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Buffalo Creek Native Fish Restoration Environmental Assessment
Yellowstone National Park » Buffalo Creek Native Fish Restoration Environmental Assessment » Document List
Yellowstone National Park (Park) asks the public for comments on an Environmental Assessment (EA) that analyzes a proposal by the Custer Gallatin National Forest (USFS) and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MTFWP) about native fish conservation.
Custer Gallatin National Forest along with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposes to remove nonnative rainbow trout and hybridized cutthroat trout from the Buffalo Creek drainage, just north of Yellowstone in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness of Custer Gallatin National Forest. After removal, the USFS plans to reintroduce native Yellowstone cutthroat trout to the drainage.
In 2022, the USFS and MTFWP issued an EA to reintroduce native Yellowstone cutthroat trout to the Buffalo Creek drainage after removing nonnative and hybridized trout. Yellowstone's EA analyzes site-specific impacts of the USFS's and MTFWP's actions that may occur within Yellowstone in support of their proposal. Both agencies will use the area to access the Buffalo Creek drainage and to stage equipment.
Under Alternative 1 in Yellowstone's EA, the Park would remove nonnative and hybridized trout from Buffalo Creek within the Park in order to reintroduce native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. This is the current management direction for native fish conservation in the Park and was authorized in the Park's 2010 Native Fish Conservation Plan. In addition, Alternative 1 would not authorize the USFS and MTFWP to use the Park in support of their proposal.
Under Alternative 2, the NPS would allow the USFS to use the Slough Creek area to stage helicopter flights, and to access their project area by foot and stock once they finalize their plan.
The Custer Gallatin National Forest and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposal supports Yellowstone's 2010 conservation plan. The Park's success rate for conserving native trout within its boundary would be limited without the ability to remove nonnative fish upstream in the national forest.
EA Information:
Comments must be received by August 25, 2023. To comment, click on the "Open for Comment" tab on the left-hand side of this screen.
Public Comment Considerations
• Bulk comments in any format submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
• Before including your address, phone number, email, or other personal information, be aware that your entire comment - including your personally identifiable information - may be made public at any time. You may ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
• The proposed project is an undertaking as outlined under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (36 CRF § 800). We welcome comments about historic properties or other cultural resources that fall within the project area.
The Park is completing compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the Wilderness Act, and other applicable laws and policy for this project.
Custer Gallatin National Forest along with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposes to remove nonnative rainbow trout and hybridized cutthroat trout from the Buffalo Creek drainage, just north of Yellowstone in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness of Custer Gallatin National Forest. After removal, the USFS plans to reintroduce native Yellowstone cutthroat trout to the drainage.
In 2022, the USFS and MTFWP issued an EA to reintroduce native Yellowstone cutthroat trout to the Buffalo Creek drainage after removing nonnative and hybridized trout. Yellowstone's EA analyzes site-specific impacts of the USFS's and MTFWP's actions that may occur within Yellowstone in support of their proposal. Both agencies will use the area to access the Buffalo Creek drainage and to stage equipment.
Under Alternative 1 in Yellowstone's EA, the Park would remove nonnative and hybridized trout from Buffalo Creek within the Park in order to reintroduce native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. This is the current management direction for native fish conservation in the Park and was authorized in the Park's 2010 Native Fish Conservation Plan. In addition, Alternative 1 would not authorize the USFS and MTFWP to use the Park in support of their proposal.
Under Alternative 2, the NPS would allow the USFS to use the Slough Creek area to stage helicopter flights, and to access their project area by foot and stock once they finalize their plan.
The Custer Gallatin National Forest and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposal supports Yellowstone's 2010 conservation plan. The Park's success rate for conserving native trout within its boundary would be limited without the ability to remove nonnative fish upstream in the national forest.
EA Information:
Comments must be received by August 25, 2023. To comment, click on the "Open for Comment" tab on the left-hand side of this screen.
Public Comment Considerations
• Bulk comments in any format submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
• Before including your address, phone number, email, or other personal information, be aware that your entire comment - including your personally identifiable information - may be made public at any time. You may ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
• The proposed project is an undertaking as outlined under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (36 CRF § 800). We welcome comments about historic properties or other cultural resources that fall within the project area.
The Park is completing compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the Wilderness Act, and other applicable laws and policy for this project.