Administrative Rules

Pursuant to statute, DNRC maintains a list of "interested persons" who are notified when the department proposes to amend or adopt its administrative rules. If you would like you or your organization to be on this list, please contact dnrc_publicinfo@mt.gov (attention Legal Unit, ARM Coordinator). Please provide your name, e-mail address, physical address, and the topics you wish to be notified of: conservation districts and resource development, forestry, oil and gas conservation, trust land management, and/or water resources.

• Administrative Rules of Montana Web site
• Montana DNRC Administrative Rules

MAR 36-22-212 (Proposed Adoption of  New Rule I relating to the Categorical Exclusion of the State Revolving Fund Grant Issuance Under the Montana Environmental Policy Act)

Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Adoption

MAR 36-22-200 (Amend of ARM 36.25.205 pertaining to Oil and Gas Lease Sales)

Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Adoption

Notice of Amendment of ARM 36.25.205 pertaining to Oil and Gas Leases on State Lands

MAR 36-22-210 (Adoption of New Rules I and II regarding Rangeland Management)

Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Adoption

Notice of Adoption of New Rules regarding Rangeland Management

MAR 36-22-203 ( Proposed Amendment and Repeal - Management of State Forested Lands)

Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Amendment and Repeal

Notice of Adoption of Management of State Forested Trust Lands

MAR 36-22-206 (Renewable Resource Grant and Loan/Reclamation Development Grant Application Deadlines)

Notice of Adoption of Temporary Emergency Rules

Oil & Gas Lease Sale

NOTICE OF STATE OF MONTANA OIL & GAS LEASE SALE.   The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will hold an online oil and gas lease sale during the period of December 1^st – 7^th, 2021, hosted by the online auction service, EnergyNet.  The December sale includes 36 tracts in the following counties:  Hill (19), Liberty (15), Sheridan (1), and Toole (1). All sales will be by online auction bidding. DNRC is requesting comments from interested parties by October 22, 2021. A description of tracts and maps are available on the DNRC website at  http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/trust/minerals-management/oil-and-gas-leasing-information and coming soon to EnergyNet at https://www.energynet.com/govt_listing.pl.

Scoping Notices 

Initial Proposal

Yank Creek Salvage 
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Helena Unit, is proposing a timber harvest on approximately 102 acres on State Trust Land located in section16 of Township 16N, Range 01W which is approximately 10  miles south of Cascade, MT.

Cow Creek Salvage 
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Eastern Land office, is proposing a timber harvest on approximately 265 acres on State Trust Land located in section16 of Township 1N, Range 42E which is approximately 5 miles southeast of Colstrip, MT.

Bear-Frying Plan Timber Sale
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Dillon Unit, is proposing a timber harvest on approximately 400 acres on State Trust Land located in sections 16,21,22,26,27,28,36 of Township 10S, Range 15W which is approximately 60 air miles southwest of Dillon, MT.

Unit Office Timber Sale
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Libby Unit is proposing a timber harvest on approximately 438 acres on State Trust Land located in Sec.16, T30N, R29W within the Fisher River drainage located approximately 11 miles east of Libby, MT.

Klinger Timber Sale
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Libby Unit is proposing a timber harvest on approximately 640 acres on State Trust Land located in Sec.36, T29N, R31W within the Libby Creek drainage located approximately 8 miles south of Libby, MT.

McStryker Timber Sale

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Stillwater Unit is proposing to harvest timber on the following state-owned parcels: T33N, R23W Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33 and 34 & T33N, R24W; Sections 13 and 24. The proposed McStryker Timber Sale is located approximately 5 miles north of Olney, Montana, in the Stillwater State Forest Main Block, in Flathead County.

Spencer Mountain Blowdown Salvage Permit
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Kalispell Unit is proposing to salvage blown down and wind damaged timber on the following state-owned parcels: T31N, R19W Section 33 , T 30N, R 22W Sections 4,5 &9 The Spencer Mountain Blowdown Salvage is located approximately 3 air miles west of Whitefish, Montana.

Ackley Lake Outlet Canal Rehabilitation Project

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Conservation and Resource Development Division (CARDD) is issuing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the DNRC Water Resources Division - State Water Projects Bureau Ackley Lake Outlet Canal Rehabilitation Project. The DNRC WRD is proposing to use CARDD Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program (RRGL) funding for the rehabilitation of a stretch of the Ackley Lake Outlet Canal. The Canal has severe seepage issues that have caused areas downstream of the canal bank to flood when the water is present within the canal. The proposed location of the project is 4 miles Southwest of Hobson, Montana at 46.97866 N, -109.95582 W. The expected implementation date for the project is October 2021 as funding and supplies allow. This draft EA will be posted for two weeks, or until September 29th, 2021 5 PM MST for public comment. Any comments submitted will be reviewed and addressed appropriately by DNRC.

Deadman's Supply Canal Rehabilitation Project

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Conservation and Resource Development Division (CARDD) is issuing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the DNRC Water Resources Division - State Water Projects Bureau Deadman's Supply Canal Rehabilitation Project. The DNRC WRD is proposing to use CARDD Renewable Resource Grant and Loans Program (RRGL) funding for the rehabilitation of 7,600 linear feet of canal, or 2.2 miles down canal from the headgate in the Musselshell River and 9.3 miles upcanal from Deadman's Basin Reservoir. The project will increase the maximum conveyance capacity of the canal to 600 CFS. This will allow water users to divert more water into the storage reservoir during the high spring flow events and release it back to the Musselshell River late into the summer. The proposed location is approximately 12.5 miles West of Harlowton, MT or at 46.380348, -109.590194. The expected implementation date for the project is October 2021 as funding and supplies allow. This draft EA will be posted for two weeks, or until September 29th, 2021 5 PM MST for public comment. Any comments will be reviewed and addressed appropriately by DNRC.

Two Dot Canal Rehabilitation Project 

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Conservation and Resource Development Division (CARDD) is issuing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the DNRC Water Resources Division - State Water Projects Bureau Two Dot Canal Rehabilitation Project. The DNRC WRD is proposing to use CARDD Renewable Resource Grant and Loans Program (RRGL) funding on a portion of the Two Dot Canal (TDC). This portion of the TDC is within the Mexican John Creek Section, which is experiencing significant seepage losses. The project area is located north of US Highway 12, approximately 8 miles West of Harlowton, or 46°28'51.6"N and 109°59'6.0"W. The expected implementation date for the project is October 2021 as funding and supplies allow. This draft EA will be posted for two weeks, or until September 29th, 2021 5 PM MST for public comment. Any comments will be reviewed and addressed appropriately by DNRC.

Grasshopper Creek Gold Leaf Tailings Planning Grant Project

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Conservation and Resource Development Division (CARDD) is issuing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the Beaverhead Conservation District Grasshopper Creek Gold Leaf Tailings Planning Grant. The project proposes to use CARDD Reclamation and Development Grants (RDG) funding for a remedial investigation and feasibility study/conceptual design to stabilize and/or reclaim the former Gold Leaf tailings pond. The project will include digging test pits for sampling. Investigation of the site is expected to begin in October 2021. This draft EA will be posted for two weeks, or until September 30th 5 PM MST for public comment. Any comments submitted will be reviewed and addressed appropriately by DNRC.

Basta Ranches Pivot Installation 

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Conservation and Resource Development Division (CARDD) is issuing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the Basta Ranches Pivot Installation project. The project proposes to use CARDD Private Loan funding for the installation of a irrigation pivot on their private land, which is located near Savage, MT 19N 57E Section 21 in Richland County. The proposed implementation date is October 2021. This draft EA will be posted for two weeks, or until October 1st 5 PM MST for public comment. Any comments submitted will be reviewed and addressed appropriately by DNRC.

Public Notices

Montana Forest Action Plan Request for Proposals

Program Goal and Purpose: Provide financial support for the implementation of projects as part of the Montana Forest Action Plan (MFAP). The MFAP is Montana's all lands, all hands plan for addressing forest health and wildfire risk issues across the state. The purpose of this grant program is to accelerate the pace and scale of forest management in order to reduce wildland fire hazards, improve forest health, and increase restoration activities on Montana’s forested lands.

Montana Forest Action Plan Implementation Program - Request for Proposals 

 Phillips Conservation District Board of Adjustment

• Variance Order - January 27, 2021
• Hearing on the joint motion filed In the Matter of American Prairie Reserve’s Petition for Variance from Phillips Conservation District Ordinance 2016-1 (MP4)
• BOA Public Notice - January 14, 2021

Clearwater Energy Resources Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)

The Clearwater Energy Resources  FEIS is available for public review and can be found by clicking here. This FEIS has been prepared by Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to assess the impacts of leasing 4,484.7 acres of  school trust land in Custer, Garfield, and Rosebud counties to Clearwater Energy Resources LLC (Clearwater  Energy Resources). Clearwater Energy Resources is owned by NextEra Energy Resources,  LLC. The Proposed Action would lease the surrounding state trust land for the construction and operation of 11 wind turbine generators (WTG) and associated infrastructure. The proposed 11 WTG are part of a larger project known as the Clearwater Wind Energy Center (CWEC) that is being developed on private land surrounding the state trust land parcels.  

The decision maker has selected an alternative and the record of decision can be found here.

Lost Napa Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)

The Lost Napa Multiple Timber Sale Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is available for public review. You can find the FEIS on the DNRC website here.

The decision maker has selected an alternative and the record of decision can be found here.

The FEIS was designed to address Swan River State Forest’s primary commitment to Montana’s mandated timber harvest levels over a three-year period. Timber sale contracts would subsequently be presented to the Land Board; upon approval these sales would be advertised intermittently from the spring of 2021 through the spring of 2024. After each sale is sold, harvesting and roadwork activities would take place for 2 to 3 years. The anticipated end date of harvesting activities is March 2025. Post treatment activities, such as site preparation, planting, and hazard reduction, would follow harvesting activities. 

Phase II restoration goals were developed to restore hydrologic processes, reconstructthe stream channel and floodplain to more natural conditions, improve water quality, and increasehabitat complexity to provide spawning and rearing habitat for rainbow and brown trout and othernative fish. Proposed restoration work will restore riparian and wetland habitat and improveconnectivity to the Missouri River and provide for more consistent access for spawning runs thatare comprised of a high percentage of trophy size trout. Phase II would complete the restorationwork proposed for the lower 1.2 miles of Beaver Creek.