Blaine County commissioners direct staff to send comment on U.S. Forest Service review changes

Blaine County commissioners on March 9 directed staff to submit a comment letter concerning a U.S. Forest Service proposal that would change how project-level pre-decisional administrative reviews are handled.

County Administrator Kirk Flannigan presented a draft letter outlining the change, saying the proposal "would shorten the comment period for environmental assessments from 30 days to 10 days, shorten the comment period for environmental impact statements from 45 days to 20 days, eliminate the deciding official's ability to extend the comment period, and shift legal notices from local newspapers to agency websites." The Board instructed staff to send the letter and to copy the county's federal delegation and the local newspaper.

The action recorded in the minutes is a direction to staff rather than a formal motion with a recorded vote; the transcript notes the Board "directed staff to send the comment letter" but does not report a mover, seconder, or roll-call tally. Chair Angenie McCleary called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m., opened public comment and, hearing none, closed that period before the discussion. The session adjourned at 11:08 a.m.

The proposed U.S. Forest Service amendment described in the materials would reduce public review windows for both environmental assessments and environmental impact statements and remove one mechanism for extending comment periods, while shifting legal-notice publication to agency websites. The County's decision to transmit the letter sends local government input to the federal process; the minutes do not include the letter text or say whether the county supports or opposes the proposed rule beyond the concerns outlined in the presentation.