The Dillon Unit of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) has received an Improvement Request Form from the Elis Boyd Ranch proposing to conduct sage grouse habitat restoration work on state land by removing conifer encroachment over approximately 250 acres of state-owned range land. The proposal is being funded through a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) EQIP program grant. The NRCS will pay Elis Boyd Ranch $28,500 once the project is completed. The ranch will contribute $500 to the proposal. Conifer encroachment has been identified as a considerable threat to sage grouse conservation (80 FR 59858, October 2, 2015), and reducing the prevalence of rangeland-invading trees has been identified as an important objective for this region of southwest Montana. The project is located approximately 1 air mile southeast of Virginia City Montana (see Attachments A-1 and A-2), on DNRC-managed section: 36, T6S, R3W. This section is a Common Schools grant section.