Public Comment. Volume III - Montana Legislature

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b. Developing. .. special .procedures for . handl.ing;.. of
displaced materials and .petroleum products. to prevent
introduction of such materials into ' the
aquatic system. The procedures referred to hers
would ,be dictated by site-gpecific geographic and
construction criteria.
c. Running silty water through settling pond systems
when dewatering for footing construction is
required.
d. Assuring that backfill at crossing and rip-rap
sites is washed and essentially silt-free.
e. Double-shifting at crossing sites to minimize the
duration of construction activities in or near
stream banks.
It should be further noted that ali sampling activities
would be coordinated with the Montana Department of Fish,
Wildlife, and Parks. It is likely that MF'WP personnel will be
responsible for any electrofishing aspects of the inventory..
10.0 TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY IMPACT MITIGATION
10.1 General
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Two areas of concern are addressed under the overall heading
of terrestrial ecology -- wildlife and vegetation. The thrust of
the terrestrial mitigation plan will be to provide additional
information and options for avoiding unnecessary impacts to vegetation
and wildlife.
The kinds and amounts of habitats that will be lost during
construction of the Tongue River Railroad were identified in the
environmental documentation. Avoidance by wildlife of normal use
areas adjoining the construction site is considered to be a short
term impact that will be mitigated by the completion of construction;
wildlife will simply reoccupy those areas where their normal
use patterns have been disrupted. Mitigation of other
impacts, however, requires identification of those sites where
impacts may occur. The following methods can be used to identify
those sites:
(1) An aerial survey should be conducted during the winter
before construction begins. An aerial survey may iden-
EQC Eminent Domain Study -209-