United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service March 2015 Butte Highland Mine Haul Road Project Environmental Assessment Butte Ranger District Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Silver Bow County, MT For More Information Contact: Mary Beth Marks Minerals Staff Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (406)-587-6709 Email: [email protected] . The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 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Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Purpose and Need for Action ....................................................................................................................4 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................4 Background ...........................................................................................................................................6 Purpose and Need for the Project ..........................................................................................................7 Description of the Proposed Action.......................................................................................................7 Laws, Regulations, Policy, and Revised Plan Direction .....................................................................10 Scope of the Proposed Action .............................................................................................................13 Decision to be Made ............................................................................................................................13 Issues and Alternatives ............................................................................................................................14 Public Involvement ..............................................................................................................................14 Identification of Issues ........................................................................................................................14 Alternatives Considered in Detailed Study .........................................................................................16 FS Mitigation Specific to Alternative 2 ...............................................................................................19 FS Mitigation Specific to Alternative 3 ...............................................................................................24 FS Mitigation and Design Features Common to Alternatives 2 & 3 ...................................................26 Required Monitoring ...........................................................................................................................27 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................................................................29 Alternatives Eliminated From Detailed Study .....................................................................................34 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ......................................................................41 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................41 Connected Actions...............................................................................................................................41 Past, Present, And Reasonably Foreseeable Activities ........................................................................44 Effects Analysis ......................................................................................................................................45 Affected Environment, Direct, Indirect, & Cumulative Effects for “Key” Issues ..................................45 Issue 1 – Public Safety ........................................................................................................................45 Issue 2 – Recreational Uses .................................................................................................................59 Issue 3 – Water Resources ...................................................................................................................71 Issue 4 – Aquatics ................................................................................................................................85 Issue 5 – Air Quality..........................................................................................................................108 Affected Environment, Direct, Indirect, & Cumulative Effects for Other Issues Analyzed .................118 Issue A-Wildlife Species/Habitat (T&E, Sensitive, MIS) .................................................................118 Comparison of Effects for Wildlife ...................................................................................................156 Issue B-Sensitive Plants ....................................................................................................................157 Issue C - Invasive Species/Noxious Weeds .......................................................................................163 Issue D-Cultural Resources ...............................................................................................................168 Issue E-Range ....................................................................................................................................172 Issue F - Soils ....................................................................................................................................174 Issue G-Socio-Economics .................................................................................................................177 Consultation and Coordination .............................................................................................................177 List of Preparers ................................................................................................................................177 Public Notice and Distribution of the EA ..........................................................................................178 Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................................................180 Literature Cited .....................................................................................................................................184 Appendix A- Best Management Practices (BMPs) ...............................................................................194 BMPS Applicable to the Butte Highland Mine Haul Road Project ...................................................194 Appendix B – Butte Highland Join Venture EA Response to Comments ............................................201 General Comments ............................................................................................................................202 1872 Mining Law Applicability ........................................................................................................202 i Butte Highland Mine Haul Road Project Air Quality ........................................................................................................................................ 203 Alternatives Selection ....................................................................................................................... 206 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................................ 207 Fisheries and Aquatics ...................................................................................................................... 208 Groundwater Use and Water Rights ................................................................................................. 210 NEPA Process and Forest Plan Consistency ..................................................................................... 210 Ore Tram ........................................................................................................................................... 213 Public Safety ..................................................................................................................................... 213 Recreation Conflicts .......................................................................................................................... 215 Resolution #06-62 and Highland Road Jurisdiction ......................................................................... 216 Road Use and Maintenance..............................................................................................................