GRANGEVILLE — The Nezperce National Forest will study four proposed projects this winter. Two involve mining operations, a third is for the expansion of Red River Hot Springs Resort, and the fourth is for installation of a wastewater drainage system at Dixie.
Rich Inman, Red River District ranger, said environmental assessments will be prepared for each. The public is welcome to submit comments for consideration in each analysis.
Inman said the Red River Hot Springs proposal is for a 20-year development of the resort. The national forest land under special use permit would be expanded to include Bridge Creek Campground under the plan.
The campground presently is operated and maintained by the forest service. If the proposal is approved, the Red River Corp. resort owners would manage the campgrounds and could build more camping sites.
Other possibilities for Red River could be the construction of 12 more cabins at the rate of one every two years and the addition of 10 new camping spots at the rate of one a year. The existing septic and water systems could be enlarged, roads could be built to new cabins and a 2,000 square-foot lodge could be constructed adjacent to the existing pool and bathhouse.
Tri-State Resources firm has proposed intensive mineral exploration on the Little Bear mining claims, formerly the War Eagle Mine, located in the Gospel-Hump Wilderness. The plan calls for helicopter flights, core drilling, restoration of buildings and tunnels and removal of ore samples.
The other mining proposal is to use a track-mounted rotary drill to sink 10 test holes on the Robinson Dike mining claim 2.3 miles south of Dixie.
Inman said it calls for 400 feet of new road construction. Work could begin in October of next year and include digging of two trenches and drilling of several test holes with a track-mounted percussion drill.
Inman said the waste water proposal calls for installation of 22 drainfields on national forest land adjacent to the Wallace Development at Dixie.
Each wastewater line would be about 300 feet long. Construction could begin next summer with units to be installed at the rate of three per year.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments to or request additional information from Bill Hay, Red River Ranger Station, Elk City, Idaho, 83525, by Jan. 4.
This story was published in the Dec. 17, 1981, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.
