LANDS
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The Sweet Grass Hills ACEC is within the study area (7,580 acres) and is comprised of West Butte (2,592 acres), Middle Butte (666 acres), and East Butte (4,322 acres). The ACEC affects Federal surface ownership only, see Table 3.2 (further down this page) for the legal description.
There are 19,765 acres of locatable Federal minerals within the study area (Federal surface with Federal minerals and private surface with Federal minerals). Additional private lands with Federal oil and gas subsurface total 1,644 acres.
East Butte contains Federal right-of-ways (ROW). These include one linear ROW, ten feet wide for a power line located on Mount Royal and 25 communication site ROW's located in twelve buildings on Mount Royal. Middle Butte contains one Federal ROW for reservoir and ditch, this land was later patented. Mount Royal provides a major communications link for Federal, State and local government emergency services. Local businesses are dependent on these communication sites to maintain contact with their field personnel. Local reception of TV and radio broadcast would be impossible without the Mount Royal communications site.
The study area does not contain any major roads, highways, power lines, electrical transmission lines, pipelines or a major transportation corridor. All additional ROW's that exist are on private surface and consist of several county roads, utility lines (power, phone, water), and oil and gas gathering systems. Eleven homes are within the study area; West Butte (3), Middle Butte (3), and East Butte (5).
East Butte has a withdrawal to the Bureau of Reclamation (BR), of 572.40 acres for the Marias River/Tiber Dam Irrigation project.
John Smart Photo
T. 37 N., R. 1 E.,PMM., Toole County
sec. 13, lots 4 and 5, SE1/4SW1/4, and SW1/4SE1/4; 151.95
sec. 14, lots 1 to 3, inclusive, W1/2NE1/4, E1/2SW1/4, and SW1/4SW1/4; 249.28
sec. 15, SE1/4SE1/4; 40.00
sec. 24, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, W1/2E1/2, NE1/4NW1/4, E1/2SW1/4, and SW1/4SW1/4 475.36
sec. 25, lots 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 to 10 inclusive, SW1/4NE1/4, S1/2NW1/4, NE1/4SW1/4,
and NW1/4SE1/4; 513.24
sec. 26, SE1/4NE1/4; 40.00
T. 37 N., R. 2 E.,PMM., Toole County
sec. 19, lot 4; 40.03
sec. 20, NW1/4NE1/4, and NE1/4NW1/4; 80.00
sec. 30, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S1/2NE1/4, SE1/4NW1/4, E1/2SW1/4, and SE1/4; 520.88
sec. 31, lots 1 to 3, inclusive, NE1/4, E1/2NW1/4, NE1/4SW1/4, and N1/2SE1/4; 480.75
West Butte Total 2,591.49
T. 36 N., R. 3 E.,PMM., Toole County
sec. 29, SW1/4NE1/4, S1/2NW1/4, SW1/4, W1/2SE1/4, and NE1/4SE1/4; 400.00
sec. 30, SE1/4SE1/4; 40.00
sec. 31, lots 2 and 3, NE1/4NE1/4; 105.90
sec. 32, NW1/4NE1/4, and N1/2NW1/4; 120.00
Middle Butte Total 665.90
T. 36 N., R. 4 E.,PMM., Liberty County
sec. 13, NW1/4NE1/4, and W1/2; 360.00
sec. 24, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, Part of MS 3381, N1/2NE1/4, SW1/4NE1/4,
and N1/2NW1/4; 394.65
sec. 25, lots 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and E1/2NE1/4; 201.46
sec. 36, lots 1 to 3, inclusive, and 5; 125.55
T. 36 N., R. 5 E.,PMM., Liberty County
sec. 6, SE1/4NE1/4, and E1/2SE1/4; 120.00
sec. 7, E1/2; 320.00
sec. 8, W1/2SW1/4; 80.00
sec. 17, W1/2W1/2; 160.00
sec. 18, N1/2NE1/4; 80.00
sec. 19, lots 1 to 9, inclusive, Part of MS 3381, Part of MS 3380, N1/2NE1/4,
NE1/4NW1/4, SE1/4SW1/4, and SW1/4SE1/4; 620.73
sec. 20, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, Part of MS 3380, W1/2NE1/4, SE1/4NE1/4, NW1/4,
and NW1/4SE1/4; 466.16
sec. 29, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, and 8 to 10, inclusive, SW1/4NW1/4, N1/2SW1/4,
and SW1/4SW1/4; 385.70
sec. 30, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S1/2NE1/4, E1/2W1/2, and SE1/4; 544.80
sec. 31, lot 1, Part of MS 3418, E1/2NE1/4, NW1/4NE1/4, and NE1/4NW1/4; 251.70
sec. 32, lots 1 to 3, inclusive, E1/2NE1/4, and SW1/4NE1/4: 211.68
East Butte Total 4,322.43
A Secretary Order dated September 2, 1955, withdrew 572 acres to the Bureau of Reclamation (BR). This withdrawal is located on the southeast side of East Butte (lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9, and SW1/4NW1/4, N1/2SW1/4, and SW1/4SW1/4, sec. 29, lots 3, and NE1/4, sec. 30, T.36N., R.5E., PMM). The purpose of the withdrawal was to provide a source of rip-rap for the Marias River/Tiber Dam irrigation project. This withdrawal was addressed in the proposed final West HiLine RMP (BLM, 1988a). The withdrawal review process is still ongoing, at the current stage of the review process, BR concurs with BLM to revoke the withdrawal on all except 40 acres (lot 3, sec. 32, T.36N., R.5E.).
The FWS acquired 760 acres of land in Middle Butte. An additional 680 acres have an easement restricting water use. These lands are managed by the FWS for waterfowl production.
West Butte contains a withdrawal for the international boundary with Canada and the United States. This withdrawal consists of 14.52 Federal acres and 14.56 private acres. This withdrawal is managed by the International Boundary Commission, United States and Canada.