WEST GLACIER, MONT. – Glacier National Park officials announce that Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for two proposed park projects have been signed by National Park Service Acting Intermountain Regional Director John T. Crowley.
Work will now begin on two west side projects within the park: the construction of a new hay storage and feeding facility, and an addition to the carpenter shop in West Glacier.
A new hay storage and stock feeding facility will be constructed at the barn in West Glacier. The project is a proactive measure to address employee safety issues that exist with current feeding and hay storage operations. Park employees who handle the hay suffer from acute respiratory effects.
The open-sided feeding and hay storage structure will provide added storage capacity and the capability for hay to be machine stacked rather than hand stacked. In addition, this project will reduce respiratory problems and the risk of contracting Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) from air-born viruses. The HPS is associated with rodent populations and their waste, present in the barn and in the hay when delivered.
The second project involves construction of an addition to the existing carpenter shop in the West Glacier housing/maintenance area. Currently, the park’s sign shop is housed in three different buildings; each structure needs rehabilitation. In addition, the park’s paint shop does not allow for use of necessary equipment because of health code violations. The paint shop cannot be rehabilitated without a major structural change to the building. The addition to the carpenter shop will allow for reorganization and consolidation of the three facilities.
Environmental assessments for each project addressed potential impacts to park resources and the public, weighed alternative actions. These were made available for public review from July 13 to August 9, 2004.
Work on these projects will begin this fall, weather permitting.
The FONSIs are available on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/glac/plans.htm.
