BOZEMAN, Mont. – The environmental group, Save Our Gallatin Front (SOGF), has announced its opposition to all three proposals for a logging project south of Bozeman, including the option to take no action for 10 years.
The Limestone West project is currently in the proposal phase while the state is taking public comment.
SOGF believes the state agency overseeing the proposed project, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), is looking too broadly at the issue and not considering wildlife and environmental impacts.
Earlier this month, DNRC released a 359-page Draft Environmental Impact Study and outlined the three proposed actions for the Limestone West project.
The 3 proposals are: Alternative Action A, the largest proposal at 417 acres disturbed land; Alternative Action B, smaller scope at 375 acres disturbed land; and Alternative Action C, defer the project for 10 years. SOGF opposes all 3 proposals.
Thursday morning SOGF met with former state employees, who now work on private contracts, to review and critique data included in the DNRC Draft EIS to better dispute the findings. The group says the project would destroy the last wilderness area next to Bozeman.
Bozeman is surrounded by the 1.8 million-acre Gallatin National Forest to the north and south of town. Public testimony for the Limestone West Timber Sale project will be on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Strand Union Ballroom (Rooms B and C) on the campus of Montana State University.
Speakers are limited to 3 minutes each. You can also submit a comment by email at LimestoneWest@mt.gov.
