While most federal workers are out of jobs currently, Flathead National Forest released plans for a proposed logging and thinning project south of Kila during the government shutdown.

The Hungry Horse News received no notice of the project, as did others, and that appears to be by design.

In an emailed notice sent Oct. 14 to the Hungry Horse News and other media outlets, Flathead National Forest Supervisor Anthony Botello said due to changes in policy under the Trump Administration, scoping notices for projects would no longer be sent out.

“Notices of proposed actions (scoping) will no longer be sent by way of email mailing list. I encourage you to look to our webpage as the primary source of project   information and updates at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/flathead/projects. You may also sign up for information and be alerted to happenings around the Forest,” Botello said in the letter.

However, if one follows the above-mentioned link, there is actually a place on the Flathead National Forest’s page where parties are encouraged to give their contact information to be notified about projects, an apparent contradiction.

And then in mid-October, the Forest Service released plans for a logging and thinning project, called the West Truman project, in the midst of the ongoing government shutdown. Comments on the plan, which is slated for lands near Blacktail Mountain, were due Nov. 1, which was Saturday.

The project specifically is in a variety of units 3 miles west of Blacktail Mountain. It includes Wild Bill Mountain, Wild Bill OHV Trails, and Wild Bill Creek. It is roughly bounded on the west and north by the Forest boundary, on the east by Truman Creek, and by Lake Mary Ronan-Ronan Creek, Truman Creek, and Mount Creek Watershed boundaries on the south. 

It includes 2,889 acres of logging, including about 867 acres of “seed tree” cuts, which typically leave 5 to 20 trees per acre. They’re usually just a few trees that will seed the area over time. Most of the trees in a seed tree regime are cut down, just short of a clear cut.

The project also calls for 5.3 miles of temporary roads. 

The idea of the project is to reduce the wildfire risk in the area, the proposed action states.

“Preliminary review indicates the project would meet requirements of the Wildfire Resilience categorical exclusion.  This Wildfire Resilience category is applicable for this project because the West Truman project would reduce hazardous fuels, while reducing the risk of and increasing resilience to insect or disease infestation in the project area. Current conditions in the project area influence the potential fire behavior that would threaten life and private property within the area’s wildland urban interface,” the action document states.

Projects done under categorical exclusion do not require an environmental assessment or other in-depth environmental reviews.

But the fact that it was released in a supposed government shutdown, with no public notice did raise concerns with longtime environmentalist Keith Hammer, Chairman of the Swan View Coalition. Hammer said he signed up for notifications by email, but received no notice of the West Truman Project.

He noted that the Botello’s own letter is contradictory and troublesome, in his view.

On one hand, it tells the public that it is no longer sending notices out  on projects. On the other, it urges public comment.

“Your comments and input remain valuable to our project development and informing decisions. Rather than only engaging public at specific and restricted timeframes, please provide your input on Flathead National Forest projects at any time during project development. To keep informed, please monitor our project webpage, selecting the project that interests you, and contact the individual listed as the project leader,” Botello’s letter concludes.

But if a person or party comments on a project outside of the public comment period, they have a difficult, if not impossible case if they want to pursue arguments in court, Hammer noted. Because under federal law, a person or organization challenging a project first has to exhaust “an administrative remedy,” Hammer notes.

And in addition the layperson, Hammer claims, isn’t going to spend time checking the Forest Service’s website for new projects every day. 

The Hungry Horse News sought comment on the matter, but received the following email response from spokeswoman Kira Powell, which spoke directly to the shutdown.

“I am out of the office on furlough due to the lapse in federal government funding. I will return your message as soon as possible once funding has been restored,” Powell’s email said in what appeared to be an automated response.