TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .................................................................................................. iv
RECORD OF DECISION .......................................................................................................................... 1
DECISION ............................................................................................................................................... 1
ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................................... 1
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ..................................................................... 2
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................. 2
MITIGATION ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Air Quality .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Cultural Resources.............................................................................................................................. 3
Fire .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Hydrology ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Indian Trust and Other Interests ......................................................................................................... 3
Lands and Realty ................................................................................................................................ 3
Livestock Grazing .............................................................................................................................. 3
Paleontology ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Recreation ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Solid and Hazardous Waste ................................................................................................................ 4
Soils .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Vegetation........................................................................................................................................... 4
Visual Resource Management ............................................................................................................ 4
Wilderness Study Areas ..................................................................................................................... 5
Wildlife and Aquatics ......................................................................................................................... 5
MONITORING........................................................................................................................................ 5
Land Use Plan Monitoring ................................................................................................................. 5
Project Monitoring.............................................................................................................................. 5
Resource Monitoring .......................................................................................................................... 5
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 5
Tribal Consultation ............................................................................................................................. 6
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Consultation ...................................................................................... 6
APPROVED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT .................................................. 7
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 7
ISSUES .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Issues Identified for the Statewide Document .................................................................................... 7
Issues Identified for the SEIS ........................................................................................................... 12
Issues or Alternatives Considered But Not Analyzed in Detail ....................................................... 14
PLANNING CRITERIA ....................................................................................................................... 16
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 16
Overall Considerations ..................................................................................................................... 16
WHAT’S BEING AMENDED IN THE POWDER RIVER AND BILLINGS RMPs ......................... 17
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General Management........................................................................................................................ 17
APPROVED ALTERNATIVE H MANAGEMENT ............................................................................ 18
Screens to be Applied ....................................................................................................................... 20
Water Screen .................................................................................................................................... 20
Wildlife Screen ................................................................................................................................. 20
All Wildlife Species ......................................................................................................................... 20
Native American Concerns Screen ................................................................................................... 22
Air Quality Impact Screen ................................................................................................................ 23
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES .............. 24
POD Requirements ........................................................................................................................... 24
Wells and Well Pads ......................................................................................................................... 24
Coal Mines........................................................................................................................................ 24
Roads, Pipelines and Other Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 24
Produced Water Management .......................................................................................................... 25
Wildlife Monitoring Program and Mitigation Measures .................................................................. 25
CONSISTENCY WITH APPLICABLE POLICIES, PLANS AND PROGRAMS.............................. 27
Achieving Air and Water Quality Program Requirements ............................................................... 27
Interagency Work Group (IWG) ...................................................................................................... 27
ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REGULATORY PROCESS ...................................................... 27
STATE OF MONTANA ....................................................................................................................... 29
Air Quality Program ......................................................................................................................... 29
Water Quality Program..................................................................................................................... 30
BLM....................................................................................................................................................... 30
Steps to Obtain Approval to Drill ..................................................................................................... 30
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A .............................................................................................................................................. 1
APPENDIX B .............................................................................................................................................. 1
APPENDIX C .............................................................................................................................................. 1
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