Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks upheld a previous decision to provide a permit to Flathead County for the construction of a concrete boat ramp on Church Slough off Lower Valley Road south of Kalispell.
State managers received 150 comments during the public scoping period. A majority of the comments supported the county’s proposal, according to FWP. The decision, based on the environmental assessment, concludes that the approval of the county’s plans to install the boat ramp does not conflict with any local, state or federal laws.
Following a lawsuit in Flathead District Court, FWP was tasked with completing a supplemental Montana Environmental Policy Act environmental analysis at Church Slough. This new assessment, which closed for public comment earlier this month, required FWP to analyze a new alternative that was not included in the 2010 assessment — creating a carry-in boat access instead of a formal ramp — and complete a more comprehensive analysis of secondary and cumulative impacts of a new boat ramp.
“Having studied the Department’s own analysis of the boat ramp alternative and the public comments and questions, I conclude that there is no likelihood of significant impact to fish and game habitat that would cause me to direct my staff to propose the hand-carry alternative to the county,” Jim Satterfield, FWP regional supervisor, said in his decision notice.
Flathead County began installing a boat ramp and other improvements to a public access point on Church Slough in 2010. A lawsuit was filed against the county and FWP in June 2010 and two years later the boat ramp was closed by court order.