Lands Special Use Permits
Any non-recreational activity that allows occupancy, use, rights, or privileges must have a Special Use Authorization.
- Commercial Filming and Photography Special Use Permits
- Commercial Non-Recreational (Lands) Special Use Permits - these activities can include water transmission, telecommunication, and the granting of road and utility rights-of-ways.
- Recreation Residences Special Use Permits
- Recreation residences are privately-owned homes located on National Forest lands. The land or lot is not sold by the U.S. Forest Service but is permitted for recreational use and occupancy through a federal license, most commonly referred to as a special use permit. Recreation residences are maintained by the occupant (permit holder) for personal, family, and guest enjoyment but are not approved for either commercial use or as a permanent residence.
- Proponents are encouraged to schedule a pre-proposal meeting with the appropriate zone realty specialist.
- If you’d like to forego the pre-proposal (application) meeting, please complete and submit the SF-299 form.
- Note: Most proponents use the SF-299 form; however, any format may be used as long as it provides the information necessary for the Authorized Officer to screen the request.
- If the SF-299 is used, it is very important for Block 1 (Name/Address of Applicant) & Block 2 (Name/Address of Authorized Agent if different from the Applicant shown in Block 1) of the form to be completed correctly.
- A thoroughly completed SF-299 form prior to submittal will help to move the proposal through the special uses process in the most efficient manner possible.
- If the form is lacking necessary details/information, or if it contains conflicting information, it will be returned to the proponent for clarification or additional information.
- A thoroughly completed SF-299 form prior to submittal will help to move the proposal through the special uses process in the most efficient manner possible.
- The meeting can be held either before the proposal is submitted or after it is submitted, but prior to Forest Service screening of the proposal.
- Once a proposal is submitted, the Forest Service will screen the proposal in two steps:
- An initial screening; and,
- If the proposal passes the initial screening, a second level screening.
- If the proposal passes both the initial and second level screenings, then the proposal becomes an application for further consideration.
If you would like to schedule a Pre-Proposal (application) Meeting, please contact a Realty Specialist for the Lolo National Forest.
- East Zone Realty Specialist, Lands/Special Uses (Missoula, Ninemile and Seeley Ranger Districts)
- Phone: 208-702-2528
- West Zone, Realty Specialist, Lands/Special Uses (Superior and Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger Districts)
- Phone: 406-826-3821
- The proponent (the party who submitted the proposal) will be notified that the proposal has been accepted and is now considered an application.
- Cost Recovery will be determined and billed as applicable:
- Cost recovery is the assessment and collection of administrative fees from applicants (or authorization holders) to pay for agency costs accrued for processing special use applications and monitoring of the special use for compliance with the terms and conditions of the authorization.
- FSH 2709.11, Chapter 20: Cost recovery applies only to special use applications submitted and special use authorizations issued under 36 CFR part 251, Subpart B.
- Cost Recovery may only be waived or exempted only under certain circumstances (reference FSH 2709.11, Chapter 20, Sections 24.1 and 24.6).
- Once the Cost Recovery Fee has been billed by the FS and paid by the applicant, the application will continue through the special uses process, including an environmental analysis (NEPA).
- A Special Use Authorization may, or may not, result following the environmental analysis and Authorized Officer’s decision to grant the requested use/access.
It is important that you take into consideration that the Lolo National Forest must add requests for special use authorizations to its ‘Program of Work’. The process to move a proposal through the special uses screening and environmental analysis (NEPA) can be lengthy given existing and pending workload items, along with agency priorities. Please plan to submit your proposal approximately six months prior to the date the use is needed.