Public input sought for proposed Black Lake Ranch/St. Maries parcels land exchange
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is holding four scoping meetings to gather public input regarding a proposed land exchange of four parcels comprising of 1,402.04 acres (St Maries parcels) of mostly forested land in Benewah County, Idaho, to be traded for 1,012.72 acres fronting the Coeur d’Alene River and Black Lake located in Kootenai County, Idaho (Black Lake Ranch).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program, in partnership with the IDFG, have prepared a draft National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA) of the St. Maries parcels/Black Lake Ranch exchange. The draft EA is open for public review and considers the biological, environmental, and socioeconomic effects of the proposed exchange.
Comments regarding the proposed exchange and draft EA may be emailed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at r1fa_grants@fws.gov. Comments will be accepted through March 28, 2016.
Review the draft Environmental Assessment
Draft Environmental Assessment [PDF 2.43 MB]
- Appendix I – 1981 EA [PDF 4.25 MB]
- Appendix II – 1990 Supplemental information to the EA [PDF 2.87 MB]
- Appendix III - Photographs of the St. Maries WMA [PDF 560 kb]
- Appendix IV - A list of the wildlife present on the St. Maries WMA [PDF 177 kb]
- Appendix V – Photographs of the Black Lake Ranch [PDF 1.66 MB]
- Appendix VI – St. Maries Wildlife Management Area Cultural Resource Inventory, Benewah County, Idaho [PDF 3.86 MB]
Open Meetings
IDFG will conduct four scoping meetings to provide information and obtain feedback as follows:
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Coeur d’ Alene: March 10, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Panhandle Office, Roosevelt Room, located at 2885 W. Kathleen Avenue.
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Medimont: March 16, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Medimont Grange located near mile marker 106 off of Hwy 3.
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St. Maries: March 17 and March 24, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., St. Maries Fire Station located at 308 W Jefferson Avenue.
For more information, contact Kathy Cousins, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Panhandle Office, 2885 W. Kathleen Avenue, Coeur d’Alene 83815 or call (208) 769-1414.