A biathlon course proposed for federal land near the top of MacDonald Pass will not adversely affect wildlife or have any significant impacts, according to a decision issued Thursday by Helena National Forest Supervisor Kevin Riordan.

His decision clears the way for the Montana Army National Guard to begin work on the biathlon course, barring any protest — which is promised by Michael Garrity, executive director for the Alliance for the Wild Rockies.

“We’ll definitely appeal it,” Garrity said. “We don’t think he should approve a biathlon course in the middle of a wildlife corridor.”

Riordan’s long-awaited decision goes back to 2003, when the Guard first proposed creating 12 miles of trails, part of which connect with an existing cross-country ski system, on 31 acres on the northwest side of MacDonald Pass. The facility would have five buildings totaling 6,500 square feet, and a parking lot, and be used for nine months, from June through February.

Riordan pared down the proposal in his decision document, approving only 10 miles of trails, 4,700 square feet of buildings, and only four months of use, which includes one event in July, plus numerous competitions and training in December, January and February.

In a biathlon, cross-country skiers race around a course, while occasionally stopping and shooting .22-caliber rifles at targets. The Guard trains biathletes to compete in the Olympics.

Approving the course was a difficult decision, Riordan noted.

“I really wrestled with a lot of stuff; part of the reason it took so long was the different opportunities for public involvement,” Riordan said. “We spent a lot of time doing our analysis, and that’s also what took so long. We were wrestling through a lot of stuff and a lot of perspectives.

“I just wanted to make sure we really focused on all the right stuff and pull it together to make the best decision possible.”

One item that was brought out was the use of the area by wild animals in the summer, which is why Riorden decided to shorten the event season.

“The guard wanted a lot of summertime use, but biathlon and skiing is a winter activity,” he said. “There are indications that the most use impacts on wildlife would be in the summer.”

Other concerns voiced by the public included whether there is adequate snowfall for grooming the cross-country ski trail; the cost of the $1.5 million facility, as well as whether it would be expanded in the future; whether the analysis was being done under an outdated Helena forest plan; and whether the environmental analysis needed to be done through a more in-depth Environmental Impact Statement.

But the main concerns were that it could adversely impact the Canada lynx, moose, elk, bears and other critters that move through the area, as well as disrupt the sense of solitude skiers said they experience in the area.

Riordan countered that the presence of Highway 12 already is disruptive, as are recreational residences and the privately owned Frontier Town.

“The existing noise experienced by cross-country skiers at MacDonald Pass will only be increased during periods of biathlon training or competition,” Riordan wrote in his decision. “… I also believe there are other locations on the HNF (Helena National Forest) that better provide the solitude and quiet sought by many traditional Nordic skiers.”

He added that these other uses on MacDonald Pass also already impact wildlife, and have reduced the “functional ability of the landscape” to serve as a travel corridor for animals between Yellowstone and Glacier national parks.

Gayle Joslin, a recently retired wildlife biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, doesn’t agree. She said the development in the area already is squeezing out wildlife that use the corridor, and the biathlon course is in the middle of the bottleneck.

She added that with wars being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and soldiers coming home suffering physical and mental problems, that the National Guard is wasting money by building the course.

“Every dime they have should be used for the returning veterans, or to keep them safe over there,” she said. “So now they’ll build something they consider a good-will mission with countries that have biathletes. This doesn’t seem to be a high priority in most of our minds.”

But the Guard’s Lt. Col. Garth Scott said this is good, not just for the Guard, but also for the community.

“It fits in with the mission of the military and the Guard — teaching teamwork, endurance, marksmanship and trying to improve yourself to the best of your ability,” Scott said. “It increases the athletic part, and who knows — we may have a local Olympian in our midst.”

Appeals can be filed with the Regional Supervisor for the next 45 days. Scott said he’s not sure when construction on the biathlon course will begin.

Click here to see Riordan’s decision.

Appeals can be sent to: USDA Forest Service, Northern Region USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, ATTN: Appeal Deciding Officer, P.O. Box 7669 200 East Broadway, Missoula MT 59807

Reporter Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com