Approximately 130 people attended, including many property owners, local government representatives from Yellowstone and Carbon Counties, as well as the towns of Laurel, Red Lodge, Silesia, Fort Rockvale, Boyd, Joliet, and Roberts.

Exhibits included those displayed at the first public meeting along with new materials. New exhibits included:

• A revised project schedule (Flash or PDF version)
• Four Alignment Alternatives displayed on the large aerial photo that was used in the previous meeting to describe alternative corridors
• Displays summarizing comments to date and a prototypical cross section exhibit illustrating the widest anticipated right of way. The difference between a corridor and an alignment was explained. Discussions during the previous meeting had focused on alternative corridors, while the alternatives presented at this meeting illustrated four specific alignment alternatives.

At two points of the evening, formal presentations were made. Speakers included Bruce Barrett, MDT District Administrator, Steve Alters, Project Manger for CH2M HILL, and Sandy Fischer of Fischer & Associates, the local consultant retained to manage the public involvement process. Following the presentation, a question and answer session provided attendees an opportunity to ask questions. Bruce Barrett answered most of the questions.

The meeting was designed to allow several formats and opportunities for public comment.

• All attendees were encouraged to sign in at the registration table. The registrants' names were added to the master mailing list. They will receive future meeting notices and newsletters.
• A member of the design team manned groups of displays at each of four stations. Comments were recorded and incorporated into the comment record.
• Four formats for comments were provided at the public meeting including a lap top computer, a person to transcribe comments, a tape recorder to record verbal comments, and a survey form.
• The meeting incorporated two exercises to encourage dialogue. Three large color aerial photos, each with a single alignment and a comment sheet were available for people to notate or comment on. An interactive "dot" exercise that asked participant's level of priority/concern with a list of issues.

Products of the second public meeting included the following:

• Comment Record
• An expanded mailing list
• Meeting record
• Maps with participant notes
• Issue summary for each of four alternative alignments

Commitments/Next Steps

• Comments on specific alignments will be reviewed to help determine if additional alignments should be developed and assessed.
• A Public Scoping document will be prepared by CH2M HILL
• New information will be posted on the website
• All attendees of the first meeting will be notified of any future meeting
• A newsletter will be prepared upon completion of the public scoping document. All meeting attendees and those on the mailing list will be a newsletter recipient.
• MDT and CH2M HILL will develop an interactive web-site for the project . New information will be posted on the website
• A record of public comment will be maintained
• Frequently asked questions and comments will be summarized for inclusion in the newsletter and on the website
• The team will continue to accept comments via telephone, e-mail, or mail for the duration of the planning and environmental documentation phases.