Butte BLM seeks public comment on proposed land donation
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(BUTTE, Mont.) – The BLM is working with Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation to secure the donation of more than 258 acres of private lands near Toston Dam
looking towards the Toston dam on the Missouri River.
on the Missouri River in Broadwater County. Acquisition of this acreage will connect several parcels of public land and provide enhanced opportunities for public hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation.
As part of this process, the BLM’s Butte Field Office is releasing a preliminary Environmental Assessment. The EA can be viewed on the BLM ePlanning website at: https://go.usa.gov/xPvQB The field office will take public comments on the proposed land donation until March 8, 2019.
Acquiring these lands would connect two nearby parcels of BLM lands and reduce ownership fragmentation by making a single block of BLM land just over 1,246 acres. The acquisition parcels provide critical winter range for elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer and pronghorn. They provide important connectivity for migrating elk between the Elkhorn Range to the west and the Big Belt range to the east. In addition, the lands encompass habitat for migratory bird nesting and foraging, bat roosting and foraging, raptor nesting and foraging, and large carnivore habitat and connectivity corridors.
To comment on the proposed acquisition, email the Butte Field Office at blm_mt_butte_fo@blm.gov Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, contact the Butte Field Office at (406) 533-7600.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.