Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
01/01/2022 to 03/31/2022
Black Hills National Forest

This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.
Report Contents (click to jump to a section) :
-  Projects Occurring Nationwide
-  R2 - Rocky Mountain Region, Black Hills National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)
-  R2 - Rocky Mountain Region, Black Hills National Forest,  Bearlodge Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R2 - Rocky Mountain Region, Black Hills National Forest,  Hell Canyon Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R2 - Rocky Mountain Region, Black Hills National Forest,  Mystic Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R2 - Rocky Mountain Region, Black Hills National Forest,  Northern Hills Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

Projects Occurring Nationwide  

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Locatable Mining Rule - 36 CFR 228, subpart A.
EIS
 - Regulations, Directives, Orders  On Hold  N/A  N/A Sarah Shoemaker
907-586-7886
sarahshoemaker@fs.fed.us 
Description: The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposes revisions to its regulations at 36 CFR 228, Subpart A governing locatable minerals operations on National Forest System lands.A draft EIS & proposed rule should be available for review/comment in late 2020
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57214
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. LEGAL - Not Applicable. These regulations apply to all NFS lands open to mineral entry under the US mining laws. More Information is available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/geology/minerals/locatable-minerals/current-revisions.
Back To Top

Black Hills National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)  

R2 - Rocky Mountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
RNA and BA Mineral Withdrawal
EA
 - Special area management
- Minerals and Geology
- Land ownership management 		 In Progress:
Comment Period Public Notice 09/24/2015  		Expected:09/2021
  		09/2021 Louie Conroy
605-673-9207
lmconroy@fs.fed.us 
Description: Proposed withdrawal of research natural areas and botanical areas from mineral entry. Necessary part of RNA designation process. Forest Service recommendation to BLM, who makes the decision. Project not subject to the objection process.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=45590
Location: UNIT - Black Hills National Forest All Units. STATE - South Dakota, Wyoming. COUNTY - Custer, Lawrence, Pennington, Crook. LEGAL - Not Applicable. This proposal addresses four Research Natural Areas and seven Botanical Areas totaling about 17,000 acres at various locations in South Dakota and Wyoming.
Rushmore Connector Trail Project
EIS
 - Recreation management
- Special use management 		 In Progress:
NOI in Federal Register 06/07/2016
Est. DEIS NOA in Federal Register 11/2021  		Expected:04/2022
  		05/2022 Louie Conroy
605-673-9207
lmconroy@fs.fed.us 
Description: The State of South Dakota has applied for a permit to construct, operate and maintain a 14-mile non-motorized trail across the Forest connecting the Mickelson Trail to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. The decision would amend Forest Plan direction.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=44935
Location: UNIT - Black Hills National Forest All Units. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Pennington. LEGAL - Not Applicable. The trail would connect the existing Mickelson Trail, running east from US Hwy 385 to the Mt. Rushmore Memorial.
Back To Top

Black Hills National Forest,   Bearlodge Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R2 - Rocky Mountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Black Buttes Fuel Reduction
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 03/2022  		Expected:05/2022  10/2022 Elizabeth Krueger
307-283-1361
elizabeth.krueger@usda.gov 
Description: Vegetation management to reduce hazardous fuels, including removal of commercial material.
Location: UNIT - Bearlodge Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Crook. LEGAL - T. 50 N., R. 62 W., 6th P.M. South of Sundance, Wyoming.
Moskee Burn Timber Stand and Wildlife Habitat Improvement
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 12/2021  		Expected:03/2022  09/2022 Elizabeth Krueger
307-283-1361
elizabeth.krueger@usda.gov 
Description: Thinning and removal of planted stock in the 1936 Moskee Burn area to improve growing conditions and wildlife habitat.
Location: UNIT - Bearlodge Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Crook. LEGAL - T. 49 and 50 N., R. 60 and 61 W., 6th P.M. Southeast of Sundance, Wyoming.
Woods Timber Stand Improvement
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 11/2021  		Expected:02/2022  08/2022 Elizabeth Krueger
307-283-1361
elizabeth.krueger@usda.gov 
Description: Timber harvest and non-commercial thinning to improve stand growth, reduce crown fire hazard, and improve wildlife habitat.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61076
Location: UNIT - Bearlodge Ranger District. STATE - Wyoming. COUNTY - Crook. LEGAL - T. 52, 53, 54 N., R. 62, 63 W., 6th P.M. North of Sundance Wyoming, between State Highway 24 and Warren Peak on the west side of the Bear Lodge Mountains.
Back To Top

Black Hills National Forest,   Hell Canyon Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R2 - Rocky Mountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Bismarck Lake Boardwalk Reconstruction Project
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Recreation management
- Facility management 		 Completed  Actual: 10/20/2021  10/2021 Rayma Daigle
605-673-9305
Rayma.Daigle@usda.gov 
Description: Reconstruction of existing lakeshore access, ADA compliant, boardwalk trail.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=60900
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - T.03S, R.05E, Section 22, Black Hills Meridian. Approximately five miles east/northeast of the City of Custer. Adjacent to the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway and Custer State Park.
Flanagan Access Road
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2020  		Expected:04/2020  04/2020 Sara Erickson
605-673-9347
serickson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Access to private property
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57990
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - Not Applicable. North West of Pringle.
Lithograph Land Exchange
EA
 - Land ownership management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 11/2019  		Expected:03/2020  05/2020 Meagan Buehler
605-673-9345
mkbuehler@fs.fed.us 
Description: Land Adjustment
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer, Fall River. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Southern Hills.
Martinson Access Road
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2020  		Expected:04/2020  04/2020 Sara Erickson
605-673-9347
serickson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Access to private property
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57992
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - Not Applicable. South East of Custer.
Morton Access Road
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2020  		Expected:04/2020  04/2020 Sara Erickson
605-673-9347
serickson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Access to private property
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57991
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - Not Applicable. South east of Custer.
Outlaw Ranch Sign Request
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2020  		Expected:04/2020  04/2020 Sara Erickson
605-673-9347
serickson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Outlaw Ranch has requested posting 2 directional signs at the two intersections along the route to their business.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57994
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - Not Applicable. north of Custer.
Southern Black Hills Water System Supplemental EA
EA

           *UPDATED* 		- Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 09/01/2021
Est. Comment Period Public Notice 10/2021  		Expected:01/2022
Actual: 01/27/2012
01/27/2012  		01/2022 Sara Erickson
605-673-9302
sara.erickson@usda.gov 
Description: The project is proposing to modify the original decision pertaining to the waterflow intake and water source as documented in the Decision Notice signed in 2012. The proposed action would allow for increased waterflow through the existing pipeline.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=32281
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer, Fall River. LEGAL - T6S, R4E, Sec 24; T6S, R5E, Sec 19, 20, 29. Southern Black Hills -.
Under Canvas Sign Permit
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2020  		Expected:04/2020  04/2020 Sara Erickson
605-673-9347
serickson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Under Canvas has requested the posting of a direction sign on public lands to assist their customers in finding their way to the business.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57993
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - Not Applicable. North East of Custer just outside the Norbeck.
Virginia Mine
CE
 - Minerals and Geology  On Hold  N/A  N/A Gary Haag
605-673-9199
ghaag@fs.fed.us 
Description: Pacer Corporation the operator of the Virginia Mine has submitted a proposed amendment to their existing Plan of Operations. The amendment proposes to expand the Virginia Mine by 1-acre.
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - BHM, T4S, R5E, SW 1/4, Section 7. The area of the proposed expansion is located approximately 1.4 miles northeast of Pringle, South Dakota.
Western Dakota Camp Association Craft Hall
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 04/2020  		Expected:04/2020  04/2020 Sara Erickson
605-673-9347
serickson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Western Dakota Camp Association has put in a request for their existing Craft Hall.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57989
Location: UNIT - Hell Canyon Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Custer. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Camp Bob Marshall.
Back To Top

Black Hills National Forest,   Mystic Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R2 - Rocky Mountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Cutty Sark Exploration Project
CE
 - Minerals and Geology  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 10/2021  		Expected:12/2021  12/2021 Gary Haag
605-673-9314
ghaag@fs.fed.us 
Description: The claimant proposes to do surface exploration using hand tools. They also propose to do sampling in the existing 120 ft. deep shaft. Exploration would be done using a winch attached to an ATV to lower a person into the shaft.
Location: UNIT - Mystic Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Pennington. LEGAL - Black Hills Meridian; T2N; R4E; SE 1/4 Section 33. Access to the claim is via closed road FSR 231.1C which connects to the Mystic Road.
Jenny Gulch Exploration Drilling Project
EA
 - Minerals and Geology
- Special use management 		 In Progress:
Comment Period Public Notice 01/06/2020  		Expected:05/2022
  		05/2022 Gary Haag
605-673-9200
gary.haag@usda.gov 
Description: This project includes diamond core drilling at up to 42 drill sites, access road maintenance (as needed), drill pad clearing (as needed), and reclamation activities.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57428
Location: UNIT - Mystic Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Pennington. LEGAL - Sections 19, 30, 31, T2N R5E and Sections 13, 14, 24, 25, T2N R4E. North of Silver City, SD.
Triple G/Rallo's Roost Placer Mining project
CE
 - Minerals and Geology  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 10/2021  		Expected:12/2021  12/2021 Gary Haag
605-673-4853
ghaag@fs.fed.us 
Description: Prospecting in previously mined placer deposits. Most of the mining will be pick and shovel. There will be one piece of mechanized equipment; a battery powered recirculating sluice 4ft. long by 1 ft. wide. Sluice will be set in 100 gal. tank.
Location: UNIT - Mystic Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Pennington. LEGAL - Black Hills Meridian, T1N, R4E, Sections 21 & 22. Six miles west of Rapid City, South Dakota. Access is via State Highway 44 to Forest Service Road 167.
Back To Top

Black Hills National Forest,   Northern Hills Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R2 - Rocky Mountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
M.S. 1135 FLPMA Road Easement
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 06/07/2021  		Expected:07/2021
  		08/2021 Callie Ackerman-Jasper
605-642-4622
Callie.Ackerman-Jasper@usda.gov 
Description: Landowners have requested that the road they use to access their private property be authorized as an easement. The road is currently established and in use.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=60204
Location: UNIT - Northern Hills Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Lawrence. LEGAL - T4N R4E Section 17 NW 1/4 BHM. Approximately 5.5 miles SE of Deadwood, SD. Unclassified road headed SE off of Galena road.
M.S. 1904 Utility Line Installation
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Special use management  Completed  Actual: 08/23/2021  08/2021 Callie Ackerman-Jasper
605-642-4622
Callie.Ackerman-Jasper@usda.gov 
Description: Installation of an underground utility line. Three options for the path of the line are being evaluated, one of which will be selected for implementation.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=60229
Location: UNIT - Northern Hills Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Lawrence. LEGAL - T4N R3E Section 19 NW 1/4 and T4N R3E Section 24 SW 1/4 BHM. Approximately 4.6 miles southeast of Deadwood SD. About 1/10th mile northeast of the end of Country Club Road, Branch 1C.
MS 2051 Road Use Permit
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 12/16/2020  		Expected:03/2021
  		04/2021 Callie Ackerman-Jasper
605-642-4622
Callie.Ackerman-Jasper@usda.gov 
Description: The landowners of MS 2051 have formed a road association and requested access to the property via Forest System Road 633.1. The property is landlocked by National Forest System land and qualifies for reasonable access under ANILCA.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=59282
Location: UNIT - Northern Hills Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Lawrence. LEGAL - Not Applicable. T5N, R1E, Section 20.
Private Roads FLPMA Special Use Authorizations
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Road management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 11/03/2021  		Expected:12/2021
  		12/2021 Callie Ackerman-Jasper
605-642-4622
Callie.Ackerman-Jasper@usda.gov 
Description: Private Road Special Use Authorizations
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61045
Location: UNIT - Northern Hills Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Lawrence. LEGAL - Not Applicable. T4N R3E Section 34; T5N R2E Section 12.
Winter 2021 Utility Installations
CE

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 11/03/2021  		Expected:12/2021
  		12/2021 Callie Ackerman-Jasper
605-642-4622
Callie.Ackerman-Jasper@usda.gov 
Description: Utility line installations
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61046
Location: UNIT - Northern Hills Ranger District. STATE - South Dakota. COUNTY - Lawrence. LEGAL - Not Applicable. T4N R2E Section 9; T3N R1E Section 35.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.