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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for SAINT MARY SCENIC OVERLOOK and BLACKFEET INTERPRETIVE LOOP

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for SAINT MARY SCENIC OVERLOOK and BLACKFEET INTERPRETIVE LOOP ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for SAINT MARY SCENIC OVERLOOK and BLACKFEET INTERPRETIVE LOOP BLACKFEET TRANSPORTATION PLANNING DEPARTMENT BLACKFEET INDIAN RESERVATION GLACIER COUNTY, MONTANA Prepared for: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Blackfeet Agency Browning, Montana Prepared by: Blackfeet Environmental Office and Rocky Mountain Botany Consulting and Donna Jo Pridmore, Hydrogeologist February 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS ADMINISTRATIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 1 I. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ........................................................ 2 II. ALTERNATIVES .......................................................................................... 4 A. Alternative A: Proposed action. ..................................................................................................... 4 B. Alternative B: No action. ................................................................................................................ 4 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..................... 4 A. LAND RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................... 5 1. Topography ................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Soils ............................................................................................................................................. 7 3. Geologic Setting and Mineral Resources ................................................................................. 7 B. WATER RESOURCES .................................................................................................................. 8 1. Surface Water ............................................................................................................................ 8 2. Groundwater .............................................................................................................................. 8 C. AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................................... 9 D. LIVING RESOURCES ................................................................................................................. 10 1. Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................... 10 a) Grizzly Bear .......................................................................................................................... 10 b) Bull Trout .............................................................................................................................. 11 c) Canada Lynx ......................................................................................................................... 11 d) Piping Plover ......................................................................................................................... 12 e) Sprague’s Pipit ...................................................................................................................... 12 f) Wolverine ............................................................................................................................... 12 g) Whitebark Pine ..................................................................................................................... 13 2. Vegetation ................................................................................................................................. 13 a) Ecosystems and Biological Communities ........................................................................... 14 b) Montana Plant Species of Concern (Biologically Rare Species with No Federal Protection) .................................................................................................................................................... 14 c) Blackfeet Culturally Significant Plant Species ................................................................... 16 3. Agriculture ............................................................................................................................... 17 IV. CULTURAL RESOURCES ...................................................................... 17 i A. Cultural ......................................................................................................................................... 17 B. Religious Properties ...................................................................................................................... 17 C. Archaeological .............................................................................................................................. 18 D. Historic .......................................................................................................................................... 19 V. SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS ......................................................... 20 A. Demographic Trends ..................................................................................................................... 20 B. Employment and Income .............................................................................................................. 20 C. Lifestyles and Cultural Values ...................................................................................................... 21 VI. OTHER VALUES....................................................................................... 21 A. Wilderness..................................................................................................................................... 22 B. Sound and Light ............................................................................................................................ 22 C. Visual Attributes ........................................................................................................................... 22 VII. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .............................................. 22 A. LAND RESOURCES ................................................................................................................... 22 1. Topography .............................................................................................................................. 23 a) Alternative A: Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 23 b) Alternative B: No Action ..................................................................................................... 23 c) Mitigation .............................................................................................................................. 23 2. Soils ........................................................................................................................................... 23 a) Alternative A: Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 23 b) Alternative B: No Action ..................................................................................................... 23 c) Mitigation .............................................................................................................................. 23 3. Geologic Setting and Mineral Resources ............................................................................... 23 a) Alternative A: Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 23 b) Alternative B: No Action ..................................................................................................... 24 c) Mitigation .............................................................................................................................. 24 B. WATER RESOURCES ................................................................................................................ 24 1. Surface Water .......................................................................................................................... 24 a) Alternative A: Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 24 b) Alternative B: No Action ..................................................................................................... 24 c) Mitigation .............................................................................................................................. 24 ii 2. Groundwater ............................................................................................................................ 24 a) Alternative A: Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 24 b) Alternative B: No Action ..................................................................................................... 24 c) Mitigation .............................................................................................................................. 25 C. AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................................. 25 a) Alternative A: Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 25 b) Alternative B: No Action ..................................................................................................... 25 c) Mitigation .............................................................................................................................
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