Parkwide Road Improvement Plan, Environmental Assessment: Yellowstone National Park

138 Pages·1992·5.8 MB·English

by  National Park Service

puaoc DOCUU6KT$
I 29.79/5.-Y 3/draft
pjEPOSiTORY ITHM
Park-."'''• R?«I Improvement.
ClemsonUniversity
MAY 1 1 1992
3 1604 019 774 670
#
Parkwide Road Improvement Plan
Environmental Assessment
Yellowstone National Park
Wyoming Montana Idaho
/ /
Printed on Recycled Paper
parkwide road improvement plan
environmental assessment
draft
february 1992
Typical Poor Road Condition
Typical Reconstructed Road
Yellowstone National Park • Wyoming / Montana / Idaho
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/parkwideroadimpr92parkwi
SUMMARY
The National Park Service (NPS) has prepared a draft plan for road improvement and material
source needs for Yellowstone National Park. The intent of the proposed parkwide road
improvement plan is to preserve and extend the service life of principal park roads and to
enhance their safety. This document describes and analyzes the potential environmental effects
ofthe proposed plan and several alternatives. Separate route- and design-specific environmental
documents will be prepared as needed for each road improvement project.
This document was prepared in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act, section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
Consultation with the U.S. Fisn and Wildlife Service will be conducted concurrently with public
review of the Parkwide Road Improvement Plan/Environmental Assessment. Consultation is
underway with the historic preservation offices for the states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
The proposed plan calls for a long-term program of road improvement consisting ofa combination
of major reconstruction (MR) projects and resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation (3R) projects,
which would provide a temporary solution for roads that may ultimately be reconstructed.
Additionally, the need for material sources to supply the proposed road improvement projects is
discussed. Existing sources in the park as well as sources outside the park have been identified
in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) preliminary draft material source study. Because
of the large amount of road improvement work that would occur in the park, the Park Service
must find acceptable and economical sources of quality material.
Alternative A would continue existing road maintenance in the park. Alternative B would entail a
program of 3R road projects only, while alternative C considers only MR projects. Under
alternative AA, material would continue to be purchased from existing commercial sources, while
alternative BB considers using material sites outsidethe park exclusively. Considered but rejected
were the options to use only material sites located within the park, to develop new material sites
within the park, and to do only pavement overlay work.
No significant adverse effects on natural resources would be likely under the proposed plan or
any of the alternatives. There could be adverse effects on cultural resources under the proposed
plan or alternatives. Any adverse effects would be appropriately mitigated. The proposed plan
would include a combination of road improvementtypes and material from both within and outside
park boundaries. The proposed plan would vary and disperse road improvement activities in the
park, minimize resource impacts, and enable reclamation of existing material sites in the park.
Please address comments to:
Superintendent
Parkwide Road Improvement Plan
P.O. Box 16
WY
Yellowstone National Park, 82190
Ml

7
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1
PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PLAN 7
NEED FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT 7
NEED FOR ROAD MATERIAL SOURCES 8
PURPOSE OF THE PLAN/EA 9
Road Improvement 10
Road Material Sources 10
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE POLICY AND OTHER PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS 13
OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS IN THE GYA 14
OTHER CONSTRUCTION/MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN YELLOWSTONE 15
AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 17
REGIONAL OVERVIEW 17
Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) 1
Yellowstone National Park 17
NATURAL RESOURCES 19
Geology and Thermal Areas 19
Topography and Soils 19
Vegetation 20
Wildlife 21
Threatened and Endangered Species 23
Water Resources and Quality 29
Floodplains and Wetlands 30
Air Quality 31
CULTURAL RESOURCES 32
Archeological Resources 32
Historic Resources 32
SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 34
PROPOSED PARKWIDE ROAD IMPROVEMENT PLAN 37
COMBINED PROGRAM OF 3R AND MR PROJECTS 37
MITIGATING MEASURES 38
Road Design/Construction 38
Natural Resources 41
Cultural Resources 41
Socioeconomic Environment 43
ROAD MATERIAL SOURCES 44
MITIGATING MEASURES 49
Natural Resources 49
Cultural Resources 49
Socioeconomic Environment 49
ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT 51
ALTERNATIVE A: NO ACTION 51
ALTERNATIVE B: 3R ONLY 51
Mitigating Measures 51
Natural Resources 51
Cultural Resources 51
Socioeconomic Environment 52
ALTERNATIVE C: MR ONLY 52
Mitigating Measures 52
Natural Resources 52
Cultural Resources 52
Socioeconomic Environment 52
ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR ROAD MATERIAL SOURCES 53
ALTERNATIVE AA: NO ACTION 53
ALTERNATIVE BB: SOURCES FROM OUTSIDE OF THE PARK ONLY 53
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED 53
PAVEMENT OVERLAY ONLY 53
SOURCES FROM INSIDE THE PARK ONLY 53
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MATERIAL SITES WITHIN THE PARK 54
SUMMARY OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT MATERIAL NEEDS AND COSTS 55
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 57
PROPOSED PLAN 57
Impacts of Road Improvement, Combined 3R and MR Projects 57
Natural Resources 57
Cultural Resources 59
Socioeconomic Environment 59
Cumulative Effects 61
Impacts of Road Material Sources, In-park and Out-of-park Sources 64
Natural Resources 64
Cultural Resources 65
Socioeconomic Environment 65
Cumulative Effects 66
VI
ROAD IMPROVEMENT ALTERNATIVES 62
Impacts of Alternative A: No Action 67
Natural Resources 67
Cultural Resources 67
Socioeconomic Environment 67
Impacts of Alternative B: 3R Only 69
Natural Resources 69
Cultural Resources 69
Socioeconomic Environment 70
Impacts of Alternative C: MR Only 70
Natural Resources 70
Cultural Resources 70
Socioeconomic Environment 71
ROAD MATERIAL SOURCE ALTERNATIVES 71
Impacts of Alternative AA: No Action 71
Natural Resources 71
Cultural Resources 72
Socioeconomic Environment 72
Impacts of Alternative BB: Out-of-Park Sources Only 72
Natural Resources 72
Cultural Resources 73
Socioeconomic Environment 73
FUTURE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS 75
SECTION 106, NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT 75
SECTION 404, CLEAN WATER ACT 75
EXECUTIVE ORDERS 1988 AND 1990 75
1 1
STORM WATER RULE 76
SECTION 7- ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT 76
AGENCIES/ORGANIZATIONS CONTACTED 77
APPENDIX A 79
APPENDIX B 103
APPENDIX C 115
REFERENCES 119
PREPARERS AND CONSULTANTS 123
VII
MAPS
Rocky Mountain Region Map 3
Greater Yellowstone Area Map 5
Road Improvement Study Area Map 11
Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone Map 25
Proposed Road Improvement Program Map 39
Road Material Need Areas Map 45
Recommended Material Sources and Other Uses 81
TABLES
Table 1 : Estimated Material Quantities for Road Improvement in Yellowstone 56
VIII