A federal power agency and the U.S. Forest Service are increasing security in the Crystal Creek Road area to protect a major power line network and the land around it.
The Crystal Creek Road is a persistent problem for law enforcement. This is where people like to party, light bon fires, go target shooting, dump their garbage and damage power line equipment.
"We had a 40-person Missoula Ranger District work day where we hauled out multiple truck loads of garbage in dumpsters," says Al Hilshey, U.S. Forest Service Acting Resource Staff Officer.
The Forest Service says people can use the area to hike, hunt, walk their dogs, but they don't allow motorized access because it destroys the area's natural resources.
"Such as soil erosion, loss of vegetation and the spread of noxious weeds," Hilshey said.
There's a lot of energy in these power line, in fact, you can hear the buzzing if you stand below them.
"This is a major transmission line for this entire region and it's 230 thousand vaults," says David Wilson, Bonneville Power Administration Public Affairs Specialist.
These power lines supply power to most of Western Montana. But people don't seem to mind as they use them as targets when they're out shooting in the area.
"We've had to replace some of the insulators up that there, to keep people from shooting those out. Because if you lose the insulator, the lines could actually come down and that could be very dangerous," Wilson said.
So to protect this land and the power lines, Job Corp in Anaconda made a gate to block off one of the roads. Another gate will be brought up to block off a different area off of Crystal Creek Road.
The Forest Service will also take out some of the existing roads. If you get caught shooting or driving in this area chances are you will be fined.
Cleaning up the Crystal Creek area is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Forest Service, Bonneville Power Administration, Nature Conservancy, Missoula County and the public.
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