Prairie Hills Audubon Society

Comment Deadline on Shotgun Timber sale
2023-08-14 23:30 - 23:59 (America/Denver)
Comment Deadline on BHNF’s Shotgun Timber sale was Monday, August 14th, 2023

The USDA Forest Service is conducting an analysis of the Shotgun forest management project. The project is on Bearlodge Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest, in three locations in the west-central Bear Lodge Mountains and northwestern Black Hills. The proposed action would conduct timber harvest and thinning on approximately 1,400 acres to adjust forest structure, produce merchantable timber, and reduce hazardous fuels. The Responsible Official for this decision is Bearlodge District Ranger Patrick Champa. A project description/request for comments on the Shotgun project is available upon request at the Bearlodge Ranger District office, 101 S. 21st St., Sundance, Wyoming. This document is also available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/blackhills/?project=63908.

The Responsible Official does not anticipate providing an additional opportunity to submit written comments other than this scoping period and suggests meeting the scoping deadline to preserve standing to object.
Submit comments to the Responsible Official, District Ranger Patrick Champa, by one of the following methods: at the Comment/Object on Project link at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/blackhills/?project=63908 ; mail: PO Box 680, Sundance, WY 82729; telephone: 307-283-1361; or facsimile: 307-283-3727 (please include Comments on Shotgun Project in the subject line) in order to be considered when making the final decision.

Mni Ki Wakan Summit - Indigenous Water Decade
2023-08-15 08:00 - 2023-08-17 17:00
MKW – Mni Ki Wakan Summit – Indigenous Water Decade, – Theme: Indigenous Water Justice, Global Collaboration & Dismantling Water Colonialism.
On August 15-17, the Mni Ki Wakan Summit will be held in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, at the Holiday Inn conference space (505 North Fifth St, Rapid City, SD 57701). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served on August 15-16. Breakfast will be served on August 17.
There is no registration fee for community members. MKW recognizes the critical and imperative role Indigenous Peoples and youth hold in protecting their sacred waters. They ask that ask that groups, organizations, and businesses register in appropriate corresponding categories. Registration fees cover costs associated with hosting the MKW Summit, remaining fees will contribute towards MKW programming and projects.

For More Information:
https://mnikiwakan.org/2023mkwsummitregistration/?emci=10841d91-1836-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=e02c9023-a337-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=8015504
Individual Registration:
https://mnikiwakan.org/2023-mkw-summit-individual-registration/
Agenda for days # 2-3 – https://mnikiwakan.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023MKWSUMMITAGENDA_DAY2-3.pdf

2023-08-16 08:00 - 17:00
It’s Rapid City’s 3rd Annual 5k Run/Walk for Clean Water and is being held on
Saturday, August 26, 2023, at 8:00 am (MT).
This special event is held to have some fun and laughs, meet new people, get some sunshine, and enjoy the beautiful, life-flowing Rapid Creek – Water Is Life. This event also helps bring awareness about the need to protect our clean water supply for all.
Bring your family and friends at the Old Storybook Island Picnic Shelter,
2911 Canyon Lake Drive, Rapid City, SD on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8:00 AM.
A morning snack and a light lunch will be provided to all participants.
For more info”: https://bhcleanwateralliance.org/5k23/
This event is organized by – BH Clean Water Alliance | P.O. Box 591, Rapid City, SD 57709

Board of Minerals & Environment
2023-08-17 09:00 - 16:00
Tentative BME meeting schedule for the remainder of 2023:
August 17, 2023
September 21, 2023
October 19, 2023
November 16, 2023
Please check the Boards and Commissions portal a week to 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting to confirm & get exact start & end times. Here is the link for the BME:

Deadline to Comment on Triple R Timber Sale
2023-08-21 23:30 - 23:59
The Mystic District of the Black Hills National Forest has initiated public scoping for the Triple R Vegetation Management Project.
Comment deadline would be 8/19/23, but that is on a Saturday, so it will be Monday 8/21/23. Send to : <comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-mystic@usda.gov>

Scoping documents can be found at the following web address:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/blackhills/?project=64487

Prairie Hills Audubon Society Annual Meeting - Hybrid
2023-08-31 18:00 - 21:00
Prairie Hills Audubon Society Annual Meeting – Hybrid

This meeting will start at 6 pm MT on Thursday, August 31st.
It will be hybrid >> by Zoom & face-to-face at the Piedmont American Legion Post 311 – 101 Pine St, Piedmont, SD 57769. The Post is located at the corner of Sturgis Rd and Pine St. on the SE side of Piedmont. Members in good standing, can vote in person, by Zoom or by proxy

Erik Molvar, Executive Director of Western Watersheds Project will speak on greater sage grouse & our litigation to protect greater sage grouse on BLM lands
After Erik finishes, we move to the business meeting. We will hear treasurer’s report & nominating committee report. Members will select a slate of candidates & the number of Board positions for the next year, from an allowed range of 4 to 12 board members. An election committee will be appointed to supervise election, which is done subsequently by mail-in ballots. =============================================ZOOM DETAILS ========================================= Nancy Hilding is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.Topic: PHAS annual meeting
Time: August 31st, 6 pm MTJoin Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85433920233?pwd=[REDACTED] ID: 854 3392 0233
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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Dial by your location (as far as we know all #s work in western SD)
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Find your local number (International): https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbb9dO0PBV

Deadline to Comment on DANR's Draft Integrated Report (Surface Water Quality)
2023-09-02 22:30 - 23:30
Deadline to comment on the Draft Surface Water Quality Integrated Report is Saturday,
As I understand it, if you have water quality information on a SD Surface water, this is your opportunity to send it to DANR so as to be included in the final report.
DANR public notice page
https://danr.sd.gov/public/default.aspx
Public notice: https://danr.sd.gov/officeofwater/surfacewaterquality/pn/2024IRPublicNoticeletter1.pdf
Past Integrated reports
https://danr.sd.gov/OfficeOfWater/SurfaceWaterQuality/waterqualitystandards/integratedreports.aspx
How to comment on line:
https://danr.sd.gov/public/comment.aspx?d_comment=09/02/2023&name=Department%20of%20Agriculture%20and%20Natural%20Resources&pntype=sw_ir&description=DANR%20is%20soliciting%20water%20quality%20data%20or%20other%20information%20you%20may%20have%20to%20help%20determine%20the%20quality%20of%20South%20Dakotas%20waters.%20Please%20submit%20data%20in%20electronic%20format%20by%20September%202%202023.

SD Game, Fish and Parks Commission Sept 2023 meeting
2023-09-07 13:00 - 2023-09-08 12:00
REPORT AFTER MEETING
Results of the Commission meeting (now past)
The Commission killed the petition from the hound hunters to expand hound hunting to the rest of the Black Hills outside of Custer State Park. This will temporarily good news, is not long term good news. A bunch of the Commissioners want to expand hound hunting to the rest of the Black Hills (outside of CSP) they just did not like this proposal and staff was worried it would result in cougar population dropping below their allowed interval of 200-300 lions.
The Commissioners indicated (I think) that they want to amend the Mountain Lion Plan to perhaps lower the allowed interval of 200-300 lions. or make other substantive amendments to the plan. They don’t want to wait for the normal cycle for Plan Revision and want to do it before the 2024 season happens. They maybe setting up working groups.
All PHAS/Hilding petitions were denied.
We ask people to increase writings to the Commission in favor of lions in the Black Hills and Prairies of SD. We ask people to show up at Commission meetings and testify in favor of lions.
To watch the Zoom video of the Commission meeting. The discussion of cougars by Commission happened after the finalizations/open forum (which would be after at least 1 hour into the recording)
https://state-sd.zoom.us/rec/share/pWGzkeKrIwWmpAqt7pgIYnb0RXhoeHE6qFjdNi8BG3O-bKQbq9AAFEN5HWSfQxWW.fALxwCtYVYlzTIsv
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Here is Friday’s meeting link – they discussed the proposed shooting range in this video – at about 2/3s of the way through the meeting:
https://state-sd.zoom.us/rec/share/NNJIUWQtjBuM9Lok9jGBoxLtAn2VL5x0vw1ayXIbDOqTw_vT9x1E3ZMUNg250w62.lA_hk647NtAhvP_0
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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ALERT BEFORE MEETING
SD Game, Fish and Parks Commission Sept 2023 meeting, is Thursday-Friday September 8th and 9th. A hybrid meeting zoom and face-to-face in Watertown. Deadline for written comments to be submitted in just before midnight CT on Sunday, Sept. the 3rd, if you want your comments in the public record of the September meeting, instead of October meeting. You will be able to testify orally (by Zoom or in person) for 3 minutes normally at about 2 pm CT during the “open forum”.
Here is the link to download documents related to the meeting.This web site also has the Zoom link and the Zoom passcode
https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/information/
Zoom:
https://state-sd.zoom.us/j/93912915359?pwd=[REDACTED]
To join via conference call, dial 1 669 900 9128 | Meeting ID: 939 1291 5359 | Passcode: [REDACTED]

Here is the link to agenda for the SDGFP Commission meeting Thursday 9/7/23 -9/8/23
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/923_Commission_Agenda_Amended.pdf

Here is the proposal that the hound hunters wanted and the Commission let move forward (final vote on Oct 5th in Deadwood) (pro-hound hunters)
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/PRO_2023_Mountain_Lion_BHdogs.pdf

Here are the petitions by PHAS (pro-cougar)

https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/lactating_females_protection_.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/lion_collars_worn_.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/lion_injuries_3.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/petition.guides.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/lion_on_prairie.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/lion_fees_rule_change_petition_Final.pdf

Prairie Hills Audubon Society has alerts on Cougars in several places

PHAS Cougar alert page
https://phas-wsd.org/cougar-alert/

Go to our alert on July meeting – https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-meeting-for-july/ – for more details on proposals . We have link to recording of the meeting here.. In July they moved forward a rule change petition to allow some mountain lions in the Black Hills proper to be hunted with hounds.

At the Sept Commission meeting they will finalize (have public hearing and vote on) proposed changes to various fishing rules & antelope and turkey lottery draws. They will further discuss proposed rules on mountain lion hunting – – staff’s rewrite of petitioner’s petition for rule making to allow hound hunting for lions on the Black Hills proper (not Custer State Park). Go to the July meeting alert on events calendar for more information.
At the July meeting, the staff of SDGFP did not propose to make any changes from current season (2022-23), but they said they might reconsider that at the September meeting, after studying the unintended consequences of increased hound hunting. They seem to have made at least one change to the petitioners petition (not killing lactating females), but put it in the rule tied to that petition.
Some reasons to oppose any increase of hound hunting of lions in the Black Hills:
1) Cruelty to lions and dogs;
2. Hound hunting is more effective at killing lions than “boot hunting”;
a) If hound hunting allowed, this means that the current harvest limit in the Black Hills Unit of 60 lions or 40 females should simultaneously be lowered. GFP staff says the population remains within GFP desired population bracket, but this is because hunters never get much more than 25 female lions and season ends when its’ time is up. If hunters actually reached the harvest limit, the population would crash;
b) It also creates unfair competition for lions between boot hunters and hound hunters;
3. Hound hunting is not “fair chase”;
4. Hounds increase risk of trespass;
5. Lion hunting license fees are too small, especially when hound hunting practically guarantees a kill. There needs to be two tiers for cost of licenses ,with hound hunters paying more than boot hunters;
6. Disturbance from hounds to other human users, livestock and/or wildlife. Especially in deep snow;
7. If lions are chased but not captured, such as kittens which they are not allowed to kill & lactating females, which hound hunters in CSP can’t kill, it can add to stress during the winter, especially with heavy snows.
8. SDGFP needs a system where hound hunters who are working to flush lions for others, prove they have registered with federal public land manager as a guide and GFP should require they register with SDGFP as a guide,
9). On the prairie unit, we worry about dogs chasing lions in areas where there are no trees or rock outcroppings for lions to be “treed” upon, increasing likely hood of fight between lions and dog.
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Written comments can be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/. To be included in the public record of the next meeting, comments must include your complete name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of seventy–two hours before the meeting (not including the day of the meeting) (Usually Sunday night before midnight CT or MT depending on time zone of physical meeting) If you miss that deadline it goes to record of the next meeting.
You can testify at GFP meetings which are held in person and by Zoom, generally at 2 pm on the Thursday of the meeting, in time zone of the meeting. It is requested that you register by e-mail with Liz.Kierl@state.sd.us before the meeting to let her know you want to testify at the open forum or hearing. However they normally ask if anyone not registered to comment wants to comment.
Unless you want to communicate directly with each Commissioner (those comments will not be in the public record)– https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/members/ (no deadline). You can see phones and home address at this link. Here are likely e-mails for them.
“Stephanie.Rissler@state.sd.us” <Stephanie.Rissler@state.sd.us>, “Jon.Locken@state.sd.us” <Jon.Locken@state.sd.us>, “Travis.Bies@state.sd.us” <Travis.Bies@state.sd.us>, “Robert.Whitmyre@state.sd.us” <Robert.Whitmyre@state.sd.us>, “Julie.Bartling@state.sd.us” <Julie.Bartling@state.sd.us> or Julia.Bartling@state.sd.us, “charles.spring@state.sd.us” <charles.spring@state.sd.us> ,
The two new commissioners e-mails likely are (but we are not sure):
Jim.White@state.sd.us or James.White@state.sd.us, Bruce.Cull@state.sd.us

Deadline to register to testify at Wyoming GFP Hearing on 9/13th by Zoom
2023-09-08 08:00 - 23:30
Friday s the deadline to register with Wyoming Game & Fish to testify at their Commission meeting Sept 12-13. Go to Sept 12-13th event posting for details on the meeting
An hour has been designated for the presentation about the off-schedule mountain lion season proposals in Wyoming on Wednesday September 13th in Gillette WY. The agenda sets the time as 10:35 -11:35 am MT, but of course this can change. If you scroll through the Agenda pages, there is a sign up form to ask participate via ZOOM.

Testifying sign up application is in the Agenda, see last page of agenda, fill it out and submit before FRIDAY 9/8/23: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/About%20Us/Commission/Agenda-UPDATED.pdf

Instructions on submission say submit by Friday, but don’t give a time of day to submit by, so we are not sure if you should do by 5 pm or midnight.

Volunteer to help build beaver dam analog w/ BHNF
2023-09-08 08:30 - 2023-09-09 16:30
Volunteer to help build beaver dam analog w/ BHNF
Prairie Hills Audubon Society has a major campaign to help beaver recover in the Black Hills and other parts of SD. We support building of beaver dam analogs and hope to find a bunch of members and friends to help with this project and learn about building beaver dam analogs.
=================
Black Hills National Forest, Northern Hills District’s hydrologist (Anne Dunckel) is planning a couple of volunteer work days on Silver Creek building beaver dam analogs – Friday September 8thand Saturday September 9th from 8:30-4:00 pm each day. The Forest Service is inviting you to come join us in the building. If you know others that might be interested please pass along the info.
What is a beaver dam analog? Well it is a small human made attempt at a beaver dam . Volunteers will be weaving willows around posts, packing them with sod mats, and impounding a little bit of water. So be ready to get a little bit muddy and wet. Forest Service will provide some basic PPE, but please bring your own if you prefer and wear closed toed footwear. All the information is attached and added below. If you are planning on attending please RSVP here: Silver Creek Sign up Form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnoVz5UtYswPmGZ_YNCHmCHyrxf0y–HIzcHCdwxmjhnbMaw/viewform
Where? Silver Creek is located just east of Rochford Road a little north of the town of Rochford.
Lat Long is: 44.162900, -103.714895.
Estimated time from Spearfish and Rapid City are both about 1 hour and 15 minutes. See attached map for directions. The road to the site is a little rough so a car/truck with some clearance is recommended.
When? Friday September 8th 8:30am to 4pm and/or Saturday 9th 8:30am to 4pm. Volunteers are invited on both days and can attend both days or just attend one day. The Forest Service will appreciate any help people can give. Volunteer check in will begin at 8:30 am and a quick orientation and demonstration will start at 9:00 am each day. If folks need to leave early that is okay, Forest Service just asks that everyone make it to the volunteer orientation at 9:00 am.
What to bring?

Sturdy closed toed footwear. No sandals or open toed footwear will be allowed. Muck boots or waders will work best.
Wear clothes you can get dirty. We will be slinging some mud and will be getting dirty.
Lunch and snacks.
Water, some will be available but please bring enough for yourself.
Work gloves, we will have plenty of dipped gloves in all sizes, but if you prefer leather please bring your own.
Optional: Muck boots, waders, hip boots. We will have a few pairs but cannot guarantee availability
Optional: Shovels, loppers, hand pruners. We will have tools available, but more are always welcome. Please make sure to properly tag and identify your equipment so it doesn’t get lost in the other tools
A ready and willing attitude to have fun and get dirty

What Forest Service will provide:

Safety equipment: Dipped gloves, eye protection, and ear plugs
Tools: Shovels, loppers, pruners, buckets, wheel barrows, post pounders
Bottled water and possibly some snacks
All the beaver dam making materials

Directions
From Rapid City

Take Hwy 44 to Hwy 385.
At 385 take a right. Travel 11.8 miles on 385 to the Custer Crossing Rd intersection.
Turn left on Custer Crossing Rd.
Travel about 4.8 miles and then turn left on Forest Service Road 203.1C
Travel about 2.5 miles to a four-way intersection and take a right down Greens Gulch.
Follow the road down about 0.6 miles until you see the flagged parking area.

From Spearfish

Take I-90 to Deadwood
Take exit 17 and travel to Deadwood
In Deadwood continue on Pioneer Way to 85 Bypass towards Central City
Continue on 14A past Lead.
About 4 miles south of Lead take a left onto North Rochford Road
Travel about 9.5 miles on North Rochford Road and then take a left onto Custer Crossing Rd.
Travel about 1.4 miles on Custer Crossing and then take a right onto Forest Service Road 203.1C.
Travel about 2.5 miles to a four-way intersection and take a right down Greens Gulch.
Follow the road down about 0.6 miles until you see the flagged parking area.

Wyoming Game & Fish Commission Meeting Gillette
2023-09-12 08:00 - 2023-09-13 17:00
Commission Meeting September 12-13, 2023 Gillette, WY
The public comment period for Chapters 2, 28, and 42 (cougars) closes at 5:00 PM on August 4, 2023. https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/Public-Meetings
Commission meeting at CAM-PLEX (Frontier Hall in Wyoming Center), 1635 Reata Drive, Gillette. Open session on Tuesday begins at about 1:30 pm and at 8 am on Wednesday. You can testify remotely by Zoom, if you request such by 5 days in advance (Friday Sept 8th).
An hour has been designated for the presentation about the off-schedule mountain lion season proposals in Wyoming on Wednesday September 13th in Gillette WY. The agenda sets the time as 10:35 -11:35 am, but of course this can change. If you scroll down there is a sign up form on the 5th page, fill out to testify via ZOOM (you do so during the time allocated for mountain lions).
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/About%20Us/Commission/Agenda-UPDATED.pdf
We are advised that showing up in person is important. Driving to Gillette from western SD can be a two or three hour drive. A carpool may be organized. Contact Nancy if interested 605-787-6466, phas.wsd@rapidnet.com. We may focus on complaining about management of lions in the Wyoming part of the Black Hills and adjacent plains.
Other public meetings on rule changes were held in June & July, in Wyoming, by Department on rule changes proposed by WG&F Depart. …the closest to Black Hills was likely in Sheridan or Casper – https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Get%20Involved/2023%20September%20Regulations/Public-Meeting-Dates-Sept-2023-Regs.pdf
Go to our August 4th alert for more details on issues and for our talking points on this rule-making proposal. (8/4/23 was the written comment deadline – this is where the bulk of discussion of this issue occurs). https://phas-wsd.org/event/comments-due-increase-cougar-harvest-limits-western-wyoming/
The rule changes if passed, would be increasing harvest limits by 50% on western edge of Wyoming (south of Jackson), in 4 of Wyoming’s 32 hunting units. Units 14, 17, 26 & 29 would see the 50% changes.
It would also allow for pursuit of cougars by hounds (without permission to kill the lion) after harvest limits are reached, until season’s time limit ends. Some units allow lion hunting year round. Details can be found at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/Public-Meetings
Draft regulations:
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Get%20Involved/2023%20September%20Regulations/CH-42-Draft-06-13-2023-4.pdf

Advocate for EPA Climate Pollution Grant before Rapid City Legal and Finance Committee
2023-09-13 12:30 - 14:00
A $1m EPA Climate Pollution Reduction planning grant has been awarded to Rapid City, but Mayor Salamun was going to send it to the City Council to have them vote on whether or not to accept the funding and move forward (the City Council already approved it on 4/3/23 so this is a “request to reconsider”) The Mayor was concerned that newly elected Council members had not had an opportunity to weigh in on this matter. However the Legal and Finance Committee stopped that effort by the Mayor and thus Rapid City will be accepting the grant.
This would have been a missed opportunity for the Rapid City community to move forward with this grant so any public support for grant would have been greatly appreciated. The State DANR did not apply for the federal grants. If a state declines the $3 million funding, those funds would be made available to the 3 most populous metropolitan areas in that state. It seems Rapid City applied in April of 2023.
(See also story Dakota Free Press)
This item was on the agenda for this Wednesday’s (9/13) Legal & Finance Committee meeting at 12:30 pm (who tabled it) and it would have been sent to the next Monday’s (9/18) City Council meeting at 6:30 pm (except tabled by Committee). As the Legal and Finance Committee tabled it, it is dead unless “smoked” out at the Council meeting, allowing for reconsideration at a later date.. It might be helpful to contact City Council members in support of the grant and reducing Climate pollution. The four-year grant, initially authorized in the spring, is designed to support efforts in identifying and addressing pollution issues in the area, specifically strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Rapid City’s new Grant Coordinator, Jamie Toennies knows about this issue – 605-394-4143 – 2379
Link to article in Rapid City Journal:
https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/rapid-city-officials-discuss-reconsideration-of-epa-grant/article_d179613c-531a-11ee-9820-0f181b9bae28.html
All of the City Council members’ contact info is below:
Josh Biberdorf
josh.biberdorf@rcgov.org
(605) 431-6947
Jesse Ham
jesse.ham@rcgov.org
(605) 391-3293
Lindsey Seachris
lindsey.seachris@rcgov.org
(605) 939-0140
Bill Evans
bill.evans@rcgov.org
(605) 431-7509
Kevin Maher
kevin.maher@rcgov.org
(605) 484-6587
Greg Strommen
greg.strommen@rcgov.org
(605) 342-2814
John Roberts
john.roberts@rcgov.org
(605) 484-9747
Lance Lehmann
lance.lehmann@rcgov.org
(605) 390-1087
Rod Pettigrew
rod.pettigrew@rcgov.org
(605) 939-3747
Pat Roseland
pat.roseland@rcgov.org
(605) 431-1945
Link to City Council meeting notice: https://www.rcgov.org/event/5106-city-council-meeting.html

BHNF Forest Service Advisory Board Meeting
2023-09-13 13:00 - 16:30
Advisory Board Meeting
Forest Service Office – Mystic Ranger District Office
8221Mount Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD 57702
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – September 13, 2023
For agenda visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1137280.pdf

Recording of Radio interview Zimmerman/Burkhart- on Black Hills in the Balance - SDPB
2023-09-20 05:30 - 06:30
Recording of a radio interview of Mary Zimmerman/Beth Burkhart-(of the Norbeck Society) on “Black Hills in the Balance” – SDPB
https://listen.sdpb.org/rural-life-and-history/2023-09-20/black-hills-in-the-balance

Board of Minerals & Environment
2023-09-21 09:00 - 16:00
Tentative BME meeting schedule for the remainder of 2023:
September 21, 2023
October 19, 2023
November 16, 2023
Please check the Boards and Commissions portal a week to 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting to confirm & get exact start & end times. Here is the link for the BME:

BLM's Proposed On-Shore Oil/Gas Leasing Rule Reform Comment Deadline
2023-09-22 21:30 - 22:00
Under direction of the Biden administration BLM is planning to do long overdue changes to its’ oil and gas leasing rules. Bonding rates and rules haven’t been updated in 60 years and are insufficient to cover the costs to clean up spills and abandoned wells. New bonding proposals in proposed rule will better protect taxpayers from footing the bill of clean-up and restoration costs when oil and gas companies leave hazardous messes behind.
The Comment deadline is Friday Sept 22nd, We assume on-line the comment portal will shut down at midnight in DC. Go to this link to submit formal comment or scroll down to link for the Audubon pre-fab on-line letter portal. Federal link to comment:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/BLM-2023-0005-0001

Quote from the BLM:
“The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to revise the BLM’s oil and gas leasing regulations. Among other things, the proposed rule would reflect provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act pertaining to royalty rates, rentals, and minimum bids, and would update the bonding requirements for leasing, development, and production. The proposed rule would also improve the BLM’s leasing process to ensure proper stewardship of public lands and resources and would revise some operating requirements.”
National Audubon Society, Earth Justice, NRDC and the Wilderness Society support the changes. If you read their writings you could create some comments complimenting the rule changes:
Here is an Earth Justice Press release: https://earthjustice.org/press/2023/environmental-groups-react-to-new-blm-rules-for-oil-and-gas-leasing-on-federal-lands
Here is a link to a pre-fab on-line comment letter provided by the National Audubon Society:
https://act.audubon.org/a/oil-and-gas-leasing?contactdata=Rt1gLGIc3MqRqmMKtr3pa+vIjoiwLINXMV19A89vDpx4TsLz6elo3RCG7hkN4Ko+SKEMWfQMYp2skcYAM7PcOg==&ms=policy-adv-email-ea-x-advocacy_20230915_(dc)_20230915-alert-onshore_oil_and_gas_leasing_-_resend&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=advocacy_20230915_(dc)_20230915-alert-onshore_oil_and_gas_leasing_-_resend&emci=8a2f893a-5a52-ee11-9937-00224832e811&emdi=38c476fa-d853-ee11-9937-00224832e811&ceid=1923709
There are several group sign-on comment letters being written, at least by Earth Justice, Western Environmental Law Center and WORC. Nancy Hilding is trying to get a copy of those. (605-787-6466 or phas.wsd@rapidnet.com)

Comment deadline on Spruce Draft Environmental Assessment, BHNF
2023-09-25 23:50 - 23:59
Comment Period on Spruce Draft Environmental Assessment, BHNF originally ended on Monday, Sept 25th. The Forest Service later (on 10/2/23) granted a 4 day extension till Friday October 6th. Go to Oct. 6th calendar day alert for info on that. Comments are e-mailed to Matthew Daily for later (10/6/23) deadline Matthew.Daily@usda.gov.
https://phas-wsd.org/event/spruce-comment-deadline-is-extended/
Link to view documents > – https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/blackhills/?project=61599
There are a bunch of documents to unload – The Draft EA & 11 specialist reports.
First below is an alert from the Norbeck Society and then a quote from the BHNF.
Please note, Forest Service comment deadlines that would fall on weekends or Holidays (due to counting days from announcement) move to the next working day, so the deadline is the 25th, not the 23rd. It actually says the 25th in the public notice. If sending by e-mail, do so a bit before midnight, which is the deadline.
On Friday afternoon of the 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th, the FS portal for Spruce was not working. It was fixed on late afternoon of Monday 25th (3:11 pm or earlier),.. This e-mail is Matt Daily’s – Matthew.Daily@usda.gov – if you want to complain about impact of the web site not working on you or if you want to send comments directly to him.
PHAS sent a letter requesting an extension. If they give that, it will be for 30 days. You can download documents once again and Nancy Hilding (nhilding@rapidnet.com) has a copy of the documents, if anyone wants them e-mailed by her directly.
Also, the Reading Room is still available and contains comments submitted up to the time that the project webpage failed (Friday afternoon).: US Forest Service NEPA Project Public Reading Room (usda.gov)
Quote from the Norbeck Society’s Alert:
“Important Comment Opportunity – Spruce Project comments due Sept. 23 [25th]
Black Hills Projects lead to Timber Harvests on our already overcut forest – please take a moment to submit your comments!
The Black Hills National Forest proposes management activities on approximately 3,614 acres in mixed conifer stands.
The modified proposed action includes:

@493 acres overstory removal with reserves
831 ac. shelterwood
888 ac. commercial thinning
720 ac. group selection
682 ac. precommercial thinning restoration

Associated road activities being proposed include:

@41 miles temporary road construction and closure
22 miles of road reconstruction, and road maintenance

Black Hills National Forest is requesting your comments on the Spruce Project (click here).This comes after an initial scoping comment period in March 2022 when around 170 people (overwhelmingly in opposition to the project) wrote comments. This public attention made a big difference: the project was reduced from about 20,000 acres of spruce logging to 3600 acres. While to their credit, Forest Service scaled the project down significantly, there is still substantial reason to be concerned and in opposition to the project for these reasons:

The Spruce Project potentially authorizes more unsustainable logging simply to appease the timber industry, without care for the needs of the forest.
According to the Forest Plan, the Forest Service is supposed to provide diverse habitats (and tree sizes and densities) to provide for a variety of life. However, in the majority of proposed cuts, the spruce project removes the few remaining dense stands that are essential for plant and wildlife habitats. These are currently islands of ecological integrity that we can’t afford to lose. The Spruce project leads to contiguous disturbed, cut-over forest.
The Spruce Project proposes that Spruce should be cut out of these areas in order to plant pines for future harvests. However, Forest Service has already recently over-committed to replanting trees to the tune of thousands of acres with no hope of actual achievement (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Projects: 3500 acres, Artemis Project: 2000 acres, Moskee Burn Project: 250 acres, Fish Fire Project: 600 acres, for a total of about 6350 acres. This is in addition to the ongoing Jasper Fire (2000) replanting. Basically, planting of pine in these areas will not happen for a long time because of a deficit of seedlings, infrastructure, and personnel.
Historically and recently, industry does not want spruce because it is an inferior wood product. If the Spruce project goes forward, and if planting takes place in 50 years, a pine product may be available for harvest in about the year 2175. Meanwhile, we have lost these intact forests that are the wells of biodiversity we hope can move back into the already-cut areas around them over time.
Spruce forests do not suffer from Mountain pine beetle outbreaks, and mixed Spruce-Pine forests have been determined to be more resistant to Mountain pine beetle. Many mixed pine and spruce stand have been logged and the (undesirable-to-industry) spruce was left behind. So, Pine was removed from Spruce and now they want to remove Spruce from Pine?? This is nonsensical. Example from 2018 southwest of Black Fox:
Damage to soils and water tables can take a century or more to recover from logging. Logging disturbance is of a magnitude greater than historical disturbances on the forest. The Black Hills have been recently logged at an unprecedented rate.
Add the reasons you want to keep your Spruce and mixed Spruce forests!

Below is a direct quote from the BHNF:
“Release Date: Aug 28, 2023
Contact(s): Media Contact: Scott Jacobson, 605-440-1409
Custer, S.D., Aug. 28, 2023 – The Black Hills National Forest is announcing the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Spruce Vegetation Management Project and is seeking public comment on the proposed project.
The project is located on National Forest System lands south of Spearfish Canyon, east of the Wyoming/South Dakota border, north of the Crazy Horse Memorial and west of Interstate 90.
The project includes management activities on approximately 3,614 acres in mixed conifer stands. The modified proposed action includes approximately 493 acres of overstory removal with reserves, 831 acres of shelterwood, 888 acres of commercial thinning, 720 acres of group selection, and 682 acres of precommercial thinning restoration.
The purpose of the project is to re-establish ponderosa pine and aspen in mixed conifer stands currently dominated by spruce; increase structural heterogeneity in spruce stands lacking age and size class diversity; provide site-specific fuels reduction to protect infrastructure at risk and create defensible space; and provide economic support to local communities.
Comments are encouraged to be specific, within the scope of the project, have a direct relationship to the proposed project activities, and include supporting reasons for the responsible official to consider (36 CFR 218). The 30-day comment period for this project started with the publication of the legal notice in the Rapid City Journal on Aug. 24, 2023. The comment period will end on Sep. 25, 2023.
Comments can be submitted electronically through the project webpage at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/blackhills/?project=61599. Written comments may be submitted to: Matt Daily, Black Hills National Forest, 1019 N. 5th Street Custer, SD 57730; or can be dropped off in person (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays).
For more information on the Black Hills National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills, follow the Forest on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackhillsnf or Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackHillsNF.”

Sierra Club Hybrid Meeting on Mining Threats to Rapid Creek Watershed
2023-09-28 18:30 - 20:40
Black Hills Group of Sierra Club is hosting a program on protecting the Rapid Creek watershed from mining and exploration — Thursday , Oct 28th beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Outdoor Campus – West in Rapid City. Suzanne Martley (an environmental attorney) will lead the discussion.
This is a hybrid meeting ….Suzanne will be online by 6:15 p.m. to let folks into the chat.
──────────
Suzanne Martley is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89229868938?pwd=[REDACTED] ID: 892 2986 8938
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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One tap mobile
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Dial by your location
• +1 253 205 0468 US
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Meeting ID: 892 2986 8938
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ken56p6O5J
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Deadline to Comment on Biden Administration's Proposed Changes to NEPA
2023-09-29 21:30 - 21:59
Biden’s White House’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a proposed rule-making on 31 July 2023 to implement Congress’s changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) recently enacted in the Fiscal Responsibility Act & also to complete Phase 2 of its’ rewrite of Trump’s rewrite of NEPA. The proposed rule is open for public comment through Friday, 29 September 2023.
If you scroll down to the bottom on the alert, a simple pre-fab comment letter is available there.
To learn about in more depth – summaries of changes proposed.- visit these links.
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/the-white-house-continues-to-advance-6435510/
https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/2023/08/nepa-phase2-proposal/
A red line version of proposed rule change:
https://ceq.doe.gov/docs/laws-regulations/CEQ-Regulations-Redline-for-Proposed-Rule.pdf
Nancy (nhilding@rapidnet.com, 605-787-6466) can also send a link to a sign-on letter for groups, organized by Earth Justice – any groups wanting to sign on must do so by COB on Thursday 9/28/23.

The CEQ will hold virtual public meetings on the proposal on Saturday, 26 August; Wednesday, 30 August; Monday, 11 September; and Thursday, 21 September.“
For more on the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s impact on NEPA, please see alert on the topic found here. – https://www.klgates.com/Debt-Ceiling-Legislation-Serves-as-a-Vehicle-for-Substantive-Changes-to-NEPA-6-5-2023
See Press Release, Biden-⁠Harris Administration Proposes Reforms to Modernize Environmental Reviews, Accelerate America’s Clean Energy Future, and Strengthen Public Input, Visit the White House at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/news-updates/2023/07/28/biden-harris-administration-proposes-reforms-to-modernize-environmental-reviews-accelerate-americas-clean-energy-future-and-strengthen-public-input/ (July 28, 2023).
Or visit – 88 Fed Reg. 49924 (July 31, 2023).
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/07/31/2023-15405/national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations-revisions-phase-2
CEQ will look to Executive Orders 12898 and 14096 to guide its application of environmental justice.

==============================

HOW TO COMMENT:
The deadline is received in Washington DC just before midnight EST (11:59 pm EST).
You may submit comments, identified by docket number CEQ–2023–0003, by any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 202–456–6546.
• Mail: Council on Environmental Quality, 730 Jackson Place NW, Washington, DC 20503.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, “Council on Environmental Quality,” and docket number, CEQ–2023–0003, for this rulemaking. All comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Please do not submit electronically any information you consider private, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information, the disclosure of which is restricted by statute.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov.
========
For more info: Amy B. Coyle, Deputy General Counsel, 202–395–5750, Amy.B.Coyle@ceq.eop.gov

===============================================
SIMPLE COMMENTS
===================================================
Quote from Food & Water Watch alert:

“The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), one of America’s most important environmental laws, empowers affected communities and the public to raise concerns about the environmental impacts of proposed projects involving federal activity.
But in 2020, the Trump administration drastically limited NEPA’s effectiveness to fast-track dirty projects, limit review of climate change impacts, and keep communities in the dark. The Biden administration has worked to reverse many of these dangerous rollbacks, and is currently accepting public comment on new proposed regulations.
To continue to reverse Trump’s damage, we need the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to strengthen and quickly finalize the proposed regulations, which will help ensure frontline communities have a way to fight polluting projects that threaten our air, water, and climate.
Submit your comment on Regulations.gov before the deadline on September 29. Tell the Council on Environmental Quality: It’s time to fully restore NEPA rules!
Submitting a comment to Regulations.gov is easy.

Click any link in this email to be taken to the regulations.gov page.
Provide your information.
Click “Submit Comment.”

Here is some sample comment language to get you started:
I urge the Council on Environmental Quality to strengthen and quickly finalize the new proposed National Environmental Policy Act regulations to help ensure frontline communities have a way to fight polluting projects that threaten our air, water, and climate. “

The Drive Electric EV Car Event - Rapid City
2023-09-30 14:00 - 18:00
The City of Rapid City’s Standing Committee on Sustainability is honored to sponsor The Drive Electric EV Car Event that will be held again this year in Rapid City in conjunction with the Cruiser Car Show to be held at Main Street Square from 2-6 pm on Saturday, September 30, 2023. The EVs will be on the 6th Street side.

Several different makes and models of Electric Vehicles will be on display. Owners of the vehicles and members of the Sustainability Committee will be on hand to distribute information and answer questions.

“National Drive Electric Week is presented by Plug In America, The Electric Vehicle Association, The Sierra Club, EVHybridNoire, and Drive Electric USA” For a complete list of National Drive Electric Week events, visit:DriveElectricWeek.org

Deadline to Send Written Comments to SDGFP Commission
2023-10-01 23:30 - 23:59
Just before midnight MT is the legal deadline to send written comments to the SDGFP. Even though it is illegal when meeting occurs in MT location, SDGFP’s Artificial Intelligence may cut off the comment period at midnight CT. If they don’t include your comment sent before midnight 11:59 MT, it is illegal and you can complain. Comments received by the deadline are included in the Commission book & public record for October (5th-6th) 2023. Comments received afterwards go to the November public record.
Comments can be directly sent to each commissioner at their e-mails, 365 day of the year, or you can postal mail or call them directly, but such comments don’t go in the public record. Go to our alerts on Commission meetings both future and past for issues associated with Commission. On Thursday they will be considering a petition for rule making on hound hunting of raccoons. If accepted it will move forward to rule making with a finalization hearing likely at the December meeting.
PHAS will object to this.
Agenda of Oct 5th-6th
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/October_2023_Commission_Agenda_ .pdf
Hound hunting of raccoons petition:
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/Petition_203_-_Nonresident_Raccoon_Hunting_with_Hounds.pdf
Finalization – Free admittance at Parks some days, Hunt for Habitat rules
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/FINAL_Mothers_Fathers_Day_PEL_Exemption_Repeal.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/FIN_2023_Hunt_for_Habitat.pdf
To find public comment web page
https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/
https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/information/

SD Water Management Board Meeting
2023-10-04 09:00 - 2023-10-05 17:30
Below are the Water Management Board meetings tentatively scheduled for the remainder of 2023.
October 4-5, 2023
December 6-7, 2023
Please check the Boards and Commissions Portal a week to 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting date to confirm. Here is the link to the portal:
https://boardsandcommissions.sd.gov/Meetings.aspx?BoardID=106

SD Game, Fish and Parks Commission October 2023 Meeting
2023-10-05 13:00 - 2023-10-06 12:00
SD Game, Fish and Parks Commission October Meeting was in Deadwood and occurred on Thursday 5th and Friday the 6th of October 2023. It will be hybrid and Zoom links will be available. More details will be posted later, but as it gets close to the meeting – for details watch: https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/information/
Written comments are due before midnight on the Sunday night before the meeting.
You can testify in person or by Zoom, at 2 pm MT.
Go to past event calendar alerts on Commission meetings for more notes on general Commission meeting procedure.
The finalization for Mountain Lion season (public hearing and Commission vote on proposal) that was planned for October, did not occur in October. The Commission killed the rule proposal from public petition at September meeting.
Visit PHAS Mountain Lion alert or our alert in events calendar for the July & September Commission meeting for details.
We still ask people write or testify in opposition to hound hunting of cougars and raccoons, as the Commission seems to want to allow hounding hunting in the Black Hills Fire Protection District by a different & future action. There was a petition for rule making presented and considered on allowing hound hunting of raccoons for out-of-state hunters. This petition was denied – it seemed that the vocal Commissioners wanted a rule to allow out-of-state hound hunters, but were not happy with how the petitioner designed the rule to permit this.
Year-round hunting of raccoons by hounds, boot hunt or traps is currently allowed in SD by residents. Non-residents can only kill for a few months in the winter (Dec-March) when fur pelts thick, and can’t use hounds. SDCL https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/41-6-23 Administrative rules – https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/41:08:01:08.02
SDGFP’s raccoon web page at SDGFP https://gfp.sd.gov/raccoon/
SDCL on hounds can’t be used for big game, except Mt Lions as allowed by the Commission:, SDCL 41-8-15, https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/41-8-15
Mountain lion hunting restrictions https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/41:06:61:06
See our alert on NPBP. Nest predator bounty program (NPBP) applies to raccoons, which are species most frequently killed by NPBP bounty hunters. https://phas-wsd.org/sd-nest-predator-bounty-program/
REPORT ON ACTIONS
The Commission modified the licenses offered through the Hunt for Habitat raffle package (Custer State Park Bison, Any Deer and Any Deer/Elk). The any antelope licenses were removed from the previous three license packages, and two any deer licenses were added to provide an opportunity for two additional license options, with a total of nine licenses issued..
The Commission tabled action on this topic of getting rid of one day fishing license until the November meeting to allow for additional public comment opportunity.
The Commission killed petition for rule making to allow out-of-state hound hunters of raccoons, but this was not opposition to the general concept, but objection to how the proposed rule was written.
You can go to the archives to listen to audio of past Commission meetings – https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/archives/
If you have a Macintosh, you may need to download free audio files translation software for Macs, to open PC audio files.
Agenda of Oct 5th-6th
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/October_2023_Commission_Agenda_ .pdf
Hound hunting of raccoons by non-residents petition:
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/Petition_203_-_Nonresident_Raccoon_Hunting_with_Hounds.pdf
Finalization – Free admittance at Parks some days, Hunt for Habitat rules
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/FINAL_Mothers_Fathers_Day_PEL_Exemption_Repeal.pdf
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/FIN_2023_Hunt_for_Habitat.pdf
To find public comment web page
https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/
https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/information/
Written comments can be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/. To be included in the public record of the next meeting, comments must include your complete name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of seventy–two hours before the meeting (not including the day of the meeting) (Usually Sunday night before midnight CT or MT depending on time zone of physical meeting) If you miss that deadline it goes to record of the next meeting. Go to our November Calendar for alerts on November Commission meeting – https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-november-2023-meeting/
You can testify at GFP meetings which are held in person and by Zoom, generally at 2 pm on the Thursday of the meeting, in time zone of the meeting.
Unless you want to communicate directly with each Commissioner (those comments will not be in the public record)– https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/members/ (no deadline). You can see phones and home address at this link. Here are likely e-mails for them.
“Stephanie.Rissler@state.sd.us” <Stephanie.Rissler@state.sd.us>, “Jon.Locken@state.sd.us” <Jon.Locken@state.sd.us>, “Travis.Bies@state.sd.us” <Travis.Bies@state.sd.us>, “Robert.Whitmyre@state.sd.us” <Robert.Whitmyre@state.sd.us>, “Julie.Bartling@state.sd.us” <Julie.Bartling@state.sd.us> or Julia.Bartling@state.sd.us, “charles.spring@state.sd.us” <charles.spring@state.sd.us> ,
The two new commissioners e-mails likely are:
Jim.White@state.sd.us or James.White@state.sd.us, Bruce.Cull@state.sd.us

Spruce comment deadline is extended
2023-10-06 23:30 - 23:59
Comment deadline on Spruce project was extended until Friday, October 06, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. MT. This is because the webpage for the project (including the commenting portal) was not working for part of Friday, all of Saturday and Sunday and part of Monday, when comments were due on Monday the 25th. This was a nation wide issue for Forest Service for some of their web pagess.

Toni Strauss, Deputy Forest Supervisor of the Black Hills National Forest and the Responsible Official for the Spruce Vegetation Management Project (Spruce Project), has decided to offer a four-day, additional period to comment on the draft environmental assessment (EA) for the project due to a temporary outage of the Forest Service’s project website.

The Black Hills National Forest is proposing management activities on approximately 3,614 acres in mixed conifer stands. Proposed treatments include approximately 493 acres of overstory removal with reserves, 831 acres of shelterwood, 888 acres of commercial thinning, 720 acres of group selection, and 682 acres of precommercial thinning restoration. Associated road activities being proposed include approximately 41 miles of temporary road construction/closure, 22 miles of road reconstruction, and a couple hundred miles of road maintenance
The Spruce Project draft EA and supporting documents are available on the project webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/blackhills/?project=61599.
You can read comments already submitted here both during scoping and on the draft EA (the project was larger at scoping).: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//ReadingRoom?Project=61599
PHAS has submitted comments as has the Norbeck Society.
The following options are available for submitting comments:

Email comments to: matthew.daily@usda.gov
Hardcopy comments can be mailed, or hand delivered (Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. mountain time, excluding holidays):

Toni Strauss, Deputy Forest Supervisor
Black Hills National Forest
Attn: Matthew Daily (Spruce Project)
1019 N. 5th Street
Custer, SD 57730
(605) 673-9200

Fax comments to (605) 673-9350. Cover page needs to include “Comments for Spruce Project, Attn: Matthew Daily.”

Thank you for taking time to review the proposed Spruce Project and submitting comments. Additional information can be obtained from: Matthew Daily, Natural Resources Staff Officer, (605) 673-9313, matthew.daily@usda.gov.

Norbeck Society Annual Meeting & Picnic
2023-10-08 11:00 - 17:00
Sunday, October 8, 11:00 a.m. Annual Picnic at Steamboat Rock Picnic Area, Nemo Road (18 miles northwest of Rapid City or 3.4 miles southeast of Nemo). There will be a potluck and the annual report. There is plenty of room to park along the closed gate. Potluck picnic – bring a dish to share and bring a chair. There’ll be a report on happenings and achievements of the past year and time to enjoy each other’s company in a beautiful Black Hills setting.

Norbeck Society Zoom meeting on Milkweed Hybridization
2023-10-12 18:00 - 20:30
Thursday, October 12, 6:00 p.m. – Norbeck Presents an evening Zoom with National Science Foundation grant recipient Dr. Carrie Olson-Manning, Associate Professor of Biology & Computer Science, Augustana University: “The Science of Milkweed Hybridization: What happens to genomes and biochemical networks when species hybridize?”
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88173621695?pwd=[REDACTED]

Field Trip on Forestry Basics
2023-10-16 09:00 - 12:00
Field Trip on Forestry Basics
Monday, Oct 16th, 2023, 9 am
A car caravan will be organized in a dirt parking area along highway 385, just south of the entrance to Crazy Horse Monument & north of Custer, SD.

Dave Mertz, a retired forester from the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF), will drive around the forest with us. Dave is a former Natural Resource Staff Officer for BHNF – a major leadership position at the BHNF.

The purpose is to learn about forestry. We will make about 4-5 brief stops to see stands selected to highlight various forest management techniques, terminology & the management choices made by the BHNF. Attendees can ask a retired BHNF  forester questions about timber management by the BHNF and discuss issues with group. Please bring water and snacks.

This event is co-sponsored by PHAS & the Norbeck Society. This will be the third year we have such a field trip in October.

We also refer folks to the Norbeck Society web page on timber issues, to learn about the issues – this web page explains issues in a simple, easy to understand way. The Black Hills National Forest is cutting trees at a rate that is not sustainable. This is a violation of law.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d8ce039c0ab56657254042d/t/64963a42963cea10ced1ec16/1687566940885/Timber_NS.pdf

Here are some group letters to the Forest service, asking for changes in management that explain issues, in much greater detail and complexity

June 16th, 2021 letter to BHNF Supervisor
https://www.scribd.com/document/512534528/Black-Hills-NF-Must-Supplement-BHRl-Cease-MPBR-FINAL-2021-06-16?secret_password=[REDACTED]

May 17, 2021 letter to Regional Forester https://www.scribd.com/document/512536547/Letter-to-R2-RF-Re-Black-Hills-NF-Meeting-Followup-2021-05-17-FINAL?secret_password=[REDACTED]

May 12, 2021 letter’s attachment
https://www.scribd.com/document/512536561/Timber-Sale-Analysis-Spring-2021-FINAL-2021-05-12?secret_password=[REDACTED]

February 16th, 2021 letter to Regional Forester
https://www.scribd.com/document/499857016/2021-02-16-BHNF-Regional-Office-Meet-Request-Re-BHNF-Sustained-Yield

Black Hills National Forest - Forest Service Advisory Board Meeting
2023-10-18 13:00 - 16:30
Advisory Board Meeting
Forest Service Office – Mystic Ranger District Office
8221Mount Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD 57702
Likely at 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – October 18th, 2023
We are told that a lady from the Regional office will be there to release the final environmental assessments. This is the step needed before scoping on the Forest Plan Revision starts.
For agenda, when close to the date visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/blackhills/workingtogether/advisorycommittees/?cid=stelprdb5114550
Agenda
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1145426.pdf

Board of Minerals & environment Meeting
2023-10-19 09:00 - 16:00
Tentative BME meeting schedule for the remainder of 2023:

October 19, 2023
November 16, 2023
Please check the Boards and Commissions portal a week to 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting to confirm & get exact start & end times. Here is the link for the BME:

Dakota Rural Action Annual Meeting, Hot Springs
2023-10-20 10:00 - 2023-10-21 15:00
October 20th and 21st, Dakota Rural Action will hold its 2023 Annual Meeting in Hot Springs at the Red River Rock Resort. This year the Annual Meeting is free for members to attend. Friday 10 am-4 pm, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Sat 10 am -3 pm
For more info:
https://www.dakotarural.org/2023-annual-meeting/
