MARION, Mont. — On May 13, 2015 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will hold a public open house to obtain comments on the draft Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge Pleasant Valley Road Relocation and Stream and Wetland Restoration Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and Section 4(f) de minimusDetermination. The project area is located approximately 20 miles northwest of the town of Marion in Flathead County, Montana.
The open house will be held between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. at Guest House Inn and Suites (formerly Outlaw Inn) in Kalispell, Montana. The public will have an opportunity to offer their comments, which will be collected and presented to the planning team for consideration in the final Environmental Assessment.
Restoration work would include removing on-stream fish barriers, reconstructing stream channels, improving fish passage fish passage
Fish passage is the ability of fish or other aquatic species to move freely throughout their life to find food, reproduce, and complete their natural migration cycles. Millions of barriers to fish passage across the country are fragmenting habitat and leading to species declines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program is working to reconnect watersheds to benefit both wildlife and people.
Learn more about fish passage conditions at roadway crossings, and restoring and enhancing riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian and floodplain functions associated with Pleasant Valley Creek. To facilitate restoration actions, a portion of Pleasant Valley Road would be relocated.
The project is being carried out in conjunction with the Federal Highways Administration, Flathead County, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Design plans for the project have been developed and will be available for inspection at the open house. Agency representatives will be available at the openhouse to discuss the project and answer questions.
Copies of the EA can be obtained in three ways:
Electronically: www.fws.gov/losttrail.
In person: 58355 Bison Range Rd., Moiese, Montana 59824
By Mail: Request hard copies by mail by calling (406) 644-2211 or emailingbisonrange@fws.gov.
Persons unable to attend the open house may still provide written comments on the draft EA by letter, fax, or email. All comments must be emailed or postmarked by May 22, 2015 to be considered. Methods for submission include:
Email: bisonrange@fws.gov
Mail: Dean Vaughan, Biologist, National Bison Range Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 58355 Bison Range Rd., Moiese, Montana 59824
Fax: 406-644-2661 Attn: Dean Vaughan, Biologist
For directions the open house, the public can call the refuge headquarters at (406) 858-2442.
