOCATION OFTHE PROJECT
III.
TheHahnproperty is located approximately 15 airmilessoutheastofHelenaalongtheeast sideof
theElkhomMountains (Figure 1) Thepropertyconsistsof1,685 acresand isbounded onthewest
byU.S. Forest Service land, onthe east by Bureau ofLand Management (BLM) land, and includes
portionsoftheWhitehorse, Kimber, andKellydrainages(Figure2) All oftheland involved iswithin
deer/elk/lionhuntingdistrict(HD)380 Thepropertyisaccessiblefrom Highway287andoverlooks
CanyonFerryReservoirwiththeBigBelt Mountainstotheeast.

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