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 .............................................................................................................................