Glacier National Park - Environmental Assessment Available for Temporary Motorized Access to Private Property on Snyder Ridge (U.S. National Park Service)

Date: September 6, 2006
Contact: Matt Graves, 406 888-7840
Contact: Mary Riddle, 406 888-7898

WEST GLACIER, MONT. – Glacier National Park officials announce the availability of an environmental assessment (EA) that analyzes the effects of a proposal to construct a temporary access path across federal land to allow private landowners to transport building materials to their property in the park. The EA is now available for public review and comment; comments are due by October 6, 2006.

An EA and a Finding-of-No-Significant Impact (FONSI) were completed for this project in 2004. The Preferred Alternative identified in the original EA and approved in the FONSI was for Glacier National Park to construct an access path across federal land to allow the landowners to temporarily transport building materials to their property. In exchange, the landowners would agree to permanently transfer their deeded road access rights to the National Park Service. Upon further consideration, and after completion of the EA and FONSI, the landowners decided it was not in their best interest to permanently transfer their road access rights.

The owner’s request continues to be to transport material, on a temporary access path, by motorized All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). The path would be traversed by ATV for one year, after which it would be rehabilitated, and the landowners would use the path to access the property only on foot. They are also requesting to use and park on an administrative road near their property. Authorization for these uses would be under two separate Special Use Permits: 1) for transport of material that would expire after one year and 2) a five-year permit to park on the administrative road. The owners have proposed that under the terms of the access and parking special use permit, they would agree not to exercise their deeded road access rights while the special use permit is in effect. This EA has been prepared to describe the project and assess the impacts of both motorized access on a temporary path and the potential impacts of a permanent road to the site.

Comments can be provided directly through the park’s planning website (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/parkHome.cfm?parkId=61) by selecting this project. Or write to:

Superintendent, Glacier National Park
Attn: Snyder Ridge EA
P.O. Box 128
West Glacier, Montana 59936.