Environmental Documents

The Forestry and Trust Land Division of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is proposing to repeal surface management rules and adopt new rules addressing recreational use of trust land. The proposed changes are necessary to renumber recreational use rules for trust land into their own subsection to make rules easier to find and to simplify language throughout to make the rules easier to understand. The rulemaking broadly simplifies and organizes content for all rules pertaining to recreational use of trust land while retaining the intent of the original rules.

ONEOK Rockies Midstream LLC, referred to as the Proponent, has applied for a 50' ROW Easement (0.52 acres). This route was selected due to it being the most feasible and constructable route from the operator's well pad to ONEOK's existing infrastructure in the area. The project will allow for the reduction of natural gas flaring in the area. Alternative routes were not selected due to construction challenges. The proposed project is 215. 99 ft (14 rods) of 16-inch POLY.

The Anaconda Unit of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is proposing the Elk Trail Limited Access Timber Sale. The project is located approximately 6 miles southwest of Butte.

On September 25, 2025, DNRC received an application from LHC, Inc. henceforth referred to as proponent, to test for aggregate on State of Montana School Trust Lands. The application was made for Township 22N, Range 3W, Section 16. This checklist analysis, in conjunction with the programmatic analysis, will evaluate the impacts of an action alternative and no action alternative. The issuance of an aggregate testing permit allows the proponent to dig holes between 3ft and 20 ft in depth to observe and test the aggregate resource present. The proponent will salvage and replace topsoil and reseed disturbed areas with an approved seed mix.

H Bar O Farms has requested to break roughly 371 acres of land that has been in CRP for 30 years. The CRP contract is expiring and will not be renewed. H Bar O Farms plans to spray out and no-till farm the land to mitigate erosion and soil damage. There is a large Cottonwood Grove located on these acres, created many years ago by a flood. H Bar O is planning to avoid these acres with a buffer to keep the grove intact and usable by many forms of wildlife. As stated above, the land has been in CRP for 30 years, but to continue that practice would require a significant investment in reseeding, and the proponent has concluded it is more cost effective to put the land back into small grain production.

The Stillwater Unit of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is proposing the Lincoln County Forest Management Project. The project is located approximately 7-10 miles north, west and south of Eureka, Montana in Lincoln County.

Northwestern Energy has submitted an easement application to authorize the extension of a 1 phase 7,200/12,740V electric primary distribution line on State Trust Land located in T2S R1E Section 36. This extension will serve additional customers. This extension of power service will involve installation construction and require future maintenance on State Trust Land. The route is along N. Beartrap Canyon Road. The proposed easement is approximately 3,871.18 feet long by 30 feet wide, encompassing 2.67 acres.

Ron Schara Productions has requested permission from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for the purpose of outdoor filming on State Trust Land tracts.

Triple derrick drilling rig to drill a single SWD Well to 10,760’MD/5537’ TVD.

The DNRC Missoula Unit Trust Lands is issuing a Temporary Road Use Permit to the Lolo National Forest/DNRC GNA program.

The proponent, Triangle Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc. (TTCA, Inc.), is applying to extend a fiber optic telecommunications line located on the E ½ SW, SW ¼, SE ¼ of Section 16, Township 4 North, Range 23 East in Yellowstone County. The route will be placed along an existing MDT right of way. The easement will allow the proponent to offer state-of-the-art telecommunications toll and distribution facilities, as well as future growth capabilities for the community. The easement will encumber at total of ±1.36 acres of State Trust Land.

A Categorical Exclusion for the Two Bear Therapeutic Riding Center for a one-day trail ride from South Spencer Trailhead to Spencer Ridge on system roads and trails.

Triple derrick drilling rig to drill a single lateral horizontal Bakken Formation test, 21,193’MD/10,359’TVD.

Triple derrick drilling rig to drill a single lateral horizontal Bakken Formation test, 20,950’MD/10,368’TVD.

Triple derrick drilling rig to drill a single lateral horizontal Bakken Formation test, 20,801’MD/10,383’TVD.

Triple derrick drilling rig to drill a single lateral horizontal Middle Bakken Formation test, 20,223’MD/10,168’TVD.

Triple derrick drilling rig to drill a single lateral horizontal Middle Bakken Formation test, 20,332’MD/10,178’TVD.