BLM U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Billings Field Office Pryor Mountain Travel Management Area DRAFT / Montana Travel Management Plan Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-MT-C010-2019-0029-EA November 2020 Prepared by: U.S. Bureau of Land Management Billings Field Office 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 Phone: 406-896-5013 Fax: 406-896-5281 It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. DOI-BLM-MT-C010-2019-0029-EA Table of Contents 1 Purpose and Need for Action ........................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................ 1-1 1.3 Decision to be Made ........................................................................................................ 1-1 1.4 Conformance with Land Use Plan ................................................................................... 1-2 1.5 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, and Policies ......................................................... 1-2 1.6 Public Involvement, Consultation, and Coordination ...................................................... 1-2 1.7 Resource Issues Identified for Analysis ........................................................................... 1-3 1.8 Resource Issues Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis ................................ 1-3 1.9 Resource and Resource Use Issues Carried Forward for Further Analysis ..................... 1-3 2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Route Designations .......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Modes of Transport Definitions ....................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Consideration ............................. 2-4 2.4.1 Revised Statute 2477 ........................................................................................ 2-4 2.5 No Action Alternative ...................................................................................................... 2-4 2.6 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 2-7 2.6.1 E-Bikes on BLM-Administered Lands .......................................................... 2-12 2.6.2 Minor Realignments ....................................................................................... 2-13 2.6.3 Route Closures ............................................................................................... 2-13 2.6.4 Authorizations ................................................................................................ 2-14 2.6.5 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................... 2-14 2.6.6 Future Improvements ..................................................................................... 2-15 2.7 Summary Comparison of Alternatives ........................................................................... 2-15 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 3-1 3.1 Soil Resources .................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1 Affected Environment ...................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences .......................................................................... 3-5 3.2 Wildlife Resources (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep and Greater Sage-Grouse) .......... 3-7 3.2.1 Affected Environment ...................................................................................... 3-7 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences .......................................................................... 3-9 3.3 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................... 3-12 3.3.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 3-12 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................ 3-14 3.4 Areas with Special Designations ................................................................................... 3-16 3.4.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 3-16 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................ 3-18 3.5 Transportation and Access ............................................................................................. 3-20 Draft Pryor Mountain TMA Environmental Assessment November 2020 i 3.5.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 3-20 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................ 3-20 3.6 Recreation and Visitor Services ..................................................................................... 3-22 3.6.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 3-22 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................ 3-25 3.7 Wilderness Characteristics ............................................................................................. 3-26 3.7.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 3-26 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................ 3-29 3.8 Invasive, Non-native Species ......................................................................................... 3-31 3.8.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 3-31 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................ 3-32 4 Cumulative Effects Analysis ......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Physical and Temporal Boundaries of Cumulative Impacts ............................................ 4-1 4.3 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................................. 4-1 4.4 Cumulative Impacts Common to Multiple Resources ..................................................... 4-2 4.5 Soils ................................................................................................................................. 4-2 4.6 Wildlife (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep and Greater Sage-Grouse) ........................... 4-2 4.7 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................... 4-3 4.8 Transportation and Access ............................................................................................... 4-3 4.9 Recreation and Visitor Services ....................................................................................... 4-3 4.10 Invasive, Non-native Species ........................................................................................... 4-4 5 List of Preparers ............................................................................................................................ 5-1 Draft Pryor Mountain TMA Environmental Assessment November 2020 ii List of Tables Table 1-1. Key Issues and Indicators Developed for the Proposed Action ........................................... 1-4 Table 1-2. Resources Considered but Eliminated from Analysis ......................................................... 1-6 Table 1-3. Resources Carried Forward for Analysis ............................................................................. 1-8 Table 2-1. Route Designations under the No Action Alternative ......................................................... 2-5 Table 2-2. Route Designations under the Proposed Action ................................................................ 2-12 Table 2-3. Resource Issues and Indicators under the No Action and Proposed Alternatives ............. 2-15 Table 3-1. Water and Wind Erosion Potential on BLM-Administered Land within the TMA ............. 3-5 Table 3-2. Designated Routes within Areas with Wind and Water Erosion Potential under the No Action Alternative ............................................................................................................... 3-6 Table 3-3. Designated Routes within Areas with Wind and Water Erosion Potential under the Proposed Action .................................................................................................................................