April 15, 2002

One of the landowners near the park’s Elkhorn Ranch Unit plans to retire from ranching and farming and has expressed an interest in selling their 5,150-acre ranch to the National Park Service (NPS) for inclusion within Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This ranch is on the east side of the Little Missouri River adjacent to the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. Roosevelt grazed his cattle, hunted wildlife and wrote about his experiences on what is now this ranch. Historians report that the time Theodore Roosevelt spent at the Elkhorn helped formulated a conservation ethic that became so important to national conservation when TR assumed the Presidency in 1901. See attached map.

The NPS is beginning a boundary study to determine if this ranch should be included within the park as a national preserve. The product of this study will be a determination if the ranch and perhaps the associated grazing allotment should be added as a part of the National Park System as a national preserve to be administered by Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

A national preserve is managed differently than a national park. National preserves are defined by the NPS as areas having characteristics associated with national parks, but in which Congress has permitted continued grazing, public hunting, oil/gas exploration and extraction." The NPS manages 19 national preserves. The latest one was established by the U.S. Congress in 2001 and is called the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. This particular park and preserve is in south central Colorado.

To study this proposal, the park will follow the guidelines in the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). This letter and media releases will let the public know that the park is initiating the boundary amendment study. We are asking you and the public for input into this proposal. From initial input gathered by the public and the park staff, an Boundary Study Environmental Assessment (EA) will be prepared and distributed to the public. Later this summer after the Draft EA has been released, public workshops will be held around the state to discuss the EA and proposal. With the input provided by this public review, the park will finalize the boundary study report and EA and make a decision whether to pursue this proposal by submitting a request to the U.S. Congress. Expanding Theodore Roosevelt National Park boundaries to include the establishment of a national preserve will require an act of Congress and a presidential signature.

Following are the concerns and issues identified by the park staff that needs to be studied in the EA. Are there any other concerns or issues that you think should be studied in this process?

• Does this area have national significance.
• Is the proposed lands suitable for inclusion within the National Park System as a theme or type of recreation opportunity not already adequately represented in the System.
• Is the area of sufficient size and appropriate configuration to ensure long-term protection and interpretation of the resource and to accommodate public use.
• Does the area have potential for efficient administration at a reasonable cost.
• What experiences did Theodore Roosevelt have in this area, i.e. hunting, cattle grazing, solace, remoteness, solitude, etc. Is it appropriate to incorporate these experiences and values into the management or interpretation of the preserve.
• If a national preserve is recommended to Congress, what legislated uses should be authorized.
• The owners of the ranch have a permit to graze approximately 18,000 acres of a U.S. Forest Service Allotment. Should the allotment or a portion of the allotment be included within the preserve.
• Should there be a recommendation that the State School Land and State Historical Society land be included within the proposal by either a purchase, exchange or donation.
• Are there other adjacent private or public-managed lands that would be appropriate to add to the proposal.
• If designated for inclusion, what are the socioeconomic impacts. For examples: Does the proposal have an effect on the population base of the region, what are the impacts to the Billings County tax base, what are the impacts of removing 5,150 acres from private ownership, what are the benefits for the public or park visitors, what are the projections for visitation to the national preserve and that contribution to the economy, how many new park employees might be hired and that impact/benefit to the local economies, and what services will be required within the preserve and who will provide those services, i.e. road maintenance, emergency medical needs, search and rescue, etc.
• Would preserve status impact current and future oil and gas development.
• Does the proposal impact prime farmland soils.
• What is the relationship of the proposal to air and water resources and quality.
• Are there impacts or benefits on existing or future water rights.
• What is the relationship and/or impacts to threatened and endangered species or other native vegetative or animal species.
• What are the benefits or impacts to archeological, paleontological, American Indian enthnographic, or historic sites.
• What are the potential recreational opportunities and do they relate to other recreational activities in the park, National Grasslands and the state-owned land, i.e. hunting, canoeing, the Maah Daah Hey Trail, backpacking, wildlife observation, scenic viewing, horseback riding, etc.
• What is the expected infrastructure required by the park if the proposal moves forward. (Note: If Congress establishes a national preserve, detailed development, infrastructure, staffing and other issues would be addressed in a General Management Planning process, However it may be useful to state the current thoughts in this study and EA.)
• How will the wildlife and public hunting be managed.
• Should trapping be permitted within the national preserve boundary.

If you were mailed a copy of this letter, you will receive a copy of the EA to review. It is anticipated that this document will be ready for distribution to the public this summer. You will also receive notice of the public workshops.

Sincerely

Noel R. Poe

Superintendent

Enclosure