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Draft Environmental Assessment DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Lucky Minerals (Montana), Inc. Lucky Minerals Project, Park County, MT Exploration License Application #00795 Prepared by Montana Department of Environmental Quality Hard Rock Mining Bureau 1520 East Sixth Avenue PO Box 200901 Helena, MT 59620-0901 October 13, 2016 Table of Contents 1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................................................. 1 1.3 HISTORICAL MINING AND PREVIOUS EXPLORATION DISTURBANCE ................. 2 1.3.1 Emigrant Mining District Chronology (Geologic Systems Ltd., 2015) ....................... 2 1.3.2 St. Julian Claim Block ........................................................................................................ 4 1.4 PROJECT LOCATION............................................................................................................... 4 1.5 AUTHORIZING ACTION ........................................................................................................ 9 1.6 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ....................................................................................................... 9 1.6.1 SCOPING ............................................................................................................................ 9 1.7 ISSUES AND CONCERNS ..................................................................................................... 10 1.7.1 ISSUES STUDIED IN DETAIL ....................................................................................... 10 1.7.2 ISSUES CONSIDERED BUT DISMISSED ..................................................................... 14 2 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................... 16 2.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................................... 16 2.3 PROPOSED ACTION .............................................................................................................. 16 2.3.1 ROAD ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE ..................................................................... 16 2.3.2 EQUIPMENT AND FIRE SAFETY ................................................................................ 17 2.3.3 DRILL SITE/PAD CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................... 19 2.3.4 CORE DRILLING ............................................................................................................. 19 2.3.5 WATER USE ..................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.6 NOXIOUS WEEDS ........................................................................................................... 20 2.3.7 BUILDING STRUCTURES .............................................................................................. 21 2.3.8 RECLAMATION .............................................................................................................. 21 2.4 AGENCY-MODIFIED ALTERNATIVE ................................................................................ 21 2.4.1 CULTURAL AND HISTORIC ........................................................................................ 22 2.4.2 RECLAMATION .............................................................................................................. 22 2.4.3 TRANSPORTATION ....................................................................................................... 22 2.4.4 WILDLIFE ......................................................................................................................... 23 2.5 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT DISMISSED ........................................................... 24 2.5.1 LIMIT EXPLORATION LICENSE TO ONE DRILLING SEASON ........................... 24 2.5.2 ELIMINATE NIGHT DRILLING ................................................................................... 24 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES BY RESOURCE ............................................................................................................................................... 25 3.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 25 3.2 LOCATION DESCRIPTION AND STUDY AREA.............................................................. 25 3.3 GEOLOGY AND MINERALS ................................................................................................ 25 3.3.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS ............................................................................ 25 3.3.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 25 3.3.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS ............................................................................ 28 3.4 WILDLIFE ................................................................................................................................. 33 3.4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 33 3.4.2 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS ............................................................................ 34 3.4.3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 35 3.4.4 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS ............................................................................ 54 3.5 FISH AND AQUATIC INSECTS ........................................................................................... 65 3.5.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS ............................................................................ 65 3.5.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 65 3.5.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS ............................................................................ 66 3.6 CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCES .................................................................. 69 3.6.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS ............................................................................ 69 3.6.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 69 3.6.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS ............................................................................ 76 3.7 WATER AND GEOTHERMAL .............................................................................................. 77 3.7.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS ............................................................................ 77 3.7.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 81 3.7.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS .......................................................................... 108 3.8 LAND USE, NOISE, AND RECREATION ......................................................................... 112 3.8.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS .......................................................................... 112 3.8.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 112 3.8.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS .......................................................................... 119 3.9 SOILS, VEGETATION, AND RECLAMATION ................................................................ 121 3.9.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS .......................................................................... 121 3.9.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 122 3.9.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS .......................................................................... 129 3.10 TRANSPORTATION ............................................................................................................. 134 3.10.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS .......................................................................... 134 3.10.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 134 3.10.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS .......................................................................... 135 3.11 AIR QUALITY ........................................................................................................................ 140 3.11.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS .......................................................................... 140 3.11.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 140 3.11.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS .......................................................................... 141 3.12 VISUALS ................................................................................................................................. 142 3.12.1 ANALYSIS AREA AND METHODS .......................................................................... 142 3.12.2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 142 3.12.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS
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