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L3yrad Bureau
1991 York Mining
District*
Abandoned Mine
Reclamation
York Mining
District
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project
Environmental Assessment
Montana Departmentof State Lands
Abandoned Mine ReclamationBureau
and
United States Departmentofthe Interior
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement
STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECT!
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1 4 1994
MONTANA STATE LIBRARY
1515 E- 6th AVE.
HELENA, MONTANA 59520
MONTANA STATE LIBRARY
S622.34L3ymd1991c.1
YorkMiningDistrict,AbandonedMineRec
3 0864 00085744 4
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
YORK MINING DISTRICT
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project
Lewis and Clark County, Montana
Prepared By
ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION BUREAU
MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF STATE LANDS
In Cooperation with
United States Department of Interior
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
FEBRUARY, 1991
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2014
in
mont
https://archive.org/details/yorkminingdistri1991
Table of Contents
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
I.
A. Purpose and Need for the Action 1
B. Project Background/General information 3
C. Existing/Related Environmental Documents 3
CHAPTER DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES
II.
A. Primary Alternatives Under Analysis 8
1 . Alternative 1 : Approve the proposed Construction Grant 8
2. Alternative 2: Deny the proposed Construction Grant (No Action) 17
B. Other Reasonable Alternatives 18
3. Alternative 3: Approve the proposed Construction Grant, as Modified: 18
C. Other Afternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis 18
CHAPTER AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
III.
A. General Setting 20
B. Critical Elements 20
1. Cultural, paleontological, or historic resource values 20
2. Water quality/supply values 20
3. Wetland values 21
4. Floodplain/unstable geology concerns 21
5. Threatened or endangered plant/animal species 21
6. Migratory birds of high Federal interest 21
7. Renewable resources/unique farmland values 22
8. Recreational resource values 22
9. Social and economic values 22
10. Conformance with Federal, State, regional, and/or local land use plans,
programs, and policies 22
C. Other Affected Resources 23
11. Mine spoils and soils 23
12. Vegetation 23
13. Fish and wildlife 23
14. Air quality 24
15. Transportation 24
CHAPTER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALTERNATIVES
IV.
A. Critical Elements 25
1. Water quality/supply values 25
2. Threatened or endangered plant/animal species 26
3. Renewable resources/unique farmland values 26
4. Recreational resource value 26
5. Social and economic values 27
6. Conformance with Federal, State, regional and/or local land use plans,
programs and policies 28
B. Other Affected Resources 28
7. Mine spoils and soils 28
8. Vegetation 29
9. Fish and wildlife 29
10. Air quality 30
11. Transportation 31
C. Cumulative Impacts 31
D. Mitigation Measures 31
E. Unavoidable Adverse Impacts 32
F. Short-term Uses vs Long-term Productivity 32
G. Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources 33
CHAPTER V. CONSULTATION & COORDINATION
A. Persons, Organizations, and Agencies Contacted 34
B. Preparers and Reviewers 34
CHAPTER VI. REFERENCES 35
CHAPTER VII. APPENDICES 37
A. Environmental Evaluation/Cost Estimate
B. Agency Response Letters
C. Soil and Mine Spoil Analyses
LIST OF TABLES
1. Summary of Alternatives 15
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Vicinity Map 4
2. Site Location Map 5
3. Reclamation Sites (Golden Messenger, Golden Charm, Section 5 Prospects) 9
4. Reclamation Sites (Big Rattlesnake, Section 10 Prospects) 11
5. Reclamation Sites (Gennian Gulch, Kingsbery Gulch) 13
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
I.
A. Purpose and Need for the Action
The Montana Department of State Lands (MDSL), Abandoned Mine Reclamation Bureau (AMRB) has
elected to study the York Mining District, Lewis and Clark County, to determine means whereby potential
human health and safety concerns, and environmental problems related to past mining activitiescan be
minimized or eliminated. The project is proposed for funding under Title IV of the Surface Mining and
Control Act (SMCRA) of 1977, and administered by the Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). The York Mining District mine reclamation project includes the
following mine sites: Golden Messenger, Golden Charm, Section 5 Prospects, Gennian Gulch, Kingsberry
Gulch, Big Rattlesnake Gulch, and Section 10 Prospects.
Many hazards to public health and safety exist in the York Mining District project area. Also, sources of
environmental degradation existing from past mining practices. The following undesirable site conditions
require abatement.
Unsound structures, buildings and other mining related debris.
* Dangerous mine openings (adits and shafts).
Devegetated mine spoils exposed to wind and water erosion.
Reclamation of mine sites in the York Mining Districtwould eliminate or reduce mine related safety hazards
to persons entering the area, as well as dramatically improve the visual aesthetics and environmental
degradation. Since public access to the project area is readily available, these are important benefits. The
purpose of this reclamation project is summarized in the following goals and objectives listed by mine site:
Golden Messenger:
Clean up and dispose of site debris and unsound mill structure to eliminate potential site
safety hazards.
Eliminate safety hazards associated with eight mine openings.
* Reduce erosion and runoff of mine spoils.
Revegetate barren mine spoils (waste rock and tailings).
Improve mining-disturbed land productivity and site aesthetics.
Prevent potential degradation of surface waters
Golden Charm:
Clean up site debris and unsound structures to eliminate potential site safety hazards.
Eliminate safety hazards associated with five mine openings.
Improve mining-disturbed land productivity and site aesthetics.
Reduce erosion potential of mine spoils.
Revegetate mining disturbed area.
1
Prevent potential degradation of surface waters
Section 5 Prospects:
Clean up site debris and unsound structure to eliminate potential site safety hazards.
Eliminate safety hazards associated with approximately fifty mine openings.
* Revegetate mining disturbed area.
Improve mining-disturbed land productivity and site aesthetics.
* Prevent potential degradation of surface waters and mine spoils erosion.
Gennian Gulch Mine Site:
* Eliminate safety hazards associated with ten mine openings.
* Reduce erosion and runoff of mine spoils.
Revegetate mining disturbed area.
Improve mining-disturbed land productivity and site aesthetics.
Kingsberry Gulch:
Eliminate potential safety hazards associated with adit and cut highwalls.
* Clean up site debris to eliminate potential site safety hazards.
* Reduce erosive potential of mine spoils.
Revegetate mining disturbed area.
Collect and control mine drainage at two locations.
Big Rattlesnake Gulch:
Eliminate safety hazards associated with ten mine openings.
Clean up miscellaneous site debris and unsound site structures to eliminate site safety
hazards.
* Reduce erosive potentials of mine spoils.
Revegetate and fence mining disturbed area.
Improve mining-disturbed land productivity and site aesthetics.
Section 10 Prospects:
Eliminate safety hazards associatedwith five mine openings and miscellaneous site debris.
Revegetate mining disturbed area.
* Improve mining-disturbed land productivity and site aesthetics.
The OSMRE Field Office Director has been requested to approve a Federal construction grant in the
amountof $747,000toimplement an abandoned mine land reclamationproject and accomplish the purpose
described above.
B. Project Background/General information
Features near the York Mining District project area are illustrated in Figure 1 Figure 2 represents the
.
locations of individual mine sites included in the project. The project area is 15 miles northeast of Helena,
Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. The York Mining District lies on the western edge of the Big Belt
Mountains on patented and unpatented mining claims. The Helena National Forest and dispersed private
lands surround the project area. Travel restrictions imposed by the Forest Service apply seasonally to
some roads in the project area.
Initial mining and milling began in the York Mining District in the 1870's. The earliest mining production
included exploitation of placer gold deposits. Numerous individuals and companies participated in mining
and milling activities at least until the mid 1940's. Gold was the primary mineral commodity produced from
the mines.
Mine sites proposed for reclamation in the York Mining District all lie within a 3 mile radius of the Golden
Messenger mill building. The total area of mining-disturbed land in the project area is estimated to be 22
acres. Surface and mineral rights are currently held by the following: D. Scholz, U.S. Forest Service,
Western Gold Exploration, J. Virage, W. Tiddy, J. Orser, and R. Conklin. The Helena National Forest
administers bordering lands not privately owned.
Land use in the York Mining District and surrounding area includes recreation, livestock grazing, mine
exploration, and wood cutting. Land surrounding the mine sites includes habitat suitable for wildlife.
Neighboring lands provide abundant recreational opportunities, and are widely and successfully used by
big game hunters. Disturbance at the immediate mine sites precludes safe recreational use of the project
area.
All seven mine sites are located in the Trout Creekdrainage basin. The Trout Creek drainage is a tributary
to Hauser Lake. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks classifies Trout Creek as a Class
3 trout stream. Nearby HauserLake iswidely knownforits fishing, boating, camping and other recreational
resource opportunities.
Past problems in the York Mining District have largely been associated with safety hazards presented by
dilapidated structures and dangerous mine openings. Additionally, devegetated mine spoils exposed to
erosion by wind and water pose an environmental threat. Reclamation in 1983 consisted of the closure
of two mine openings (one adit and one shaft) at the Golden Messenger mine site.
C. Existing/Related Environmental Documents
The Natural Resource Information System program staff at the Montana State Library conducted a search
for existing and related Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements. The search
revealed the following documents which were consulted in the preparation of this environmental
assessment.
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