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