RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WELCOME Rushmore Connector Trail Environmental

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WELCOME Rushmore Connector Trail Environmental Impact Statement Scoping Meeting June 14, 2016 - Hill City June 16, 2016 - Rapid City

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WELCOME! The Purpose of Today’s Meeting is to: • Provide you with information about the Proposed Action • Gather your input on the elements that will be considered throughout the Environmental Impact Statement process • Answer your questions

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL Project Team • Federal Lead Agency - US Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest (Forest Service) • Federal Cooperating Agency- National Park Service (NPS) • Federal Cooperating Agency – Federal Highway Administration • Applicant- SD Game Fish and Parks (SDGFP) • Prime Consultant- HDR

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL Agenda • Project Overview • What are the phases needed to consider the proposed action? • What decisions need to be made? • What is scoping? • What is the purpose and need? • What is being proposed? • What else is being proposed? • What are the potential environmental considerations? • How do I submit a comment? • Open House

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT PHASES ARE NEEDED TO CONSIDER THIS PROPOSED ACTION?

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE?

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT IS SCOPING? Scoping: • An open process involving the public, tribes, and federal, state, and local agencies. • Identifies the major and important issues for considerations in the EIS. With YOUR help, we will: Take your input to help on considerations such as identifying significant issues, potential mitigation measures, and potentially develop alternatives. Public Input EIS Agency Input

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT IS THE PURPOSE & NEED? Forest Service National Park Service (Lead Federal Agency) (Cooperating Agency) Purpose of the project: • • To respond to the application submitted by SDGFP. Need for the project: • • Evaluate the application from SDGFP to construct, operate, and maintain a nonmotorized recreational trail and associated corridor across National Forest System lands managed by the Black Hills National Forest Determine effects of the trail Determine the trail’s consistency with law, regulation, policy, and guidance of the Revised Land Resource Management Plan for the Black Hills National Forest, as Amended (Forest Plan). Determine whether the SDGFP’s proposal is in accordance with the previous strategic planning guidance including the Memorial’s 1980 General Management Plan. Federal Highway Administration (Cooperating Agency) • FHWA is included as a Cooperating Agency to allow this agency to adopt the NEPA document at a later date if FHWA funding is requested for construction.

WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED? RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL SDGFP proposes to connect the existing George S. Mickelson Trail near Hill City to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Tra il OLD HILL CITY RD Sec. 33 T 1 S R 5 E Sec. 32 T 1 S R 5 E Sec. 31 T 1 S R 5 E ¤£ Sec. 27 T 1 S R 5 E Sec. 28 T 1 S R 5 E 16 ¤£ 16 Sec. 34 T 1 S R 5 E Sec. 35 T 1 S R 5 E PALMER GULCH RD Sec. 31 T 1 S R 6 E Sec. 36 T 1 S R 5 E ¤£ 16 Mi ck els on Sec. 36 T 1 S R 4 E Sec. 29 T 1 S R 5 E Sec. 30 T 1 S R 5 E l ai Tr al ni en nt Ce Hill City Sec. 25 T 1 S R 4 E OLD HILL CITY RD RENO GULCH RD ¤£ Potential New Campground Sec. 6 T 2 S R 5 E 16 Sec. 5 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 1 T 2 S R 4 E KOA Campground Sec. 4 T 2 S R 5 E HWY 244 Underpass OLD HILL CITY RD Sec. 2 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 3 T 2 S R 5 E Norbeck Wildlife Preserve Sec. 1 T 2 S R 5 E BIG PINE WILLOW CREEK Sec. 7 T 2 S R 5 E PALMER CREEK ¤£ 9 N 8 Sec. 9 T 2 S R 5 E 2 Sec. 8 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 16 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 17 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 18 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 10 T 2 S R 5 E Black Elk Wilderness 16 Sec. 13 T 2 S R 4 E 5 Sec. 15 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 11 T 2 S R 5 E l ai Tr al ni en nt Ce Sec. 12 T 2 S R 4 E PALMER CREEK RD WILLOW CREEK CG Sec. 6 T 2 S R 6 E «¬ HORSETHIEF 244 LAKE CG Horsethief Lake Keystone Relocate Big Pine. Trailhead South of HWY 244 Sec. 12 T 2 S R 5 E Norbeck Wildlife Preserve BREEZY POINT PG Sec. 7 T 2 S R 6 E WRINKLED ROCK CG HORSETHIEF Mount Rushmore National Memorial Ce nt en ni al Sec. 14 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 13 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 18 T 2 S R 6 E Tr ai l BLACKBERRY 2 NPS Blackberry 9 N Sec. 24 T 2 S R 4 E Sec. 21 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 19 T 2 S R 5 E «¬ 87 Proposed Route National Forest System Trail US Highways State Trail Local Roads Sec. 23 T 2 S R 5 E 14 Sec. 24 T 2 S R 5 E Sec. 19 T 2 S R 6 E DATA SOURCE: (USFS, NPS, Pennington County, SDDOT) LEGEND State Highways Sec. 22 T 2 S R 5 E ! ● FS Motorized Vehicle Trails FS Motorized Vehicle Roads O Mount Rushmore National Memorial Recreation Sites Forest Plan Management Areas Black Elk Wilderness General National Forest Private / Other Norbeck Wildlife Preserve Boundary Q 5 Campground Picnic Site Trailhead B 0 1, 200 Feet 2, 400 RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL The trail would include: • Approx. 15 to 17 miles of total nonmotorized use

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT ELSE IS BEING PROPOSED? • A potential new campground • Reconstructing SD Highway 244 underpass near Willow Creek/ Palmer Gulch Campgrounds • Up to three trail crossings of SD Highway 244 • Acquiring approximately 0. 1 miles across private land • Reconstructing portions of the Centennial Trail • The potential for additional trailhead facilities • The potential to hold special recreation events • The potential for additional Outfitter-Guide requests • The potential for implementing user fees

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT IS THE PROPOSED TRAIL DESIGN?

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS?

RUSHMORE CONNECTOR TRAIL HOW DO I SUBMIT A COMMENT? How to Stay Informed and Give Us Your Input: • Please fill out a comment form and leave it with a member of the Project Team or in the comment box • Comments on the project may be sent to: comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills@ fs. fed. us, with “Rushmore Connector Trail” in the subject line or through the project website • Visit our Project Website at: www. rushmoreconnectortrail. com Please provide written comments to the Forest Service. While we greatly appreciate speaking with you at the meeting, only written comments will be considered as part of the project record. Your input will help us identify significant issues that need to be considered as part of the EIS process.