Utility Restoration, Replacement, and Relocation in the State of Montana

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Utility Restoration, Replacement, and Relocation in the State of Montana Utility Restoration, Replacement, and Relocation in the State of Montana Programmatic Environmental Assessment Montana October 2020 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Table of Contents ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................... iv SECTION ONE | INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 OVERVIEW................................................................................................ 1 1.2 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................... 1 SECTION TWO | PURPOSE AND NEED ...................................................................................................... 4 SECTION THREE | ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................. 5 3.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 5 3.2 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED ............................................................. 5 Alternative 1: No Action .............................................................................. 5 Alternative 2: Replacement ......................................................................... 5 Alternative 3: Relocation ............................................................................ 6 Alternative 4: Combination ......................................................................... 6 3.3 ALTERNATIVES NOT CONSIDERED .................................................... 6 SECTION FOUR | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ................... 8 4.1 PHYSICAL RESOURCES ......................................................................... 8 4.1.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................... 8 4.1.2 Regulatory Setting ......................................................................... 12 4.1.3 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 13 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 13 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 13 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 14 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 14 4.2 TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES ......................................................... 14 4.2.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 14 4.2.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 15 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 15 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 15 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 15 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 15 4.3 SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ........................................ 15 4.3.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 15 4.3.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 16 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 16 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 16 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 16 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 17 4.4 SOCIOECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENAL JUSTICE .................... 17 4.4.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 17 4.4.2Regulatory Setting ............................................................................. 20 4.4.3 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 21 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 21 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 22 Page i October 2020 Utility Restoration, Replacement, and Relocation Programmatic Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 22 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 22 4.5 AIR QUALITY ......................................................................................... 22 4.5.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 23 4.11.1 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 24 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 24 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 24 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 25 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 25 4.6 NOISE ....................................................................................................... 25 4.6.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 25 4.5.1 Regulatory Setting ......................................................................... 27 4.6.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 28 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 28 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 28 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 29 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 29 4.7 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES ................................................... 29 4.7.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 29 4.7.2 Environmental Consequences .......................................................... 30 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 30 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 30 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 30 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 30 4.8 WATER RESOURCES............................................................................. 30 4.8.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 30 4.8.1.1 Wild and Scenic Rivers ................................................................. 32 4.8.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 33 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 33 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 33 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 34 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 34 4.9 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES .................................................................. 34 4.9.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 34 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 41 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 41 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 42 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 42 4.10 CULTURAL RESOURCES ..................................................................... 42 4.10.1 Affected Environment ................................................................... 42 4.10.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 43 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................ 43 Alternative 2: Replacement ....................................................................... 43 Alternative 3: Relocation .......................................................................... 44 Alternative 4: Combination ....................................................................... 44 4.11 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS .......................................................................... 44 Page ii October 2020 Utility Restoration, Replacement, and Relocation Programmatic Environmental Assessment Table of Contents 4.11.1 Summary of Cumulative Impacts .................................................. 44 SECTION FIVE | MITIGATION MEASURES ..............................................................................................
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