Categorical Exclusion · Butte Ranger District · updated 10/15/2026 · decision 4/2027 (Estimated)
12 miles northwest of Butte, Montana along Wild Horse Meadow Road. T3N R9W Section 8, Montana Meridian · Silver Bow, Montana
Installation of fiber optic cable to upgrade services to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) communications site approximately 12 miles northwest of Butte, Montana. Approximately 3,015 feet of fiber optic cable and conduit is proposed for placement within Wild Horse Meadow Road right-of-way.
Special use management
NEPA Start Date
10/6/2026
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Categorical Exclusion | USDA-28d-USFS |
Environmental Assessment · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest · updated 9/25/2026
North of Highway 278, headwaters of Bull Creek drainage · Beaverhead, Montana
The Bull Creek Project is designed to reduce the prevalence of dwarf mistletoe and mountain pine beetle by establishing a mosaic of age and structural classes in the Bull Creek drainage.
Forest productsVegetation management (other than forest products)
NEPA Start Date
12/12/2025
Finding/Decision Date
9/25/2026
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Decision Signed Date | 9/25/2026 |
Environmental Assessment · Dillon Ranger District · updated 7/22/2026 · decision 3/2027 (Estimated)
Located approximately 3.6 miles Northwest of Argenta, MT · Beaverhead, Montana
The Dillon Ranger District received a Plan of Operations for the Goldfinch Mine located approximately 3.6 miles northwest of Argenta. A 3 year exploration project including roads, trenches and shaft that will be reclaimed after exploration is complete.
Minerals and geology
Project documents
Environmental Assessment · Madison Ranger District · updated 5/13/2026
This project is located in the south Tobacco Roots 4.5 miles east of Sheridan, 5.5 miles west of McAllister, 6.7 miles northwest of Ennis, and 7.7 miles north of Virginia City, Montana. · Beaverhead, Montana
This project is being developed to treat vegetation in the project area by reducing hazardous fuels, commercial timber harvest, and thinning stands using non-commercial methods.
Forest productsVegetation management (other than forest products)Fuels management
Comment Period
04/15/2026
Decision
05/2026 (Estimated)
Implementation
05/2026 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Special Authority | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Project Activity | Road Decommissioning; Fuel Treatments (Non-Activity Fuels); Forest Vegetation Improvements; Species Habitat Improvements; Roadless Area Management; Timber Sales (Salvage); Timber Sales (Green); Watershed Improvements |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Madison Ranger District |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Decision Memo · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units · updated 4/20/2026
Butte Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, in Jefferson, County Montana · Jefferson, Montana
The project proposes to reduce wildfire risk to communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems in the path of potential, future wildfires. The Buttermilk Fuel Break is southwest of the town of Boulder, MT and other fuel break is north of Basin, MT.
Fuels management
Comment Period
09/01/2023
Decision
04/2026 (Estimated)
Implementation
05/2026 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Categorical Exclusion | 32.3(11) |
| Special Authority | 2021 Infrastructure: Fuel Break Ce |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | Not Subject to Regulations |
| Project Activity | Fuel Treatments (Non-Activity Fuels); Forest Vegetation Improvements |
| FANEC - Basin Cataract/Buttermilk Fuel Break Project | Decision Signed Date: 04/16/2026 |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Butte Ranger District |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Decision Memo · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units · updated 4/20/2026
Pintler Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Granite County, Montana · Granite, Montana
To respond to the wildfire crisis, the project proposes to reduce potential wildfire threat to nearby communities and critical infrastructure. The fuel break runs east to west along the front country of the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness.
Fuels management
Comment Period
09/01/2023
Decision
04/2026 (Estimated)
Implementation
05/2026 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Categorical Exclusion | 32.3(11) |
| Special Authority | 2021 Infrastructure: Fuel Break Ce |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | Not Subject to Regulations |
| Project Activity | Fuel Treatments (Non-Activity Fuels); Forest Vegetation Improvements |
| FANEC - Georgetown Fuel Break Project | Decision Signed Date: 04/15/2026 |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Pintler Ranger District |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Environmental Assessment · Pintler Ranger District · updated 4/8/2026
The project is located within Granite County approximately 11 miles north of Philipsburg, Montana near Maxville, Montana. · Granite, Montana
The project is proposed to reduce hazardous fuel loading and fire severity, provide opportunities to reduce wildfire risk to adjacent communities, and improve overall forest health and ecological function toward desired future conditions.
Forest productsVegetation management (other than forest products)Fuels management
Comment Period
03/12/2026
Decision
03/2026 (Estimated)
Implementation
10/2026 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Special Authority | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Project Activity | Fuel Treatments (Non-Activity Fuels); Forest Vegetation Improvements; Road Maintenance; Road Improvements/Construction; Timber Sales (Salvage); Timber Sales (Green) |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Pintler Ranger District |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Environmental Assessment · Butte Ranger District · updated 2/27/2026
15 mi north of Whitehall, MT and 5 mi southwest of Boulder, MT in the Boulder Mountains in Jefferson County · Silver Bow, Montana
The project was developed with a total of 1,342 acres of activities, with 1,190 acres for commercial and 152 acres for non-commercial treatments to limit spread of insects/disease and improve forest health.
Forest productsVegetation management (other than forest products)Road management
Comment Period
09/22/2025
Decision
11/2025 (Estimated)
Implementation
12/2025 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Special Authority | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Project Activity | Road Decommissioning; Forest Vegetation Improvements; Road Maintenance; Road Improvements/Construction; Timber Sales (Salvage); Timber Sales (Green) |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Butte Ranger District |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Environmental Assessment · Madison Ranger District · updated 2/9/2026
The project addresses lands in the Greenhorn Range in the northwest corner of the Gravelly Mountains, Madison Ranger District, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. · Madison, Montana
The proposed project is to help restore and maintain the structure, function, composition and ecological connectivity of the forest system in order to increase resiliency to future natural disturbance events like wildfire, insects, and disease.
Wildlife, fish, rare plantsForest productsVegetation management (other than forest products)Fuels managementWatershed management
Comment Period
12/04/2025
Decision
02/2026 (Estimated)
Implementation
03/2026 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Special Authority | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | 2021 Infrastructure: Emergency Actions |
| Project Activity | Fuel Treatments (Non-Activity Fuels); Forest Vegetation Improvements; Noxious Weed Treatments; Rangeland Vegetation Improvements; Timber Sales (Salvage); Timber Sales (Green); Watershed Improvements |
| Greenhorn Vegetation Project Supplemental FONSI | Decision Signed Date: 02/09/2026 |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Madison Ranger District |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Environmental Assessment · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units · updated 11/20/2025
National Forest System Lands managed by the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in southwest Montana. · Beaverhead; Deer Lodge; Granite; Jefferson; Madison; Powell; Silver Bow, Montana
Amendment to the revised 2009 Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. This amendment will apply wildlife standard 7 to National Forest System lands that meet the criteria for Canada lynx habitat management.
Land management planning
Comment Period
06/01/2025
Objection Period Start
08/30/2025
Decision
11/2025 (Estimated)
Implementation
12/2025 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Special Authority | Not Applicable / Other |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | 219 (2012) |
| Project Activity | Plan Amendment |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |
Decision Memo · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units · updated 9/26/2025
Where aspen stands are encountered on the Forest that meet the criteria for treatment. · Beaverhead; Deer Lodge; Gallatin; Granite; Jefferson; Madison; Silver Bow, Montana
Increase aspen component in places where assessment indicates a need and conditions are favorable to support aspen using a variety of treatments.
Vegetation management (other than forest products)
Decision
08/2016 (Estimated)
Implementation
08/2016 (Estimated)
Project documents
NEPA / regulatory detail
| Categorical Exclusion | 32.2 (6), 36 Cfr 220.6(E)(6) |
| Special Authority | Not Applicable / Other |
| Notice and Comment Regulation | Not Subject to Regulations |
| Project Activity | Forest Vegetation Improvements |
| Forests | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| Districts | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest All Units |
| Legal Land Description | Not Applicable |