USDA Forest Service 

Black Hills National Forest 

Mystic Ranger District 

Rapid City, South Dakota 

Section 30 Limestone Mining Project 

DRAFT 

Environmental Impact Statement 

 
Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations 

ARC At Risk Community 

ATV All Terrain Vehicle 

BA Basal Area 

BF Board Foot 

BHNF Black Hills National Forest 

BLM Bureau of Land Management 

BMP Best Management Practices 

CCF Hundred Cubic Feet 

CDA Connected Disturbed Area 

CEQ Council on Environmental Quality 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

CMAI Culmination of Mean Annual 

Increment 

dBA Decibel 

DBH Diameter Breast Height (of tree) 

DEIS Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement 

EA Environmental Analysis 

EIS Environmental Impact Statement 

EPA Environmental Protection 

Agency 

FRCC Fire Regime Condition Class 

FEIS Final Environmental Impact 

Statement 

FLMPA Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act 

FS Forest Service 

FSH Forest Service Handbook 

FSM Forest Service Manual 

GIS Geographic Information System 

GLO General Land Office 

ID Team Interdisciplinary Team 

MA Management Area 

MBF Thousand Board Feet 

MCF Thousand Cubic Feet 

MIS Management Indicator Species 

MMBF Million Board Feet 

MVUM Motorized Vehicle Use Map 

NAAQS National Ambient Air 

Quality Standards 

NEPA National Environmental 

Policy Act 

NFMA National Forest Management Act 

NFS National Forest System 

NFSR National Forest System Road 

ORV Off-Road Vehicle 

OHV Off Highway Vehicle 

PLS Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. 

PO Plan of Operations 

ROD Record of Decision 

S&G Standard(s) and Guideline(s) 

SHPO State Historic Preservation Office 

T&E Threatened and Endangered 

TSI Timber Stand Improvement 

USC United States Code 

USDA United States Department of 

Agriculture 

WUI Wildland-Urban Interface 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual 

orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any 

public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center 

at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is 

an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page iii 

Section 30 Limestone Mining Project 

Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement 

Pennington County, South Dakota

Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service 

Cooperating Agencies: None 

Responsible Official: Craig Bobzien, Forest Supervisor 

1019 North 5th Street 

Custer, South Dakota 57730 

For Information Contact: Robert J. Thompson, District Ranger 

8221 South Highway 16 

Rapid City, South Dakota 57702 

(605) 343-1567 

Abstract: The Mystic Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest has prepared a Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. Pete Lien and Sons, Inc., LLC 

(PLS) plans to operate a limestone quarry within the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF) near Black 

Hawk, South Dakota. Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. has recently prepared and submitted a Plan of 

Operations (PO) to the Black Hills National Forest detailing their 7 – 25 year plan to mine limestone 

in this area. This PO was developed in accordance with the Forest Service surface use regulations 

(36 CFR 228, Subpart A). The Forest Service has reviewed the PO and has determined the need for 

NEPA compliance. Three alternatives are considered in detail. Alternative A is the No Action 

Alternative. Alternative B is the Proposed Action as detailed in the PO. It plans to develop 

approximately 94 acres of mining claims over a 7 – 25 year timeframe. Alternative C responds to 

comments received during scoping. This alternative is intended to reduce effects of the proposed 

operation without interfering with PLS right to develop the limestone property. This Draft EIS 

discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects resulting from the proposed 

action and alternatives. The agency has not identified a preferred alternative. 

Reviewers should provide the Forest Service with their comments during the review period of the 

Draft EIS. This will enable the Forest Service to analyze and respond to the comments at one time 

and to use information acquired in the preparation of the Final EIS, thus avoiding undue delay in the 

decision making process. Reviewers have an obligation to structure their participation in the NEPA 

process so that it is meaningful and alerts the agency to the reviewers’ position and contentions. 

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Environmental 

objections that could have been raised at the draft stage may be waived if not raised until after 

completion of the Final EIS. City of Angoon v. Hodel (9th Circuit, l986) and Wisconsin Heritages, 

Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Comments on the Draft EIS should be 

specific and should address the adequacy of the statement and the merits of the alternatives 

discussed (40 CFR 1503.3). 

Send Comments To: Robert J. Thompson, District Ranger 

Section 30 Limestone Mining Project 

 8221 South Highway 16 

 Rapid City, South Dakota 57702 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page iv 

SUMMARY 

The Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District proposes to implement mining actions 

within the Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area. This proposal is guided by the Black 

Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as amended by the Phase II 

Amendment; and the 1872 Mining Law, as amended. 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. is proposing to develop a 94 acre open pit chemical grade limestone mine 

with a 25 year life of mine. The property is located west/northwest of Rapid City, SD. The 

project area is located in the NE1⁄4 and S1⁄2 of the NW1⁄4 of Section 30, Township 2 North, Range 7 

East, Black Hills Meridian, Pennington County, SD. This area is composed entirely of Black 

Hills National Forest System lands. 

The intent of this project is to recover chemical grade limestone from known and potential deposits 

lying within Section 30 Project Area. According to studies by the US Geological Survey, 

approximately 100 acres of the USFS holdings on Section 30 Project Area are underlain by 

Minnekahta Limestone. This deposit is recoverable over 94 acres of the site, based on standard 

mining assumptions. 

Through varied public involvement efforts, comments on the proposed action, potential concerns, and 

opportunities for managing the Section 30 Project Area were solicited from Forest Service resource 

specialists, tribal representatives, members of the public, other public agencies, adjacent property 

owners, and organizations. Methods used to request comments included: Publishing the Notice of 

Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS in the Federal Register on October 27, 2006; publication of news 

releases and articles in the Rapid City Journal on November 7, 13, and 16 in 2006; a scoping letter

was mailed on October 12, 2006 that solicited comments to approximately 172 interested parties; and 

a public meeting was conducted in Black Hawk, SD on December 14, 2006. 

A concerted effort was made to engage in consultation regarding the project with Tribal contacts 

known to have interest in management of the National Forest System lands. The proposed 

Section 30 Project was discussed in formal government-to-government consultation meetings in 

2002 and between 2006 and 2010 to define specific actions that would mitigate possible risks to 

historic properties and religious use sites. 

Comments received during the scoping process were used to help in defining issues, develop 

alternatives and design criteria/mitigation measures, and analyze effects. Through review and 

analysis of the scoping comments and input, the Section 30 Interdisciplinary Team (ID Team) 

identified four prevailing or key issues related to the proposed activities. The four key issues 

include: Visual Effects, Heritage Properties and American Indian Religious Use Sites, Changes in 

Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat/Use, and Effects on Public Health and Safety.

These issues led the ID Team to develop alternatives to the proposed action. The alternatives 

analyzed in detail in this EIS are briefly described as follows: 

Alternative A (No Action) – The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the study 

of the No Action Alternative and to use it as a basis for comparing the effects of the proposed 

action and other alternatives. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page v 

The No Action Alternative assumes that no implementation of any elements of the proposed action 

or other action alternatives would take place within the Section 30 Project Area within the next 20 

years. This alternative represents no attempt to actively respond to the purpose and need for action 

for the issues, concerns or comments identified during scoping for this project.

No Action, no activity would be undertaken by the project proponent. Although under the 1872 Mining 

Law, as amended the Forest Service cannot deny the proponent the right to work their mining claims, 

this alternative is analyzed in detail to provide a baseline of comparison for the action alternatives. 

Alternative B (Proposed Action) – Alternative B proposes implementing the Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. 

submitted Plan of Operation (PO) for the project area. Under Alternative B, project components 

would include the quarry, equipment operation area where front-end loaders, worker trucks, fuel 

trucks, service trucks, haul trucks, scraper, bulldozer, drilling truck, and water trucks that support the 

quarry activities would be located and the access roads. These project components with the exception 

of the access roads would involve approximately 94 acres of new disturbance. 

Alternative C – Alternative C was formulated to address issues raised during scoping, both external 

and internal. This alternative is intended to reduce effects of the proposed operation without 

interfering with PLS right to develop limestone property. Alternative C includes five main elements 

that would modify the PLS proposed operation. These elements include changes in the mining 

sequence to commence quarry operations to the south (instead of the north), adjacent to the existing 

Hills Material Quarry; changes to the clearing plan to reduce the amount of disturbed area at any one 

time; changes in the reclamation plan intended to achieve a more natural appearing result in a shorter 

amount of time utilizing native vegetation; requiring any new power lines (if needed) to be buried 

instead of overhead lines; and additional measures to reduce dust on the east/west section-line and the 

Quarry Road and additional recommended speed limits.

The public and decision maker can make a relative comparison between the alternative effects on the 

key issues based on specific measurement indicators developed for each issue (see Chapter 2). 

The Section 30 Project Purpose and Need (see Chapter 1) provides the focus and scope of the 

proposal as related to National and Forest level policy and the 1872 Mining Law, as amended. 

Given the purpose and need, the Deciding Official (Forest Supervisor) reviews the proposed action, 

the issues identified during scoping, the alternatives, and the environmental consequences of 

implementing the proposal and alternatives disclosed in the EIS. This forms the basis of the 

Deciding Official to make the following determinations: 

• Whether or not the proposed activities and alternatives address the issues, are responsive to 

National policy/guidance/law and Forest Plan direction, and meet the purpose and need for 

action in the Section 30 Project Area. 

• Whether or not the information in this analysis is sufficient to implement proposed activities. 

• Which action, if any, to approve (decide which alternative to implement). 

• Whether there is a need for site-specific amendments to existing Forest Plan direction. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page vi 

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Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page vii 

Table of Contents 

SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. iv

CHAPTER 1 PROPOSED ACTION and PURPOSE OF and NEED FOR ACTION .....................11

Document Structure ......................................................................................................................11

Background ...................................................................................................................................12

Management Direction..................................................................................................................13

Purpose Of and Need for Action ...................................................................................................21

Proposed Action ............................................................................................................................21

Connected Action..........................................................................................................................22

Decision Framework .....................................................................................................................23

Public Involvement .......................................................................................................................23

Issues .............................................................................................................................................24

CHAPTER 2 ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................27

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................27

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL..........................................................................27

Alternative A – No Action ........................................................................................................27

Alternative B – Proposed Action ..............................................................................................27

Alternative C .............................................................................................................................41

DESIGN CRITERIA, MITIGATION MEASURES, AND MONITORING ...............................44

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY ............44

COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES .......................................................................................45

1. Visual Effects .......................................................................................................................45

2. Cultural Resources and American Indian Religious Use .....................................................46

3. Changes to Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat/Use ................................................................46

4. Effects on Public Health and Safety ....................................................................................47

CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT and ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......49

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................49

PAST, PRESENT, and REASONABLY FORESEEABLE ACTIONS .......................................50

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT .....................................................................................................51

LAND USES and INFRASTRUCTURE .................................................................................52

GEOLOGY and MINERALS ...................................................................................................54

SOILS .......................................................................................................................................59

WATER RESOURCES ............................................................................................................61

AIR QUALITY .........................................................................................................................68

BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................70

TIMBER ...................................................................................................................................70

BOTANY, NOXIOUS AND INVASIVE SPECIES ................................................................73

WILDLIFE HABITAT .............................................................................................................78

FIRE and FUELS ......................................................................................................................91

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ..........................................................................................................93

SCENIC QUALITY..................................................................................................................94

SOCIAL/ECONOMICS .........................................................................................................111

IRREVERSIBLE and IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS of RESOUCES ........................116

SHORT-TERM USES and LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY ..................................................116

UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE EFFECTS ..................................................................................117
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page viii 

CHAPTER 4 BIBLIOGRAPY/REFERENCES .............................................................................119

CHAPTER 5 GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................129

CHAPTER 6 LIST OF PREPARERS ............................................................................................157

CHAPTER 7 INDEX ......................................................................................................................169

List of Tables 

Table 1-1 Significant Issues and Evaluation Criteria .......................................................................25

Table 3-1 Lien Limestone Quarry Mining Claim Information .........................................................57

Table 3-2 US Forest Service Region 2 Sensitive Species of the Black Hills, South Dakota 

(USDA Forest Service 2009) ....................................................................................................74

Table 3-3 Plant Species of Local Concern Known to Occur in the Section 30 Project Area and 

Those Suspected to Have Habitat within the Project Area .......................................................75

Table 3-4 Evaluation of Effects of Section 30 Project Alternatives to Region 2 Sensitive Wildlife 

and Fish Species ........................................................................................................................81

Table 3-5 Forest Plan MIS, Habitats Each Species Represents, and Occurrences of Species or 

Suitable Habitats in the Section 30 Project Area ......................................................................87

Table 3-6 Species of Local Concern for the Black Hills National Forest (USDA Forest Service 

2005), Habitat Requirements, and Presence of Species or their Habitats in the Section 30 

Project Area ..............................................................................................................................88

List of Figures 

Figure 1-1 Section 30 Limestone Mining Vicinity Map ...................................................................12

Figure 1-2 MA 5.4 Big Game Winter Range (Forest Wide) ............................................................16

Figure 2-1 Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Vicinity Map ......................................................28

Figure 2-2 North and South Pit Operation ........................................................................................29

Figure 2-3 Mining Direction Map.....................................................................................................30

Figure 2-4 Quarry Haul Route Map ..................................................................................................36

Figure 2-5 Typical Reclaimed Slope Cross-Section .........................................................................38

Figure 2-6 Reclamation Map ............................................................................................................40

Figure 3-1 Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Geologic Map .....................................................56

Figure 3-2 Five Year Running Average of Precipitation in the Black Hills Region between April 

and October for the Period of Record from 1925 to 2007 (Buckners, 2007) ...........................62

Figure 3-3 Simplified Cross-Section Schematic of Groundwater Aquifers in the Black Hills 

(Carter et al, 2003) ....................................................................................................................63

Figure 3-4 Existing View from I-90 at Mile Post 57, Looking West with Ridge Lines and 

Distance Zones ..........................................................................................................................97

Figure 3-5 View from I-90 at Mile Post 57, Looking West with Key Features on the Landscape ..98

Figure 3-6 Alternative B Active Mining in the North Pit ...............................................................101

Figure 3-7 Alternative B North Pit after Reclamation, South Pit Active Mining...........................102

Figure 3-8 Alternative B Post Reclamation Activities ...................................................................103

Figure 3-9 Alternative C Active Mining in the South Pit ...............................................................105

Figure 3-10 Alternative C South Pit after Reclamation, North Pit Active Mining.........................106

Figure 3-11 Alternative C Post Reclamation Activities .................................................................107

Figure 3-12 Population Trend .........................................................................................................112
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page ix 

Appendices 

Appendix A – Public Involvement and Collaboration............................................. .A-1 

Appendix B – Design Criteria, Mitigation, and Monitoring....................................... .B-1 

Appendix C – Summary BA/BE Wildlife/Fisheries and Botany..................................C-1 

Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 11 

CHAPTER 1 PROPOSED ACTION and PURPOSE OF 

and NEED FOR ACTION 

Document Structure 

The Mystic Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest has prepared this Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 

other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. This EIS discloses the direct, indirect, and 

cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and the no action 

alternative. The document is organized into seven chapters followed by Appendices A-C. 

Chapter 1. Proposed Action and Purpose of and Need for Action: This chapter includes 

information related to background of the project proposal, issues, the purpose of and need for the

project, and a description of the agency’s proposal for addressing that purpose and need. This 

section also details how the Forest Service involved the public, how the public responded and 

what issues were generated regarding the proposal. 

Chapter 2. Alternatives, including the Proposed Action: This chapter provides a more detailed 

description of the proposed action for achieving the stated purpose, as well as a no action 

alternative. The proposed action was developed based on addressing the purpose and need and 

key issues raised by the public, other agencies, and internally. This chapter also provides a 

discussion of design criteria and monitoring required. Finally, this section includes summary 

tables displaying the activities planned in the proposed action and a comparison of effects on the 

key issues associated with implementing the proposal versus no action. 

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences: This chapter describes the 

environmental effects of implementing the proposed action and no action. This analysis 

documentation is organized by resource area, e.g., Fire and Fuels, Wildlife Habitat, Watershed 

and Soils, etc. 

Chapter 4. Bibliography/References: The bibliography provides a list of references supporting 

the documentation in the EIS. 

Chapter 5. Glossary: The glossary provides a list and explanation of key words, acronyms, and 

terminology used throughout the EIS. 

Chapter 6. List of Preparers: This chapter provides a list of preparers involved during the 

development of the EIS. 

Chapter 7. Index: The index references page numbers for many key document topics and words. 

Appendices: The appendices provide more detailed information to support the documentation 

and analysis presented in the EIS. 

This EIS incorporates by reference the project record (40 CFR 1502.12). The project record 

contains specialist reports and other technical documentation used to support the analysis and 

conclusions in this EIS. The specialist reports provide additional detailed analysis. This EIS 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 12 

incorporates by reference the Cultural Resources Inventory Report, Wildlife Specialist Report, 

and Biological Assessment. 

This document relies on specialist reports and the project record to implement the Council on 

Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations’ provision that agencies should reduce NEPA 

paperwork (40 CFR 1502.4), and that NEPA documents by analytic rather than encyclopedic and 

kept concise (40 CFR 1502.2). The objective is to furnish enough sit-specific information to 

demonstrate a reasoned consideration of the environmental impacts of the alternatives and how 

these impacts can be mitigated, without repeating detailed analysis and background information 

available elsewhere. The Plan of Operation (PO) as submitted, as well as additional 

documentation, including more detailed analyses of project-area resources, may be found in the 

Project File located at the Mystic Ranger District office in Rapid City, SD. 

 

Background 

The Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District proposes to implement mining actions 

within the Section 30 Limestone Mine Project Area. This proposal is guided by the Black Hills 

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as amended by the Phase II Amendment; 

and the 1872 Mining Law, as amended. 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. is proposing to develop a 94 acre open pit chemical grade limestone 

mine with a 7 to 25 year life of mine. The property is located west/northwest of Rapid City, SD. 

The project area is located in the NE1⁄4 and S1⁄2 of the NW1⁄4 of Section 30, Township 2 North, 

Range 7 East, Black Hills Meridian, Pennington County, SD. This area is composed entirely of 

National Forest System lands administered by the Black Hills National Forest. See Section 30 

Limestone Mining Project Vicinity Map below in Figure 1-1. 

Figure 1-1 Section 30 Limestone Mining Vicinity Map
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 13 

The intent of this project is to recover mineral limestone resources from known deposits lying 

within the Section 30 Project Area. There are approximately 100 acres of National Forest 

System lands, on Section 30, that are underlain by Minnekahta Limestone. This deposit is 

recoverable over 94 acres of the site, based on standard mining assumptions. 

On October 16, 1936, the United States Government acquired 238.49 acres of private land in 

Section 30, T2N, R7E, B.H.M. under the General Exchange Act of March 20, 1922. Private lands 

outside the National Forest boundary within five miles can become part of the National Forest 

System land per the Act of February 15, 1927 (44 STAT. 1099) Public Law 622. Surface right

determination by the Bureau of Land Management was completed on February 28, 1967, 

conferring all surface management to the Forest Service. 

Past activities on the National Forest portion of Section 30 have been to manage the parcel for surface 

uses only. The vegetative cover of Ponderosa Pine trees have been treated over the years with the 

most recent one occurring under the Blackhawk Environmental Assessment (EA) signed in 1997. 

The current uses are predominantly for recreation activities. The primary uses are dispersed 

hiking/biking, bird watching, target shooting, and hunting. Off-road motorized use is no longer 

allowed in this area based on a recent Forest-wide travel management decision (USDA, Forest 

Service 2010c). Native American individuals have used the area for religious practices. 

Management Direction 

The following sections provide an overview of the management direction applicable to the 

Section 30 Project. This section discusses the main laws, regulations, and executive orders 

applicable to the proposed mining operation, and provides guidance from the Black Hills 

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended. 

USDA Forest Service Administration of the General Mining Law of 1872 

Mining on public lands is authorized under the 1872 Mining Law (as amended) (30 USC §§ 21-

42), the Mining and Minerals Policy Act 1970 (30 USCA § 21a), Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (as amended) (43 USCA §§ 1701-84), and the National 

Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (30 USCA §§ 1601-05). 

The Forest Service’s regulatory responsibilities for oversight of mining activities on federal lands 

are set forth in the Forest Service Surface Use Regulations (36 CFR 228, Subpart A – also known 

as the 228 Regulations), which provides rules and procedures for use of the surface of National 

Forest System lands in connection with mineral operations. These regulations direct the Forest 

Service to prepare the appropriate level of NEPA analysis and documentation when proposed 

operations may significantly affect surface resources. These regulations do not allow the Forest 

Service to deny entry or preempt the miner’s statutory rights granted under the 1872 Mining Law. 

The regulations state that an operator is entitled to access in connection with the operation, and that 

access must be approved in writing before use can begin. The regulations also require the Forest 

Service to develop mitigation measures to minimize adverse impacts on National Forest resources 

and include requirements for reclamation. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 14 

The Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2800 also discusses specific responsibilities and 

considerations for dealing with a Plan of Operation. It states that the Forest Service should 

minimize or prevent adverse impacts related or incidental to mining by imposing reasonable 

conditions that do not materially interfere with operation. It also requires the Forest Service to 

evaluate proposals for road construction and reconstruction and consider alternatives that may be 

less damaging to surface resources (FSM 2817.25). 

Other State and Federal Laws and Executive Orders 

For other specific regulatory programs, the Forest Service operates in compliance with state and 

other federal regulatory agencies. Shown below is a partial list of other federal laws and executive 

orders pertaining to project-specific planning and environmental analysis of federal lands. While 

most pertain to all federal lands, some of the laws are specific to South Dakota. Disclosures and 

findings required by these laws and orders are contained in Chapters 2 and 3 of this EIS. 

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (as amended) 

• National Forest Management Act of 1976 (as amended) 

• Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 

• Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (as amended) 

• Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 (as amended) 

• Clean Water Act of 1977 (as amended) 

• Clean Air Act of 1970 (as amended) 

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended) 

• American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 (as amended) 

• Archeological Resource Protection Act of 1979 (as amended) 

• Executive Order 11593 (cultural resources) 

• Executive Order 11988 (floodplains) 

• Executive Order 11990 (wetlands) 

• Executive Order 12898 (environmental justice) 

• Executive Order 12962 (aquatic systems and recreational fisheries) 

• Executive Order 13007 (Indian Sacred Sites) 

• Executive Order 13186 (Migratory Bird Treaty Act) 

• Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments) 

• South Dakota Permitting and Environmental Guide, 2007 Edition 

Forest Plan Direction 

The Black Hills National Forest programmatic management direction document is the 1997 

Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP or Forest Plan). The Forest Plan was 

amended by the Phase II Forest Plan Amendment Record of Decision (ROD) made in October 

2005. The Forest Plan was prepared in accordance with the 1976 National Forest Management 

Act (NFMA), 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and other laws and associated 

regulations. The Forest Plan provides guidance for all resource management activities on the 

Black Hills National Forest. It established goals, objectives, standards, and guidelines; it describes 

resource management practices, levels of resource production, people-carrying capacities, and the 

availability and suitability of lands for resource management activities. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 15 

The Forest Plan can be amended by project level decisions (such as the Section 30 Limestone 

Mining Project) provided the effects of any amendments are evaluated and disclosed in an 

environmental assessment or environmental impact statement prepared for the project or proposal. It 

is possible that one non-significant amendment might be required to implement one of the action 

alternatives for the Section 30 Limestone Mining Project. 

Management direction in the Forest Service Directive System, including the Forest Service 

Manual and Forest Service Handbook, is part of the Forest Plan management direction and is 

appropriately referenced within the Forest Plan. Applicable laws, regulations, and policies are 

part of the management direction even though they might not be restated in the Forest Plan. The 

Forest Plan (Preface – pg 16) states that mineral production will continue on the Forest in 

accordance with the 1872 Mining Act. 

Forest Plan Management Area Direction 

The Forest Plan also sets management allocations for specific uses of land (Management Areas) 

within the Forest to meet multiple use objectives (FP Chapter III). There are twenty 

Management Area designations on the Black Hills National Forest. The 100 acre Section 30 

Project Area is located entirely within Management Area (MA) 5.4, which has a management 

emphasis on Big Game Winter Range. There are approximately 397,000 acres of MA 5.4 on the 

Black Hills National Forest (See Figure 1-2). 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 16 

Figure 1-2 MA 5.4 Big Game Winter Range (Forest Wide)
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 17 

Management Area 5.4 is typically located in foothill positions or on old wildfire sites where 

reduced snow depths and often better-than-average forage conditions provide habitat sought by 

deer and elk during the winter. The area is managed to provide big game winter range while 

maintaining healthy plant communities and recreational opportunities. The full range of 

management practices occurs on these lands, particularly timber harvesting, prescribed burning, 

and recreational use. Mining and livestock grazing are also some of the anticipated uses for 

Management Area 5.4. 

The Section 30 Project ID Team reviewed Management Area (MA) direction and confirmed that 

no new information existed that would require reconsideration of the Forest Plan resource 

allocations for the project area. 

Forest Plan Goals, Objectives, Standards, and Guidelines

The Forest Plan established eleven multiple use goals and associated objectives for management 

of the Forest. Goals 1-4, 10, 11 are directed toward natural and cultural resource objectives for 

multiple use management of the Forest. Goal 3 and 5-9 provide socio-economic emphasis for

management of the Forest. The goals and objectives, applicable to specific resource 

management issues needing resolution, provide management emphasis for evaluating the project 

proposal. The eleven Forest Plan goals are discussed in Chapter I of the Forest Plan. The goals 

providing primary management emphasis and direction for the Section 30 Project are Goals 1, 2, 

3, 4, and 7:

1. Protect basic soil, air, water and cave resources. 

2. Provide for a variety of life through management of biologically 

diverse ecosystems. 

3. Provide for sustained commodity uses in an environmentally acceptable manner. 

4. Provide for scenic quality, a range of recreational opportunities, and 

 protection of heritage resources in response to the needs of the Black Hills 

 National Forest visitors and local communities. 

7. Emphasize cooperation with individuals, organizations and other agencies 

 while coordinating planning and project implementation. 

There are many objectives, standards, and guidelines intended to meet the overall intent of the Forest 

Plan and each of the specific management areas. Some of the objectives, standards, and guidelines that 

may be applicable to the proposed Section 30 Project are included below. 

Objective 101: Maintain air quality standards in accordance with state implementation plans. 

Objective 104: Maintain or enhance watershed conditions to foster favorable soil relationships

and water quality. Achieve and maintain stable streambeds and banks, diverse riparian 

vegetation, and effective ground cover that control runoff and erosion. 

Standard 1105: Limit roads and other disturbed sites to the minimum feasible number, width and 

total length consistent with the purpose of specific operations, local topography and climate.

Standard 1106: Stabilize and maintain roads and other disturbed sites during and after 

construction to control erosion. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 18 

Standard 1107: Where there is potential for toxic contamination of soil from ground disturbing 

activities (e.g., oil or gas drilling or mineral exploration), a contingency plan to prevent or 

rehabilitate soil contamination shall be developed. 

Standard 1109: Reclaim roads and other disturbed sites when use ends, as needed, to prevent 

resource damage. 

Standard 1110: Initiate re-vegetation as soon as possible, not to exceed 6 months after termination 

of ground-disturbing activities. Re-vegetate all disturbed soils with native species in seed/plant 

mixtures that are noxious-weed free. On areas needing immediate establishment of vegetation, nonnative, non-aggressive annuals (e.g., wheat, oats, rye) or sterile species may be used while native 

perennials are becoming established, or when native species are not available (e.g., during drought 

years or years when wildfires burn large acreages in the United States). Other aggressive non-native 

perennials (e.g., smooth brome, timothy) will not be used. Seed will be tested for noxious weeds. If 

mulches are used they are to be noxious-weed free. Weed-free alfalfa seed may be used only when 

native legume seed is not available and only when there is extensive disturbance associated with 

road construction or mine reclamation where topsoil is no longer available. 

Standard 1113: Construct roads and other disturbed sites to minimize sediment discharge into 

streams, lakes and wetlands. 

Standard 1211: Place new sources of chemical and pathogenic pollutants where such pollutants 

will not reach surface or ground water. 

Standard 1212: Apply runoff controls to disconnect new pollutant sources from surface and 

ground water. 

Standard 1213: Apply chemicals using methods which minimize risk of entry to surface and 

ground water. 

Guideline 1214: Where natural background water pollutants cause degradation, it is not necessary to

implement improvement actions. Short-term or temporary failure to meet some parameters of the 

applicable federal or state standard, such as increased sediment from road crossing construction or 

water resource development, may be permitted in special cases. 

Standard 1501: A Plan of Operations shall contain proposed reclamation objectives and 

practices to maintain water quality and soil stability during mining and exploration activities, 

including post mining and exploration, and any temporary shutdowns. Reclamation objectives

should include the planned uses of the management area or reasons why these uses can no longer 

be achieved. 

Standard 1502: Reclamation will be considered satisfactory when the disturbed area has been 

reclaimed in accordance with the operating plan. 

Objective 217: Maintain habitat for game and fish populations at the state objectives in 

effect in 1996. 

Objective 218: Conserve or enhance habitat for resident and migratory non-game wildlife. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 19 

Objective 221: Conserve or enhance habitat for R2 Sensitive species and species of local 

concern (SOLC). Monitoring will be conducted at a forest-wide level, not at the project level, 

and will be done for habitats or populations. 

Objective 230: Eradicate or limit spread (acres) of new introductions of non-native pests 

(insects, diseases, plants) to minimize ecosystem disruption. 

Objective 231: Prevent new infestations and manage to reduce established noxious-weed infestations. 

Objective 238: “The following are objectives for management indicator species (MIS). MIS 

will be monitored using trends in habitat; however, when available, population trends may be 

used as a strong indicator of management response...” 

Standard 3115: An R2 Sensitive species or species of local concern located after contract or permit 

issuance will be appropriately managed by active coordination between permittee, contractor or 

purchaser, Forest Service line officer, project administrator, and biologist and/or botanist. Solutions 

need to be based on the circumstances of each new discovery and must consider the species need, 

contractual obligations and costs, and mitigation measures available at the time of discovery. 

Standard 4306: Use certified noxious-weed-free seed, feed and mulch. Seed will be tested for 

noxious weeds at the time of purchase. 

Standard 5.4-1501: Operating and reclamation plans shall minimize or mitigate impacts to deer

and elk habitat. Operating plans shall restrict the period of operation to reduce disturbance to 

deer and elk during periods of high use. 

Objective 308: Ensure exploration, development and production of mineral and energy 

resources are conducted in an environmentally sound manner so that they may contribute to 

economic growth and the national defense. 

Standard 1109: Reclaim roads and other disturbed sites when use ends, as needed, to prevent 

resource damage. 

Guideline 4102a: Avoid the use of earth-moving equipment within national register eligible 

heritage resource sites, known locations of R2 sensitive species and species of local concern 

plants, BAs, RNAs, or in stream channels, except at designated points and with proper mitigation. 

Objective 402: Provide natural appearing landscapes with diverse scenery and enhance 

opportunities to enjoy attractive settings. 

Objective 405: Manage all heritage sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 

consultation with the State Historical Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the President’s Council 

on Historic Preservation (ACHP). 

Objective 420: Manage travel corridors for federal, state and county roads. 

a. Meet a scenic integrity objective of High. 

Guideline 2105: When developing openings in vegetative communities, copy naturally shaped edges. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 20 

Guideline 2414: For travel corridors and other places where scenic quality is emphasized, manage 

tree stands to enhance the scenic quality and recreational opportunities. Manage for a variety of 

scenic conditions including areas of large, yellow-barked ponderosa pine, areas of hiding cover for 

wildlife, and areas with open park-like conditions. 

Standard 2416b: The following restocking requirements apply to lands identified as suitable and 

available for timber production: The minimum level considered adequate for restocking is 150 

seedlings per acre for conifers. This represents what is required, considering natural mortality, to 

produce a merchantable timber stand at rotation age without intermediate treatments. 

Guideline 2419: Use artificial regeneration methods when it is not possible to rely on the natural 

sequence of events or environmental conditions to regenerate the forests within five years. 

Guideline 5601: The existing scenic integrity, based on current landscape character, is usually 

accepted as the scenic integrity objective (SIO) unless special, documented circumstances 

warrant a change. 

Guideline 5602: Management activities which are inconsistent with the scenic integrity 

objectives will be prohibited unless a decision is made to change the scenic integrity objective. 

Such decisions will be documented in a site-specific decision document. 

Guideline 5603: Use the following priorities for rehabilitating areas that do not meet scenic 

integrity objectives (SIO): 

a. Relative importance of the area and the amount of deviation from the scenic integrity 

objectives. "Foreground" of high public use areas has highest priority; 

b. Length of time it will take natural processes to reduce the visual impacts so that they 

meet the scenic integrity objective(s); 

c. Length of time it will take for rehabilitation measures to meet the scenic integrity 

objective; and 

d. Benefits to other resource management objectives to accomplish rehabilitation. 

Guideline 5606: Where the SIO criterion is High or Moderate, meet the criterion within one full 

growing season after completion of a project.....Where it is Low or Very Low, meet the criterion 

within three full growing seasons after completion of a project. 

Guideline 5608: Integrate the protection of aesthetic values with all resource planning. 

Guideline 5609: Highest priority for protection of scenic quality are those areas of heavy public 

use, such as scenic byways, major roads or trails, developed recreation sites, administrative sites, 

and backdrops for cities and towns. 

Guideline 5611: Vary stand densities to create vegetative diversity in areas with an adopted 

scenic integrity objective of Moderate or High. 

Objective 703: Seek partnerships with other service providers – federal, state, county, local, and 

private sector – to define complementary roles that best meet customer needs. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 21 

Objective 704: Consult with tribal governments, traditional practitioners, and other knowledgeable 

individuals to identify important areas of American Indian religious significance. 

Objective 705: Facilitate traditional and spiritual uses. 

Guideline 6101: Consider long-term Forest management needs in determining appropriate use of 

mitigation of effects to, or avoidance of, heritage resources during project planning. 

Purpose Of and Need for Action 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. has submitted a Plan of Operations proposing to quarry limestone from 

their mining claims in Section 30 on National Forest System lands open to mineral location. 

The Mining Law of 1872 states that all valuable mineral deposits in Public Domain lands of the 

United States are to be free of open to exploration and development (30 USC 22, 28). PLS has a 

statutory right to extract locatable minerals (chemical grade limestone) as proposed in accordance 

with the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended (30 USC 21-54). 

The Forest Service administers exploration and development on National Forest System lands under 

mining regulations defined in 36 CFR 228, Subpart A. Mine operators planning mineral exploration 

and development activities which are likely to cause significant disturbances to surface resources are 

required to submit a Plan of Operation for review by the District Ranger (36 CFR 228.4(a)). Forest 

Service mining regulations state that, “operations shall be conducted so as, where feasible, to 

minimize adverse impacts on National Forest System surface resources” (36 CFR 228.8). 

The Purpose and Need for this project is authorization of Pete Lien and Sons, Inc., proposal to 

exercise their rights under U.S. mining laws to mine limestone while protecting the environment in 

accordance with Forest Service regulations for locatable minerals. 

Proposed Action 

The proposed action is to approve the Plan of Operation (PO) submitted by Pete Lien and Sons, 

Inc. to mine approximately 94 acres of National Forest System lands on the PLS 30-1 through PLS 

30-10 Lode Mining Claims. The PO was developed by Pete Lien and Sons Inc., and submitted to 

the Forest Service as per mining regulations 36 CFR 228 Subpart A. 

The PO is summarized as follows: 

• It is estimated that the operation will process approximately 10 million tons of limestone 

from a 94 acre open pit chemical grade limestone mine. The life of the proposed mine is 

estimated at 7 – 25 years, not including final reclamation.

• As confirmed by exploration and discovery of the unpatented claims on Section 30, the 

limestone deposit is at the surface and best recovered by an open pit surface mining

operation. The process for surface mining will follow BMP standard procedures.

• The operation will remove vegetation, stockpile topsoil for future reclamation, drill and 

blast rock to remove an average 25 foot bed of limestone rock resulting in an open pit 

with an average of 25 foot high walls.
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 22 

• Blasted rock may be crushed on site to reduce size for hauling. Raw materials will be 

transported to the east of SD Highway 79 for processing into chemical grade limestone 

products.

• Concurrent reclamation is planned. Approximately 60 acres will be disturbed at any one 

time. Reclamation will result in a depression on the existing hillside. High walls will be 

reduced, site graded, topsoil applied, and vegetation planted once mineral extraction is

complete.

• Removal of limestone will require blasting. Blasting will follow standard industry practices 

and will be performed under the direct supervision of certified blasting engineers and 

required state of South Dakota mining regulations and permits. 

• The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will be responsible for enforcing 

mine safety regulations. The mine site will be enclosed by fences and gates as required 

by MSHA and other regulatory guidance. 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. will secure permits for all mining and reclamation activities as required 

by law. Several permits have been obtained pending the NEPA analysis and decision. Permit 

requirements include: 

• Clean Water Act – Apply for construction/mining activity permit with National Pollutant 

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

• Clean Air Act – Permit or permits will be obtained to ensure that equipment and dust 

control measures comply with the Clean Air Act.

• South Dakota Mining License – Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. currently has a mining license 

inclusive of the relevant portion of Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area. 

• Pennington County Construction (Mining) Permit – Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. will notify

the County of its schedule and plans to initiate mining on the Section 30 Project Area. 

Construction permit CP 01-05 specifies the scope of the County’s further review of road 

impacts, drainage, and other matters related to mining on the Section 30 Project Area. 

Refer to “Alternatives Considered in Detail” in Chapter 2 of this document for a detailed 

description of the Proposed Action and other Alternatives. 

Connected Action 

PLS intends to truck haul limestone mined at the quarry site to their existing lime plant located 

approximately one and one-half miles east of the quarry site (See Haul Road Map in Chapter 2, 

Figure 2-4). Truck hauling and processing activities would occur entirely on private land or on 

roads that are not part of Forest Service jurisdiction. The Forest Service has no authority to 

approve or deny any of these activities. Therefore, they are not included in the Decision 

Framework provided below. 

This EIS focuses only on those specific effects and alternatives associated with proposed quarry 

operations on NFS lands, for which the Forest Service has decision-making authority. Effects from 

hauling crushed limestone will be presented in the EIS in general fashion, particularly to address 

traffic related effects within and immediately adjacent to the quarry site. Processing activities at the 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. lime plant are acknowledged but not analyzed in this EIS. The plant has 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 23 

been in operation for many years, is permitted through other authorities, and no changes in operation 

or size is required in order to process the Section 30 Project limestone material. 

Decision Framework 

The Section 30 Project purpose and need provides the focus and scope for the proposal as related to the 

programmatic goals of the Forest Plan and the Phase II Amendment. Given the purpose and need, the 

Deciding Official (Forest Supervisor) reviews the proposed action, the issues identified during scoping, 

the alternatives, the environmental consequences of implementing the proposal and alternatives, and 

public comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This forms the basis for the Deciding 

Official to make the following determinations: 

• Whether or not the proposed activities and alternatives address the issues, are responsive 

to laws, regulations, and Forest Plan direction, and meet the purpose of and need for 

action in the Section 30 Project Area. 

• Whether or not the information in this analysis is sufficient to implement proposed activities. 

• Which action, if any, to approve (decide which alternative or combination of alternatives 

to implement). 

• Whether there is a need for site specific amendments to the existing Forest Plan. 

If any action alternative is selected, project implementation could begin in October, 2011. 

Public Involvement 

During project development and analysis period, an effort was made to involve, interact, and 

cooperate with individuals and groups interested in the Section 30 Project. Scoping is the process 

of obtaining comments about proposed federal actions to determine the breadth of issues to be 

addressed. Comments on the proposed action, potential concerns, and opportunities for managing 

the Section 30 Project Area were solicited from members of the public, American Indian Tribes, 

other public agencies, adjacent property owners, organizations, and Forest Service specialists. 

A scoping letter was mailed to approximately 172 interested parties, including adjacent land 

owners on October 12, 2006. This letter included a description of the project area, an overview of 

the NEPA process, a general explanation of the actions proposed, and an invitation to comment. 

A public meeting was held for the public in Black Hawk, SD on November 07, 2006. At this 

meeting key members of the ID Team presented the project proposal to the public, questions were 

answered, concerns and issues were solicited and documented for consideration. 

A concerted effort was made to engage in consultation regarding the project with Tribal contacts 

known to have interest in management of the National Forest System lands. The proposed Section 

30 Project was discussed in formal government-to-government consultation meetings in 2002 and 

between 2006 and 2010 to define specific actions that would mitigate possible risks to historic 

properties and religious use sites. The 2002 consultation addressed a proposed land exchange 

between the BHNF and Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. (PLS) with respect to the Section 30 Project 

(BHNF-SO 2006a). The 2006 to 2010 consultations addressed the PLS 2005 Plan of Operations in 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 24 

Section 30 (Banks and Gesso 2005). Those invited to consult included the Advisory Council on 

Historic Preservation (ACHP), Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, Cheyenne River Sioux 

Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northern 

Cheyenne Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, Standing 

Rock Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, Yankton Sioux Tribe, Banks and 

Gesso Historical Society, PLS, and the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Officer (SD 

SHPO) (BHNF-MRD 2005). Those who chose to participate in consultation included the 

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, 

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Banks and Gesso, PLS, SD SHPO, and Black Hills National Forest. 

Between 2006 and 2010, six consultations regarding the Section 30 Project were held. Three 

consultations were held in 2006, including two in Rapid City, SD on January 19 and February 28, 

and one in Spearfish, SD on June 27-28. Two consultations were held in 2009, including one at 

the Crazy Horse Memorial near Custer, SD on April 21 and one in Spearfish, SD on September 17. 

One consultation was held in 2010 at the Crazy Horse Memorial near Custer, SD on June 15. 

In addition to the consultation meetings held in the Black Hills, Forest Service and PLS 

representatives were formally invited to three reservations to meet with tribal council members 

during one of their regular sessions. The first of these meetings was at Eagle Butte, South Dakota 

with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council on March 8, 2006. The next was at Rosebud, SD 

with the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council on September 13, 2006. The last was at Fort Washakie, 

WY with the Northern Arapaho Tribal Council on September 20, 2006. Each of these meetings 

included presentations by the Forest Service and PLS on the project proposal, a review of the 

historic properties, and possible mitigation efforts to protect the sites. 

Publications of news releases and informative articles in the Rapid City Journal occurred on 

November 7, 2006, November 13, 2006, and November 16, 2006. 

The project was entered into the Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) in October of 2006. SOPA 

contains a list of Forest Service proposed action that will soon begin or are undergoing environmental 

analysis and documentation. It provides information so the public can become aware of and indicate 

interest in specific proposals (located online at www.fs.fed.us/sopa/).

The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register on October 27, 

2006. During the scoping period, 23 individuals, groups, or agencies submitted comment letters. 

A Revised Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register on 

Wednesday, October 7, 2009. The Revised NOI was republished due to time lapse between the

original publication of the NOI and the new estimated Draft and Final EIS publication dates. 

Issues 

This section provides a summary of issues identified during the public and internal scoping 

period for the Section 30 Project. Comments received during scoping were used to help in 

defining issues, develop alternatives and mitigation measures, and analyze effects. A total of 23 

comment letters were received via letters, faxes, personal-delivery, or email during the formal 

scoping process. Through review and analysis of scoping comments and internal agency 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 25 

concerns, the Section 30 Core ID Team identified four significant or key issues related to the 

proposed activities. Comments received and the agency ‘response to comments’ are summarized 

in the Section 30 Project File located at the Mystic Ranger District, Rapid City, SD office. 

The ID Team reviewed input submitted during the scoping period and separated the issues into 

significant (as directed by the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 

1500.4(g) and 1501.7)) and non-significant issues. Significant issues include those that are 

directly or indirectly caused by implementing the proposed action, and can be used to drive 

development of additional alternatives or design criteria and mitigation measures. Nonsignificant issues are defined as those: 1) outside the scope of the proposed action; 2) already 

decided by law, regulation, Forest Plan, or other higher level decision; 3) irrelevant to the 

decision to be made ; or 4) conjectural and not supported by scientific or factual evidence. The 

Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations explain this delineation in Sec. 

1501.7, “...identify and eliminate from detailed study the issues which are not significant or 

which have been covered by prior environmental review (Sec. 1506.3)...” Non-significant 

issues and rationale regarding their categorization as non-significant may be found in the project 

record. A brief description of the key issues is presented below. 

Table 1-1 Significant Issues and Evaluation Criteria 

Issue Issue Statement Evaluation Criteria 

Visual Effects The proposed operation will be visible 

along the SD Highway 79/US Interstate 90 

corridor, and to current and future residents 

and businesses in the area. These effects 

will change over time and will last for 

many years. 

Nature and extent of short duration 

visual effect to travelers along high 

speed roads, and to longer duration 

effects on area residents and business 

owners. Visual changes in project area 

over time. 

Cultural Resources 

and American 

Indian Religious 

Use Sites 

Quarry operations would affect cultural 

resources by permanently altering the 

landscape adjacent to the sites. Religious 

use sites would be affected by altering the 

adjacent landscape, restricting some access 

during the mining period, and from the 

noise, dust and traffic to anyone using the 

area for religious use purposes during 

active mining periods. 

Number of sites affected and nature of 

effects for specific sites. Access 

restrictions, timing, and length of 

effects. 

Changes in 

Vegetation and 

Wildlife Habitat/Use

The proposed operation would remove 

existing vegetation with potential negative 

effects to some wildlife species. This 

change could be long lasting. Noise from 

blasting and quarry operations could 

displace existing wildlife use. 

Amount and timing of vegetation 

removal and effect on wildlife species. 

Vegetation cover and wildlife habitat 

effects associated with reclamation 

compared with existing condition. 

Level of wildlife displacement as a 

result of ongoing quarry operations. 

Effects on Public 

Health and Safety 

The proposed operation could result in 

diminished air quality from dust and diesel 

emissions; increased noise from blasting, 

equipment and crusher operation, and truck 

hauling; increased safety hazards due to 

truck hauling and associated traffic; and 

public hazards near quarry operations. 

Nature and extent of air quality effects 

from quarry and hauling operations, 

timing, and amount of noise near the 

quarry and haul route; haul truck and 

associated traffic levels; and public 

hazards near the quarry site. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 26 

There were three concerns expressed during scoping that were not included as significant issues, 

but do warrant some discussion. These concerns include effects on water resources, property 

values, and recreation use. These concerns were not included as significant issues because they 

can be addressed through design criteria or mitigation measures, are adequately addressed 

through one or more of the key issues, or are considered a minor effect when considering the 

scale of the proposed project. 

Water resource concerns included potential effects to surface water quality and/or effects to 

groundwater wells in the area, especially for those living in close proximity to the operation. 

Surface and ground water concerns are important to mining operations. Analysis of water 

resources indicated that there should be no significant effect to surface water quality from 

limestone mining, as it would not liberate any deleterious chemicals or lead to acid mine 

drainage. Limestone is commonly used for water treatment and treatment for acid mine 

drainage. Concerns for contaminants, such as oil and fuel from equipment operations, can be

managed through the use of design criteria and mitigation measures to ensure that these 

substances do not degrade water quality. The proposed quarry site does not have any perennial 

stream flow. Any overland flow, within the project area, can be contained within catchments. 

Effects to groundwater are not expected due to the impermeable layer of Opeche Shale located 

beneath the quarry site and above the underlying Minnelusa Formation aquifer. Blasting 

controls, including the placement of seismographs to monitor ground motion, are included in the 

proposed action to ensure that local water wells are not affected by the operation. Water 

resources were not included as significant issues because the effects were could be adequately 

addressed through design criteria and mitigation measures. Chapter 3 of this EIS addresses both 

surface and groundwater effects from the operation. 

Some local residents expressed concerns during scoping about possible effects to them as 

property owners, including the general disturbance of having a quarry located in close proximity, 

and also possible effects to property value. The significant issues include effects that are likely 

to affect local residents, such as increased noise, dust, traffic, and changes in scenery. The 

analysis recognizes that many factors can possibly affect property values, including proximity to 

a quarry or other developments. It is not possible to know precisely what the effect on any 

specific property value would be as a result of the quarry operation. Effects on local residents 

are disclosed for each of the significant issues. 

The third concern was the effect on recreation use from the proposed project. The analysis 

discloses that recreation use would be displaced on the portion of Section 30 affected by the 

proposed quarry. This represents an approximate 94 acre change on the 1.2 million acre Black 

Hills National Forest. Although this change may be important to local residents that may use this 

small parcel, it is not considered significant for the purpose of this EIS, nor is it used to drive 

development of an alternative for the proposed project. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 27 

CHAPTER 2 ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE 

PROPOSED ACTION 

INTRODUCTION 

This chapter provides a detailed description of the proposed action (Alternative B), other action 

alternatives to the proposed action (Alternative C), as well as a No Action alternative 

(Alternative A) for the Section 30 Project Area. 

This chapter presents the alternatives comparatively by both describing and displaying the 

quantitative and qualitative differences between each alternative. The intent of Chapter 2 is to 

provide the public and decision maker a basis for choice among management options when 

considering the environmental consequences (effects) of implementing each alternative as 

disclosed in Chapter 3 of this EIS. 

A brief overview is presented toward the end of this chapter regarding those alternatives that 

were considered by the Core ID Team, but eliminated from detailed development and study. The 

last section of this chapter contains comparative summaries of the effects of implementing each 

alternative relative to the key issues presented in Chapter 1. 

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL 

The Forest Service analyzed three alternatives, Alternative A- No Action, Alternative B - the 

Proposed Action, and Alternative C. 

Alternative A – No Action 

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the study of the No Action Alternative 

and to use it as a basis for comparing the effects of the proposed action and other alternatives. 

The No Action Alternative assumes that no implementation of any elements of the Proposed 

Action or other action alternatives would take place within the Section 30 Project Area within 

the next 10 to 15 years. This alternative represents no attempt to actively respond to the purpose 

and need for action for the issues, concerns, or comments identified during scoping for this 

project. The No Action Alternative also does not respond to the rights granted mining claimants 

under the Mining Law of 1872, as amended. 

Forest Plan Amendments

No amendments to Forest Plan standards would be required under Alternative A, but a decision 

to implement the No Action Alternative would not be in conformance with the Mining Law of 

1872, as amended, or meet Goal 3 of the Forest Plan: Provide for sustained commodity uses in 

an environmentally acceptable manner. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Alternative B is the Proposed Action on National Forest System Lands in Section 30 contained 

within the Plan of Operations (PO) submitted by PLS. The proposed quarry is located in Section 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 28 

30, Township 2 North, Range 7 East, Black Hills Meridian. See Section 30 Limestone Mining 

Project Vicinity Map below in Figure 2-1 

Figure 2-1 Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Vicinity Map 

PLS estimates there are approximately ten million tons of locatable mineable limestone recoverable on 

94 acres of the Section 30 property. Factoring in access roads and exploration activities such as 

ancillary disturbances: sediment ponds, soil and overburden stockpile areas, timber salvage stockpiles, 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 29 

crushing and load out areas, equipment service and maintenance area, and parking area; a total surface 

disturbance of 100 acres more or less would occur over the seven to 25 year life of the mine. Based on 

the proposed action, the maximum disturbance at any one time over the life of the mine is estimated at 

60 acres or 63% of the proposed mining area. 

The limestone deposit starts at the surface and averages about 25 feet in thickness, based on previous 

exploration drilling results. Development of the quarry is planned to start at the northeast corner of 

Section 30, parallel with the Hidden Valley Road, and proceed west (upslope) in what would be the 

northern pit (See Figure 2-2 North and South Pit Operation). 

Figure 2-2 North and South Pit Operation
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 30 

Once the northern pit is completed, work would start in similar fashion in what would be the southern 

pit. This proposed sequence does not prohibit PLS from mining simultaneously in both pits. The 

process for surface mining would follow standard procedures: First, trees and stumps would be 

removed; then soil and overburden, including weathered material with lower quality limestone, would 

be stripped and stockpiled on the site for use in reclamation. There is very little topsoil or overburden 

present at the site, and in places mining could commence at the ground surface with very little 

advanced site preparation. Exposed limestone would then be blasted, as necessary to loosen the rock 

for removal. Loose rock may be crushed on-site to reduce its size for efficient transportation and 

subsequent processing into chemical limestone products. Material generated on the site may be 

temporarily stockpiled or loaded immediately for hauling off-site. Mining would progress upslope 

(east to west) resulting in an active quarry face (high wall) along the uphill side of the pit, with a 

quarry floor on the down slope (east) side of the pit (Figure 2-3 Mining Direction Map). 

Figure 2-3 Mining Direction Map 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 31 

High walls would also exist along the boundary with Hidden Valley Road, Quarry Road, and along 

the boundary with the Hills Materials quarry operation in the SE 1⁄4 of Section 30. 

Reclamation of the site would be ongoing (concurrent) with mining operations. Reclamation would 

consist of backfilling or slope preparation, preparation of a suitable plant growth medium, seeding 

and planting, and implementation of other features as called for by the reclamation plan (described 

later in this section). Except for dust control, these activities represent a dry process and do not 

consume any water. Mining activity would not involve any type of chemical processing. 

The following is a detailed description of operation needs and associated components that are 

part of the mining operation and need to be in place before, during, and after any mining occurs. 

Heavy Equipment 

Heavy equipment would be needed to extract the limestone along with support vehicles. The 

following equipment is proposed for the mining and reclamation operation: 

• Production Drills 

• Loaders 

• Haul Trucks 

• Dozer 

• Maintenance Trucks 

• Water Trucks 

• Primary Crusher 

• Worker and Support Vehicles 

If other equipment is necessary to support the operation, it would be added with the approval of 

the Forest Service. Utility service may or may not be necessary for the proposed operations. A 

generator may be located on site to provide power to a primary crusher, otherwise electric 

service maybe needed. This would likely include an overhead line into the quarry site. 

Employee vehicle parking and quarry equipment would be in maintenance areas where a planned 

site pad of four inches or greater of gravel road base would be constructed. These areas would 

also be used for equipment storage, waste transfer (as needed), and fuel storage. This would 

isolate the remainder of the quarry from the use of petroleum products and other chemicals used 

for vehicle maintenance. Noise related to equipment backup alarms can be reduced by installing 

white noise back up alarms on the equipment. 

Workforce 

An estimated eight to nine workers would be present on the proposed operation at any one time 

over the life of the mine. The majority of these workers are equipment operators with the 

exception of the blasters and supervisors. MSHA regulations will be met and miners would not 

be exposed to sound levels exceeding 115dBA. Engineering and administrative controls are in 

place to minimize noise exposure, and rarely does a miner’s Time Weighted Average exposure 

exceed 105dBA (See Appendix B). 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 32 

Site Security 

Enclosure of the active mine by fences and gates is required by Mine Safety and Health 

Administration (MSHA) and other regulatory guidance. Access would be limited to a few 

readily observable points during the day and when mining activity is present. The site would be 

locked at all other times. 

Additional security measures, including but not all listed, including additional locks and possibly 

an alarm system would be used where blasting agents or other potential hazardous supplies are 

located on site. Storage would incorporate all security measures required by federal, state, and 

local laws. Finally, all supplies and equipment would be located in off-hours in locations that are 

easily subject to surveillance. 

Signage 

PLS would post speed limits and traffic movements, as needed, to maintain a safe and efficient 

operation. Signing (every 100 to 200 feet) would identify the site as an active quarry with posting 

of all required federal and state permits. At a minimum, a stop sign would be located where the 

road to the quarry site intersects Hidden Valley Road. For dust control purposes, it is anticipated 

that the speed limit would be posted at 15 miles per hour on the internal roads within the quarry. 

Structures 

No permanent or semi-permanent structures would be necessary for the proposed operation. 

Office facilities and ancillary facilities (e.g., scale house) for the operation would be located offsite. On-site structures would be limited to those absolutely necessary for the operation of the 

mine and implementation of the reclamation plan. Temporary and portable structures to be located 

on-site include portable restrooms, employee break room, a secure trailer or shed for blasting 

supplies and a water tank for dust abatement. Other temporary items are included under signage 

and site security.

Monument Protection 

Boundary survey monuments would be maintained by sinking posts in the ground, or, in locations 

where exposed bedrock makes burial of a post impracticable, by placing the monument in stone. 

Water Supply for Dust Abatement and Sanitary Sewer and Waste Disposal 

Well water would be imported to the site from permitted wells off-site that have sufficient 

volume to meet the dust suppression needs. The well locations are within three miles of the 

proposed limestone mine and access roads. 

Trucks with holding tanks and spray equipment would be used to haul water to the site. The 

same equipment would be used as necessary to do the actual dust abatement work. 

No sanitary sewer or waste disposal would be required for mining and reclamation activities. 

Sanitary facilities would be provided by portable restrooms. Any trash created would be 

removed by the operator to private land. 

Hazardous Waste, Fuels and Chemicals 

The petroleum products necessary to operate and maintain the heavy equipment for the mining 

and reclamation process requires diesel fuel. On-site fueling is contemplated for loaders, dozers, 

and other off-road equipment including generators. A fueling truck would regularly visit the site 

to maintain fuel levels in the equipment. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 33 

On-site servicing of equipment is also planned which may also involve the use of various 

petroleum products such as motor oil, grease, antifreeze, and hydraulic fluids.

Both the fueling and maintenance operations would take place within the confines of a standard 

containment basin (e.g., earthen berm or other sealed basin sized to contain a volume of at least 

150% of stored fluids). A Spill Containment, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) plan would 

be completed and available on-site, as needed, in accordance with federal regulations. 

No hazardous waste is anticipated within the meaning of federal statutes of the Resources 

Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, 

Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), e.g. cyanide, solvents, and chemical reagents would 

not be necessary to mine limestone. 

Phases of the Operation 

The following is a detailed description of each phase of the operation and the activities needed 

during each yearly entry sequence. 

The quarry operation would consist of the following activities during each subsequent entry: 

• Removing vegetation 

• Removing and salvaging topsoil and overburden 

• Drilling and blasting 

• Loading and hauling material to the primary crusher 

• Primary crushing 

• Transporting crushed raw material (limestone) off-site via trucks 

• Storm water Drainage and Erosion Control 

• Initial seeding and Noxious Weed Treatment 

• Reclamation of previous year’s work 

Removing Vegetation 

The proposed quarry site is covered with a vegetation of Ponderosa Pine trees of varying sizes 

from seedlings to mature age classes and a ground cover of grasses and shrubs. There is no 

specific plan to use the trees or other forest ground cover materials in the Section 30 operation. 

Land clearing, timber, and other salvageable resources on the Forest surface would be removed 

in the first phase of operations. Trees would be removed and stockpiled within the boundaries 

of Section 30 but could be outside the mining area to permit access to minerals, and in 

accordance with the MOA, Section II-D. The trees would be purchased by Pete Lien and Sons, 

Inc. and removed from Section 30. All stumps would also be removed. 

In some areas on Section 30, but outside of proposed mining activity, are standing trees that do 

not reside on top of known mineral deposits. Trees would be left as a buffer in such situations

to the extent feasible. 

Removing and Salvage of the Topsoil, Overburden, and Waste Rock 

Separate stockpiles would be maintained for topsoil, overburden and waste rock. Topsoil on 

Section 30 generally is limited. In many areas, limestone bedrock is exposed in outcrops or very 

near the surface. The shallow layer of topsoil would be recovered to the extent practical. Topsoil 

would be stockpiled in until such time as needed to create a plant growth medium for vegetation in 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 34 

the reclamation process. Western wheatgrass would be seeded to prevent erosion of the topsoil 

piles during the operation. Overburden would be used for general contouring, as needed. 

Waste rock would largely be generated on-site during the mining operations. Waste rock would 

in rare circumstances be generated where heavily weathered rock or other limestone of less than 

chemical-grade quality is encountered over the course of mining. Little to no storage capacity 

for waste rock would be necessary at the time of start up. Instead, the plan for waste rock would 

be to place it as permanent backfill at the base of high walls, as the first step in the concurrent 

reclamation process. Some waste rock storage is identified on the operation plans as a 

contingency should waste rock be encountered prior to the commencement of concurrent 

reclamation, or if short-term storage is necessary between the active face and areas where 

reclamation is occurring. Unprocessed waste rock would be the bottom layer in the backfill 

areas. Additional layers would be provided by fines from any on-site crushing, stockpiled 

subsoil, and finally stockpiled topsoil. 

Drilling and Blasting 

Removal of limestone would require blasting. The operation is planned to drill typical blasting 

boreholes in a pattern that meets the needs of material removal and follows a general pattern of 

sequential blasting along a continuous face. Blasting is planned to occur once or twice a week, but 

could be more depending on the season of the year and market conditions. No blasting is 

anticipated on weekends or major holidays (i.e. – Christmas, News Year, Labor Day, 

Thanksgiving etc.). For safety reasons, blasting would normally be conducted during daylight 

hours, no more than 60 days of night operations per year. Non-electric detonation systems would 

be used. Blasting design would ensure that ground motion due to blasting would not exceed two 

inches per second at any off-site, occupied structure. The operator would monitor all blasts with at 

least one seismograph. The scale distance formula would be employed to determine the need to set 

additional seismographs. Monitoring equipment would be located within ten feet of any structures 

identified for monitoring, on the side of the structure toward the blast. Where no structure is 

identified for monitoring, the seismograph(s) would be placed on the nearest property line of the 

Section 30 site. The operator would follow generally accepted standards for vibrations and air 

overpressure and would adjust blast sizes and charge delays to maintain compliance. Drill rigs 

would be equipped with dust collectors. The primary blasting agent would be ANFO (combination 

of ammonium nitrite and fuel oil). Drilling would involve standard auger equipment unless 

unexpected situations arise which would be approved prior to changes in the boreholes. All work 

and storage of blasting materials secured on-site would comply with relevant regulations, including 

oversight by federal agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives 

(ATF) and MSHA. 

After the high valued limestone is removed, a process known as Overshoot, material blasted or 

otherwise displaced from the upper part of the quarry highwall would be blasted to form an 

embankment covering the bottom of the highwall. Overshoot is intended to create a continuous 

slope at a safe and suitable gradient for reclamation purposes. The overshoot materials are 

normally common rock limestone that would remain in the quarry. 

As stated under the structure section, a fence would be located around the site perimeter at least 

ten feet from the upper edge of the highwall and a berm may be located at the same distance 

around the perimeter of the quarry as needed. Berms are optional and would be employed in 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 35 

areas where additional barriers and boundary markers may be warranted. A possible location is 

along the northern and eastern proposed quarry limits due to the proximity of a roadway.

The quarry would recover any locatable mineral limestone to a near-vertical face where the deposit 

at the edge of the Section 30 or at the edge of the mining limits is located at the full planned depth 

of the pit. Some highwalls could be used for other needs such as wildlife habitat. Highwalls are 

generally temporary features and would be in near-vertical condition only for the period of time 

between active quarrying and concurrent reclamation. 

Loading 

Temporary new access roads may be developed, limited to no more than two at any one time, 

along the north to south Quarry Road. These roads would be used for the purposes of accessing

annual mining operations and concurrent reclamation. Existing roads within Section 30 in the

quarry area would be closed to the public as per state and federal requirements. 

Primary Crushing 

At the option of the company, primary crushing operations may occur at the quarry, otherwise they 

would be completed off-site at the Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. processing facilities. If processing 

occurs on-site, the equipment would be located within the boundaries of planned disturbance at all 

times. At the time of initial mining, process equipment would be located on the northern pit. 

Equipment may be moved periodically over the duration of mining to reduce on-site hauling 

necessary to process quarried material. 

Boulders and larger rock may be crushed on-site to reduce its size for efficient transportation and 

subsequent processing into chemical limestone products. 

Transporting Crushed Material Off-Site 

Raw materials would be hauled from the temporary roads using over the road haul trucks to the 

off-site processing facilities. The quarry would accommodate various types of payloads including 

tandem trailers and standard three-axle trucks. See Quarry Haul Route Map below in Figure 2-4. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 36 

Figure 2-4 Quarry Haul Route Map 

Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 37 

Local existing roads provide direct access to Section 30 and the proposed quarry location. As a 

result of South Dakota State Law, the one section line road that runs east to west is maintained by 

Pennington County a Section Line Road. The north/south section line road described as the 

Quarry Road is maintained by Hills Materials. The Hidden Valley Road connecting both Section 

Line Roads to SD Highway 79 is maintained by Rapid City Road Department. The haul route 

would head north on SD Highway 79 for approximately one mile to Universal Drive where it 

would go to the east for 1.8 miles to reach Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. existing processing facilities on 

their land. Standard safety precautions along the haul route would include speed control, signage 

(trucks entering highway) at appropriate and permitted locations, and maintenance of sight lines 

through vegetation management. Traffic control is already present along Hidden Valley Road and 

at intersections with SD Highway 79. It is estimated that the volume of traffic generated by the 

Section 30 quarry would not warrant new traffic control. Should additional control devices or

improvements be warranted, PLS would coordinate with the government agency that has 

jurisdiction over the relevant road or intersection. Any new road base material or paving may be 

added to internal haul roads and adjacent public rights-of-way, at the discretion of the controlling 

jurisdiction (e.g. Pennington County for section line road) and up to the level of improvement

necessary to accommodate anticipated truck use. Use of Section 30 waste would only be allowed 

with permission from the Forest Service. 

Transporting limestone off-site is considered a Connected Action, as described in Chapter 1 of 

this EIS. The Forest Service has no authority to approve or disapprove these hauling activities 

because the roads are managed by other jurisdictions. 

Storm Water Drainage and Erosion Control 

Section 30 includes a ridgeline, and the proposed mining site is located near the top of the

drainage divide. The site conveys only a small amount of runoff from areas outside the proposed 

limit of mining. Limestone bedrock is fractured and provides a route for rainfall to enter the 

groundwater system before accumulating as appreciable runoff. As a result of this combination 

of circumstances, storm water management on the site would be slightly oversized to handle offsite contributions. Storm water management is intended to maintain historical hydrology, control 

sediment, and maintain water quality. An Erosion Control Plan for the Section 30 site is

included in the Plan of Operations. Check dams and sediment control logs are called for where a 

swale is developed along the eastern floor of the quarry site. Check dams are located where 

flows are sufficiently concentrated to warrant the measure, while sediment control logs perform 

where flows are slower and less voluminous. Sediment logs are spaced at 50 foot intervals. 

Other erosion and sediment control measures are identified in the plan. 

Measures would be taken to minimize soil erosion and help long term soil productivity by 

stripping, stockpiling, spreading topsoil, and vegetating disturbed areas as soon as possible after 

completion of mining activities in each area. 

Initial Seeding and Noxious Weed Treatment

Temporary seeding would be applied to all earthen stockpiles and all disturbed areas not subject to 

further active mining using Western Wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) to be spread at 15 pounds per 

acre. A permanent seed mix might be applied in lieu of seeding with Western Wheatgrass.

The company would adhere to relevant laws and guidelines pertaining to noxious weeds. South 

Dakota laws regarding weed and pest control (e.g. South Dakota Codified Laws, Chapter 38-22; 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 38 

South Dakota Rules, Article 12:62) would provide a reference for targeted species. The operator 

would actively monitor areas of the quarry site for infestation. The operator would immediately 

control any known infestation within the monitoring area by mowing and/or performing other 

appropriate mechanical, chemical, or biological control methods subject to approval by the 

Forest Service. The noxious weed program would occur continuously while the quarry is in 

operation, and the program would terminate when the reclamation bond for the site is released. 

Reclamation 

The objectives of the reclamation plan include: permanently protecting air, water, and other 

natural resources; protecting the public by removing hazards; reestablishing the aesthetic quality 

of the site; and creating potential for a diversity of wildlife habitat. 

Reclamation would occur in mined cells concurrently with active mining. Post–mining 

procedures would consist of contouring to match undisturbed slopes and reduce areas of exposed 

rock face. To the maximum extent possible, grading, topsoil spreading, and planting would 

commence as soon as disturbances to an area are complete and the season is appropriate for such 

activities. This use of waste rock and overburden generated in active mining would reduce the 

amount of land necessary for stockpiles. 

The reclamation plan seeks to match existing grades at the limits of the mined area. Within the 

mined area, the reclamation plan proposes to reshape the land to mimic the contour pattern and 

functions of topography (e.g., drainage, habitat variation) that existed prior to mining activities. 

In no case would finished slopes exceed a ratio of three horizontal to one vertical foot. 

Backfill for side slopes would consist of a bottom layer of waste rock, including overshoot from 

adjacent slopes. See Typical Reclaimed Slope Cross-section in Figure 2-5. 

Figure 2-5 Typical Reclaimed Slope Cross-Section
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 39 

An intermediate layer would include soil substrate and other overburden, as well as any unusable 

fines from processing that may occur on the site. Compaction may be appropriate to allow the 

intermediate layer to settle into the bottom layer of waste rock. Finally, the top layer would be 

re-spread topsoil and amendments, to achieve a topsoil horizon comparable to pre-mining 

conditions. If soils become compacted, intentionally or not, at any time during the reclamation 

process, appropriate steps (e.g., harrowing, disking) would be taken to scarify the soil and 

provide an appropriate plant growth environment. 

Drainage patterns would be re-created during the grading process. Grading would promote 

positive flow off the site, preventing the development of hazards and maintaining downstream 

surface and groundwater resources. Most storm-water would be discharged from the site along the 

eastern reclamation boundary, where two swales along the re-claimed quarry floor would collect 

water and provide an outlet to the existing east–west drainage channel preserved across the site. 

At the same time, drainage would be directed through slow flow areas and around other grading 

features that promote floristic and wildlife diversity. 

Topsoil would be salvaged and stockpiled. The salvageable topsoil in the mining area is limited. 

Therefore, fines material from the processing plant and imported organic material may be used to 

amend the topsoil prior to re-spreading. Topsoil would be spread over a scarified subsoil to a 

uniform depth not exceeding 12 inches with an average of two to four inches. At the option of 

the Forest Service, small pockets of rock outcrop, simulating existing conditions, may be 

designated into the reclamation plan to allow for other areas of thicker plant growth medium. 

The majority of the area that would be disturbed by mining activities currently supports a singlestoried Ponderosa Pine forest. Small open areas in the present-day Ponderosa forest include 

small grassland openings and narrow areas of relatively hydrophilic vegetation. The latter are 

not well-developed riparian areas, but do offer opportunities to hardwoods and other plants less 

suited to exposed slopes. The plan calls for Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine and Rocky 

Mountain Juniper. Tree sizes are planned to be from seedling to ten feet tall. 

The Plan of Operations discusses the composition and specifications for seeding on the site. The 

company would apply seed in the reclamation area at an appropriate rate identified by the Forest 

Service. The proposed seed mix is intended to be established in a variety of conditions, with 

various site-specific conditions (e.g., soil moisture, aspect) determining which constituents of the 

mix are expressed most prominently at various locations. If possible, permanent seeding would 

take place in early spring or on cool days in the fall. Mulch, straw mulch or a tacking 

hydromulch would be used on all reclaimed slopes of greater than 15%. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 40 

Figure 2-6 Reclamation Map 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 41 

Forest Plan Amendments

Alternative B may require a non-significant Forest Plan amendment based on deviation from 

Forest Plan standards. Alternative B would require non-significant amendment for Standards 

1110, 5.4-1501, 2416.b, and 2101. 

Alternative B would not meet Standard 1110. The standard states that revegetation of disturbed 

areas will use only native species and non-native, non-aggressive annuals. It precludes the use of 

aggressive non-native species such as smooth brome. 

Alternative B would not meet Standard 2416b. This standard requires minimum restocking 

levels of 150 seedlings per acre for conifers on lands identified as suitable and available for 

timber production. The proposed quarry operation is located on lands suitable and available for

timber production. Although this standard was intended for typical timber management

activities, it appears to apply to the proposed operation, and so would need an amendment 

because it would not comply with this standard. 

Alternatives B may not meet Standard 5.4-1501, which states, operating and reclamation plans 

shall minimize or mitigate impacts to deer and elk habitat. Operating plans shall restrict the 

period of operation to reduce disturbance to deer and elk during periods of high use. The quarry 

operation would operate on a yearlong basis, and would not halt operations during the winter 

range period to provide for deer and elk use. 

Alternative B may not meet Standard 2101, which states: “The max size of openings created by 

even-aged management will be 40 acres, regardless of forest type...” Although this standard is 

intended for timber management activities, the Black Hills National Forest is verifying with their 

Regional Office if Standard 2101 applies to the Section 30 project. 

Alternative C 

Alternative C was developed in response to the significant issues presented in Chapter 1. This 

alternative is intended to reduce effects of the proposed operation without interfering with PLS 

right to develop the limestone property. Alternative C includes five main elements that would 

modify the PLS proposed operation. These elements include changes in the mining sequence to 

commence quarry operations to the south (instead of the north), adjacent to the existing Hills 

Material Quarry; changes to the clearing plan to reduce the amount of disturbed area at any one 

time; changes in the reclamation plan intended to achieve a more natural appearing result in a 

shorter amount of time utilizing native vegetation; requiring any new power lines (if needed) to 

be buried instead of overhead lines; and additional measures to reduce dust on the east/west 

section-line and the Quarry Road and additional recommended speed limits. 

Changes in Mining Sequence 

Changes in the mining sequence included in Alternative C are intended to address the Visual Effects 

and Public Health and Safety issues presented in Chapter 1 of this EIS. The main intention of this 

alternative is to reduce noise, dust and visual effects to current residents adjacent to the operation. 

Alternative C proposes that PLS begin mining in the southern pit adjacent to the current Hills 

Materials quarry (e.g. start at south pit instead of north pit; see Figure 2-2). This alternative 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 42 

would begin operations furthest away from the residents along Hidden Valley Road, with a 

buffer between the quarry and residents in place for much of the operation. Night time blasting 

would not be permitted in the northern pit. 

In addition, the unmined portion of limestone between the exiting Hills Material quarry and the 

proposed PLS quarry would be removed under Alternative C. By removing this strip of 

limestone, the visual appearance would be one of a continuous quarry starting at the Hills 

Material site and extending northward across Section 30. 

Changes in Amount of Cleared and Un-reclaimed Land

Alternative C would limit the amount of cleared and un-reclaimed land at any one time in an 

effort to address the Visual Effects, American Indian Religious Use, and Vegetation Removal 

and Changes in Wildlife Habitat/Use issues presented in Chapter 1. Alternative C is intended to 

reduce the visual disturbance at any one time, result in fewer disturbances to American Indian 

religious use, and maintain vegetative cover and wildlife habitat for a longer period of time. 

Alternative C would limit the amount of cleared and un-reclaimed land to between 12 and 25 acres, 

as compared to the proposed 60 acres included in Alternative B. This would have the effect of 

limiting production to between approximately 400,000 and 1,000,000 tons per year. Previously 

mined cells would be reclaimed as soon as mining is completed. Vegetation would only be removed 

from the cells that would be operating during that timeframe. Trees, slash, and stumps would be 

removed from Section 30 annually to minimize the amount of land cleared prior to mining. 

Changes in Reclamation Plan 

Changes to the reclamation plan in Alternative C are intended to address the Visual Effects, 

American Indian Religious Use, and Changes in Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat/Use issues 

presented in Chapter 1 of this EIS. It is intended to reduce effects on scenic quality by returning 

the area to a more natural appearance in less time, to reduce the visual effects on American 

Indian religious use practitioners, to reduce effects on wildlife habitat, and to reduce effects on 

current and future residents in the area. 

Alternative C has four main reclamation elements: provide additional topography within the 

reclaimed quarry; provide additional topsoil to enhance revegetation efforts; utilize a different 

native seed mixture to decrease competition with desired species; and a focus on returning the 

area to its current ponderosa pine forested condition in a shorter period of time. 

Alternative B proposes to lay back highwalls to a 3:1 (H:V) slope, and to contour the mined area 

so as to mimic the existing grades at the limits of the mined area. Alternative C would utilize 

waste material to construct some additional hummocky topography within the quarried area to 

provide additional variety in landform and habitat. Highwalls would be reclaimed to a 

shallower slope, in places. Adding topographic relief and diversity to the reclaimed quarry site is 

intended to reduce the amount of linear and unbroken land forms which can be an abrupt and 

startling visual deviation from adjacent undisturbed areas. 

Alternative C would require additional off-site topsoil be included during reclamation to aid in 

revegetation efforts. Average topsoil depths would be in the range of six to eight inches for 

Alternative C, versus two to four inches for Alternative B. Off-site topsoil would be free of 

noxious weeds. Stockpiles of topsoil would only be as large as is necessary to do concurrent 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 43 

reclamation during the time after each cell is closed. Any off-site topsoil would not be brought 

onto Section 30 until it is needed. 

 

The revegetation plan would be integrated with the topographic site plan to “marry up” regraded 

areas with specific plant species best suited for that particular habitat site. This revegetation plan has 

two main elements: focus on reestablishing a ponderosa pine forested landscape in a shorter period 

of time; and utilize only native grass/forb seeding that will meet overall objectives. This would 

include planting ponderosa pine seedlings on at an approximately 10 by 10 foot average spacing, 

with no Lodgepole pine or juniper included. It would also require a different native seed mix, 

excluding the use of western wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass, and smooth brome (see Appendix B). 

Noxious weed treatments will be required throughout the reclamation timeframe. 

Changes to Possible Power Line 

PLS indicated in their proposed Plan of Operations that there might be a need to for power line 

for a rock crusher on site. They did not indicate the location of this line, whether it would 

actually be needed, and whether it would be an above ground line. Alternative C proposes that if 

any power line is needed that is be a buried line. Burying the line would respond to the Visual 

Effects issue and to Forest Plan direction. 

Changes to Dust Suppression and Truck Haul Speeds 

Alternative C would provide additional dust suppression on the Quarry Road and further limit

truck speeds in the area immediately adjacent to the residential area along Hidden Valley Road. 

This is intended to respond to the Public Health and Safety issue presented in Chapter 1 of this 

EIS. Magnesium chloride would be added, as needed, to further reduce dust on the east/west 

section line road and the Quarry Road in addition to Alternative B's use of water for dust 

suppression. Truck speeds on Hidden Valley Road would be reduced to 10 miles per hour to 

reduce the possibility of rocks flying out of truck tires, from the 15 miles per hour in Alternative B. 

Hauling would be discouraged from operating during student bus departures/arrivals. These 

provisions would be in the form of recommendations to Pennington County and/or Rapid City, 

who have jurisdiction on these two roads. 

Forest Plan Amendments

Alternative C may require a non-significant amendment. Alternative C would require an 

amendment for Standards 5.4-1501, and 2101. 

Alternatives C may not meet Standard 5.4-1501, which states, operating and reclamation plans 

shall minimize or mitigate impacts to deer and elk habitat. Operating plans shall restrict the 

period of operation to reduce disturbance to deer and elk during periods of high use. The quarry 

operation would operate on a yearlong basis, and would not halt operations during the winter 

range period to provide for deer and elk use. 

Alternative C may not meet Standard 2101, which states: “The max size of openings created by 

even-aged management will be 40 acres, regardless of forest type...” Although this standard is 

intended for timber management activities, the Black Hills National Forest is verifying with their 

Regional Office if Standard 2101 applies to the Section 30 project. 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 44 

DESIGN CRITERIA, MITIGATION MEASURES, AND 

MONITORING 

Details of the design criteria, mitigation measures, and monitoring included in the Proposed 

Action (Alternative B) and also for Alternative C are presented in Appendix B of this EIS. 

These items are considered an integral part of the action alternatives, and are fundamental to the 

analysis that discloses the environmental consequences of the alternatives as presented in 

Chapter 3 of this EIS. 

The Forest Service is responsible for monitoring results and effects of the selected action. The 

District would ensure that the EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) direction including design 

criteria and any necessary mitigation measures are applied and carried out appropriately. 

Reviews would be documented during and upon project completion. 

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM 

DETAILED STUDY 

Additional alternatives to the Proposed Action were considered based on issues and concerns

expressed during the scoping period. The adjoining landowners were very concerned with issues 

relating to haul routes past their homes on Hidden Valley Road. Some of the comments recommended 

actions that were outside the scope of the purpose and need, some were actions that could be

incorporated into design and mitigation measures included in the proposed action, and some were 

incorporated into an additional alternative (Alternative C) for detailed study. The following provides 

an overview of alternatives that were considered, but eliminated from detailed study. 

An alternative was considered that would change the haul route from the proposed action location of 

Hidden Valley Road and SD Highway 79. The reason for moving the route was for the increased 

traffic and the safety hazards that accompany mixed use of haul trucks and highway vehicles. The 

other concerns/issues to be avoided are increased dust, noise from haul trucks, children playing on the 

road, and public riding mountain bikes. These issues were included under mitigation in Alternative C. 

However, an alternative with multiple options was initially analyzed to change the haul route. Other 

routes were evaluated for both truck hauling and/or conveyor system. It was determined that changing 

the haul routes would require crossing private land that currently does not allow the United States 

Government legal access. The Forest Service cannot direct Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. to cross private 

land rather than using the proposed legal access on city and state roadways. This alternative is beyond 

the scope of this project and was dropped from further analysis. 

An alternative was considered to change the ground disturbance dimensions for the quarry from 

the long axis from North-South (N-S) to the East-West (E-W) direction to reduce visual changes 

on the hillside with a gradual slicing effect to tie to the private quarry than to take long strips 

contouring the side slope. Reasoning not to make this change is as allows. If opening a cut 

along the E-W axis, would need to go 600 plus feet uphill in order to have sufficient working 

face to meet production levels. The cell would be oriented 650 feet along the E-W, and 300 feet 

along the N-S. There would be three open rock faces/highwalls: the E-W face on the south side 

of the cut, the E-W face on the north side of the cut, and the N-S face on the west side (or uphill

side of the cut). This is a lot of highwalls to have open. Since the cell would be a long, skinny 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 45 

cut trending uphill, which would make working space very tight, the operator would not work all

the cells at the same time. The only ingress-egress from the cell would be out the east end. The 

need for the three acres for the crusher, storm water detention, stockpile locations, vehicle 

parking and infrastructure needs would have to be located downhill of the active mining near the 

ingress-egress point and out of the way of the activities. The proponent’s proposal of opening up 

the long face in the N-S direction gives the operator more options and space for locating 

infrastructure with multiple access points into the quarry area from off the section line road. 

This alternative would restrict the amount of concurrent reclamation and expose the quarry to 

more negative visual impacts. Under this alternative there would be no obvious net gain from 

the standpoint of lessening disturbance area or limiting impacts to resources by orienting the 

cells with the long axis in the E-W direction. 

COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES 

This section presents a brief comparative discussion of the three alternatives given detailed study 

in this EIS. The alternatives are described and compared in terms of the effects each alternative 

has on key issues described in Chapter 1. The environmental consequences of the alternative to 

the resources affected in the Section 30 Project Area are more completely described in Chapter 3 

of this EIS and information contained in the Project File. 

1. Visual Effects 

The proposed operation would be visible along the SD Highway 79/ US Interstate 90 corridor, 

and to current and future residents and businesses in the area. These effects would change over 

time and last for many years. 

There would be no changes to scenic quality of the site under Alternative A because no action 

would be taken to develop the quarry. 

Alternative B would result in a long term change to the visual appearance of the area both during 

operations and after reclamation. This would be evident at the beginning of operations when up to 

60 acres would be cleared at any one time. The appearance would be a large generally square or 

rectangle shape with a sharp contrast in color between the soil/limestone and the surrounding trees 

during operations, and the contrast between the large open grass expanse and the surrounding trees 

after reclamation is complete. The contrast would be observable to motorists driving west on US 

Interstate 90 and other local roads, and especially to local home and business owners. 

This project area would meet a Very Low level of Scenic Integrity during the operation of the 

mine. Once the mine is closed and reclamation activities are complete, the mine would continue 

to meet a Very Low level of Scenic Integrity until the sharp corners of the mine boundaries are 

eliminated with the growth of vegetation (trees). Then a Low level of Scenic Integrity may be 

achieved. This process would likely take decades, as there would be only a thin layer of soil and 

other nutrients – similar to the surrounding area. Alternative B would not meet the Forest Plan 

Scenic Integrity Objective of Moderate, three years after completion, over 90% of this landscape. 

Alternative C would have similar but somewhat lesser effects than Alternative B on scenic 

quality. During operations, there would be a smaller area (12 to 25 acres versus 60 acres for 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 46 

Alternative B) that would be cleared and un-reclaimed at any one time. Also, reclamation would 

include varying topography within the mined area to create additional diversity, increased topsoil 

to provide for a better plant growth medium, and a more aggressive planting of ponderosa pine 

seedlings. Alternative C would shorten the time to improve scenic quality as compared to 

Alternative B. As with Alternative B, Alternative C would not meet the Forest Plan Scenic 

Integrity Objective of Moderate, three years after completion, over 90% of this landscape. 

2. Cultural Resources and American Indian Religious Use 

Alternative A would not develop the limestone resource and therefore would have no effect on 

cultural resources or American Indian religious use. 

Both Alternatives B and C would abide by the terms included in the 2007 Memorandum of 

Agreement (MOA) signed by the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Officer (SD SHPO) 

SHPO), Pete Lien and Sons, Inc., Black Hills National Forest, the Northern Arapaho Tribe, and 

the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The MOA consists of 14 stipulations or parts that address mitigation 

measures with respect to the five eligible historic properties and the one site of American Indian 

religious value and significance. Historic properties and an American Indian religious use site 

would be protected and open access provided. 

American Indian religious use would be affected by altering the adjacent landscape, restricting 

some access within the proposed quarry area during the mining period, and from the noise, dust, 

and traffic to anyone using the area for spiritual purposes during active mining periods. 

Alternative C would have a somewhat lesser effect because less ground would be disturbed and 

un-reclaimed at any one time, and the area would be returned to a ponderosa pine forest similar 

to today in a shorter time period. 

3. Changes to Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat/Use 

Alternative A would not develop the limestone resource and therefore would have no affect on 

vegetation and wildlife habitat and use. 

Alternatives B and C would remove existing vegetation with potential negative effects to some 

wildlife species. This change would be long lasting. Noise from blasting and quarry operations 

would displace existing wildlife use. Neither alternative would affect any threatened or 

endangered plant or animal species. The proposed project would not affect any unique or special 

wildlife habitats. It could adversely impact individual sensitive animal species, but is unlikely to 

result in loss of viability in the area, or cause a trend toward federal listing. 

Alternative B would result in clearing up to 60 acres at any one time prior to mining and 

reclamation. Alternative C would limit this clearing to between 12 and 25 acres; therefore 

Alternative C would result in fewer disturbances on plant or animal species at any one time. It 

would also result in less potential effects to soil productivity from long term stockpiling, as could 

result in Alternative B; and a smaller potential for spreading noxious weeds both within and 

adjacent to the project area. 

Alternative B would include some non-native or introduced plant species for either temporary 

stabilization of disturbed areas or for long term reclamation (crested wheatgrass, smooth brome, 
Section 30 Project Draft EIS – Page 47 

and western wheatgrass). The seeding of smooth brome and crested wheatgrass do not follow 

the Forest Plan (Objective 230 and Standard 1110) because they could out-compete native 

species, decrease species diversity, and potentially compete with sensitive plant species. 

Western wheatgrass is often an aggressive, sod-forming, cool-season grass that could decelerate 

and/or prevent the establishment of native grasses during reclamation, and could result in 

decreased plant diversity while inhibiting establishment of woody plants, particularly, ponderosa 

pine. Alternative C would prohibit the use of crested wheatgrass, smooth brome, and western 

wheatgrass and would include a different native species seed mix. It would have less effect on 

native plant species diversity within the project area. 

The reclamation plan for Alternative B includes planting Ponderosa pine trees, Rocky Mountain 

juniper, and Lodgepole pine trees in small groupings throughout the reclaimed quarry site. 

Lodgepole pine is not native to the area, and would not thrive in this setting. It would take many 

decades to re-establish the Ponderosa pine habitat that exists today, as there would be no seed 

source over much of the project area for an extended period of time. Alternative C proposes 

more substantial planting of ponderosa pine seedlings over the entire disturbed area, with no 

Lodgepole pine or juniper plantings. Alternative C would return the disturbed area to a more 

natural Ponderosa pine forest in a faster period of time, as compared to Alternative B. 

4. Effects on Public Health and Safety 

There would be no effect on public health and safety from Alternative A because no 

development of the limestone resource would be conducted, 

Alternatives B and C could result in diminished air quality from dust and diesel emissions, 

increased noise from blasting, equipment and crusher operation, and truck hauling; increased 

safety hazards due to truck hauling and associated traffic; and public hazards near quarry 

operations. Both Alternatives B and C would meet air quality standards, and water quality for 

the area would be maintained. Both alternatives would protect private land wells in the area. 

Alternative B would have more effects due to noise, dust, and disturbance to the adjacent

residents along the Hidden Valley Road because quarry operations would begin on the north end, 

adjacent to the Hidden Valley Road. Alternative C would start operations on the south end of the 

limestone deposit, thereby providing a barrier between the quarry and homes until the latter 

stages of the quarry operation. 

Both Alternatives B and C would increase mixed-use traffic on the affected roads potential raising 

the risk of accidents or injuries. Truck speeds would be controlled under both alternatives on the 

Quarry Road and Hidden Valley Road. Alternative C would recommend a slightly lower speed 

limit than Alternative B, and would also recommend avoiding hauling during school bus 

schedules, and applying more aggressive dust suppression on gravel haul roads. 

Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 49 

CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT and 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 

INTRODUCTION 

This chapter describes the affected environment for each resource analyzed. Subsequently, the 

environment consequences of the alternatives on the resource components of the physical, 

biological, and social environment in the Section 30 Project are disclosed. Environmental 

consequences are described in terms of the beneficial/adverse, short and long-term direct/indirect 

and cumulative effects. Effects are quantified where possible, although qualitative discussion is 

often necessary. Elements that are not affected or minimally affected by the alternatives are not 

discussed. This chapter provides the scientific and analytical basis for the comparison of 

alternatives presented in Chapter 2. 

Direct and indirect effects of the proposed action and its alternatives were analyzed over the 

planning period (approximately 10-40 years, including reclamation phase). Cumulative effects 

take into account past, present, and reasonably foreseeable activities from actions other than the 

Section 30 Project, in addition to direct and indirect effects of the Section 30 Project. The area 

analyzed for cumulative effects is the project area for all resources unless otherwise noted. 

Cumulative effects are discussed under each resource topic. 

In order to understand the contribution of past actions to the cumulative effects of the proposed 

action and alternatives, this analysis relies on current environmental conditions as a proxy for the 

impacts of the past action. This is because existing conditions reflect the aggregate impact of all 

prior human actions and natural events that have affected the environment and might contribute 

to cumulative effects. 

This cumulative effects analysis does not attempt to quantify the effects of past human actions by 

adding up all prior actions on an action-by-action basis. There are several reasons for taking this 

approach. First, a catalog and analysis of all past actions would be impractical to compile and 

unduly costly to obtain. Current conditions have been impacted by innumerable actions over the

last century (and beyond), and trying to isolate the individual actions that continue to have 

residual impacts would be nearly impossible. Second, providing the details of past actions on an 

individual basis would not be useful to predict the cumulative effects of the proposed action or 

alternatives. In fact, focusing on individual actions would be less accurate than looking at 

existing conditions, because there is limited information on the environmental impacts of 

individual past actions, and one cannot reasonably identify each and every action over the last 

century that has contributed to current conditions. Additionally, focusing on the impacts of past 

human actions risks ignoring the important residual effects of past natural events, which may 

contribute to cumulative effects just as much as human actions. By looking at current 

conditions, we are sure to capture all the residual effects of past human actions and natural 

events, regardless of which particular action or event contributed to those effects. Finally, the 

Council of Environmental Quality issued an interpretive memorandum on June 24, 2005, 

regarding analysis of past actions. The memorandum states, “agencies can conduct an adequate 

cumulative effects analysis by focusing on the current aggregate effects of past actions without 

delving into the historical details of individual past actions.” 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 50 

The cumulative effects analysis in this EIS is also consistent with Forest Service National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Regulations (36 CFR 220.4 (f)) (July 24, 2008), which 

state, in part: 

CEQ regulations do not require the consideration of the individual effects of all past actions to 

determine the present effects of past actions. Once the agency has identified those present 

effects of past actions that warrant consideration, the agency assesses the extent that the effects 

of the proposal for agency action or its alternatives would add to, modify, or mitigate those 

effects. The final analysis documents an agency assessment of the cumulative effects of the 

actions considered (including past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions) on the 

affected environment. With respect to past actions, during the scoping process and subsequent 

preparation of the analysis, the agency must determine what information regarding past actions is 

useful and relevant to the required analysis of cumulative effects. Cataloging past actions and 

specific information about the direct and indirect effects of their design and implementation 

could in some contexts be useful to predict the cumulative effects of the proposal. The CEQ 

regulations, however, do not require agencies to catalogue or exhaustively list and analyze all 

individual past actions. Simply because information about past actions may be available or 

obtained with reasonable effort does not mean that it is relevant and necessary to inform decision 

making (40 CFR 1508.7). 

For these reasons, the analysis of past actions in this section is based on current environmental 

conditions. 

PAST, PRESENT, and REASONABLY FORESEEABLE 

ACTIONS 

This section includes the main activities that were considered in the cumulative effects analysis 

in this EIS. As stated above, past activities are largely reflected in the current condition. These 

past activities include such things as previous livestock grazing (there is no current grazing on 

Section 30); mineral prospecting and exploration including past drilling by PLS to delineate the 

limestone deposit; dispersed recreation use such as hiking, target shooting, and off-road riding, 

noxious weed treatments; and timber harvest and timber stand improvement. The most recent 

timber harvest in Section 30 occurred between 1998 and 2002 as part of the Black Hawk Timber

Sale. This was followed in 2003 by noncommercial thinning (timber sale improvement), the 

burning of activity fuel piles, and then noxious weed control. 

Present and reasonably foreseeable actions include not only activities within the Section 30 

Project Area, but also some activities located on private land within a two to three mile range 

that affect the local setting. These activities include the following: 

• Maintenance of overhead and underground utility lines. 

• Road / Utility right-of-way clearing – Road construction and maintenance and right-ofway brushing can be expected to continue on non-National Forest System lands. 

• Firewood gathering and Christmas tree cutting by permit will continue to occur on 

National Forest lands within the area. 

• Subdivision Development – Given current trends, it is likely that additional private lands may 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 51 

be subdivided and that new residences may be constructed. Special use permits such as

utility, water line, right-of-way, and access/easements may be requested. 

• Private landowners may harvest timber on their own lands for lumber or to reduce 

mountain pine beetle and fire hazard. 

• Wildfires – The frequency, size, and intensity of possible wildfires will depend upon 

various factors, including weather, ignition means, and fuels loadings. 

• Dispersed recreation activities are expected to continue in the area, such as hiking, 

wildlife viewing and target shooting. 

• In 2005, the Forest Service published a new rule for providing OHV access to national 

forests and grasslands. The rule itself does not designate roads or areas for OHV’s, but 

provides a framework for making those decisions at the local level. The Black Hills 

National Forest issued a FEIS/ROD (March 22, 2010) designating routes for motorized 

use forest-wide. Implementation began on December 1, 2010 with the Motorized Vehicle 

Use Map (MVUM) for the Black Hills National Forest. 

• Treatments to reduce or eliminate noxious weeds and invasive species would continue on 

NFS lands and private property. 

• Native American individuals may continue to use the area for religious practices. 

• The Hills Materials Quarry located immediately south of the proposed Section 30 Project 

is expected to continue operations. 

• PLS is expected to continue mining limestone in their Black Hawk Quarry approximately 

one mile north of the proposed Section 30 Project. 

• Pete Lien and Sons Inc., Hills Material, and the Cement Plant all have mining claims or 

properties on lands near and/or adjacent to the Section 30 Project Area. These lands have

the potential to be mined in the future. 

• Pete Lien Industrial Park, the Cement Plant Addition, Dakota Block Company, and 

Oldcastle Materials SD Inc. are located near the project area, and are expected to 

continue operations. 

• The Rapid City Diocesans has purchased a portion of the St. Martin Monastery land to 

the east of the project area to potentially build a future private Catholic elementary school 

and Catholic retreat center. 

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 

This section will describe the affected environment and environmental consequences for each of 

the Physical Environment resources (Land Uses and Infrastructure, Geology and Minerals, Soils, 

Water Resources, and Air Quality). 

Geographic Setting and Topography 

The Section 30 Project Area is situated on the eastern side of the Black Hills National Forest, on 

the Mystic Ranger District. The project area lies along the northwest boundary of the city of 

Rapid City, South Dakota and approximately 1.0 mile northwest of high-density residential 

development. It is an isolated parcel of National Forest System land. The area is characterized 

by gently-sloping hills with open ponderosa pine forest and grass and shrub understory along the 

eastern edge of the Black Hills. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 52 

LAND USES and INFRASTRUCTURE 

Affected Environment 

The Section 30 Project Area consists of a relatively small and isolated tract of National Forest 

Land surrounded by private lands (See Chapter 2, Figure 2-1). Rapid City’s boundary runs along 

the east side of the Section 30 parcel. Most of the immediate surrounding private land is 

undeveloped, except for a small residential subdivision located across the Hidden Valley Road in 

Section 20 adjacent to the Section 30 parcel, and a couple of residences to the northwest in 

Section 19. There are approximately 17 homes located in the Hidden Valley Subdivision. 

Adjoining the proposed Lien quarry site to the south, is a limestone quarry operated by Hills 

Materials. Industrial lands consisting of limestone quarries and processing plants, various 

business enterprises, State Highway 79 and Interstate 90, Nemo Road, and high density

residential areas are located one mile or more to the east, north and south. 

Access to the Section 30 Project Area is via the Hidden Valley Road from State Highway 79. 

The east-west Hidden Valley Road is partially located along the Section 20/29 line and outlines 

the northwest boundary of Lien’s proposed quarry operation. A north-south road (herein referred 

to as Quarry Road) intersects the Hidden Valley Road on the Section 30/29 common line and 

outlines the eastern boundary of the proposed quarry operation. The Quarry Road was 

constructed several years ago by Hills Materials to access their quarry adjacent to the Project 

Area. Hills Materials has treated a portion of the Quarry road with recycled asphalt and applied 

water for dust control. There are also several National Forest roads on Section 30 public land 

that access the Project Area on the west. These include National Forest System Roads (NFSR) 

553, 553.1A, 553.1B and 553.1F. Only NFSR 553 is open to public motorized use. Both public 

and Forest Service access is unavailable west of NFSR 553. 

The east-west Hidden Valley Road is classified as a County section-line right-of-way but was 

deleted from the County Highway System in 1998. The City of Rapid City currently maintains 

this road. The city limits of Rapid City end at the common section lines with Sections 20/29 and 

Sections 29/30. Pennington County has road jurisdiction on the north 33-ft of the section line 

between Sections 20/29, and Rapid City has jurisdiction on the south side. Pennington County has 

jurisdiction on the west 33-feet (Section 29/30) of the north-south Quarry Road and Rapid City has 

jurisdiction on the east 33-feet. Neither Pennington County nor the City of Rapid City maintains 

the Quarry Road. 

Crushed limestone from the proposed quarry operation would be processed off-site at Lien’s 

existing lime plant located approximately one and one-half miles east of the proposed quarry. 

Trucks would be used to haul the limestone to the plant. The proposed haul route is north on 

Quarry Road, then east approximately one mile to the Highway 79 intersection, north on SD 

Highway 79 for approximately one mile to Universal Drive, and then southeast for 1.8 miles to 

reach Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. processing facilities on their land. 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. have located lode mining claims on the National Forest System (NFS) 

Lands affected by the mining proposal, on lands open to mineral entry under the General Mining 

Law of 1872, as amended. The Section 30 Project Area has no administrative withdrawals, 

formal easements for roads, or special use permits for utilities. There is an east-west power line 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 53 

adjacent to the Project Area boundary on private along the section line. This line ties in with a 

north-south line several hundred feet east of the Project Area. 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A - No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

There would be no direct or indirect effects on land uses or infrastructure under the No Action 

Alternative, and therefore no cumulative effects would occur. National Forest System land uses 

would largely remain as is. Continued limestone operations on the adjoining Hills Materials 

quarry is likely to occur, with associated truck hauling on the Quarry and Hidden Valley Roads. 

Reclamation of that quarry site is expected at some time in the future. The surrounding private 

lands are likely to see continued development of additional limestone quarries in the general 

area. Construction of residential and other structures is likely to occur on some private lands, 

along with associated roads and utilities. 

Alternatives B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Changes to both land uses and infrastructure are expected as result of mineral operations. The 

most obvious change is the quarry operation itself, which will affect approximately 100 acres 

of NFS land. 

Direct and indirect effects from these proposed activities are long term vegetation loss, soil 

disturbance and compaction, and an increase of mixed traffic during project implementation. 

Increases of noise and dust would occur and would depend on the number of vehicles used at specific 

sites and times. All road work by the operator would comply with Best Management Practices and 

Forest Service road design criteria. Safety issues would be addressed with gates, signage, speed limits, 

and dust abatement. Unauthorized roads used as temporary access roads would be closed, which 

would provide a more efficient transportation system. All disturbed areas would be seeded and treated 

for noxious weeds. 

The proposed transportation system would utilize the Quarry and Hidden Valley Roads, along with 

State Highway 79 and Universal Drive, to transport crushed limestone to the Lien lime plant. All of 

these are public roads under Rapid City, Pennington County, or the South Dakota State jurisdiction. 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. is required to notify Pennington County of its schedule and plans to initiate 

mining on the Section 30 Project Area, according to their Pennington County Construction (Mining) 

Permit CP 01-05. The permit also specifies the scope of the County’s further review of road 

impacts, drainage and other matters related to mining on the Section 30 Project Area. 

Primary access on National Forest System lands would utilize NFSR 553 and a constructed forest 

road off the north-south section line road, approximately one fourth mile south of the northeast 

corner of Section 30. Temporary access points may be developed, limited to no more than two at 

any one time, along the north-south section line road. Any existing unauthorized roads used as 

access points would be closed after use of mining operations. No new road construction is planned 

on NFS lands outside the quarry. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 54 

New road base material or paving may be added to internal haul roads and on adjacent public rightsof-way, at the discretion of the controlling jurisdiction up to the level necessary to accommodate 

truck use. Material from Section 30 project would not be used for road base unless expressly 

allowed as incidental use for waste rock or pursuant to an agreement with the Forest Service. 

Forest Roads in the quarry area would be closed for the duration of mining by means of tubular 

steel gates and fencing. NFSR 553 would remain open to the public and the adjoining private land. 

Maintenance on Forest Service roads used for mining and reclamation operations would be the 

responsibility of the Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. for the life of the mine. Maintenance includes cleaning 

out silt from sediment collecting ponds and depositing it in upland locations; keeping silt fence 

upright and functioning by cleaning out any sediment collected in front of the silt fence and 

depositing it in upland locations; keeping all drainage structures ditches and erosion control clear 

and functional; eliminating erosion of cut and fill slope and roadway soils; removing roadway 

vegetation; keeping fencing along both sides of NFSR 553 through the mining operation structurally 

intact; and blading road surfaces. 

Maintenance of the roads after the proposed activity would be the responsibility of the Forest 

Service and would be performed when needed or with grid maintenance every five years, whichever 

comes first. 

Cumulative Effects

Hills Material will likely continue to operate their quarry on the south end of the PLS proposed 

Section 30 site, thus resulting in a cumulative increase to current levels of mixed traffic use. The 

Hidden Valley Road would likely require some upgrading to accommodate the haul traffic from 

two operating quarries. The combination of two quarries would result in increased noise and dust 

in the area. New homes and businesses would likely be constructed on the surrounding private 

land, requiring both new roads and supporting infrastructure. Additional quarries might also be 

developed in the general area but would likely not utilize the same haul routes. 

GEOLOGY and MINERALS 

Affected Environment 

Regional Geology 

The Black Hills are an elongated dome that formed about 60 to 65 million years ago (Darton and 

Paige, 1925), and are about 120 miles long and 60 miles wide. The central core of the dome consists of 

very old metamorphic and igneous rocks with the oldest exceeding 2 billion years in age. Surrounding 

and dipping away from this central core, in roughly concentric bands, are layers of younger 

sedimentary rock consisting of limestone, sandstone and shale. Small igneous rock bodies intrude 

these sedimentary rocks in paces on the north end of the Black Hills have Scattered alluvium from 

streams and colluvium from slopes form shallow deposits on top of the bedrock formations. 

The Black Hills have undergone a long geologic history of sediment deposition, igneous 

intrusions, metamorphism, mountain building, and erosion. The current Black Hills - formed 

during the same Cretaceous age Laramide Orogeny that formed the Rocky Mountains - is only the 

most recent of several mountain building episodes that have occurred over the past 2 billion years. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 55 

Local Geology 

The Project Area is located along the east flank of the Black Hills. Local sedimentary rocks 

include, in ascending order (older to younger), the Minnelusa, Opeche, Minnekahta, and 

Spearfish Formations. These rocks run (strike) approximately north-south and dip to the east at 

shallow angles. See Geologic Map in Figure 3-1. 

The main focus of the project is on the Permian-aged Minnekahta Formation, a relatively pure 

limestone that is approximately 25 to 40 feet thick in this area. This limestone has been mined in 

the area for over a half-century for use in a variety of products. The proposed project would 

remove the surface outcrops and shallow Minnekahta Limestone within the eastern portion of the 

Federal parcel in Section 30. The Minnekahta has been sub-divided into four distinct zones by 

Gries (1975). Only the top three zones are present within the project area. These three zones are 

divided based on variations in color and bedding thickness. The overall thickness of the 

Minnekahta Limestone varies slightly across the project area, with numerous small-scale 

monoclines and local warping visible in outcrops. 

Immediately below the Minnekahta is the Permian-aged Opeche Formation. This formation is 

approximately 85-130 feet thick and comprised of red siltstone, clayey sandstone, and shale 

(Martin et al, 2004). Some of the reclaimed slopes following the end of mining operations in the 

proposed quarry would be excavated into this formation. Underlying the Opeche is the Permian 

- to Pennsylvanian-aged Minnelusa Formation. The Minnelusa Formation consists primarily of 

sandstone and dolomitic limestone, with interbedded shale. The Minnelusa Formation varies in 

thickness, ranging from approximately 395 feet to 1, 175 feet thick (Martin et al, 2004). This 

formation is a colorful mixture of yellow, red, gray, brown, pink, purple, and black interbedded 

sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, dolomite, and other lesser contributors (Martin et al, 2004). 

Immediately overlying the Minnekahta Formation to the east is the Permian to Triassic-aged 

Spearfish Formation. It is a red siltstone and fine grained sandstone with white gypsum and 

minor limestone. The thickness ranges from 375 to 450 feet along the east side of the Black 

Hills. It is easily erodible, and forms a conspicuous red colored valley encircling the Black Hills 

that is sometimes referred to as the “Race Track”. Interstate 90 follows this red valley from 

Rapid City to Spearfish and beyond. 

A series of northerly trending anticlines and synclines occurs in the sedimentary rocks in T2N, 

R7E, including the project area. The Minnekahta Limestone currently being mined east of the 

project area is exposed in the anticlinal crest that brought the limestone to the surface. No major 

faults or other significant structures are present in the area. No caves are known to exist in the 

project area and are not expected to be found during operations because the Minnekahta is 

generally not a cave-bearing geologic unit, like that of the Madison (Pahasapa) Formation found 

much deeper below the land surface. There are no known geologic hazards such as landslides, 

active faults or active karst features in the area. 

 

 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 56 

Figure 3-1 Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Geologic Map 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 57 

Limestone Mineral Production in Local Area 

Minnekahta Limestone in the general area has been quarried extensively on private land for 

cement-grade and chemical grade limestone and limestone aggregate for over 50 years. There 

are three main producers of Minekahta Limestone in the immediate area: GCC, Pete Lien and 

Sons, and Hills Materials. Cement production at the state-owned cement plant started prior to 

1955 utilizing Minnekahta Limestone blended with gypsum, iron ore, sand, and clay to produce 

Portland cement (Agnew, 1957). In the late 1990’s, the State of South Dakota sold their cement 

plant to GCC Dakotah, a subsidiary of GRUPO Cementos de Chihuahua. GCC continues to 

produce cement at this location. 

Lien commenced production of quicklime and hydrated lime from the Minnekahta Limestone in 

late 1964 (Stotelmeyer and Kock, 1966). This initial production was used for plaster, water

treatment, and soil stabilization applications (Persse and Henkes, 1968). The Lien lime plant 

continues to produce hydrated lime and quicklime from the Minnekahta Limestone. The current 

hydrated lime and quick lime production is used for a number of applications including scrubbers 

in coal-fired power plants, water treatment, soil stabilization, and flux in steel manufacturing. 

Crushed limestone is also used in sugar processing, agricultural feeds, glass production and 

cement manufacturing (Banks and Gesso, LLC, 2005a). 

Hills Materials limestone production is used primarily for aggregate. Included in their operating 

areas is the tract immediately adjacent on the south end of the Section 30 project area. This 

quarry site is currently active. Limestone aggregate from this quarry is trucked on some of the 

same roads as those included in the proposed Lien quarry operation. 

Mining Claims and Mineral Resources within Project Area 

Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. (PLS) limestone production has thus far focused on private lands either 

owned or leased by PLS. In addition to these private mineral rights, Lien’s have located a series of 

mining claims on public land within and adjacent to the project area (Table 3-1). There are ten 

affected mining claims located within the Section 30 Project area. All of these claims were properly 

staked and recorded in compliance with the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended. PLS

estimates there are approximately ten million tons of mineable limestone on the Section 30 property. 

Table 3-1 Lien Limestone Quarry Mining Claim Information

Claim No. BLM Serial No. Legal Description Status Last 

Assessment Claimant 

PLS 30 -1 SDMMC209097 NE Sec 30, T2N, R7E, 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 – 2 SSDMMC209098 NE Sec 30, T2N,R7E, 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 – 3 SDMMC209099 NE Sec 30, T2N,R7E, 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 - 4 SDMMC209100 NESec30, T2N,R7E, BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30-5 SDMMC 209101 NE Sec 30, T2N, R7E 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 - 6 SDMMC209102 NE Sec 30, T2N,R7E, 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 – 7 SDMMC209103 NE Sec30, T2N,R7E, BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 – 8 SDMMC209104 NE Sec 30, T2N,R7E, 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 – 9 SDMMC209105 NE Sec 30, T2n,R7E, BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 

PLS 30 - 10 SDMMC209106 NE Sec 30, T2N, R7E, 

BHM Active 2010 Pete Lien and Sons, Inc 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 58 

The General Mining Law of 1872 established the right to locate mining claims on Federal Lands, and 

to use these lands for mining and related purposes. Initially, most minerals were included under this 

authority; however, Congress subsequently passed other laws which removed certain minerals and 

energy resources from location under the General Mining Law. This resulted in three categories of 

minerals that are managed under separate laws, regulations, and Forest Service Manual direction—

locatable, leaseable, and common variety (saleable) minerals. Limestone can be either a locatable 

mineral or a common variety mineral depending on its grade and its specific uses. A locatable mineral 

is one that is subject to location under the General Mining Law, which grants certain rights of 

development to the claimant. A common variety mineral is one in which the Forest Service has full 

discretion to manage and can choose to either develop the resource or not to develop it. 

Case law has helped define the parameters of what constitutes locatable limestone versus common 

variety limestone. These case laws indicate that a limestone is locatable if it is either chemical or 

metallurgical grade or of a grade suitable to make cement. The regulation at 36 CFR 228.41(d) states 

that limestone is not a common variety mineral (hence locatable) if it is ...”suitable and used, without 

substantial admixtures, for cement manufacture, metallurgy, production of quicklime, sugar refining, 

whiting, fillers, paper manufacture, and desulfurization of stack gases”. A regulatory definition at 43 

CFR 3830.12(d) states: “Limestone of chemical or metallurgical grade, or that is suitable for making 

cement, is subject to location under the mining laws”. 

Forest Service mineral examiners conducted an evaluation and prepared a Mineral Classification 

for the Section 30 Limestone Project. The purpose for this evaluation was to determine if the 

limestone deposit should be administered as an uncommon (locatable) mineral according to the 

regulations at 36 CFR 228 Subpart A, or a common variety (non-locatable) mineral according to 

regulations at 36 CFR 228 Subpart C. This evaluation included a review of the mining claim

locations and recordation, an examination of the site geology, collection and assays of surface and 

drill hole samples, mineral reserve estimates, limestone quarry and processing operations in the 

area, and an evaluation of suitable uses for the limestone. The Section 30 limestone deposit was 

determined to be an uncommon variety (locatable) mineral deposit if used for production of 

quicklime (CAO), hydrated lime (CA(OH)2), and crushed limestone for uses such as sugar 

processing and cement manufacturing. It was also determined that the proposed project should be 

administered according to the regulations at 36 CFR 228 Subpart A. 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Under the No Action Alternative, the project activities would not be implemented. Minerals and 

geologic resources within the project area would remain undisturbed. Natural processes would 

continue to modify the landscape and geologic composition. PLS would maintain a statutory

right to develop the subject mining claims. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 59 

Alternative B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

The topography and geology of the project area would permanently change under both Action 

Alternatives. The topography of the project area would be modified, with the most permanent 

and long-standing direct impacts occurring to the area where the quarry is proposed. Under 

Alternative B, approximately 60 acres of disturbance would be present at any given time, 

compared to Alternative C which would allow approximately 12 to 25 acres of disturbance at a 

time. Approximately 10,000,000 tons of limestone would be removed from the 100 acre site 

when mineral production is completed. The quarry, or pit, would progress continuously from 

north to south, or from south to north depending upon which Action Alternative is chosen. 

Under Alternative B, the projected topography of the quarry area after operations would be 

approximately 25 feet lower than the original topography, with a range of variation depending on 

the specific location within the quarry. Under Alternative C, additional topographic structure 

would be added to the mined area to provide some variety in the landscape. The highwalls for 

both alternatives would be blasted to an approximate 3:1 slope for Alternative B, and to a 

shallower slope in places for Alternative C – again to add some structural diversity to the 

landscape. Materials that are treated as non-usable, or overburden, would be placed in staging 

areas, or mined out areas of the pit. Once overburden is placed in its final configuration it would 

be graded and reclaimed within the pit. Reclamation would be an ongoing process under both 

Action Alternatives, and would not wait until all mining is completed. 

Geologic and mineral composition of the quarry area would be permanently modified. The 

geologic composition of the Federal parcel in Section 30 west of the proposed project location 

would remain unchanged. 

Cumulative Effects 

Past mining activity in the area has already contributed to topographic changes to the landscape, as 

well as geologic resources due to the extraction of mineral resources. Current extraction activities 

in the vicinity of the Section 30 project continue to modify the topography. New limestone

developments are also possible on private land near the Section 30 proposed project. The Proposed 

Action would contribute to the cumulative actions identified above by also altering the topography 

and geologic resources in a similar manner. Together, these cumulative effects are expected to be 

small when compared to the surrounding landscape of the Black Hills region because of the 

relatively small areas of disturbance associated with the overall vicinity of the project. 

SOILS

Affected Environment 

According to the Soil Survey of Pennington and Custer Counties, Black Hills Parts (USDA, 

1990), the mining limits of the Section 30 Project Area contains the Paunsaugunt-Rock Outcrop 

(PcD) and Sawdust-Vanocker-Paunsaugunt (SrE) and soil complexes. 

PcD soils are rock outcrop deposits ranging from 0-2 inches in thickness. They are shallow, well 

drained soils found on six to 30 percent slopes. This soil is located along the lower, east side of 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 60 

the propose quarry. The surface layer is dark brown, calcareous gravelly loam with a subsurface 

of gravelly loam, overlain on top of bedrock. Available water capacity is very low, permeability 

is moderate and runoff is medium. 

SrE soils are shallow ridge deposits ranging from zero to four inches in thickness. It is found on 

the uphill (western) side of the PcD soils. It is a loamy soil with very low water capacity, 

moderate permeability, and medium runoff. 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under the No Action Alternative, the proposed project would not be implemented and thus no 

additional soil disturbance would occur. 

Alternative B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

The Proposed Action would result in direct, long-term impacts to soils. This would occur 

throughout the entire area of disturbance. Most prominent impacts would occur at the quarry, 

where drilling and blasting operations would occur. Soil and overburden would be stripped prior 

to mining and stockpiled for later reclamation. Up to 60 acres would be cleared at any one time 

under Alternative B, and with 12 to 25 acres cleared at any one time under Alternative C. Soils 

would also be disturbed during construction of access roads. Impacts to soils for these activities 

would result from surface leveling activities and minor surface displacement. 

Both Action Alternatives would decrease soil quality by stripping, mixing and stockpiling topsoil. 

Stahl et al. (2002) found that impacts from disturbance to topsoil left in place are less than that of 

stockpiled topsoil. Impacts to stockpiled topsoil include negative effects on soil organic matter, 

electrical conductivity, total nitrogen content, mycorrhizal fungal spore content, and amount of 

microbial biomass (Stahl et al. 2002). Alternative B would have a larger effect on soil quality, as 

compared to Alternative C, because it would stockpile larger areas of topsoil for longer periods of 

time. As a result, reclamation could be slower and more difficult to accomplish. 

Reclamation activities, including replacement of topsoil in the project area, may maintain or 

improve soil quality and increase productivity over the long term. Alternative B would result in 

a thin mantle of soil averaging two to four inches thick (similar to existing condition) that would 

be seeded with grasses and lightly planted with trees. The proposed reclamation (Alternative B) 

should be adequate to provide ground cover and prevent runoff and erosion. The site would have 

a fairly low productivity due to the shallow nature of the soils. Alternative C would require the 

addition of off-site topsoil or soil amendments to increase average soil depths to 6-8 inches, 

seeding with native grasses and forbs, and more aggressive planting of ponderosa pine seedlings. 

As with Alternative B, reclamation should be adequate to provide ground cover and prevent 

runoff and erosion. Alternative C would result in a more productive site with a higher potential 

for successful reclamation. It would also return the area to a more natural vegetative condition in 

a shorter period of time as compared to Alternative B. 

Cumulative Effects 

The main effects to soils from past activities on the proposed quarry site have been the result of 

natural processes and from road building, exploration drilling, cross-country vehicle use, and 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 61 

timber management activities. The proposed quarry operation would, in effect, remove those 

effects from the landscape. The mining and reclamation would reset the soil process. 

Reclamation should rehabilitate soil and promote natural soil processes. Similar rehabilitation 

measures used on adjacent and nearby quarries in the area show adequate ground cover and 

vegetative success to prevent runoff and erosion. 

WATER RESOURCES 

Climate 

Affected Environment 

The climate of the project area is very similar to Rapid City, which is considered continental, 

having hot summers, cold winters, and extreme variability in both precipitation and temperature. 

Average daily maximum temperatures range from 34 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months to 

83 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months. The average daily minimum temperatures range 

from 10 degrees to 58 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter and summer months. Temperature 

extremes range from near 100oF during the summer months to well below 0oF in winter. 

Average annual precipitation ranges from 18-19 inches for the project area (Driscoll et al, 2000; 

Driscoll et al, 2002). Most precipitation occurs during May, June, and July in the form of rain 

associated with high-intensity, short-duration thunderstorms. These storms carry large amounts 

of rain which falls in a very short time period and often cause increased runoff and flash flooding 

– even from small catchments and areas lacking defined streams. 

The smallest amounts of precipitation typically occur during the winter months, November 

through February, as snow. Most of the total annual snowfall occurs in the late spring months of 

March and April. Extremely wet climatic conditions were experienced throughout the Black 

Hills region during the 1990s, which is the wettest period since 1931 (Carter et al, 2002; 

Bunkers, 2007). Extended drought conditions occurred earlier in the century, during the 1930s 

and 1950s, whereas relatively short term drought conditions occurred late in the 1980s and since 

2000 (Carter et al, 2002; Bunkers, 2007). Figure 3-2 below depicts both wet and drought periods 

as well as the cyclical nature of these events for the Black Hills region. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 62 

Figure 3-2 Five Year Running Average of Precipitation in the Black Hills Region between April and 

October for the Period of Record from 1925 to 2007 (Buckners, 2007) 

All Alternatives 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

There would be no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects on area temperatures or precipitation as 

a result of implementing any alternative. 

Groundwater 

The underlying geology of the Black Hills largely influences both the groundwater and surface 

water characteristics of the area, both in quantity and quality. For example, areas with limestone 

at or near the land surface are known for their general lack of surface water due to precipitation 

infiltrating deeper into the land surface and recharging groundwater aquifers. Topography can 

also be a major influence on the direction of groundwater flow as shown in the generalized 

schematic of groundwater aquifers as depicted in Figure 3 (Carter et al, 2003). 

Two major regional groundwater aquifers and one local aquifer exist in the vicinity of the proposed 

project area. The Minnekahta Formation is a local groundwater aquifer, whereas both the 

Minnelusa, and the Madison aquifer it overlies are major regional aquifers for not just the Black 

Hills area, but portions of Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota (Carter et al, 2002). 

The Minnelusa and Madison aquifers receive recharge from precipitation falling on limestone 

outcrops surrounding the Black Hills. Therefore, the Section 30 Project Area is situated within 

the recharge zone for these regional aquifers. The direction of groundwater flow in these two 

aquifers is generally northeast. Both aquifers discharge through upward leakage to other 

aquifers, such as the Inyan Kara aquifer in north-central South Dakota, as well as through 

easterly flow to underlying aquifers (Carter et al, 2002). 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 63 

Figure 3-3 Simplified Cross-Section Schematic of Groundwater Aquifers in the Black Hills (Carter et al, 

2003)

Left hand side of the figure corresponds to West and the right hand side corresponds to East. 

The layering of geologic units is depicted on the right side, showing the layering sequence of the 

Minnekahta Limestone, Opeche Shale, and Minnelusa Formations present in the project area. 

The elevation of the water table in this area is approximately 3,700 feet (Carter et al, 2003). 

Therefore, the depth of the water table is at least 100-350 feet below the current, undisturbed 

land surface. No springs or other groundwater dependant ecosystems are known to exist within 

the vicinity of the project boundary. 

Watersheds 

The proposed project area is located within in the Middle Rapid Creek watershed (HUC 

101201100202). This area is located in Forest Plan watershed 9105 – Lower Rapid Creek. The 

Forest Plan identifies this watershed as Class II – Moderate Concern. Class II watersheds may 

have streams and soils in disequilibrium. A change in the rate or nature of management activity, 

implementation of Watershed Conservation Practices and BMPs, or minor structural projects 

should return these watersheds to a Class II condition. Some upland reclamation may be

necessary. Although the overall watershed may have this rating, the area within the proposed 

project boundary does not exhibit any stream or soil related problems. None of the proposed 

activities are within municipal water supply watersheds. 

Water Rights 

There are no existing or pending water rights claims located on Federal lands proposed for the 

project area. Due to the lack of surface waters in the vicinity of the project area, no water rights are 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 64 

in the vicinity of the project. Groundwater wells used for domestic use exist on non-federal lands in 

the overall project vicinity. However, these wells do not have nor require formal water rights claims 

associated with them due to South Dakota water rights laws. No drilling of groundwater wells is 

proposed with this project. No water rights applications are necessary or proposed. 

Streams and Floodplains 

The proposed project is located in a groundwater recharge area, so there are no perennial or 

intermittent streams within or downstream of the project. Drainages begin on the western edge 

of the project and flow eastward. On the western edge, there are box-like canyons, that have 

been cut down through the limestone over time. They have very rocky bottoms due to rock fall 

from the limestone canyon walls and are well vegetated with grass, shrubs, and trees. The more 

one continues eastward, the wider and more shallow the drainage ways become, transitioning out 

of the canyon landform into gently sloping, grassed meadows. 

No floodplains are associated with these drainages within the project boundary area due to the 

ephemeral nature of the drainage ways and lack of defined stream channels. However, a 100-

year floodplain has been mapped by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) starting 

at the eastern boundary of the project area. The 100-year floodplain is the area adjacent to and 

including a stream or drainage, that has a 1% chance of being flooded in any given year. This 

100-year floodplain is associated with an ephemeral drainage that flows easterly through 

property owned by St. Martin Monetary and then southeasterly towards Rapid City, SD. 

Water Quality 

As stated previously, none of the proposed activities are within municipal water supply 

watersheds. There are no stream segments within or immediately downstream of the proposed 

project and thus no stream segments that are listed on the South Dakota Integrated Water Quality 

Report as impaired (SD DENR, 2008). All drainages within the project area are ephemeral in 

nature. The nearest flowing stream, Lime Creek, is approximately three miles downstream. 

Wetlands and Riparian Areas 

There are no surface water bodies (lakes or ponds), wetlands, or riparian areas within or immediately 

downstream of the Section 30 Project Area. There are no known springs in the area. 

Environmental Consequences 

Groundwater 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under the No Action Alternative, the proposed project would not be implemented and thus no 

impacts to groundwater resources would occur. Natural processes would continue to influence 

the groundwater recharge and chemistry depending on climatic cycles. 

Alternative B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

The final excavated depth of the proposed quarry would be at least 100 feet above the Minnelusa 

aquifer, except for the detention ponds at the eastern edge of the operational area. However, it is 

unlikely that the water table would be encountered during mining operations, even in the 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 65 

detention pond area, because the underlying Opeche Shale unit naturally retards both downward 

and upward water movement between geologic formations. An adjacent pit on the southern 

property boundary has been excavated previously to a similar depth proposed by this project. 

The water table was not encountered during this operation and no evidence of groundwaterrelated problems was observed during field review. 

There are no groundwater wells currently located within the project boundary, nor are any proposed 

to be developed for quarry operations. Groundwater wells do exist on adjacent private lands, 

however these wells are drilled into deeper, higher yielding aquifers. The Minnelusa is an aquifer 

which is used in the vicinity by local landowners. The proposed limestone mine would be at least 

100 feet above this aquifer and since no wells would be drilled to supply water for the project, no 

impact to groundwater well yields is anticipated. Blasting operations associated with the project 

area would not affect ground water quantities. Based on past blasting operations in the area, damage 

to ground water wells should not occur. 

Cumulative Effects 

No water withdrawals are currently approved for other existing mining activities in the area, 

however future mining claims made in the area could require water withdrawals for operation. Any 

new residential or commercial development may also involve development of groundwater 

resources. The need for septic systems would also increase with increased development. These 

activities could also impact groundwater resources in the future, but there is no way to determine 

the degree of those possible impacts. 

Water Rights 

All Alternatives 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

There would be no direct, indirect or cumulative effects under either the No Action Alternative 

or the two Action Alternatives. No changes in water rights would occur, nor would any current 

water rights in the general vicinity be threatened. Water for proposed quarry operations would 

be trucked in from a non-federal, off-site location. Therefore, obtaining water rights for water 

under either Action Alternative is not necessary. Proposed project operations associated with 

either Action Alternative would not alter the status of water rights claims or uses. 

Streams and Floodplains 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Under the No Action Alternative, the proposed project would not be implemented and thus no 

additional landscape disturbance would occur that could alter runoff and stream flow in the area; 

affect channel alignment or stability, or associated floodplains. There would be no direct, 

indirect or cumulative effects to streams and floodplains. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 66 

Alternatives B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

It is very unlikely that stream channel stability would be affected by the proposed project due to 

the lack of defined stream channels and the groundwater recharge nature of the area. Since there 

are no perennial or intermittent streams, no protected stream courses are required. 

No runoff is expected from quarry operations because surface drainage can be contained within 

the project area. Although construction of the project facility area could increase runoff from 

intense, short duration storm events, runoff is expected to be controlled by the detention ponds

and erosion control measures included with the Plan of Operations. Therefore, off-site runoff is 

not expected and thus, no changes to the hydrologic regime of the area are expected. 

Floodplains would not be affected by this project because no ground disturbing activity would 

occur in any floodplain. Detention ponds would be constructed to allow any storm water to 

infiltrate slowly rather than rapidly flowing down drainages. The implementation of this project, 

along with the storm water detention ponds, would not greatly alter or hinder flood conveyance. 

Therefore, this project meets the intent of Executive Order 11988 in regards to floodplain 

management. 

Cumulative Effects 

Since there are no direct or indirect effects to streams and floodplains rights resulting from the Action 

Alternatives, this project would not contribute to cumulative effects to streams and floodplains. 

Furthermore, since this area is a groundwater recharge area and lacks flowing streams, other humanactions and natural disturbance are unlikely to negatively impact streams and floodplains. 

Water Quality 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Under the No Action Alternative, project facilities would not be constructed and surface water 

features would be unaffected. Because no water would be required for dust suppression or other 

uses, there would be no water quality impacts. No cumulative effects would occur under the No 

Action Alternative. 

Alternatives B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

None of the proposed activities are within municipal watersheds. The implementation of this 

project would not affect municipal water supplies. 

The groundwater recharge nature of the area, the lack of any streams, and the extensive distance to 

flowing streams, make it unlikely that project development would affect downstream water 

quality. To ensure the maintenance of water quality at all points downstream of the proposed 

project area, the drainage plan would provide for sedimentation basins and on-site storage of storm 

water runoff based on storm events reasonably expected to occur over the life of the quarry. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 67 

Temporary detention and erosion control measures would be implemented at the lower 

elevations of the quarry on the east side to prevent increased surface flows and sediment 

transport off-site. Quarry contours and temporary diversion structures in actively mined areas 

would direct runoff to these detention basins. 

Surface water quality would be regulated at the project site by the National Pollutant Discharge 

Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process for construction and mining activity. 

Pennington County would also review storm water management in relation to the project.

Ground water would not be encountered or exposed as a result of the limestone quarry. The 

Hills Material Quarry, on private property immediately south of Section 30, has been excavated 

over the years to a similar depth as currently proposed by Pete Lien & Sons, Inc. and no evidence 

of ground water is present. Furthermore, the proposed project would be at least 100 feet above 

the Minnelusa aquifer, with the Opeche Shale acting as a naturally prohibitive layer, preventing 

downward transmittal of waters and any accidental contaminants into the underlying aquifers. 

Fuels, oil, hydraulic fluid, etc. that may be stored on the site would be subject to a Spill 

Prevention and Control Plan, required by both Federal and State regulation. In the case of 

accidental spills or leaks, Pete Lien & Sons, Inc. or their designated representative would 

immediately report any accidental spills of petroleum or other chemicals by notifying the South 

Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (SD DENR). Per the SD DENR 

requirements, any contaminated soil or material must be temporarily stockpiled and sampled to 

determine the necessary disposal requirements. Thus, no impact to groundwater quality is 

expected and no groundwater monitoring is prescribed. 

Cumulative Effects 

Mining operations are closely monitored and regulated by many State and Federal agencies and 

thus similar Best Management Practices to control runoff and erosion are included. Limestone 

mining operations immediately adjacent to the proposed project area and others in the nearby 

vicinity all exhibit these measures and have been successfully reclaimed and stabilized following 

the end of mining operations. Thus, it is reasonable to expect that water quality has been and 

continues to be protected. 

Land development in areas surrounding the project could result in impacts to water quality, 

similar to those seen in other developing areas in the Rapid City area and the I-90 corridor. 

While there is no way of knowing the amount of residential, commercial, or industrial 

development that may ultimately take place, these developments could result in impacts to 

surface and ground water quality due to such things as increased urbanization and resulting storm 

water runoff, pollutants, increased number of septic systems, as well as the inherent interaction 

and mixing of surface and ground water supplies. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 68 

Wetlands and Riparian Areas 

All Alternatives 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

There are no surface water bodies (lakes or ponds), wetlands, or riparian areas within or 

immediately downstream of the Section 30 Project Area. Since this area has no surface water 

bodies, wetlands, or riparian areas, there are no direct, indirect or cumulative effects resulting 

from No Action or the Action Alternatives. Thus, the project is consistent with direction in 

Executive Order 11990 in regards to wetland protection and conservation. 

AIR QUALITY 

Affected Environment 

Air quality effects are being assessed because they are an important component of human health 

and the environment. The indication of air quality effects is increases of air pollutants above 

existing levels. The air quality on Section 30 is good (complies with federal and state health 

standards and posses little to no risk) with emissions occurring mostly from on-road and off-road 

vehicles and from fugitive dust. Fugitive dust is dust created from unpaved roads and mining 

activities. The dust can be generated by either earth disturbing activities or by wind. 

The Clean Air Act (CAA) was enacted to protect and enhance air quality and to assist state and 

local governments with air pollution prevention programs. The CAA requires the Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) to identify and publish a list of common air pollutants that could 

endanger public health or welfare. In South Dakota, the EPA has delegated enforcement of the 

CAA to the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Air Quality 

Program. All State programs regarding the provisions and enforcement of the CAA are subject 

to oversight and approval by the EPA. 

The EPA has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards for six air pollutants – carbon 

monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulates matter (particulates smaller than 

10 microns in diameter but larger than 2.5 microns and those smaller than 2.5 microns), and lead 

– to protect the public from health hazards associated with air pollution. The State of South 

Dakota has established similar standards. These pollutants are called “criteria air pollutants” 

because the EPA has regulated them by developing health-based criteria as the basis for setting 

permissible levels. One set of limits (primary standard) is intended to prevent environmental and 

property damage. A geographic area that has air quality equal to or better than a primary 

standard is called an attainment area, such as Rapid City. An area that does not meet a primary 

standard is a non-attainment area. 

South Dakota’s air quality laws contain requirements for controlling fugitive dust emissions 

during mining activities. These requirements vary depending on the amount of land disturbed 

and the duration of the disturbance. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 69 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Current activities existing on Section 30 where the proposed quarry is planned would remain the 

same as exists now. Emissions from motorized vehicles would continue. Currently, concentrations 

of the six criteria air pollutants are well below federal and state air quality standards. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

At the proposed limestone quarry on Section 30, fugitive dust is the principal concern. Diesel 

emissions would be minor and are not expected to be a significant issue. 

Air quality impacts from the Alternative B are fugitive dust and diesel emissions. Fugitive dust 

would result from topsoil stripping, drilling and blasting, equipment travel over the disturbed 

quarry floor, crushing, and wind erosion from disturbed areas that are not yet reclaimed. These 

emissions would be greatest during the initial site preparation activities and would vary from day 

to day depending on the mining phase, level of activity and prevailing weather conditions. 

Diesel emissions would result from haul trucks, mining equipment, generators and other 

associated vehicles. The amount of emissions of both fugitive dust and vehicle exhaust would 

depend on the number of vehicles used at specific sites and the extent of the disturbed area. 

Fugitive dust is normally monitored in the form of visual opacity measurements. Prevailing 

winds tend to be from the northwest. 

The air quality impacts from the proposed Section 30 project would be very similar to Pete Lien 

and Sons, Inc. existing Black Hawk Quarry which is approximately one mile northeast of the 

proposed quarry. The existing quarry operates in much the same way as the Plan of Operations 

proposes to operate in Section 30. The existing quarry strips and stockpiles topsoil, drills and 

blasts overburden and limestone, monitors each blast, hauls and conveys rock, crushes rock and 

exposes land prior to the annual concurrent revegetation that takes place. At any given time, 20 

acres are disturbed prior to reclamation commencing. The quarry has been producing an average 

of 1.5 million tons per year of limestone and has been operating for nine years. The Section 30 

project is expected to have a maximum capacity of 1 million tons per year. The Section 30 

project is expected to be operating on an average of 250 days (exclude weekends and holidays) 

per year, similar to the Black Hawk Quarry. The Black Hawk Quarry is in full compliance with 

all conditions and standards of the State of South Dakota air permits. The proposed Section 30 

project would comply with the same air quality permits. 

Alternative C 

Direct and Indirect Effects

The same State and Federal Air Quality CAA apply as is in Alternative B. 

The difference with this alternative is less ground disturbance at any one time would occur. By 

reducing the disturbed acres prior to reclamation from approximately 60 acres to a maximum of 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 70 

12 – 25 acres, it would also reduce the impacts of dust to the adjoining landowners and public use 

along Hidden Valley Road. 

Cumulative Effects 

The proposed Section 30 quarry would increase short term air quality effects but is not anticipated 

to exceed State or Federal air quality standards. 

There are three other limestone quarries in the vicinity of Section 30 located on private land: 

Hills Materials, GCC Concrete Plant and Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. The State of South Dakota 

would analyze cumulative impacts during the process of the proponent acquiring permits and 

would not issue the new permit if the Section 30 facility cannot meet applicable standards. 

The Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. processing plant and operations located on private land approximately 

three miles from Section 30 is running at the maximum tons per hour for processing limestone. 

Mining Section 30 would not increase the production rate or the CAA compliance for the site. 

BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT 

This section will describe the affected environment and environmental consequences for each 

alternative to the Biological Environment (Timber; Botany, Noxious and Invasive Weeds; 

Wildlife Habitat; and Fire and Fuels). 

TIMBER 

Affected Environment 

The Section 30 Project Area supports a limited diversity of plant community types as a result of 

the small size, steep slope, and lack of perennial streams. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) 

dominates the majority of the project area; however there are grassland openings and drainages 

which lack perennial water or riparian vegetation. 

The project area is comprised of two timber stands that are part of the suitable and available for 

timber production. Site 090902-06 is approximately 90 acres of moderately open mature 

Ponderosa pine sawtimber with a generally east aspect. These sawtimber trees, nine inches in 

diameter (dbh), have an average diameter of 11.4 inches. There are an average of 77 trees per 

acre across the stand greater than five inches diameter resulting in an average of 42 square feet of 

basal area. Site 090902-09 is approximately 10 acres of mature Ponderosa pine at an average 

sawtimber size of 10.7 inches dbh. There are about 143 trees per acre seven inches and larger in 

diameter for an average basal area of 100 square feet. 

Most of the area was commercially harvested in the summer of 2002 during the Blackhawk 

Timber Sale to increase growth, improve forest health and wildlife habitat in winter range. This 

commercial treatment was followed by a non-commercial thinning for fuels purposes that was 

completed in 2005. The steep, rocky drainages adjacent to the road on the east side of the project 

area were not treated. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 71 

These treatments created the current conditions within the project area. This area is mostly an 

even-aged 4A structural stage, defined as mature ponderosa pine sawtimber with a crown closure 

of < 40%. Regeneration of Ponderosa pine trees is generally not an issue in the Black Hills under 

typical timber harvest practices where seed trees remain to provide the source for future seedlings. 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under this alternative, no timber management activities would occur, other than on-going activities 

such as firewood gathering, right-of-way clearing, Christmas tree cutting, and some minor 

vegetation treatments for other resource purposes. Due to the open condition of the overstory of 

this stand, the sawtimber would continue to grow well, the health of the stand would be good, and 

minimal mortality from mountain pine beetles would be expected. The amount of volume 

removed would be insignificant and the impacts to the timber resource almost non-measurable. 

Cumulative Effects 

Much of the area has had vegetative treatments within the past 20 years. Commercial harvests 

and non-commercial thinning associated with the Blackhawk Timber Sale have taken place on 

more than 90% of the project area. Treatments were designed to lower the basal area to promote 

increased growth and vigor. 

The effect of past treatments has been an increase of merchantable volume growth; increase in the 

quality of timber and reduce the amount of insect and disease activity. The commercial thinning 

has reduced the stocking levels in overstocked stands. The effect has been an increase in the 

quality of the timber through the removal of damaged, diseased, and poorly formed trees. There 

has been an increase in individual tree growth by releasing the remaining trees from competition 

for light, water and nutrients. Trees have developed larger diameters due to a reduction of 

competition. A reduction of the hazard to the pine stands due to the reduction of basal area below 

the level of susceptibility to pine beetle attack has also occurred for these stands. 

No management activities are currently occurring on National Forest System lands within the 

project area. 

Anticipated future silviculture activities, not connected to this analysis, that would occur within 

the area are firewood gathering and Christmas tree cutting by permit. Other silvicultural 

treatments such as small salvage sales for the removal of storm damage, road right-of-way 

clearing, pine encroachment removal, hardwood regeneration and release may occur within the 

project area, but are not foreseeable at this time. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under this alternative, approximately 94 acres of forestland would be completely cleared of 

vegetation and topsoil, and a bed of chemical grade limestone approximately 25 feet deep would 

be removed during development of the surface mine. Reclamation of the site would include 

contouring by reducing the high walls, grading the site, applying topsoil and revegetating areas 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 72 

where mining operations have been completed. The total amount of disturbed, un-reclaimed 

land would be a maximum of 60 acres at any given time. Because of the age of the trees to be 

planted and the stocking level averaging 5.5 trees per acre (tpa), this area would be non-forested 

for a long period of time. The sparsely planted pine would not be a significant source of seed for 

at least 70 years, and even when they are capable of producing seed, seed dispersal would be 

limited to one and one-half times the height of the source tree which would not provide adequate 

coverage of the project area. The only dependable seed source until that time would be from the 

forested lands adjacent to the quarry. This source would be restricted to the area in the 

immediate vicinity of the source since seed dispersal of ponderosa pine is typically limited to 1 

1⁄2 times the height of the source tree. 

Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) is included in the proposed seed mix for Alternative 

B. Western wheatgrass is often an aggressive, sod-forming, cool-season grass that could inhibit 

establishment of ponderosa pine. Alternative B would not meet Forest Plan Standard 2416b 

which reads as follows: "The following restocking requirements apply to lands identified as 

suitable and available for timber production: The minimum level considered adequate for 

restocking is 150 seedlings per acre for conifers. This represents what is required, considering 

natural mortality, to produce a merchantable timber stand at rotation age without intermediate 

treatments". It is recognized that this standard was developed to address restocking levels for 

stands in the suitable timber base, as a result of standard timber management practices. The 

options available are to approve a non-significant amendment to the Forest Plan based on the 

nature of the operation, practicality of restocking pine seedlings, and the small area affected; or 

to remove this small area from the suitable timber base. 

Alternative C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under this alternative the mining operation would occur as in the proposed action above, except 

that smaller cells would be cleared, mined and reclaimed resulting in less un-recovered disturbed 

area, a maximum of 12 to 25 acres at any given time depending on desired production rate. 

Also, the planting of tree species would be more intensive to more quickly return the area to a 

desired forested condition. Following the application of topsoil each year, ponderosa pine 

containerized seedlings of a local seed source would be planted at a spacing of 10 by 10 feet (435 

tpa) where the ground is conducive to planting. Alternative C would meet the intent of Forest

Plan Standard 2416.b. No amendment to the Forest Plan or removal from the suitable timber 

base would be required. 

Immediately following the completion of the mining activity and the reclamation, this site would 

be a fully stocked ponderosa pine seedling stand, vegetative structural stage 2, with a patchy 

distribution. This seedling stage would be relatively short lived and within 20 – 30 years these 

trees would be sapling sized, vegetative structural stage 3A (1.0-8.9 inch dbh and < 40% canopy 

cover) and transition into 3B (1-8.9 inch dbh and 40-70 % canopy cover) as the trees grow and 

the crowns develop. 

Depending on future management activities such as non-commercial thinning, it may be an additional 

100 years or more until this site is a ponderosa pine sawtimber site as is its current condition. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 73 

Cumulative Effects 

Anticipated future silviculture activities, not connected to this analysis, that would occur within the 

area are as follows: Under Alternative B, stocking would be sparse and scattered and noncommercial thinning may not occur for 100 years or more. Commercial harvest activities would 

not take place in this area for a much longer period of time. For Alternative C, non-commercial 

thinning may occur in the next 20 years to control stocking levels. Since there would no trees of 

usable size, there would be no firewood gathering until the trees reach utilization size. Other 

silvicultural treatments such as fuels treatments, the removal of storm damage, road right-of-way 

clearing, pine encroachment removal, hardwood regeneration and hardwood release may occur 

within the project area, but are not foreseeable at this time. There would no real measurable effect 

on ponderosa pine numbers and habitat associated with either Action Alternative when considered 

on a Forest-wide scale, due to the small size of the area affected. 

BOTANY, NOXIOUS AND INVASIVE SPECIES 

Affected Environment 

The Section 30 Project Area supports a limited diversity of plant community types as a result of 

the small size, steep slope, and lack of perennial streams. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) 

dominates the majority of the project area; however there are grassland openings and drainages 

which lack perennial water or riparian vegetation. The understory supports a diverse graminoid 

and forb community containing many native grasses, forbs, and shrubs including green 

needlegrass (Nassela viridula), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), prairie dropseed 

(Sporobolus heterolepis), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), big bluestem (Andropogon 

gerardii), purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia), purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea), 

Rocky Mountain gayfeather (Liatris ligulistylis), and leadplant (Amorpha canescens). 

No Research Natural Areas (RNA) or Botanical Areas overlap with the Section 30 Project Area. 

Additionally, there are no montane grasslands recommended for conservation in the Survey of 

Black Hills Montane Grasslands (Marriott 2000) in the Section 30 Project Area. 

Species Considered and Evaluated 

Federally Listed Plant Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) website list of threatened and endangered species 

was accessed on May 12, 2010 for the state of South Dakota. There were no threatened or 

endangered plant species known to occur within the State of South Dakota (USDI Fish and 

Wildlife Service 2010a and 2010b). 

No further analysis is needed for species not known or suspected to occur in the project area. 

Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation is not required for this project. 

Region 2 Sensitive Plant Species

The sensitive species list for the Rocky Mountain Region was published as a Regional 

Supplement (2600-2009-1) effective June 9, 2009. The list of sensitive species was verified by
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 74 

checking the Region 2 Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species Program website (USDA 

Forest Service 2009). 

There are 12 plant species on the Forest Service Region 2 sensitive species list that are known or 

suspected to occur, or for which potentially suitable habitat is suspected to occur on the Black 

Hills National Forest. These species are shown in Table 3-2 below. 

Table 3-2 US Forest Service Region 2 Sensitive Species of the Black Hills, South Dakota (USDA Forest Service 2009)

Scientific Name Common Name Species Known To 

Occur in Project Area 

Suitable Habitat 

Present in Project Area

Botrychium campestre Prairie moonwort No Unknown 

Botrychium lineare Narrowleaf grapefern No Unknown 

Carex alopecoidea Foxtail sedge No No 

Cypripedium 

parviflorum 

Yellow lady’s slipper No No 

Epipactis gigantean Giant helleborine No No 

Lycopodium 

complanatum 

Trailing clubmoss No No 

Platanthera orbiculata Large round-leaf orchid No No 

Salix candida Sage willow No No 

Salix serissima Autumn willow No No 

Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot No No 

Viburnum opulus var. 

americanum 

Highbush cranberry No No 

Viola selkirkii Great-spurred violet No No 

No Region 2 sensitive plant species were reported in any of the documented surveys within the 

Section 30 Project area. However, potential habitat for two Region 2 sensitive plants species 

occurs within the area (See Appendix C). 

Species of Local Concern (SOLC)

Species of Local Concern (SOLC) are plant, fish, and wildlife species (including subspecies or 

varieties) that do not meet the criteria for sensitive status. These could include species with 

declining trends in only a portion of Region 2, or those that are important components of 

diversity in a local area. The local area is defined as NFS lands within the Black Hills National 

Forest. To be eligible for designation as a Species of Local Concern, the species (or subspecies, 

variety or stock) must be recognized through an established scientific process, and must be 

known to occur on National Forest System lands within the Black Hills National Forest. 

Table 3-3 lists all of the Black Hills National Forest plant SOLC and whether suitable habitat 

occurs within Section 30 Project Area. It also documents the rationale for excluding a species 

from further analysis. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 75 

Table 3-3 Plant Species of Local Concern Known to Occur in the Section 30 Project Area and Those 

Suspected to Have Habitat within the Project Area

Scientific Name Common Name Species Known To 

Occur in Project Area 

Suitable Habitat 

Present in Project Area

Adiantum capillusveneris Maidenhair fern No No 

Botrychium multifidum Leathery grape-fern No No 

Carex bella Southwestern showy 

sedge No No 

Eleocharis rostellata Beaked spikerush No No 

Gentiana affinis Pleated gentian No No 

Listera convallarioides Broadlipped twayblade No No 

Lycopodium annotinum Stiff clubmoss No No 

Oxyria digyna Alpine Mountainsorrel No No 

Petasites sagittatus Arrowleaf sweet 

coltsfoot No No 

Polystichum lonchitis Northern hollyfern No No 

Salix lucida ssp. caudata Shining willow No No 

No plant Species of Local Concern are known to occur in the Section 30 Project Area. The effects 

of Black Hills National Forest Species of Local Concern were made as the result of the 

information gathered in the pre-field review, field reconnaissance, survey results, and effects 

analysis for all Action Alternatives. The basis for the effects analysis was potential habitat, 

distribution, and effects from proposed activities. 

The project area was surveyed for plant SOLC and no occurrences were located. Although the 

proposed action would completely remove the soil structure, effectively eradicating any 

individuals present but undetected, the proposed reclamation plan provides mitigation for effects 

on the suitable habitat that would be impacted by the proposed action would return the site to a

state similar to pre-mining conditions. Also, the affected area is small (less than 1%) when 

compared to the distribution of these species across the project area and their respective ranges. 

Due to the small scale of the proposed project in relation to habitats available across the Forest, 

species of local concern are likely to persist because the proposed project is consistent with 

Forest Plan direction. 

Noxious and Invasive Weeds 

There are approximately ten acres of known noxious weed sites within the perimeter of the 

Section 30 Project Area. National Forest and private lands adjacent to the project area have 

established noxious weed populations including, but not limited to: Canada thistle, Leafy spurge, 

Houndstongue, Yellow toadflax, Musk Thistle, Bull thistle, Scotch thistle, Common tansy, 

Burdock, Common mullein, and Perennial Sow thistle. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 76 

Field evaluation is periodically conducted in the project area to assess effective chemical and 

biological control measures, determine and document losses of vegetation, and locate areas of 

new infestations of noxious weeds. Treatments are coordinated with the Pennington County

Weed and Pest Supervisor, and generally recorded with GPS units to monitor for new weed 

invasions. NFS roads and county roads within the project perimeter have been GPS’d to 

facilitate monitoring of weed spread into/within the project area. 

Environmental Consequences 

Because no Region 2 sensitive species are known from the project area and suitable habitats for the 

plant species analyzed are similar, effects analysis was combined for both species. 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Under Alternative A (no action) there would be direct or indirect effects because no mining 

operation would take place. Ongoing forest protection efforts and recurring road maintenance on 

system roads would continue to occur. Alternative A would maintain Region 2 sensitive plant 

habitat and protect biodiversity in the short-term, although over time. Normal use of area by 

recreationists, road maintenance, and vehicle traffic associated with private land owners and 

hauling from the adjacent Hills Materials Mine could result in the spread of noxious weeds. The 

projected rate of the spread of noxious weeds under No Action could be as high as 10 percent of 

the known noxious weed sites. Treatments for noxious weeds and monitored for new species and 

new infestations would be ongoing. Over time, if no action is taken on the Section 30 Project, the 

ponderosa pine present in the project area would continue to grow, increasing shade cover until the 

understory community would shift to species that are adapted to a shaded environment. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

No Region 2 sensitive species were found within or adjacent to the project area, therefore the 

risk of direct impacts is low and limited to individuals present, but not observed during survey 

and impacts to suitable habitat. If undetected populations are present, direct negative effects of 

project activities would include complete removal of above- and below-ground plant parts, 

removal of the seed bank, and removal of suitable habitat. 

Other effects of the proposed action include introduction of invasive plant species and disruption 

of below-ground plant-fungal relationships required for establishment of Botrychium. Also, the 

disruption of the bedrock and soil in the area could lead to increased concentration of calcium 

(and subsequent increase in pH) in ground water flowing through the project area as well as 

increased sediment load downstream. Another effect could be an increase in airborne dust from 

blasting, movement of material, and haul road use. Such dust can coat the leaves of plants near 

the mining operation and haul roads decreasing their photosynthetic efficiency. 

The stockpiling of topsoil could decrease soil quality. The proposed action would allow for 

overburden and soil removal prior to mining on up to 60 acres at a time. Topsoil could be stockpiled 

for many years before being used for reclamation purposes. Stahl et al. (2002) found that impacts 

from disturbance to topsoil left in place are less than that of stockpiled topsoil. Impacts to stockpiled 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 77 

topsoil included negative effects on soil organic matter, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen 

content, mycorrhizal fungal spore content, and amount of microbial biomass (Stahl et al. 2002). As 

a result, reclamation could be slower and more difficult to accomplish. 

When larger areas of overburden are removed and left disturbed, the opportunity for invasive plants 

is increased. If invasive species are capable of establishing they are likely to spread throughout the 

duration of the project. Once established, the invasive species could spread outside of the proposed 

project area changing the plant community while decreasing habitat for sensitive species. 

The proposed action (Alternative B) would allow for the use of smooth brome (Bromus inermis) 

and crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum). The seeding of smooth brome and crested 

wheatgrass do not follow Forest Plan (Objective 230 and Standard 1110). Smooth brome is a nonnative, cool-season grass that invades both warm-season and cool-season communities decreasing 

native species (Stacy et al. 2005). Crested wheatgrass is an introduced, cool-season grass which 

out-competes native species decreasing native species diversity (Bakker et al. 1997). The indirect 

effects of seeding crested wheatgrass and smooth brome include decreased native species diversity 

for reclaimed sites and decreased sensitive plant habitat. Seeding these species would not only 

result in initial establishment of non-native species, but also hinder establishment of native species 

throughout reclamation. Both of these species have the capability of spreading outside of the 

proposed project area decreasing species diversity and increasing competition for sensitive plants. 

Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) is included in the proposed seed mix for Alternative B. 

Western wheatgrass is often an aggressive, sod-forming, cool-season grass that could decelerate 

and/or prevent the establishment of native grasses during reclamation. Including western 

wheatgrass in the seed mix could result in decreased plant diversity while inhibiting establishment 

of woody plants, particularly, ponderosa pine. 

Cumulative Effects 

A variety of non-native species have been introduced to the Black Hills over time, and weed 

species have invaded areas of disturbed ground. The proposed quarry site consists of mostly 

native species, but does have some invasive weeds in places; some of the surrounding private 

lands have introduced non-native grasses as well as invasive weeds. The Proposed Action would 

seed both smooth brome and crested wheatgrass onto the site, and disturbed areas could result in 

an increase in noxious weeds. Both the non-native grasses and invasive weeds could spread to 

areas outside the project area. The cumulative effect would be an overall increase in non-native 

grass species and invasive weeds for the local area. 

Alternative C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

No Region 2 sensitive species were found within or adjacent to the project area, therefore the 

risk of direct impacts is low and limited to individuals present, but not observed during survey 

and impacts to suitable habitat. The effects to undetected individuals and suitable habitat present 

for Alternative C is similar to Alternative B. 

The indirect effects of Alternative C regarding invasive species related to site clearing are less than 

that of Alternative B. Vegetation removal is limited in Alternative C to 12 – 25 acres or less, versus 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 78 

60 acres for Alternative B. Reducing the amount of area disturbed at one time would decrease the 

opportunity for invasive species establishment. As a result, the opportunity for invasive species to 

spread throughout the project area and adjacent lands decreases, minimizing impacts to suitable 

sensitive plant habitat. On the other hand, Alternative C would require additional off-site soil be 

included as part of reclamation. This could potentially introduce invasive species into the area. 

The proposed seed mix used for reclamation in Alternative C reduces the opportunity for non-native 

species establishment. The proposed seed mix only includes native, perennial species which are 

known to exist in the project area prior to mining. The proposed mix would aid in reclaiming the 

project area to pre-mining conditions reducing indirect effects on-site and on adjacent land. For seed 

mix, see Appendix B. 

Alternative C requires six to eight inches of topsoil be included for reclamation. Increased topsoil 

depth would influence aboveground plant production, soil water relationships, and root growth on 

the mined areas. Additional topsoil could increase production of seeded species while reducing 

infestation of non-seeded species on mined areas reducing indirect effects of Alternative C. 

Cumulative Effects

As with Alternative B, there is a potential to spread weeds onto adjacent lands beyond the project 

area. The potential cumulative effect from non-native grass species would be less than 

Alternative B because only native grass species would be included in the reclamation seed mix. 

There is some increased potential, as compared with Alternative B, for non-native grass species 

and invasive weeds to spread as a result of bringing in off-site soil to aid in reclamation. 

WILDLIFE HABITAT 

Affected Environment 

This section documents the existing condition of wildlife and fisheries habitats and resources for the 

Section 30 Project, focusing on federally listed endangered, threatened, or proposed species, Region 

2 sensitive species, management indicator species (MIS), and species of local concern (SOLC). 

Elevation in the project area ranges from 3,700 - 4,000 feet, and the landtype association is defined 

as Steeply Dipping Plateau Lands. Topography for this association is described as broad ridges, 

steep to very steep sideslopes, narrow valley bottoms and rock outcrops. Soils in the project area are 

of the Vanoker-Sawdust-Paunsaugunt association, which consist of loamy soils formed in material 

weathered from limestone and calcareous sandstone. Across the majority of the project area, soils 

are very thin or absent with limestone bedrock exposed in outcrops or very near the surface. 

Vegetation in the project area consists predominantly of open ponderosa pine (structural stage 

3A-4A) with a minor deciduous shrub component scattered in the drawbottoms. There are also 

several very small grassy openings. There are no perennial streams or riparian habitats present. 

The 240 acre parcel of National Forest land that encompasses the project area is surrounded 

entirely by private land, some of which is developed for residential uses. The project area is 

designated by the Forest Plan as Management Area 5.4 (Big Game Winter Range Emphasis). 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 79 

As evidenced by the description above, habitats found in the Project Area are not rare or unique 

to the area or the Black Hills National Forest (See Figure 1-2 in Chapter 1). Accordingly, the 

species that inhabit the area such as white-tailed deer, American robbins, dark-eyed juncos, and 

Merriam's turkey are not rare or uncommon in the Black Hills. The lack of several habitat 

components, most notably water and associated riparian habitats, well-developed understory 

vegetation, large snags, diversity in overstory vegetation species )e.g. bur oak and other 

hardwoods), or closed-canopied, mature/overmature pine in the Project Area precludes

occurrence of species associated with such habitat diversity. 

The few Region 2 sensitive wildlife species and Species of Local Concern for which potentially 

suitable habitat occurs in the Project Area (several species of bats, butterflies, and foraging 

raptors) would likely use the area on an intermittent basis only, due to the marginal quality of the 

habitats available. 

Data were collected and compiled from field reconnaissance, District wildlife observation data, 

the South Dakota Natural Heritage Database (South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks 

2008), literature reviews, on-line databases, Species Conservation Assessments, and the Forest 

Plan Monitoring Report (USDA Forest Service 2010d). This document tiers directly to the 

revised Forest Plan and the Phase II Forest Plan Amendment EIS (USDA Forest Service 1997, 

2005) and their associated Biological Assessment/ Biological Evaluations (See Appendix C). 

Environmental Consequences 

The evaluation of effects focuses on and R2 Sensitive species, Management Indicator Species (MIS), 

and Species of Local Concern (SOLC), as well as their habitat needs. The best available science for 

each species was taken in to account, which may include additional information and referencing 

(e.g., species conservation assessments). 

Effects Common to All Species and Habitats 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

No mining activities would take place in the project area; therefore, there would be no effect to any 

species or habitats that occur in the project area. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Project activities would be initiated in the 38 acre Northern Pit with surface preparation (removal of 

trees, topsoil, and overburden) of the entire pit site before mining operations begins. Upon completion 

of mining and concurrent reclamation operations in the Northern Pit, the operation would move to the 

56 acre Southern Pit. As with the Northern Pit, the entire site would undergo surface preparation prior 

to initiation of the mining operation. Alternative B would result in a larger area of complete removal 

of wildlife habitat and disturbance at any given time as compared to Alternative C. Mining operations 

would displace individuals to adjacent habitats during initial surface preparation, and during active 

operations. Lack of vegetation would also displace individuals to adjacent habitats during periods of 

inactivity. Duration of the mining operation is expected to be from 7 – 25 years. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 80 

Alternative C 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Project activities would be initiated in the Southern Pit, with surface preparation, mining 

operations, and concurrent reclamation activities limited to a smaller area at any given point in 

time (12 to 25 acres). Wildlife habitat removal and disturbance would therefore affect a smaller 

area at any given point in time as compared to Alternative B. As with Alternative B, mining 

operations would displace individuals to adjacent habitats during initial surface preparation and 

during active operations. Duration of the mining operation is the same as Alternative B, so a larger 

area of currently existing habitats would remain on the landscape for a longer period of time as 

compared to Alternative B. Long-term, reclamation requirements specifying six to eight inches of 

topsoil, as compared to two to four inches in Alternative B, could result in higher quality habitat 

(vegetation) than currently exists in the project area, and as a result of Alternative B. 

Endangered, Threatened, Proposed, and Sensitive Species 

The USDI Fish and Wildlife Service website was consulted on November 20, 2009 (USDI Fish 

and Wildlife Service 2009) to determine the current list of Threatened, Endangered or Proposed 

species that occur or potentially occur, or for which suitable habitat exists in the Section 30 

Project Area. No “critical habitat” has been designated for any species on the Black Hills 

National Forest (BHNF). No further analysis is needed for the whooping crane, least tern, and 

black-footed ferret because these species are not known or suspected to occur in the project area, 

and for which no suitable habitat is present (USDI Fish and Wildlife Service 2009). No 

consultation with the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service is required. 

The sensitive species list for the Rocky Mountain Region was updated in the Forest Service 

Manual Regional Supplement No. 2600-2009-1 (dated June 9, 2009). There are 27 species of 

wildlife and fish on the list for which potentially suitable habitat occurs on the BHNF. These 

species are shown in Table 3-4 below, along with a brief habitat description for each species, and 

whether suitable habitat is present in the project area. Only those species with known or suspected 

habitat in the project area are evaluated for effects of the Section 30 Project alternatives. Table 3-4 

also displays a summary of effects and determinations for those sensitive species evaluated.
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 81 

Table 3-4 Evaluation of Effects of Section 30 Project Alternatives to Region 2 Sensitive Wildlife and Fish Species 

Species Name1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Mammals Black-tailed prairie dog Cynomys ludovicianus 

Short and mixed grass prairie with soils conducive to burrowing (Higgins et al. 2000). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

American marten Martes americana 

Spruce forests with complex near-ground structure, extending into adjacent pine stands (Buskirk 2002). Corridor habitat includes conifer and deciduous riparian areas (Fecske 2003). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Fringed myotis Myotis thysanodes 

Roosts in caves and mines, on snags and rock faces; forages on insects in various habitats, including shrub lands, and forested areas (Schmidt 2003b). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of roosting and foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis canadensis 

Open habitats, such as grasslands, talus slopes, rocky outcrops but may use deciduous and conifer forest with openings (Beecham et. al. 2007). 

No All Alts. 

Not within known bighorn sheep use areas. No suitable habitat present in project area, thereforethis species was not evaluated. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 82 

Species Name1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Townsend’s big-eared bat Plecotus townsendii 

Roosts in caves and mines, occasionally buildings; forages on insects in various habitats including forested and wet areas (Schmidt 2003a). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Birds Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia 

Short/mixed grass prairie, usually associated with ground squirrels or prairie dogs (Johnson and Anderson 2002, Tallman et al. 2002). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis 

Nests primarily in dense mature conifer forests; forages in a variety of forested areas and small openings (Kennedy 2003). 

Yes 

(foraging 

habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Grasshopper sparrow Ammodramus savannarum 

Grasslands of intermediate height with bare patches and moderately deep litter (Slater 2004, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 83 

Species Name1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis 

Open grasslands, shrubsteppe, croplands, desert, and the periphery of western pinyon and juniper (Collins and Reynolds 2005). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Northern harrier Circus cyaneus 

Open areas; prairies, wetlands or grasslands with tall dense vegetation and high residual cover; logged or burned woodlands (Slater and Rock 2005, Tallman et al. 2002). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potentially suitable habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus (Candidate: Western US DPS) 

Low elevation riparian areas and cottonwood/willow or bur oak woodlands with dense shrub understory (Wiggins 2005b, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Olive-sided flycatcher Contopus cooperi 

Generally found in coniferous or mixed coniferous forests, along forest edges and openings caused by disturbances (Kotliar, 2007) 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

American peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus anatum 

Open areas and woodland edges (Tallman et al. 2002); nests on rocky cliffs or buildings. 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 

Usually found near open water or in areas with 

Yes 

(foraging Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 84 

Species Name1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

 abundant carrion in winter 

(USDI Fish and Wildlife Service 2007a). 

habitat) 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potential foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus 

Open areas with scattered, low deciduous thickets, rare in higher elevations of the Black Hills (Wiggins 2005a, Tallman et al. 2002). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potentially suitable habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Lewis’s woodpecker Melanerpes lewis 

Burned areas, open pine, oak, or cottonwood forests, with large snags for nesting (Abele et. al 2004, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Long-billed curlew Numenius americanus 

Short and mixed-grass prairie habitat with flat to rolling topography. Found at lower elevations of the Black Hills (Sedgwick 2006, RMBO 2001-2009, USFWS 2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Flammulated owl Otus flammeolus 

Open ponderosa pine forest, nests in cavities and large diameter snags (Hayward and Verner 1994). 

Yes 

(habitat) All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 85 

Species Name1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Black-backed woodpecker Picoides arcticus 

Dense pine forests that are recently burned, are in late successional or dense mature condition, or where mountain pine beetle densities are high (Moren 2002, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

American three-toed woodpecker Picoides dorsalis 

Old-growth conifer forests with large diameter snags, burned areas and beetle infestation areas (Wiggins 2004, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Reptiles and AmphibiansNorthern leopard frog Lithobates pipiens 

Riparian and wetland areas for tadpoles, subadults, and breeding adults; upland habitats for foraging adults (Smith 2003, Smith and Keinath 2007). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Black Hills red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata pahasapae 

Moist habitats with welldeveloped ground litter such as wet meadows, woodlands, and forest-meadow edges (Smith and Stephens 2003). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Fish Mountain sucker Catostomus platyrhynchus 

Occurs most often in cool, clear mountain streams, with moderate stream flow velocities but have been observed elsewhere in large rivers, lakes and reservoirs (Isaak et al. 2003) 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 86 

Species Name1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Lake chub Couesius plumbeus 

Cool, gravel-bottomed pools and runs of streams; rocky lake margins. Known only from Deerfield Lake (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Invertebrates Ottoe skipper Hesperia ottoe 

Restricted to undisturbed, mixed-grass to tall-grass prairie habitats with big bluestem, little bluestem and sideoats gramma. Found in Pennington, Lawrence, Fall River, and Custer Counties along the foothills of the Black Hills (Selby 2005, Marrone 2005, 2006). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potentially suitable habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. 

Regal fritillary Speyeria idalia 

Tall-grass or mixed-grass prairie with violets. Found in Pennington, Lawrence, Fall River, and Custer Counties, rare in higher elevations of the Black Hills (Selby 2007, Marrone 2005, 2006). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of roosting and foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. 

Cooper’s Rocky Mountainsnail Oreohelix strigosa cooperi 

Occurs on limestone rock outcrops/cliffs at higher elevations with developed litter layer, moss, and downed woody material (Frest and Johannes 2002). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

1Obtained from R2 Sensitive Species List (FSM 2600-2009-1) 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 87 

Management Indicator Species 

Management Indicator Species (MIS) are species that represent a suite of wildlife and fish 

species and their habitats. MIS are evaluated at the project level if there are documented 

observations and/or suitable habitat present in the project area; if there are no known occurrences 

or suitable habitat in the project area, the species is not further evaluated. The Phase II 

Amendment FEIS (USDA Forest Service 2005; Sec 3-3.3.6 through Sec 3-3.3.8.2) provides indepth information (i.e., range, distribution etc.) for each MIS. The Section 30 Project analysis 

for MIS is tiered to that document and to the 1997 Forest Plan FEIS (USDA Forest Service 

1996). Viability analysis has been completed at the Forest Plan level (USDA Forest Service 

2005), and therefore beyond the scope of this project level analysis. Table 3-5 identifies MIS 

designated by the Forest Plan, and habitats represented by each species (USDA Forest Service 

2005). The white-tailed deer is the only MIS species that occurs, or for which suitable habitat is 

present in the Section 30 Project Area. 

Table 3-5 Forest Plan MIS, Habitats Each Species Represents, and Occurrences of Species or Suitable 

Habitats in the Section 30 Project Area 

Forest Plan MIS Habitat Represented Species or 

Habitat Present 

Black-backed Woodpecker Mature and late successional forest, burned forest, 

insects, and snag conditions. No 

Brown Creeper Late successional conifer forest, large trees, and snag 

conditions. No 

Golden-crowned Kinglet Spruce forest, mostly mature and late-successional. No 

Beaver Riparian/aquatic habitat conditions (hardwood forests 

and shrub component). No 

Song Sparrow Riparian habitats. No 

Grasshopper Sparrow Prairie grassland. No 

Ruffed Grouse Aspen quality and vigor in pure and mixed stands. No 

White-tailed Deer Variety of forest conditions, including occurrence of 

understory shrubs. Yes 

Mountain Sucker Aquatic habitat condition and connectivity. No 

MIS analysis focuses on how the alternatives would influence the Forest-wide population trend 

(if available), the Forest-wide habitat trend, and attainment of Forest Plan Objective 238 (“... 

maintain or enhance habitat for ... white-tailed deer ...”). According to the 2009 Forest Plan 

Monitoring and Evaluation Report (USDA Forest Service 2010d), the Black Hills deer

population peaked in 2006 and has declined since then. The Forest-wide habitat trend is stable 

or increasing, foraging habitat is increasing, and screening cover is stable. 

The Section 30 Project Area is used year-round by white-tailed deer, and is designated by the 

Forest Plan as Big Game Winter Range Emphasis Management Area (MA 5.4). The 

approximately 100 acre project area represents 0.025% of the 396,516 acres of MA 5.4 Forestwide. The project area provides marginal foraging habitat due to sparse understory with few 

grasses, forbs, or shrubs. Hiding cover is also marginal and would be provided only by the few 

east-west trending drainages with a somewhat higher density of shrubs than the surrounding 

slopes. The project area is likely used by white-tailed deer as a travel corridor between the 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 88 

higher slopes above the project area that provide better quality habitat, and the open meadows 

below the project area that provide higher quality foraging opportunities. 

Effects of Alternatives B and C are similar to those previously discussed as effects similar to all 

species and habitats. Due to the marginal quality of habitat in the project area and scale of the 

proposed project in relation to habitats available across the Forest, there would be no effect on 

Forest-wide habitat trends for the white-tailed deer. The project would therefore not influence 

achievement of Objective 228. 

Species of Local Concern 

Species of Local Concern (SOLC) are defined as species that do not meet the criteria for 

sensitive species status but show a decline in only a portion of Region 2, or those that are 

important components of diversity in a local area. The list of SOLC for the Black Hills National 

Forest can be found in FSM 2620, Supplement r2_bh_2600-2005-1. The Phase II Amendment 

FEIS (USDA Forest Service 2005; Sec 3-3.3.3 through Sec 3-3.3.5.8) provides in-depth 

information (i.e., range, distribution etc.) on each SOLC. The Section 30 Project evaluation of 

SOLC is tiered to that document. The most relevant Forest Plan direction for SOLC is Objective 

221, which directs the BHNF to “conserve or enhance habitat” for SOLC and to maintain longterm persistence forest-wide. There are no specific Forest Plan standards or guidelines to further 

direct attainment of the objective for the SOLC species. 

Table 3-6 below lists the SOLC identified in the Black Hills National Forest Phase II 

Amendment (USDA Forest Service 2005). If a species is known or suspected to occur in the 

project area or if suitable but unoccupied habitat is present, then the species is evaluated with 

respect to effects of the proposed project activities. 

Table 3-6 Species of Local Concern for the Black Hills National Forest (USDA Forest Service 2005), Habitat 

Requirements, and Presence of Species or their Habitats in the Section 30 Project Area 

Common Name 

(Scientific Name) 

Species 

Present1 

Suitable 

Habitat 

Present2 

Habitat Requirements 

Long-eared Myotis 

(Myotis evotis) No Yes 

Mostly coniferous montane habitats; uses large 

snags, caves, mines, abandoned buildings as 

maternity/hibernacula, also roosts in abandoned 

mines and buildings, rock crevices, and under bark. 

No known hibernacula in Black Hills (USDA Forest 

Service 2005). 

Long-legged Myotis 

(Myotis volans) No Yes 

Primarily in montane coniferous forests; uses caves, 

mines, and snags as maternity/hibernacula, also 

roosts in abandoned buildings, rock crevices, and 

under bark (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Northern Myotis 

(Myotis septentrionalis) No No 

Dense ponderosa pine and mixed 

coniferous/deciduous forest. Hibernates in caves 

and mines. Maternity and day roosts in snags, 

buildings, caves and mines (USDA Forest Service 

2005). 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 89 

Common Name 

(Scientific Name) 

Species 

Present1 

Suitable 

Habitat 

Present2 

Habitat Requirements 

Small-Footed Myotis 

(Myotis ciliolabrum) No Yes 

Variable habitats, but usually associated with rocky 

areas like bluffs, dissected breaks, ridges, cliffs and 

major rock outcrops. Roosts include mines, caves, 

rock features, and under bark (USDA Forest Service 

2005). 

Meadow Jumping Mouse 

(Zapus hudsonicus 

campestris) 

No No 

Strongly associated with riparian habitats along 

small streams in meadows (Cryan and Ellison 

2005). Found throughout the Black Hills of 

Wyoming and South Dakota (USDA Forest Service 

2005). 

Mountain Goat 

(Oreamnos americanus) No No 

Rugged terrain with cliffs, rock faces, ledges and 

talus slopes, typically in higher elevations of the 

BHNF. Limited primarily to Black Elk Wilderness 

Area and Norbeck Wildlife Preserve (USDA Forest 

Service 2005). 

Northern Flying Squirrel 

(Glaucomys sabrinus) No No 

Dense ponderosa pine and mixed 

coniferous/deciduous forest; roosts in cavities or 

builds nests. Most often associated with cool moist 

habitat with abundant snags. Large openings may 

inhibit gliding (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

American Dipper 

(Cinclus mexicanus) No No 

Clear, fast-flowing streams, feeds on aquatic insects 

and insect larvae. Nests adjacent to streams on 

rocky ledges, cliffs, and under bridges. Limited 

primarily to Spearfish and Rapid Creeks in the 

BHNF (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Black and White Warbler 

(Mniotilta varia) No No 

Prefers mature and second growth deciduous and 

mixed deciduous coniferous forest with dense 

understory of shrubs/trees (USDA Forest Service 

2005). Limited primarily to the foothills in the 

BHNF (Tallman et al. 2002). 

Broad-winged Hawk 

(Buteo platypterus) No No 

Found primarily in mixed ponderosa pine and 

deciduous habitats. Nesting in SS4B, SS4C, and 

SS5 (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Cooper’s Hawk 

(Accipiter cooperii) No No 

Found in ponderosa pine, spruce, shrublands and 

burned areas. Nests in mature riparian, conifer, and 

aspen forests with moderate to high canopy closure. 

Associated with SS3C, SS4B, SS4C, and SS5 

(USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Northern Saw-whet Owl 

(Aegolius acadicus) No No 

Prefers dense coniferous or mixed forest for nesting 

habitat. Dense sapling-pole sized stands are 

preferred for roosting, also associated with riparian 

habitats (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Pygmy Nuthatch 

(Sitta pygmaea) No No 

Prefers relatively open canopied, very mature 

undisturbed ponderosa pine forests with large trees 

and abundant large diameter snags (USDA Forest 

Service 2005). Communal winter roosts in large 

diameter snags (Ghalambor and Dobbs 2006). 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 90 

Common Name 

(Scientific Name) 

Species 

Present1 

Suitable 

Habitat 

Present2 

Habitat Requirements 

Sharp-shinned Hawk 

(Accipiter striatus) No No 

Forages in a variety of dense forest habitats. 

Nesting habitat typically restricted to dense young 

conifer stands such as SS3B and SS3C (USDA 

Forest Service 2005). 

Atlantis Fritillary 

(Speyeria atlantis 

pahasapa) 

No No 

Riparian areas adjacent to openings and moist 

meadows in boreal forests in Pennington, Custer, 

and Lawrence Co. Larvae of this genus feed 

exclusively on violets (USDA Forest Service 2005).

Tawny Crescent 

(Phycoides batesii) No No 

Open meadows, riparian wet meadows, and 

woodlands that provide diverse floral nectar species 

such as dogbane and composite flowers. Larvae 

feed mostly on asters (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Callused Vertigo 

(Vertigo arthuri) No No 

Moist shaded coniferous habitats mixed with 

hardwoods, exhibiting a deep litter layer and DWM. 

Most sites are associated with limestone substrates, 

but have been found in other soil types. Forages on 

decayed deciduous leaves and herbaceous plants 

(USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Cockrell’s Striate Disc 

(Discus shemekii) No No 

Moist shaded coniferous habitats mixed with 

hardwoods, exhibiting a deep litter layer and DWM. 

Often bordering or ranging slightly into stream 

floodplains. Most sites are associated with 

limestone substrates, but have been found in other 

soil types. Forages on decayed deciduous leaves 

and herbaceous plants (USDA Forest Service 2005).

Frigid Ambersnail 

(Catinella gelida) No No 

Duff specialist usually associated with limestone 

soils. Moist to dry coniferous forest with a deep 

litter layer, DWM, and deciduous tree/shrub 

understory. (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Mystery Vertigo 

(Vertigo paradoxa) No No 

Moist shaded coniferous forest mixed with 

hardwoods, exhibiting a deep litter layer and DWM. 

Most sites are associated with limestone substrates, 

but have been found in other soil types. Forages on 

decayed deciduous leaves and herbaceous plants 

(USDA Forest Service 2005). 

Forest-wide monitoring suggests roost protection and snag availability are stable, therefore the 

Forest is conserving and enhancing habitat for SOLC bats (USDA Forest Service 2010d). 

Potentially suitable habitat for three SOLC bat species (long-eared Myotis, long-legged Myotis, 

and small-footed Myotis) in the Section 30 Project Area consists of day roost sites beneath the 

bark of ponderosa pine trees, although the trees are generally smaller than those selected as roost 

sites. There is a risk of mortality if individuals are roosting in trees that are cut during surface 

preparation activities, although the likelihood is low. 

Effects of Alternatives B and C to the three SOLC bat species are similar to those previously 

discussed as effects similar to all species and habitats. Due to the small scale of the proposed 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 91 

project in relation to habitats available across the Forest, species of local concern are likely to 

persist because the proposed project is consistent with Forest Plan direction.

Migratory Birds 

Many species of migratory birds are of international concern due to naturally small ranges, loss of 

habitat, observed population declines and other factors. The BHNF approaches bird conservation 

at several levels by implementing: 1) Forest Plan objectives, standards and guidelines; 2) a Forestwide bird monitoring program; and 3) site-specific mitigation and effects analyses for identified 

species of concern. Bird monitoring is conducted at the Forest-level to determine species 

distribution, abundance, and trend (Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 2001-2009). 

Migratory birds of concern are identified by many sources, including the Endangered Species 

Act, the Regional Forester’s Sensitive species list, the BHNF MIS and SOLC lists, the USFWS 

list of Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC; USDI Fish and Wildlife Service 2008) and the 

South Dakota All Bird Conservation Plan (South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks

2005). All of these sources and their respective species lists have been considered. 

The South Dakota All Bird Conservation Plan (South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and 

Parks 2005) developed priority bird species list within specific habitats in the state. For the 

Black Hills, Level I and II priority species have not been identified. Six Level III species may be 

affected by either of the Section 30 Project Action Alternatives. Those species include the 

northern goshawk, which has been addressed as an R2 sensitive species. The remaining five 

species are pinyon jay, western tanager, dark-eyed junco, Cassin’s finch, and pine siskin, all 

species for which the MIS discussion for the whitetailed deer applies. 

FIRE and FUELS 

Affected Environment 

The project area encompasses approximately 94 acres of open-grown ponderosa pine in Township 

2 North, Range 7 East, Section 30, Pennington County, South Dakota. The existing Fire Behavior 

Fuel Model is best classified as GR4 (moderate load dry climate grass) with a pine overstory. 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

No mining would take place under this alternative--leaving the current fuel profile intact. In the 

absence of disturbances such as fire or insect infestations, the forest would begin to grow denser 

in the next 20 years. As the pine regeneration increases and the forest canopy gains bulk, 

vertical and horizontal fuel continuity would rise. This would lead to higher crown fire hazard 

than what currently exists. The Fire Behavior Fuel Model would eventually transition to TL8 

(long-needle timber litter) or TU5 (dry climate timber-shrub) as the canopy begins to close; 

shading out grasses and favoring the more shade-tolerant pine regeneration. Fire risk (the 

likelihood of fire ignition from either lightning or human activity) would remain fairly constant 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 92 

over the next 20 years. Human activity within the project area would not vary greatly from 

current use patterns as a result of the No Action Alternative. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under Alternative B, surface mining would take place on the 94 acres within the project area 

over the course of ten or more years. Up to 60 acres would be disturbed prior to reclamation at 

any given time. Forest fuels and soil would be scraped away during the preparation phase, 

exposing the limestone for removal. Removal of the organic material from the surface would 

convert the Fire Behavior Fuel Model to NB9 (non-burnable, bare ground). 

The risk of fire ignition would rise as a result of increased human activity during mining 

operations. The activity would involve several pieces of heavy equipment. Certain operations 

such as scraping bedrock with a bulldozer blade would result in friction capable of igniting a 

wildland fire during dry and windy conditions (provided burnable material was within a few feet 

of the ignition source). Slash generated from tree removal would need to be disposed of by 

hauling away, incorporating as fill, or piling and burning on site. 

Reclamation would entail grading the site, applying two to four inches of topsoil on average, and 

planting grasses and woody vegetation—dominated by ponderosa pine. The planted trees would be 

seedling to ten feet tall in size and widely spaced (5.5 trees per acre), so crown fire hazard would be 

insignificant for the twenty-year period this analysis covers. Grass would be the primary carrier of 

fire once established. GR4 (moderate load dry climate grass) would be the representative fuel 

model. Flame lengths and rates of spread would be comparable to the existing condition. 

Alternative C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under Alternative C, surface mining would take place as in the proposed action, but smaller cells 

would be cleared, mined, and reclaimed. Up to 12 to 25 acres would be disturbed prior to 

reclamation at any given time. As in Alternative B, forest fuels and soil would be scraped away 

during the preparation phase, exposing the limestone for removal. Removal of the organic material 

from the surface would convert the Fire Behavior Fuel Model to NB9 (non-burnable, bare ground). 

As in Alternative B, the risk of fire ignition under Alternative C would rise as a result of increased 

human activity during mining operations. The activity would involve several pieces of heavy 

equipment. Certain operations such as scraping bedrock with a bulldozer blade would result in 

friction capable of igniting a wildland fire during dry and windy conditions (provided burnable 

material was within a few feet of the ignition source). Slash and other noncommercial materials 

(including root wads) generated from tree removal would be disposed of by hauling away annually. 

Reclamation would entail grading the site, applying six to eight inches of topsoil on average, and 

planting ponderosa pine seedlings at a spacing of 10ft. by 10ft. Crown fire hazard would rise to 

a moderate rating in roughly 20 years as the fully stocked stand grows to sapling size. The 

primary carrier of fire would likely be grass with GR4 being the representative fuel model. 

Flame lengths and rates of spread would be comparable to the existing condition.
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 93 

Cumulative Effects 

Past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions that may cumulatively result in fire/fuels 

concerns in the project area include increased recreational use of the quarry area. People would be 

attracted to the project area as a place to fire weapons or engage in related activities. Increased human 

activity raises the risk of fire. Restricting access would reduce recreational activity and consequently 

reduce fire risk, as well. 

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 

This section would describe the affected environment and environmental consequences for each 

alternative to the Social Environment (Recreation Use, Scenic Quality, Cultural Resources and 

American Indian Religious Use, and Social/Economics). 

RECREATION USE 

Affected Environment 

Recreation management in the Section 30 project area is dispersed in nature. The area hosts a 

large number of local users in pursuit of both motorized and non-motorized opportunities. There 

are no developed recreation sites in this area. 

The project area is located in MA 5.4, Big Game Winter Range, where the Recreation 

Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) is Roaded Natural. The Black Hills National Forest issued a 

FEIS/ROD (March 22, 2010) designating routes for motorized use forest-wide. Motorized use is 

now prohibited on three NFSRs (553.1A, 553.1B, and 553.1F) and smaller user created single 

and double track trails that occur throughout the project area. Motorized use is allowed on state, 

county, and National Forest System roads (NFSR 553) that occur within the project area. 

Recreation is managed to allow moderate to high contact with other groups and individuals. 

Dispersed recreation in the Section 30 project area includes archery shooting events and courses, 

berry picking, firewood gathering, hunting, hiking, mountain biking and limited dirt bike and ATV 

use on NFSR 553. A minor amount of dispersed overnight camping occurs. The local archery club 

has received two recreation event special use permits in the past 10 years to hold shooting events. 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Even though the No Action Alternative does not change current management of implementing any 

proposed activities, change would continue to occur through the actions of people using the area. 

No changes would be made in dispersed recreation management as a result of the No Action 

Alternative that would directly or indirectly affect recreation users. The same dispersed 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 94 

recreation activities that are currently occurring in the project area would continue and would be 

managed as they are currently managed. 

Alternative B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under both Alternative B and C, the local users would have to limit or discontinue the amount and/or 

type of recreational use that occurs in the project area during mining operations. This is due to the 

hazardous conditions mining would create, such as large equipment (dozers, loaders, dump trucks, 

etc), blasting, man-made ridges (highwalls 25 feet high), and dust. The active mining areas would be 

fenced and closed to the public. Operations would affect approximately one third of the area of the 

National Forest lands in Section 30, or approximately 100 acres. Users would be able to resume 

activities after reclamation of the area. 

Cumulative Effects 

The Forest Service would continue to maintain access for recreation activities under its jurisdiction. 

Current management of motorized vehicle use would continue under all alternatives. 

SCENIC QUALITY 

Affected Environment 

The project site is located northwest of Rapid City, SD adjacent to the city limits. The quarry 

would be visible from western portions of the city and US Interstate 90 (I-90). 

Landscape character gives a geographic area its visual and cultural image, and consists of the 

combination of physical, biological, and cultural attributes that make each landscape identifiable 

or unique. Existing landscape character may range from predominantly natural landscapes to 

those that are heavily culturally influenced. The landscape character units are derived from an 

ecological framework utilizing ecological land descriptions and existing landscape uses. 

Ecological units are the mapped landscape analysis units used for ecosystem planning and 

management. The visual image created by the physical, biological, and cultural factors in the 

ecological land unit description helps define the landscape character for scenery management. 

The project area is categorized as “Gently Rolling Terrain/Ponderosa Pine/Prairie Grass 

Landscape Character Unit.” 

Inherent Scenic Attractiveness is obtained by classifying the landscape into different degrees of 

variety. This determines which landscapes are most important and those that are of lesser value 

from the standpoint of scenic quality. The classification is based on the premise that all 

landscapes have some value, but those with the most variety or diversity have the greatest 

potential for high scenic value. The combination of valued landscape elements such as landform, 

water characteristics, vegetation, and cultural features are used in determining the measure of 

scenic attractiveness (Landscape Aesthetics, Chapter 4, pg. 15). 

Scenic attractiveness classifications are: A (Distinctive), B (Typical), and C (Indistinctive). None 

of the National Forest lands within the Section 30 Project area is in the Distinctive classification, 

approximately 66% is in the Typical classification, and 33% is in rated Indistinctive. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 95 

Landscape Visibility in the portions of landscapes visible from travel ways and use areas are 

important to constituents for their scenic quality, aesthetic values, and landscape merits. 

Sensitivity Level 1 travel ways that lead to important scenic features, residential areas, resorts, 

recreation areas, unique natural phenomena, wilderness trailheads, national parks, state and 

county parks, attract higher percentage of users having high concern for scenic quality, thus 

increasing the importance of those travel ways (Landscape Aesthetics, Chapter 4, pg. 8). 

Approximately 90% of the project area is viewed from Sensitivity Level 1 Corridors (where 

people have the highest concern for scenery) including: I-90 and SD Highway 79.

Scenic Integrity Objectives (SIO) are management objectives. Scenic Integrity is a measure of 

the degree to which a landscape is visually perceived to be “complete.” The highest scenic 

integrity ratings are given to those landscapes that have little or no deviation from the character 

valued by constituents for its aesthetic appeal (Landscape Aesthetics, Chapter 2, pg. 1). 

Existing Scenic Integrity represents the current status of a landscape. It is determined on the basis 

of visual changes that detract from the scenic quality of the area. Direct human alterations may be 

included if they have become accepted over time as positive landscape character values. Existing 

scenic integrity is the current visual state, which is measured in degrees of deviation from the 

natural appearance of the landscape character type. These ratings give an indication of the present 

level of visual quality and visual evidence of management activities. The frame of reference for 

measuring achievement of scenic integrity levels is the valued attributes of the existing landscape 

character unit being viewed. In natural or natural appearing character, this is limited to natural or 

natural appearing vegetative patterns, features of water and rock, and landforms. 

Within the Section 30 Project area, none of the area has a High SIO, approximately 90% is in the 

Moderate SIO, and 10% is in the Low SIO. 

The predominate land form in the area is a series of parallel ridges, running north and south, with 

shallow valleys between the ridges. The lowest ridge is in the east and each ridge gain in 

elevation as they move west. The project area is located on the top and east slope of a ridge in 

approximately the center of Section 30. 

The underlying rock layers are close to the surface of the rolling landform. The area has been 

managed for timber and dispersed recreation uses. Timber harvest and timber stand 

improvement activities have been conducted within the past ten years. Evidence of dispersed 

recreation use includes user-created roads and trails and signs of target shooting. 

There is a private active quarry owned by Hills Materials Company to the south and directly 

adjacent to the proposed quarry. Hills Materials is planning for long term quarry development of 

their property to the west and south of their existing quarry. Several open pit quarries are located 

within one mile of the proposed quarry on private property to the east that belongs to Hills

Materials, Pete Lien and Son’s, Inc. and GCC Dacotah, Inc. These open pits are in the valley 

bottom and not readily apparent due to the flat topography. All three landowners are planning to 

continue development of their property as quarries. 

The primary viewpoint is from I-90 west-bound traffic. Average daily west-bound travel along 

this segment of I-90 is 15,230 vehicles (South Dakota Department of Transportation). The
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 96 

mining operation would be in the middleground, approximately three to four miles, mid-slope 

along the highway corridor. Currently, those driving westbound view the existing Hills Material 

mining operation (directly adjacent to the south side of Section 30) for one to two minutes while 

they are looking directly ahead at the road. In the near middleground are commercial buildings, 

a golf course, and other mining operations. The new proposed quarry would be located on the 

same contour/elevation as the existing private quarry but further to the north. The new quarry 

would be larger than the existing quarry as it expands over the next ten, or more, years to 100 

acres. Additional views from high volume traffic routes are limited and shorter in duration, these 

include I-90 Eastbound and SD Highway 79 North and South bound. SD Highway 79 North and 

South bound are also in the middleground, approximately one to two miles distant. Views from

private homes and businesses are long duration views and range from middleground to 

background views. In addition, there are homes along the northern project area boundary, in the 

foreground and immediate foreground. Views from these homes would also be long duration. 

There is also a church/convent/retreat center one half mile due east of the project area, in the 

valley bottom. This facility would also have a long duration view into the project area. 

The mining operations on private land in the area vary in size and visibility. Their location in the 

landscape determines their visibility. As an example, the Hills Material operation directly 

adjacent to the project area (south side) is readily apparent due to the location in the 

middleground, on a mid-level slope above the developments in the valley bottom. There has 

been no reclamation completed on the site as of this time. The open pit mines, that are east of 

Section 30, are also apparent due to their location in the valley bottom and the brown color of the 

exposed earth, in contrast to green vegetation (See Figures 3-4 and 3-5). 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 97 

Figure 3-4 Existing View from I-90 at Mile Post 57, Looking West with Ridge Lines and Distance Zones 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 98 

Figure 3-5 View from I-90 at Mile Post 57, Looking West with Key Features on the Landscape 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 99 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A –No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects

There would be no direct, indirect or cumulative effects under the No Action Alternative as no quarry 

would be developed on the section 30 property. It is likely that the views would change as the general 

area continues to see new housing and business developments, and additional limestone quarry

operations occur on private lands. The adjacent Hills Material s quarry would likely be expanded 

exposing a larger area of visual alteration. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects

Under this alternative, at any one time, up to 60 acres of the 100 acre project area could be disturbed 

and in an open condition. Operations would start on the north and east edge of the project area 

(parallel with the Hidden Valley Road), working to the south toward the existing Hills Materials 

Quarry. Alternative B effects include: 

• Removing vegetation - This area would have all vegetation and stumps removed and 

would appear as a created opening in the vegetated landscape. The soil – vegetation 

color contrast is strong and would be highly evident, as is the existing Hills Materials 

quarry on the south side of Section 30. 

• Removing and salvaging topsoil and overburden - There is little top soil and overburden. 

Stockpiles should have similar color characteristics as the exposed limestone, thus 

stockpiles should not be highly visible, and would likely blend in with the overall 

disturbance. 

• Drilling and blasting - Drilling would create infrequent dust plumes that should not be

highly visible. Blasting, depending upon the size of the area, would create a short 

duration (minutes) dust plume that would be evident after each blast.

• Loading and hauling material to the primary crusher - Loading and hauling would also create 

dust plume that would be periodically evident throughout the working day.

• Primary crushing - Primary crushing would be the primary creator of dust plumes that 

would be visually evident.

• Transporting crushed limestone off-site via trucks - With dust abatement, this operation 

should have very little visual effect, except in the foreground to the homes along the 

Hidden Valley Road.

• Initial seeding and noxious weed treatment - Initial seeding may reduce the soil color 

contrast with the surrounding vegetation over time.

• Reclamation of previous work - The removal of 25 feet or more in depth of limestone across 

the project area, limited overburden and topsoil to replace it, and headwalls reduced to 3:1 

slopes, the final contours would likely be that of a large flat-shaped depression in the

landscape. The lack of replacement topsoil would hinder the growth of trees and shrubs. 

Grasses would be the primary vegetation on the landscape. 

The effects of this project on Scenery would be the shape of the mine including both the cleared land 

and the mined area – is a large square or rectangle (Form), the sharp color contrast of the 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 100 

soil/limestone and the surrounding trees (Color), the contrast between the large open grass expanse 

and the surrounding trees after reclamation is complete (Color and Texture), and the large size of the 

open area - during operation and after reclamation – potentially six times as large as other current 

openings on the hill side (Scale). The result of this project would be highly evident during the life of 

the operation, and after reclamation. The quarry would not easily blend in the adjoining landforms 

due to its large scale and rectangular shape; however it would create a linkage to open mined areas 

along the ridge in the near middleground. The quantity of vegetation removal would cause long term 

effects; the openings would be evident until trees repopulate the area. The homes along the north side 

of the project area would be affected the most, due to activities beginning close to them and continue 

until more than half the mining operation is complete and this half of the mine is reclaimed. 

This project area would meet a Very Low level of Scenic Integrity during the operation of the mine. 

Once the mine is closed and reclamation activities are complete, the mine would continue to meet a 

Very Low level of Scenic Integrity until the sharp corners of the mine boundaries are eliminated with 

the growth of large vegetation (trees). Because of the age of the trees to be planted and the stocking 

level averaging 5.5 trees per acre (tpa), this area would be non-forested for quite a while. The sparsely 

planted pine would not be a significant source of seed for at least 70 years, and even when they are 

capable of producing seed, seed dispersal would be limited to one and one-half times the height of the 

source tree which would not provide adequate coverage of the project area. 

The area would not achieve a Low level of Scenic Integrity until after sufficient trees are growing on 

the reclaimed area. This process would likely take decades, as there would be only a thin layer of soil 

and other nutrients – similar to the surrounding area. Alternative B would not meet the Forest Plan 

Scenic Integrity Objective of Moderate, 3 years after completion, over 90% of this landscape. Refer to 

Figures 3-6 through Figures 3-11. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 101 

Clearing and mining, under Alternative B, would start in the north and progress to the south. 

Approximately 50-60% of the project area is cleared at one time. Mining activities would gradually 

progress through the cleared area. In Figure 3-6, the “head-cut” walls are evident at the top of the pit 

and along the leading face of the active mining, while the north edge of the pit represents a slope for 

the edge to the floor of the pit. Due to the confining boundary lines of the project area, the generally 

rectangular shape of the mine, strong soil-vegetation color contrast, and the large scale would be the 

dominant elements in the landscape. The scale would be potentially six times the size of the existing 

open quarry on private land. 

Figure 3-6 Alternative B Active Mining in the North Pit 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 102 

The remaining portion of the mine would be cleared at one time, and mining would progress to 

the south. At this phase, approximately 40-50% of the project area is cleared and un-reclaimed. 

Reclamation in the form of re-shaping head-cuts, replacing overburden, seeding, and trees/shrubs 

being planted. In Figure 3-7, the “head-cut” walls are evident at the top of the pit and along the 

leading face of the active mining, while the north half of the project area has been reclaimed. 

The few trees shown represent the future after 10-20 years. Figure 3-7 also displays the effect of 

the shape, even after reclamation efforts, being a strong visual element that would continue to 

dominate the landscape. 

Figure 3-7 Alternative B North Pit after Reclamation, South Pit Active Mining 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 103 

In Figure 3-8, reclamation activities in the form of re-shaping head-cuts, replacing overburden, 

seeding, trees/shrubs being planted, has been completed. 

Figure 3-8 Alternative B Post Reclamation Activities 

Alternative C 

Direct and Indirect Effects

Under this Action Alternative, at any one time, up to 25 acres of the 100 acre project area could be 

disturbed and un-reclaimed. Operations would start on the south and east edge of the project area 

(away from existing homes on Hidden Valley Road), removing the strip adjacent to the Hills Materials 

quarry. Alternative C would have the same effects as Alternative B with the following exceptions: 

• Removing vegetation - With the vegetation and stumps removed, the soil and surrounding 

vegetation color contrast would be strong and would be highly evident, however the effect 

would be smaller because only 12-25 acres would be cleared (and un-reclaimed) at any one 

time compared to 60 acres for Alternative B.

• Transporting crushed limestone off-site via trucks - Alternative C includes the use of 

Magnesium Chloride for dust abatement (Alternative B uses water). This application 

should reduce dust from the Quarry Road and have very little visual effect to the homes 

along the Hidden Valley Road. 

• Reclamation – Alternative C would add some diversity to the landform and also more 

aggressively re-vegetate with ponderosa pine seedlings, as compared to Alternative B. 

Reclamation would be conducted annually. Over time, the color and texture of these pine 

trees would more closely match the surrounding vegetation resulting in a more natural 

appearance in a shorter period than for Alternative B. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 104 

Clearing smaller areas in advance of quarry operations, reclaiming the disturbed area from the 

previous year, and the planting or seeding of ponderosa pine would revegetate the area at a faster 

rate than Alternative B and create a more natural setting. The homes along the north side of the 

project area along Hidden Valley Road would be affected, but the combination of starting 

operations on the southern portion of the project area would allow a vegetative screen to remain 

until the final area of the quarry is to be mined. 

In addition, with the head wall facing south, the view from the homes, at this final stage, would be 

that of the reclaimed and seeded areas, limiting the visibility of sharp soil/vegetation color 

contrasts. The duration of the visual impacts during operations, evident to these homes, would be

less than that in Alternative B. 

This project area would meet a Very Low level of Scenic Integrity during the operation of the 

mine; however the scale of the visual impacts would be less than that of Alternative B. Once the 

mine is closed and reclamation activities are complete, the mine would continue to meet a Very 

Low level of Scenic Integrity until the sharp corners of the mine boundaries are eliminated with 

the growth of large vegetation (trees). Under Alternative C, the planting of ponderosa pine would 

be more intensive to more quickly return the area to a desired forested condition. Following the 

application of topsoil each year, ponderosa pine containerized seedlings of a local seed source 

would be planted at a spacing of 10 by 10 feet (435 tpa) where the ground is conducive to planting. 

Immediately following the completion of the mining activity and the reclamation, this site would be a 

fully stocked ponderosa pine seedling stand, vegetative structural stage 2, with a patchy distribution. 

This seedling stage would be relatively short lived and within 20 – 30 years these trees would be 

sapling sized, vegetative structural stage 3A (1.0-8.9 inch dbh and < 40% canopy cover) and transition 

into 3B (1-8.9 inch dbh and 40-70 % canopy cover) as the trees grow and the crowns develop. 

The process of aggressively planting with ponderosa pine trees would shorten the time it would 

take for these trees to have a visual effect. As a result, a Low level of Scenic Integrity would be 

achieved more quickly than in Alternative B. Alternative C would not meet the Forest Plan Scenic 

Integrity Objective of Moderate, three years after completion, over 90% of this landscape. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 105 

Clearing and mining, under Alternative C would start in the south and progress to the north. 

Approximately 35%, or less, of the project area is in an open condition at any one time. Active mining 

activities would be approximately half the open area, while the other half was being reclaimed. In 

Figure 3-9, the “head-cut” walls are evident at the top of the pit and along the leading face of the 

active mining. The buffer strip between the quarry on private land and this project would be removed. 

Reclamation is set to begin. Due to the confining boundary lines of the project area, the rectangular 

shape of the mine, the strong soil-vegetation color contrast, and the large scale would be the dominant 

elements in the landscape. The scale would be potentially three times the size of the existing open 

quarry on private land. 

Figure 3-9 Alternative C Active Mining in the South Pit 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 106 

The remaining portion of the mine would be cleared at one time, and mining would continue 

progressing to the north. At this phase, approximately 50% of the project has been mined, 35%

reclaimed, and 15% being actively mined. Reclamation in the form of re-shaping head-cuts, 

replacing overburden, seeding, and trees/shrubs being planted. In Figure 3-10, the “head-cut” 

walls are evident at the top of the pit and along the leading face of the active mining, while the 

south half of the project area has been reclaimed. Figure 3-10 also displays the effect of the 

shape, even after reclamation efforts, being a strong visual element that would continue to 

dominate the landscape. 

Figure 3-10 Alternative C South Pit after Reclamation, North Pit Active Mining 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 107 

In Alternative C, reclamation activities in the form of re-shaping head-cuts, replacing 

overburden, seeding, trees/shrubs being planted, has been completed. The effect is similar to 

Alternative B, but the vegetation on the south end of the project would be at a more advanced 

size and trees may seed in more quickly. 

Figure 3-11 Alternative C Post Reclamation Activities 

Cumulative Effects 

The boundary on the ground for analyzing cumulative effects includes the planning area, the 

view from I-90, which includes the lands surrounding the planning area and the lands between I90 and the planning area, as well as private homes and businesses in the surrounding area. This 

identified area is the landscape is in the foreground, middle ground, and distant background from 

the main travel route, I-90. It includes 100% of the planning area. 

This area has seen many changes over time, including new residential, business and mineral 

developments (mostly limestone and aggregates). New homes and businesses are likely to be 

constructed along this corridor. Additional limestone quarries are likely to be developed in the 

Minnekahta Formation in the area. These activities, combined with the existing Hills Material 

Quarry and the proposed Section 30 Quarry, will change the visual appearance of the area. The 

corridor will have a more developed, less natural looking appearance in the future. 

CUTURAL RESOURCES AND AMERCAN INDIAN RELIGIOUS USE 

Affected Environment 

The Black Hills area has a rich and diverse cultural heritage. Numerous tribes have roots in the 

Black Hills. American Indian sites include open campsites, stone tool quarry sites, rock shelter 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 108 

locations, and spiritual and traditional use sites. Archeological evidence suggests the earliest 

known use of the area occurred about 10,000 years ago. American Indian sites are valued both for 

their ability to teach us about how these past peoples lived, and to help American Indian people 

today maintain their cultural and religious traditions. Historic sites (which date to about the last 

125 years) also constitute a visible connection to past peoples on the Forest, and are valued both 

for their ability to enrich local family and community history and for their contribution to our 

understanding of environmental change since European-American settlement. For example, past 

activities such as water diversion, exclusion of fire, timber harvest, and grazing have caused 

changes to Forest biotic communities that continue today. Knowing when and how these changes 

occurred helps to create more effective management actions today. Historic land use in this area 

has occurred since the 1800s in the form of homesteading, trapping, livestock grazing, and mining, 

as indicated by the GLO and Land Status plats. This activity primarily took the form of ranching 

from homesteads found along the better streams. Logging, mining, hunting, horsepacking, off 

highway vehicles, and other recreational uses continue to be popular in this area. 

Prior to the PLS proposal to develop a limestone quarry on the site, four previous heritage resource 

surveys had been undertaken within the Section 30 project area between 1987 and 1995 (Haug 

1986, Buechler 1987, Fosha 1995, and Wolf 1995). Of these four reports, the Blackhawk timber 

sale report (Wolf 1995) is the primary document referenced with respect to the Section 30 project. 

In 1995 the South Dakota State Historical Society-Historic Preservation Officer (SD SHPO) issued 

a letter of concurrence regarding the Blackhawk timber sale report (SD SHPO 1995). In this letter 

the SD SHPO determined that five historic properties, including 39PN1277, 39PN1279, 

39PN1280, and the prehistoric components of sites 39PN1283 and 39PN1284 were eligible for 

listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Wolf also documented three Native 

American religious use sites in Section 30 (1995:86). Direct evidence of recent use was noted at 

one of these sites in the fall of 1994 (Wolf 1994). These religious sites do not appear to be linked 

to annual community ceremonies, but instead are small, discrete locations that may represent 

prayer or vision quest sites used by a single individual or maybe a family. At an unknown date, 

the physical elements of two of the religious use sites recorded by Wolf were removed by 

unknown individuals. The third religious use site recorded by Wolf remains partially intact as of 

2010. A fourth religious use site was identified in Section 30 ca. 2006. The physical elements of 

this religious use site were removed by unknown individuals at an unknown date. 

After reviewing the heritage resource report (Wolf 1995) and the concurrence letter (SD SHPO 

1995), the Forest Service determined that the proposed Section 30 project may have an Adverse 

Effect on the five historic properties and the four religious use sites discussed above. As a result, 

the Forest Service consulted with the SD SHPO again, re-submitting Wolf’s report in 2006, this 

time with respect to the Section 30 project (BHNF-MRD 2006). The SD SHPO’s second review 

agreed with the original determination that sites 39PN1277, 39PN1279, 39PN1280, 39PN1283, 

and 39PN1284 are considered eligible for listing on the NRHP (SD SHPO 2006, Concurrence

#060210001F). 

The proposed Section 30 project was discussed in formal government-to-government consultation 

meetings in 2006 and 2010 to define specific actions that would mitigate possible risks to historic 

properties and religious use sites. Also, in 2002 consultation addressed a proposed land exchange 

between the BHNF and PLS with respect to the Section 30 project area (BHNF-SO 2006a). Some 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 109 

Tribal representatives opposed the PLS proposed land exchange during the 2002 consultation. The 

2006 to 2010 consultations addressed the PLS 2005 proposed quarry operation in Section 30. 

Those invited to consult included the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), 

Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, 

Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, 

Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes 

of North Dakota, Yankton Sioux Tribe, Banks and Gesso, PLS, and SD SHPO (BHNF-MRD 2005). 

Those who chose to participate in consultation included the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Northern 

Arapaho Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Banks and 

Gesso, PLS, SD SHPO, and the Forest Service. 

Between 2006 and 2010, six consultations regarding the Section 30 project have been held. 

Three were held in 2006, including two in Rapid City on January 19 and February 28, and one in 

Spearfish on June 27-28. Two were held in 2009, including one at the Crazy Horse Memorial 

near Custer on April 21 and one in Spearfish on September 17. One was held in 2010 at the 

Crazy Horse Memorial near Custer on June 15. 

Consultation led to the preparation and signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in late 

2007. Signatories included the SD SHPO, PLS, the BHNF, the Northern Arapaho Tribe, and the

Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Invited signatories for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux 

Tribe, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe did not sign the MOA. In correspondence to the BHNF, 

the Oglala Sioux Tribe expressed strong opposition to the MOA based on treaty rights and the 

sacredness of all the Black Hills to their people. In correspondence to the BHNF, the Cheyenne 

River Sioux Tribe expressed strong opposition to the MOA based on Tribal Resolution No. 216-

06-CR, signed May 5, 2006. This resolution opposes all timber harvest permits, mining permits, 

and all other permits that may have an adverse affect on historic and cultural properties or areas 

of significance within the Black Hills. 

The MOA consists of 14 stipulations or parts that address mitigation measures with respect to the 

five eligible historic properties and the one site of American Indian religious value and 

significance. The main provisions of the MOA include requirements to protect sites; PLS will 

pay to conduct additional surveys and other related activities in the event that any new sites are 

discovered in the project area; PLS will establish an American Indian Student scholarship fund 

for tribal members at an accredited institution of higher learning; consulting tribes, the BHNF, 

and the SHPO will be notified regarding a field review in the event that human remains are 

inadvertently discovered, following procedures and guidelines outlined in the Native American 

Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990; and preparation of a final monitoring report. 

Environmental Consequences

Historic Properties 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

There would be no limestone mining in Section 30 under Alternative A. Therefore, no direct, 

indirect or cumulative effects would occur. It is possible that some or all of these sites could be 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 110 

accidentally or intentionally damaged by recreation users in the area, as no measures are in place to 

actively protect the sites. 

Alternatives B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under Alternatives B and C, project components would include the quarry; equipment operation 

area where front- end loaders, worker trucks, fuel trucks, service trucks, haul trucks, bulldozer, 

drilling truck and water trucks that support the quarry activities would be located; and the access 

roads would involve approximately 100 acres of new disturbance. General impacts to cultural 

sites could result from the quarry operations. 

There are five eligible historic properties that could be directly or indirectly affected. The 

physical site boundaries for these sites would be protected with adherence to specific protection 

measures that have been incorporated into the design and the signed Memorandum of Agreement 

(MOA). The landscape and view adjacent to these eligible sites would be altered from the 

current state. This alteration would be most significant during and shortly after quarry 

operations, and would be softened over time as reclamation occurs and new trees begin to grow. 

Alternative C would have a slightly smaller effect in terms of changed views both during and 

after operations. During operations, less area would be disturbed at any one time for Alternative 

C versus Alternative B. Also, reclamation would be more natural appearing under Alternative C 

compared to Alternative B, and therefore have a slightly smaller change to the view. 

Cumulative Effects 

Many activities have occurred within the Section 30 parcel and adjoining lands since area 

settlement. Additional development activities are expected on the surrounding landscape tied to 

residential and business creation. It is possible that historic artifacts and site features have been 

damaged or removed by past activities, and that future development on the surrounding lands 

will change the character and view of the area. 

Religious Use Sites 

Stipulations included in the previously referenced MOA are included in the assessment of effects 

to religious use sites. 

Alternative A - No Action 

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects 

Because there is no federal action, there is no undertaking, as defined in 36 CFR Part 800.16(y), 

for Section 106 of the NHPA, as amended. No Action would mean that no mining permit would 

be permitted. This would leave all religious use areas in the proposed Section 30 project area 

intact and accessible for use at any time by religious practitioners. There would be no need for 

the MOA to mitigate adverse affects to sites in Section 30 under Alternative A – No Action. 

Alternatives B and C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Four religious use sites would be adversely affected in Section 30 under Alternatives B and C. 

These sites appear to be discrete locations that represent prayer or vision quest sites used by a 

single individual or maybe a family. The physical elements of three of these religious use sites 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 111 

were removed by unknown individuals at unknown times. One of these sites remains partially 

intact and would be physically protected from the quarry operation. This site would remain 

accessible during and after the mining operation. The main effect to this site would be the 

change to its surroundings--noise and disturbance during the mining operation, and the long term 

change in view both during and after operations. 

Indirect effects that cannot be quantified by the proposed action are associated with larger issues 

involving treaty rights and the sacred nature of the Black Hills to the Lakota Sioux and other 

Indian tribes. This issue is captured in the resolution passed by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe 

of May 6, 2006 that opposes all timber harvest permits, mining permits, and all other permits that 

may have an adverse affect on historic and cultural properties or areas of significance within the 

Black Hills. It is understood that many activities-perhaps most prominently mining activities 

such as the proposed quarry operation--are particularly sensitive concerns to the Sioux and other 

Indian nations who have strong grievances regarding treaty and settlement issues. 

Cumulative Effects 

Changes in settlement and use patterns within the project and surrounding areas have occurred 

for over 100 years. Places that individual American Indians and families have used for religious 

practices in the past have likely been affected by these changing uses. Future residential and 

other developments in the area surrounding Section 30 may result in additional cumulative 

effects to religious use sites. 

SOCIAL/ECONOMICS 

Affected Environment 

The intent of this project is to recover mineral limestone resources from known deposits lying 

within the Section 30 Project Area. Approximately 100 acres of the USFS holdings on Section 

30 are underlain by Minnekahta Limestone. This deposit is recoverable over 94 acres of the site, 

based on standard mining assumptions. 

The Black Hills National Forest, Mystic Ranger District proposes to implement mining actions 

within the Section 30 Project Area. This proposal is guided by the Black Hills National Forest 

Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended and the 1872 Mining Law, as amended. 

The use and occupation of the Black Hills is increasing due to population growth and a fairly 

diverse and flexible economy. Subdivisions, home construction building permits on private 

lands adjacent to the project area have increased steadily and demands for public access roads 

and utility lines across the project area would continue to exert additional pressure on the Forest. 

The project area is surrounded by private property. A subdivision, Hidden Valley, consisting of 

approximately 17 homes is located adjacent to the northeast boundary of the project area. Also, 

to the east of the project area is St. Martin Monastery, home of Benedictine Sisters. To the south 

of the project area Hills Materials Inc. is actively mining limestone. To the west and north of the 

project area, are Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. owned property. 

The total locatable reserve of mineral limestone within the boundaries of the proposed mining 

operation is estimated at approximately 9,000,000 to 10,000,000 tons. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 112 

Demographics 

The examination of population trends is vital to the understanding of the overall nature of an 

area. The use and occupation of the Black Hills is increasing due to population growth and a 

fairly flexible economy, as well as the presence of Ellsworth Air Force Base. The majority of 

growth is occurring in Rapid City area. A large shopping district has been developed on the east 

side of Rapid City. Not only has new development occurred within the city limits, but outside 

the city limits communities such as Box Elder, Rapid Valley, Summerset, and Black Hawk have 

seen an increase in development, as well. The population increase is due in part to growth in the 

tourist, service and manufacturing industries, and an influx of retirees to the Black Hills. 

The Rapid City Statutory Planning Commission projected in their 2009 Annual Report that the 

population in Rapid City was 70,004. Table 3-12 represents population trend in Rapid City, 

Pennington County and Meade County since 1990 (Census 2000 and Census 1990). 

Figure 3-12 Population Trend

Location 1990 2000 2009 

Rapid City, SD 54,523 59,607 70,004* 

Pennington County 81,343 88,565 - 

Meade County 21,878 24,253 - 

* Estimated population for Rapid City by the Rapid City Statutory Planning Commission’s 2009 Annual Report. 

Lifestyle 

Although population growth is bringing in more people with new and different ideas, there is 

little evidence that attitudes of lifestyles are changing in a major way. The beauty of the area 

brings in new residents and those with tenure are tied to the way the Forest is already managed, 

either by equipment such as the logging/ranching/mining industries or people are outdoororiented and have developed varied and specific outdoor user expectations (hunting, fishing, 

biking, off-road use, and other tourist based activities). Some residents in the area consider the 

forest resources and forest health as an important part of their quality of life. Visitors, both local 

and non-local, use the area for a wide range of dispersed recreation activities including hunting, 

target shooting, camping, and wildlife viewing. 

The quality of life for local residents (e.g. in the Hidden Valley subdivision) is tied to the semirural nature of the area. Although adjacent to the Rapid City boundary, residents are located 

away from the high density residential development associated with city life. Public land 

(National Forest) is located adjacent to their property, where they can take a walk, target shoot, 

hunt, or just enjoy being out in nature. The noise level is relatively low, and aside from traffic 

generated by the local Hills Material Quarry, road use is limited to local residents and those 

driving up to recreate on the Forest. 

Human Health and Safety 

Public safety is more often affected by the choices people make on their own while visiting the 

project area, or by the consequences of natural events, like wildfires, hail storms or wind events. 

Despite being in close proximity to Rapid City, the project area is rural forested. Hazards exist in 

the form of natural and human caused conditions. Wild animals and insects, like ticks which carry 

lime disease, are present. Weather-related events can be life threatening, and probability of a 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 113 

wildfire is a risk every month of the year. Most human activities in the Forest, including hunting, 

hiking, target shooting, mountain biking, and driving a vehicle, carry some inherent risk. 

Economics 

According to the South Dakota Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for South Dakota 

as of September 2010, is 4.4%. This is lower than the National unemployment rate of 9.6% (SD 

Dept. of Labor 2010). According to the 2000 Census, Pennington County’s unemployment rate 

is 3.1% and Meade County at 2.5% (Census 2000). 

The 2000 Census states that 2.3% of the industry in Pennington County is associated with 

agriculture/forestry/fishing and hunting/mining. In Meade County, 7.7% of the industry is 

associated with agriculture/forestry/fishing and hunting/mining (Census 2000). 

PLS's present need for chemical limestone in its own operations translates to a demand for 

400,000 to 500,000 tons per year from the proposed Section 30 reserve. A maximum production 

rate, given potential demand, is estimated at 1,200,000 to 1,500,000 tons per year. The expected 

life of the proposed mine, not including final reclamation, is expected to be from seven to 25 

years. 

Environmental Consequences 

Alternative A – No Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Under Alternative A – No Action, no activity would be undertaken by the project proponent. 

Forest Service management practices would continue. Pete Lien and Sons, Inc. would continue 

to actively mine their privately owned properties in the surrounding area, but would not make 

any financial gain from mining within the project boundaries. Nor would the general public 

receive benefits from the products produced, employment, and taxes paid. 

Alternative B – Proposed Action 

Direct and Indirect Effects

Under the Proposed Action, employment would include six to ten additional employees at the quarry 

operation. Additional employees would be involved in truck hauling and equipment maintenance. 

Approximately 37 employees are currently employed in the operation of the Lime Plant. There are 

additional jobs in community and elsewhere that support or benefit from these operations. 

Mining activities could have an effect on the quality of life for living near the quarry and haul 

routes. This includes increased noise, dust, traffic, and visual effects of the quarry operation. 

Noise, dust and traffic effects would be limited to weekdays. Visual effects from the operation 

would be long lasting – approximately seven to twenty-five for operations and decades after that 

for reclamation to blend in with the surrounding environment. 

Blasting noise would occur infrequently, once or twice a week depending on the season of the 

year and market conditions. No blasts would occur on weekends or holidays. For safety 

reasons, blasting would normally be conducted during daylight hours, no more than 60 days of 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 114 

night operations per year. A more detailed blasting schedule may be made available to interested 

parties during the course of operations. 

Blasting is not expected to damage any private structures or wells, or to affect groundwater 

quantity or quality in the area. PLS would monitor all blasts with at least one seismograph. The 

scale distance formula would be employed to determine the need to set additional seismographs. 

Monitoring equipment would be located within 10 feet of any structures identified for

monitoring, on the side of the structure toward the blast. Where no structure is identified for 

monitoring, the seismograph(s) would be placed on the nearest property line of the Section 30 

site. PLS would follow accepted standards for vibrations and air overpressure and would adjust 

blast sizes and charge delays to maintain compliance. 

Traffic speeds would be limited to 15 miles per hour near the Hidden Valley subdivision. Traffic 

control signs are already present along Hidden Valley Road and at intersections with State 

Highway 79. It is estimated that the volume of traffic generated by the Section 30 quarry would 

not warrant new traffic control. Should additional control devices or improvements be 

warranted, the operator would need to coordinate with the government agency having 

jurisdiction on the road (Rapid City, South Dakota, Pennington County). 

The quarry site would be fenced, gated off and signed to reduce public safety hazards associated 

with the operation and quarry site, per requirements of the Mine Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA). The site would be locked during non-operating periods. Signs identifying the site as a 

quarry would be conspicuously placed on the perimeter of the site at regular intervals (typically 

every 100 to 200 feet). A sign with the quarry name and detailed permit and contact information 

would be placed at the main site entrance. 

No specific signage plan has been developed for haul roads at the Section 30 quarry site. At a 

minimum, a stop sign would be located where the driveway to the quarry site intersects a public 

road. For dust control purposes, PLS also anticipates posting a 15 mph speed limit on designated 

internal haul roads. 

Additional security measures, including additional locks and possibly an alarm system, would be 

used where blasting agents or other potentially hazardous supplies are located on site. Storage 

would incorporate all security measures required by federal, state, and local law. All supplies 

and equipment would be located in off-hours in locations that are easily subject to surveillance. 

The visual aesthetics would change with the removal of trees and limestone deposits. This 

would be obvious to the residents close to Hidden Valley Road, as operations are expected to 

start on the north side of the Section 30 deposit parallel to the road. Visual effects would last for 

decades until reclamation blends in with the surrounding area (See Scenic Quality Section). 

Some of the local residents use the area to recreate. They either walk over onto the public land 

or drive a vehicle into the Section 30 property. Recreation activities, such as hunting, hiking, 

wildlife viewing and target shooting, would no longer be permitted within the project area during 

the life of the mine. These recreationists would be displaced to areas west of the mining activity 

on the Black Hills National Forest until reclamation activities are completed. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 115 

Quarry operations affecting local property values is unknown, and would be dependent upon a 

variety of factors, including overall economic condition of the local area and housing market. 

Alternative C 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Direct and indirect effects would be similar to Alternative B, with some important differences. 

Alternative C would begin quarry operations at the southeast boundary of the project area, 

adjacent to the active Hills Material limestone mine. This section of the project area is furthest 

from the Hidden Valley subdivision. By locating mining operations as far away from the 

subdivision as possible, noise, dust, and disturbances would be shielded by topography and 

distance from current residents. These effects would be reduced on the subdivision residents for 

up to an approximate ten year period. 

In addition, Alternative C also limits the amount of disturbed un-reclaimed land to 12-25 acres 

compared to 60 acres for Alternative B, and includes reclamation measures that will speed up the 

reclamation process to more quickly return the area to a more natural condition. This will reduce 

the overall visual effects of the operation as compared to Alternative B. 

Also, Alternative C recommends that truck hauling on Hidden Valley Road be restricted to 

certain times of the day to avoid school bus scheduling to reduce safety risks to students who 

reside in the Hidden Valley subdivision. The speed limit for haul trucks would also be reduced 

to 10 mph below the posted speed limit. This reduction in speed would help reduce the 

possibility of stray rocks striking individuals and vehicles. 

Cumulative Effects 

To the south of the project area, Hills Materials Inc. is actively mining for limestone. The effects 

of increased traffic and noise would continue regardless whether the PLS operation occurs. The 

project area is surrounded by private property, much of which is owned or leased by PLS or Hills 

Materials. Much of this land is situated above Minnekahta Limestone, therefore having the 

potential for future limestone mining development. 

Due to the project areas vicinity to Rapid City, visitors, both local and non-local, use the area for 

a wide range of dispersed recreation activities including hunting, hiking, target shooting, 

camping, and wildlife viewing. 

Current noise sources in and adjacent to the project area are primarily associated with other 

private limestone mining operations in the area, limestone processing, vehicle traffic along US I90 and SD Highway 79, and train traffic. 

The Rapid City Diocesans has purchased the Monastery land to the east of the project area to 

build a future private Catholic elementary school and Catholic retreat center. 

Environmental Justice 

Executive Order 12898 (February 11, 1994) directs Federal agencies to focus attention on the

human health and environmental conditions in minority communities and low-income 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 116 

communities. The purpose of the Executive Order is to identify and address, as appropriate, 

disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority 

populations and low-income populations. 

None of the communities in the project area contain low-income or minority populations as

defined by Executive Order 12898. During the course of this analysis, no alternative resulted in 

any identifiable effects or issues specific to any minority or low-income population or 

community. The agency has considered all input from persons or groups regardless of age, race 

income status, or other social and economic characteristics. 

Civil Rights 

No civil rights effects associated with age, race, creed, color, national origin, or sex have been 

identified. 

IRREVERSIBLE and IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS of 

RESOUCES 

Irreversible commitments of resources are those that cannot be regained, such as the extinction 

of a species or the removal of mined ore. Irretrievable commitments are those that are lost for a 

period of time such as the temporary loss of timber productivity in forested areas that are kept 

clear for use as a power line rights-of-way or road. For further discussion of the effects on the 

resources listed below, see Chapter 3 under the respective resource topics. 

Geologic and mineral composition of the project area would be modified permanently in 

Alternatives B and C. Approximately ten million tons of limestone materials that are extracted 

would not be replaced. This would be an irreversible commitment of resources. There would be 

a temporary loss of resources from removal of timber products and temporary gap in growing 

new trees. Tree regeneration would occur during reclamation. This gap would result in a short 

term irretrievable commitment of resources. 

SHORT-TERM USES and LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY 

NEPA requires consideration of “the relationship between short-term uses of man’s environment 

and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity” (40 CFR 1502.16). For further

discussion of the effects on the resources listed below, see Chapter 3 under the respective 

resource topics. 

As provided for by the Forest Plan, minimum management requirements guide implementation 

of the Action Alternatives. Adherence to these requirements ensures that long-term productivity 

of the land is not impaired by short-term uses. Monitoring is specified in the EIS. There would 

be short term use effects in Alternatives B and C from removal of the limestone, but reclamation 

should ensure long-term productivity of the site. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Chapter 3 – Page 117 

UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE EFFECTS 

The following is a description of adverse effects that are unavoidable with implementation of 

Action Alternatives. For further discussion of the effects on the resources listed below, see 

Chapter 3 under the respective resource topics. 

Short term effects from Alternative B and C include removal of vegetation and changes in 

wildlife habitat and use, alterations in the soil composition, changes in scenic quality, increased 

noise and dust, increase road traffic, disruptions in recreation use, and potential effects on 

individuals using the area for religious use. 

Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, - Page 119 

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USFS Forest Service. 2007. Memorandum of Agreement between the BLACK HILLS 

NATIONAL FOREST. Custer: USFS. 

USDA Forest Service. 2009b. Species Conservation Program: Region 2 Regional Forester's 

Sensitive Species. [Online] http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/sensitivespecies/index.shtml. 

Accessed May 13, 2010. 

USDA Forest Service. 2010. Economics. Quicksilver Program. Version 6.00.001. Natural 

Resource Information System. Updated 01/20/10. 

USDA Forest Service. 2010b. Black Hills National Forest plants database. Unpublished 

database information updated in April 2010. 

USDA Forest Service. 2010c. Black Hills National Forest Travel Management FEIS and Record 

of Decision, March 22, 2010. Available http://www.fs.usda.gov/bhnf 

USDA Forest Service. 2010d. Black Hills National Forest FY2009 monitoring and evaluation 

report. Black Hills National Forest, Custer, South Dakota. 

USDA Forest Service Handbook (FSH), 2409.15 – Timber Sale Administration Handbook, 

Chapter 50, Specified Transportation Facilities, Black Hills Supplement No. 2409.15-92-1. 

USDA Forest Service Handbook (FSH), 2817.25 - Minerals and Geology, Chapter 10 Mining 

Claims, Access. 

USDA Soil Conservation Service. 1990. Soil Survey of Custer and Pennington Counties, Black 

Hills Parts, South Dakota. Prepared in cooperation with USDA Forest Service and South Dakota 

Agricultural Experiment Station. 

USDI – BLM, 2000 microfiche unpatented mining claims 

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. 2007. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;

Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual 

Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions. 

Federal Register. Vol. 72 No. 234. 69034. 

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. 2008. Birds of conservation concern 2008. Division of 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, - Page 127 

Migratory Bird Management, Arlington, Virginia. 99pp. [Online] Available: 

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/NewReportsPublications/SpecialTopics/BCC2008/BCC2008

.pdf. [Accessed January, 2009]. 

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. 2009. Endangered Species by County List. [Online] 

Mountain-Prairie Region, South Dakota Ecological Services Field Office. Pierre, SD. Updated 

November 2, 2009 Available: http://southdakotafieldoffice.fws.gov/endsppbycounty.htm. 

[November 20, 2009]. 

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. 2010a. USFWS Threatened and Endangered Species System 

(TESS) for South Dakota. [Online] 

http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/SpeciesReport.do?lead=6&listingType=C . Accessed May 13, 

2010. 

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. 2010b. Plants of the Mountain Prairie Region. [Online]

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/plants/. Accessed May 13, 2010. 

Westerling, A.L., Hidalgo, H.G., Cayan, D.R., and Swetnam, T.W. 2006. Warming and Earlier 

Spring Increases Western U.S. Forest Wildfire Activity. Sciencexpress. 6 July 2006. Available 

at: www.sciencexpress.org. 

Wiggins, D. 2004. American three-toed woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis): a technical 

conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/americanthreetoedwoodpecker.pdf. [Accessed 

January 2010]. 

Wiggins, D. 2005a. Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus): a technical conservation 

assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/loggerheadshrike.pdf. [Accessed January 

2010]. 

Wiggins, D. 2005b. Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus): a technical conservation 

assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/yellowbilledcuckoo.pdf. [Accessed January 

2010]. 

Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 129 

CHAPTER 5 GLOSSARY 

Access The opportunity to approach, enter and make use of public or private lands. 

Activity Area An area of land impacted by a management activity or activities. An activity area 

can range from a few acres to an entire watershed depending o the type of monitoring being 

conducted (R2 Supplement FSH 2509.18921, Section 205). Commonly, timber-sale cutting 

unites are considered activity areas. 

Activity Fuels Fuels resulting from or altered by forestry practices, such as timber harvest or 

thinning, as opposed to naturally created fuels. 

Adaptive Management Implementing policy decisions as science-driven management 

experiments that test assumptions and predictions in management plans. 

Adequate Access A route and method of access onto non-federal land or mining claims on 

federal land that provide reasonable use, enjoyment, and claims consistent with similarly situated 

non-federal lands and resources. Use and enjoyment of these lands and claims must also 

minimize damage or disturbance to National Forest System (NFS) lands and resources. The 

authorizing officer prior to issuing any access authorization must also ensure the following: 1. 

The landowner has demonstrated a lack of any existing routes of access available by deed or 

under state or local law; 2. The route is so located and constructed as to minimize adverse 

impacts on soils, fish, and wildlife; scenic resources; heritage resources; threatened and 

endangered species; and other values of the federal land; and 3. When access routes exist across 

the adjacent non-federal lands or the best route as determined by the authorizing officer is across 

non-federal land, the applicant landowner demonstrates that all legal recourse to obtain 

reasonable access across adjacent non-federal lands has been exhausted or has little chance of 

success. 

Adit A nearly horizontal passage from the surface by which a mine is entered. In the US, an adit 

may be called a tunnel; however, strictly speaking, a tunnel is open at both ends. 

Age Class Groups of trees or shrubs approximately the same age. 

Air-leg A compressed-air operated cylinder attached to a rock drill. The cylinder, with a small 

bore and a long stroke, supports the drill when it is used in drilling operations. 

Air Quality Classes Classification established under the "Prevention of Significant 

Deterioration" portion of the Clean Air Act, which limits the amount of air pollution considered 

significant within an area. Class I applies to areas where almost any change in air quality would 

be significant; Class II applies to areas where the deterioration normally accompanying 

moderate, well-controlled growth would be permitted; Class III applies to areas where industrial 

deterioration would generally be allowed. 

Altered Rock or Mineral A rock or mineral which has undergone chemical change since its 

deposition or emplacement. 

Ambient Air That air, external to buildings, encompassing or surrounding a specific region. 

Ambient Air Quality Standard The prescribed level of pollutants in the outside air that cannot 

be exceeded legally during a specific time in a specific geological area. 

Apex (vein) This term is used in mining law to denote the uppermost outcrop of a vein which 

exposed on the surface, or the uppermost limit of a blind vein which does not outcrop. 

Appropriate Suppression Response (Fire Management) The planned strategy for suppression 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 130 

action (in terms of type, amount, and timing) on a wildfire that most efficiently meets the Forest 

Plan fire-management direction under current and expected burning conditions. The planned 

response can range from prompt control to one of containment or confinement. 

Confine: To limit the spread of wildfire within a predetermined area principally by use of 

natural or pre-constructed barriers or environmental conditions. Suppression action may be 

minimal and limited to surveillance under appropriate conditions. 

Control: To complete the control line around a fire, any spot fire there-from, and any interior 

unburned areas to be saved; to burn any unburned fuel or areas adjacent to the fire side of the 

control line and to cool all hot spots that are immediate threats to the control line until the 

control line can reasonably be expected to hold under foreseeable conditions. 

Contain: To surround a fire and any spot fires there-from with a control line, as needed, 

which can reasonably be expected to check the fire's spread under prevailing conditions. 

Aquatic Ecosystem The stream channel, lake or estuary bed, water, biotic communities, and the 

habitat features that occur within an ecosystem (biological and physical components and their 

interactions) in which water is the principal medium. Examples include wetlands, streams, 

reservoirs, and areas with plants or animals characteristic of either permanent or seasonal 

inundated soils. 

Area of Potential Effects The geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may cause 

changes in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist. 

Artificial Regeneration The renewal of a tree crop by seeding or planting. 

At-Risk Community An area (A) that is comprised of —(i) an interface community as defined 

in the notice entitled “Wildland Urban Interface Communities Within the Vicinity of Federal 

Lands That Are At High Risk From Wildfire” issued by the Secretary of Agriculture and the 

Secretary of the Interior in accordance with Title IV of the Department of the Interior and 

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (114 Stat. 1009) (updated 66 Fed. Reg. 43384, 

August 17, 2001); or (ii) a group of homes and other structures with basic infrastructure and 

services (such as utilities and collectively maintained transportation routes) within or adjacent to 

Federal land; (B) in which conditions are conducive to a large-scale wildland fire disturbance 

event; and (C) for which a significant threat to human life or property exists as a result of a 

wildland fire disturbance event.” 

Back A term having different meanings underground according to the mining district. Usually 

means the overhead rock or ore of a stope or drift. 

Basal Area (Timber Resource) The cross-sectional area of a stand of trees measured at breast 

height. The area is expressed in square feet per acre. 

Bedrock Solid rock forming the earth’s crust, generally covered by overburden. In placer use, 

the term bedrock may be generally applied to any consolidated formation underlying goldbearing gravel. 

Best Management Practices (BMPs) Land management methods, measures, or practices 

intended to minimize or reduce water pollution. Usually BMPs are applied as a system of 

practices rather than a single practice. BMPs are selected on the basis of site-specific conditions 

that reflect natural background conditions and political, social, economic, and technical 

feasibility. For a more complete definition, see Appendix D. 

Best Minerals Management Practices (BMMPs) A guide to resource management and 

reclamation of mined lands in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 131 

Big Game Certain wildlife that may be hunted for sport under state laws and regulations. In the 

Black Hills, these animals include deer, elk, turkey, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. 

Biological Control Methods Use of natural organisms such as insects, diseases, parasites, and 

predators to reduce pest populations of insects, diseases, or weeds. Methods may include

importation and release; conservation of native natural-enemy species; and augmentation 

(supplementation through rearing and release or genetic improvement) of biological control 

agents. 

Biological Diversity The full variety of life in an area including the ecosystems, plant, and 

animal communities; species and genes; and the processes through which individual organisms 

interact with one another and with their environments. 

Biological Evaluations As defined by FSM 2670.5, a biological evaluation is a documented 

Forest Service review of Forest Service programs or activities in sufficient detail to determine 

how an action or proposed action may affect any threatened, endangered, proposed, or sensitive 

species. FSM 2672.4 identifies biological evaluation objectives and standards. 

Blast The operation of blasting or rendering rock or earth by means of explosives to collapse a 

mine entry 

BMPs (See "Best Management Practices.") 

Board Foot A unit of timber measurement equaling the amount of wood contained in a board 

one-inch thick, 12-inches long, and 12-inches wide. 

Broadcast Burning A fire ignited under specific conditions (prescriptions) and within 

established boundaries to achieve some land-management objective. 

BTU British thermal unit. The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of 

water by one degree Fahrenheit at or near its maximum density. 

Burning Index A relative number related to the contribution that fire behavior makes to the 

amount of effort needed to contain a fire in a specified fuel type. Doubling the burning index 

indicates that twice the effort would be required to contain a fire in a specified fuel type, 

providing all other parameters are held constant. 

Canopy, Canopy Closure (Canopy Cover), Canopy Layer (Silviculture) 

Canopy: The cover by vegetation and/or branches. Often but not always restricted to the tree 

layer or greater than six feet tall. 

Canopy Closure/Cover: The percentage of the ground and/or sky covered by vegetation 

and/or branches. These are perceived from a human point of view perpendicular to flat 

ground. 

Canopy Layer: Cover by vegetation and branches in different height intervals. These 

intervals are often defined in terms of vegetation, such as herbaceous or grass/forbs less than 

two feet tall, shrubs less than six feet tall, and overstory greater than six feet tall. 

Cap (Explosive) Small shell, closed at one end and partially filled with a charge of highly 

sensitive explosive. It detonates the dynamite charge and is extremely sensitive to shock and 

heat. 

Cavity Nesting Species Wildlife species that depend on cavities in trees for their shelter and/or 

nesting. These species include primary cavity nesters, such as woodpeckers, which excavate 

cavities in soft or decayed wood for nesting, and secondary cavity nesters that typically nest in 

natural cavities or those excavated by another species. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 132 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations. 

Chemical Agent A manufactured chemical compound. 

Claim A portion of the earth’s surface claimed by a prospector and marked out by stakes. 

Class II Area (Air) Geographic area having air quality exceeding the National Ambient Air

Quality Standards. These areas are designated for a moderate degree of protection from future 

air-quality degradation. Moderate increases in new pollution may be permitted. 

Closed Road An intermittent service road in Maintenance Level 1 that is closed to all vehicular 

traffic for more than one year. The closure may be ordered under 36 CFR 261. 

CMAI (See "Culmination Mean Annual Increment.”) 

Commercial Thinning (See "Thinning.”) 

Commercial Timber Sales The selling of timber from National Forest System (NFS) lands for 

the manufacture of commercial products such as lumber, plywood, etc. 

Common Variety Minerals Deposits that do not possess a distinctly special economic value 

although they may have value for use in trade or manufacture. These minerals include sand, 

stone, gravel, pumicite, cinders, and pumice. 

Community (Social) The people who reside in one locality and are subject to the same laws or 

who have common interests, etc. 

Community Life-styles The ways in which residents conduct their everyday routines and how 

the "way they live" is associated with the National Forest. 

Concern Levels A measure, used in the scenery inventory process, of the degree of public 

importance placed on the aesthetics of landscapes. Concern levels are assigned to travelways 

and use areas to describe three levels of interest in scenery: High (1), Moderate (2), or Low (3). 

Condition Class 2 This term means the condition class description developed by the USDAForest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) in the Development of Coarse-Scale 

Spatial Data for Wildland Fire and Fuel Management (RMRS-GTR-87, 

http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr87.html ), dated April 2000 (including any subsequent 

revisions), under which 

• Fire regimes on the land have been moderately altered from historical ranges; 

• A moderate risk exists of losing key ecosystem components from fire; 

• Fire frequencies have increased or decreased from historical frequencies by one or more 

return intervals, resulting in moderate changes to 

—The size, frequency, intensity, or severity of fires; 

OR 

—Landscape patterns 

AND 

—Vegetation attributes have been moderately altered from their historical ranges. 

Condition Class 3 This term means the condition class description developed by the Rocky 

Mountain Research Station (RMRS) in RMRS-GTR-87 (see above) under which 

• Fire regimes on land have been significantly altered from historical ranges; 

• A high risk exists of losing key ecosystem components from fire; 

• Fire frequencies have departed from historical frequencies by multiple return intervals, 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 133 

resulting in dramatic changes to 

—The size, frequency, intensity, or severity of fires; 

OR 

—Landscape patterns 

AND 

—Values of vegetation attributes have been significantly altered from their historical ranges. 

Confine (Fire Management) (See "Appropriate Suppression Response.”) 

Conifer A group of cone-bearing trees, mostly evergreen, such as the pine, spruce and juniper. 

Conservation The management of a renewable natural resource with the objective of sustaining 

its productivity in perpetuity while providing for human use compatible with sustainability of the 

resource; for a forest this may include managed periodic cutting and removal of trees followed 

by regeneration. 

Consolidated Sediments which have been converted into rocks by compaction and by physical 

and chemical changes.

Constituent Information. The significance of scenic quality and aesthetic experience to people 

including: expectations, desires, preferences, acceptable levels of quality, behaviors, and values. 

Constituent information provides the foundation for understanding and identifying valued 

landscape attributes, landscape character, scenic integrity, and concern levels. 

Construction (Roads) The displacement of vegetation, soil, and rock and the installation of 

human-made structures involved in the process of building a complete, permanent road facility. 

The activities occur at a location, or corridor, that is not currently occupied by a road. 

Contain (Fire Management) (See "Appropriate Suppression Response.”) 

Continuous Fuel Concentrations (Fire Management) An uninterrupted distribution of fuel 

particles (surface or aerial) in a fuel bed, which allows a fire to sustain combustion and actively 

continue to spread. 

Control (Fire Management) (See "Appropriate Suppression Response.”) 

Cord A unit of gross volume measurement for stacked roundwood based on external 

dimensions; generally implies a stack of 4 feet by 4 feet vertical cross sections 8 feet long (128 

stacked cubic feet). 

Cost Effective Achieving specified outputs or objectives under given conditions for the least 

cost. 

Cost Efficient A comparative measure of economic efficiency determined by maximizing the

present net worth or value of an alternative, subject to meeting the objectives of the alternative. 

Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) An advisory council to the President established by 

the National Environmental Policy Act NEPA) of 1969. 

Country Rock A loose term to describe the general mass of rock adjacent to an ore body, as 

distinguished from the vein or ore deposit itself. 

Cover Type The vegetative species that dominates a site. Cover types are named for one plant 

species or non-vegetated condition presently (not potentially) dominant, using canopy or foliage 

cover as the measure of dominance. In several cases, sites with different species dominant have 

been lumped together into one cover type; co-dominance is not necessarily implied. 

Critical Ecosystems Specific areas, including riparian areas, wetlands, winter range, and habitat 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 134 

for threatened and endangered species. 

Cross Cut A nearly horizontal mining opening driven across the direction of the main vein 

system of a mine. 

Crown (Vegetation) The upper part of a tree or other woody plant carrying the main branch 

system and foliage and surmounting at the crown base a more or less clean stem. 

Crown Closure (See "Canopy Cover.”) 

Crown Density The thickness both spatially in depth and in closeness of growth (compaction) of 

an individual crown, such as its opacity as measured by its shade density. 

Crown Height For a standing tree, crown height is the vertical distance from ground level to the 

base of the crown, measured either to the lowest live branch-whorl or to the lowest live branch, 

excluding shoots arising spontaneously from buds on the stem of a woody plant or to a point 

halfway between. 

Cubic Foot A unit of measure usually referring to wood volume (1 foot wide by 1 foot long by 1 

foot thick). 

Culmination Mean Annual Increment (CMAI) The point at which a tree or stand achieves its 

greatest average growth, based on expected growth, according to the management systems and 

utilization standards assumed in the Forest Plan. 

Cultural Element Attributes in a human-altered landscape; scenically positive cultural elements, 

most of which have historical backgrounds or nostalgic connotations. Examples include splitrail fences, stone walls, barns, orchards, hedgerows, and cabins. 

Cultural Landscapes Human-altered landscapes, especially those with slowly evolving 

landscapes, scenic vegetation patterns, or scenic structures. Addition of these elements creates a 

visually pleasing complement to the natural character of a landscape. 

Cultural Properties (See "Historic Property.”) 

Cultural Resources (See "Heritage Resources.”) 

Cumulative Effects Collective results of past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future 

actions, regardless of which agency or person undertakes the actions. 

Cutover Area Timber stands that have been cut. 

DBH (See "Diameter at Breast Height.”) 

Dead Fuels (Fire Management) 

Fuels with no living tissue within which moisture content is governed almost entirely by solar 

radiation. 

Dead Woody Material (See "Down Woody Material.”) 

Decision Documents Documents that provide the criteria and information used in the 

formulation and evaluation of alternatives and the preferred alternative. 

Desired Future Condition, Desired Ecological Condition A portrayal of the land or resource 

conditions that are expected to result if goals and objectives are fully achieved. 

A description of the landscape as it could reasonably be expected to appear at the end of the 

planning period if the Plan's goals, objectives, standards, and guidelines for that landscape are 

fully achieved. 

Desired Landscape Character Appearance of the landscape to be retained or created over time, 

recognizing that a landscape is a dynamic and constantly changing community of plants and 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 135 

animals. It is a combination of landscape design attributes and opportunities as well as 

biological opportunities and constraints. 

Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) The diameter of a standing tree at a point 4 feet, 6 inches 

from ground level. 

Dip The angle at which a vein, structure or bed is inclined from the horizontal, measured at right 

angles to the strike. 

Direct Effects Results of an action occurring when and where that action takes place. 

Distance Zones. Landscape areas denoted by specified distances from the observer. Distance 

zones are used as a frame of reference in which to discuss landscape attributes or the scenic 

effect of human activities in a landscape. 

Diversity Diversity refers to the distribution and abundance of different plant and animal 

communities and species within the area covered by a land and resource management plan 

(LRMP). This term is derived from the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). This term is 

not synonymous with "biological diversity." 

Down and Dead Woody Material, Down Logs, Down Woody Material (Vegetation) Woody 

material from any source that is dead and lying on the forest floor. 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) The statement of environmental effects 

required for major federal actions under Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) and released to the public and other agencies for comment and review. 

Drift A nearly horizontal underground passage that follows along the direction of a vein or rock 

formation. 

Easement A right held by one person to make use of the land of another for a limited purpose, 

such as a special-use authorization for a right-of-way that conveys a conditioned interest in 

National Forest System (NFS) land and is compensable according to its terms. 

Ecosystem A community of living plants and animals interacting with each other and with their 

physical environment. A geographic area where it is meaningful to address the interrelationships 

with human social systems, sources of energy, and the ecological processes that shape change 

over time. The complex of a community of organisms and its environment functioning as an 

ecological unit in nature. 

Ecosystem Management A concept of natural resources management where-in National Forest 

activities are considered within the context of economic, ecological, and social interactions 

within a defined area or region over both short-and long-term. 

Egress Path by which a person goes out; exit. The means or act of going out. Often used with the 

word "access." 

EIS (See "Environmental Impact Statement.”) 

Eligible (Heritage Resources) Indicates a specific heritage resource qualifies for or is already 

listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

Endangered Species Any species of animal or plant in danger of extinction throughout all or a 

significant portion of its range and so designated by the Secretary of Interior in accordance with 

the 1973 Endangered Species Act. 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) A document prepared by a federal agency in which 

anticipated environmental effects of a planned course of action or development are evaluated. A 

federal statute requires that such statements be prepared. It is prepared first in draft or review 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 136 

form and then in a final form. An impact statement includes the following points: the

environmental impact of the proposed action; any adverse impacts that cannot be avoided by the 

action; the alternative courses of actions; the relationships between local short-term use of the 

human environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity; and a 

description of the irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources that would occur if the 

action were accomplished. 

Ephemeral Streams A stream or portion of a stream that flows briefly in direct response to 

precipitation in the immediate vicinity and whose channel is at all times above the water table. 

Ephemeral areas drain water to intermittent or perennial stream channels. Any sediment created 

by soil erosion during logging or road-building activities can be carried by way of the ephemeral, 

intermittent, and perennial stream channels to the watershed outlet. Ephemeral areas generally 

occur above the upper reaches of intermittent or perennial streams. Since they can direct water 

into intermittent or perennial stream channels, care should be taken to minimize disturbing soil in 

these areas. 

Erosion The wearing away of the land surface by running water, wind, ice, gravity, or other 

geological activities. 

Erosion Hazard Rating The probability of soil loss resulting from complete removal of 

vegetation and litter. It is an interpretation based on potential soil loss. 

Escape Route (Fire Management) A path of travel to get away from danger, such as the threat 

of wildfire. 

Even-aged Management The application of a combination of actions that results in the creation 

of stands in which trees of essentially the same age grow together. Managed even-aged forests 

are characterized by a distribution of stands of varying ages (and therefore, tree sizes) throughout 

the forest area. The difference in age between trees forming the main canopy level on a stand 

usually does not exceed 20 percent of the age of the stand at harvest rotation age. Regeneration 

in a particular stand is obtained during a short period at or near the time of harvest. Clear-cut, 

shelterwood, or seed-tree cutting methods may produce even-aged stands. 

Existing Scenic Integrity. Current state of the landscape, considering previous human 

alterations. (See the definition for scenic integrity.) 

Existing Road System All existing roads owned or administered by various agencies that are 

wholly or partly within or adjacent to and serving the National Forests and other Forest Serviceadministered areas or intermingled private lands. These roads may or may not be included on the 

current Forest Transportation Inventory but are evident on the ground as meeting the definition 

of a road. 

Exploration The effort involved in looking for ore. Prospecting. 

Exposure Any part of a vein or rock outcrop that can be easily seen. 

Face In any adit, tunnel, or stope, the end at which work is in progress or was last done. 

Fault A break in the earth’s crust caused by forces which have moved or displaced the two sides 

relative to one another. 

Fire Incidence The average number of fires in a specified area during a specified time period. 

Fire Occurrence Number of fires per unit time in a specified area (synonym for fire frequency). 

Fire Protection Assessment (FPA) (Fire Management) A computer software based analysis to 

assist managers in determining where specific types and intensities of fire-management activities 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 137 

should occur. The analysis uses three map overlays depicting fuel flammability (Hazard); 

potential value change from fire (Value); and the potential that an ignition will occur (Risk) as a 

means of identifying and prioritizing appropriate fire- management activities for a given land 

unit. 

Risk: A term within the Fire Protection Assessment identifying the potential for an ignition 

to occur in a given land unit based on historical data associated with frequency of natural 

ignitions and the probability of human ignitions based on an assessment of human activities. 

Hanging Wall The rock or wall on the upperside of an inclined vein or inclined mine 

opening. 

Hazard: A term within the Fire Protection Assessment that represents a function of potential 

fire line intensity based on fuels, topography, and weather influences. 

Value: In the context of the Fire Protection Assessment, value refers to the potential for 

negative value change from wildfire. Value considerations would include the value of

developments and natural resources, including aesthetics, all of which are subject to change 

from wildfire. 

Fire Risk The chance of a fire starting, as affected by the nature and incidence of causative 

agents, including lightning, people, and industry. Three risk scales are used: high, moderate, and 

low. High-risk areas include locations where lightning, people, or industry have commonly 

caused fire in the past; moderate-risk areas include locations where lightning, people, or industry 

have periodically caused fire in the past; and low-risk areas include locations where lightning, 

people, or industry have infrequently caused fire in the past. 

Fire Suppression All the work and activities connected with fire-extinguishing operations 

beginning with discovery and continuing until the fire is completely extinguished. 

Fire Suppression Objective To suppress wildfires at minimum costs consistent with land and 

resource management objectives and fire-management direction as determined by National Fire 

Management Analysis System (NFMAS). This includes all work and activities associated with 

fire-extinguishing operations beginning with discovery and continuing until the fire is 

completely extinguished. An example might be that a fire suppression objective is set at 5 acres, 

based on a cost-effectiveness analysis. 

Fireline Intensity The rate of heat energy released per unit time per unit length of a fire front. 

Numerically, it is the product of the heat combustion, quality of fuel consumed per unit area in 

the fire front, and the rate of spread of a fire as measured in BTUs per second per foot of the fire 

front. 

Firewood (See "Fuelwood.”) 

Firing (Blasting) The detonation of a charge of dynamite. 

Fiscal Year (FY) Within the Forest Service, the fiscal year includes October 1 to September 30. 

The fiscal year is referred to by the calendar year beginning January 1. For example, October 1, 

1991, to September 30, 1992, is referred to as Fiscal Year 1992. 

Forage Vegetation used for food by wildlife, particularly ungulate wildlife and domestic 

livestock. 

Forbs Any herbaceous plant other than those in the grass, sedge, and rush families. For example, 

any non-grass-like plant that has little or no woody material. 

Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (RPA) An Act of 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 138 

Congress requiring the preparation of a program for the management of the National Forest's 

renewable resources, and of land and resource management plans for units of the National Forest 

System (NFS). It also requires a continuing inventory of all National Forest System (NFS) lands 

and renewable resources. 

Forest Interior Habitat That portion of the stand not affected by edge is termed interior habitat. 

The value of forest stands in providing interior habitat depends on the effects of edge on the 

microclimate of the stand. In the Black Hills, forest interior is defined as that portion of a forest 

stand more than 300 feet from an opening. 

Forest Supervisor Official responsible for administering the Black Hills National Forest. The 

Forest Supervisor reports to the Regional Forester. 

Forest System Roads Roads that are part of the Forest Development Transportation System that 

includes all existing and planned roads as well as other special and terminal facilities designated 

as part of the Forest Development Transportation System. 

Forested Area Land at least 10 percent of which is occupied by trees of any size or formerly 

having had such tree cover and not currently developed for non-forest use. Lands developed for 

non-forest use include areas for crops; improved pastures; residential or administrative areas; 

improved roads of any width; and adjoining road clearing and powerline clearing of any width. 

FSH Forest Service Handbook. 

FSM Forest Service Manual. 

Fuel Breaks Generally wide strips of land 60 to 1,000 feet in width on which native vegetation 

has been modified so that fires burning into them can be more readily controlled. Some fuel 

breaks contain fire lines such as roads or hand lines that can be widened. 

Fuel Continuity Degree or extent of continuous or uninterrupted distribution of fuel particles 

(surface or aerial) in a fuel bed that affects a fire's ability to sustain combustion and spread. 

Fuel Loading The volume of the available or burnable fuels in a specified area, usually 

expressed in tons per acre. 

Fuel Reduction Treatments Prescribed burn, precommercial thin, mechanical fuel treatment, 

and product other than log (POL) sales. 

Fuel Treatment Any manipulation or removal of fuels to reduce the likelihood of ignition 

and/or to lessen potential damage and resistance to control, including lopping, chipping, 

crushing, piling, and burning (synonym for fuel modification). 

Fuels The organic materials that will support the start and spread of a fire: duff, litter, grass, 

weeds, forbs, brush, trees, and dead woody materials. 

Fuelwood Round, split, or sawed wood cut into short lengths for burning as fuel. 

Geology The science dealing with the formation of the earth’s structure and ore deposits. 

Goal Broad, general statement that encompasses the desired future conditions that the U.S. 

Forest Service seeks to attain. 

Grass/Forb, Grass/Forb Stage (Structural Stage 1) (See Structural Stages - Structural Stage 1) 

Green Slash Wood residue left on the ground after logging that still contains moist phloem 

tissue and wood and may be susceptible to attack by bark beetles, generally within 1 year after 

cutting. 

Guideline Preferred or advisable courses of action; deviations from guidelines are permissible, 

but the responsible official must document the reasons for the deviation. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 139 

Habitat The place where an organism (plant or animal) lives. 

Hard Snags (Vegetation) A dead or partially dead tree composed primarily of sound wood, 

particularly sound sapwood. 

Hardwood Pertains to broadleaf trees or shrubs. 

Hazard (Fire Management) (See "Fire Protection Assessment.”) 

Hazard Reduction (See "Fuel Treatment.”) 

Heavy Fuels Fuels of large diameter, usually 3 inches or more, like snags, logs, large 

branchwood, and peat that ignite and burn more slowly than fine fuels (synonym for coarse 

fuels). 

Herbaceous Fuels Grasses, forbs, and other plants that contain little woody tissue. 

Herbicide A chemical substance used for killing or suppressing plants. 

Heritage Resources The physical remains (including but not limited to artifacts, structures, 

landscape modifications, rock art, trails, or roads) and conceptual content or context (as a setting 

for legendary, historic, or prehistoric events, such as a sacred area for native peoples) of an area. 

High Risk (Fuels) (See "Fire Risk.”) 

High Probability Habitat for most sensitive plant species includes but is not limited to: sites 

with additional moisture and/or shade such as: shady lower slopes and bottoms adjacent to and 

including riparian areas; creeks and drainages (especially north trending); springs, boggy areas 

and seeps; northwest to northeast facing slopes; sites dominated by moisture-loving hardwoods 

(such as birch, ironwood, or hazelnut) or dominated by spruce, rock outcrops, and native grass

meadows. 

Historic Property Any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included 

in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register. This term includes artifacts, records, and 

remains related to and located within such properties. 

Human-caused Risk (Fire Management) A number related to the potential of fire starts 

originating from human activities to which a protection unit will be exposed during the rating 

period. 

IDT (See "Interdisciplinary Team.”) 

Igneous Rock Rock which has solidified from the molten state. 

Ignition (Fire Management) The initiation of combustion. 

Implementation Those activities necessary to initiate the actions in the approved land and 

resource management plan (LRMP). 

Indirect Effects Results of an action occurring at a location other than where the action takes 

place and/or later in time but in the reasonably foreseeable future. 

Infrastructure The facilities, utilities, and transportation systems needed to meet public and 

administrative needs. 

Ingress The act or right to enter; access; entrance. 

Inholdings Lands within the proclaimed boundaries of a National Forest that are owned by some 

other agency, organization, or individual. 

Insect and Disease Epidemics High population levels of insect-or-disease pests that cause 

substantial injury to plant or animal hosts. 

Insect and Disease Suppression Management practices applied to reduce insect-and-disease 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 140 

pest populations or damage. Insect- and-disease suppression includes actions taken to limit the 

spread of pests or to reduce susceptibility of hosts in imminent danger of being attacked. 

Intensity (Fire Management) How hot a fire is. Specifically, a measure (in BTUs per foot per 

second) of the energy released per unit of time in an area of actively burning fire. The amount of 

heat released per foot of fire front per second. 

Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) A group of individuals with different specialized training 

assembled to solve a problem or perform a task. The team is assembled out of recognition that no 

one discipline is sufficiently broad to adequately solve the problem. Through interaction, 

participants bring different points of view and a broader range of expertise to bear on the 

problem. 

Intermediate Cut (Timber Management) Any removal of trees from a stand between the time 

of their regeneration and the final harvest. 

Intermittent Stream A stream that flows only at certain times of the year, as when it receives 

water from springs or from a surface source, such as melting snow. A stream that does not flow 

continuously, as when water losses from evaporation or seepage exceed the available 

streamflow. 

Interest A general term to denote a right, claim, title, or legal share in real estate.

Ips (Pine Engraver Beetle) A genus of bark beetle that feeds beneath the bark of pines, 

typically killing branches, tops, or entire trees. These beetles often breed in logging slash or 

attack stressed and injured pines. 

Irretrievable, Irretrievable Commitments Applies to losses of production or use of renewable 

natural resources for a period of time. For example, road construction leads to an irretrievable 

loss of the productivity of the land under which the road is located. If the road is later obliterated, 

the land may eventually become productive again. The production lost is irretrievable, but the 

action is not irreversible. 

Irreversible, Irreversible Commitments Decisions causing changes that cannot be reversed. 

For example, if an area is mined, that area cannot, at a later date, be allocated to some other 

resource activity, such as Wilderness. Once mined, the ability of that area to meet Wilderness 

criteria, for instance, has been irreversibly lost. Irreversible commitments often apply to nonrenewable resources, such as minerals and heritage resources. 

Karst The word karst is taken from an area in Yugoslavia, where karst features were fist 

documented. Karst is a terrain, underlain by limestone, in which the topography is chiefly 

formed by the dissolving of rock and which is commonly characterized by closed depressions, 

subterranean drainage, and caves. Features found in karst terrain include rises, swallowholes, 

sinking streams, blind valleys, karst valleys, cave springs, and other karst features. 

Known Mineral Values mineral values in lands with underlying geologic formations which are 

valuable for prospecting for, developing or producing natural mineral deposits. The presence of 

such mineral deposits in the lands may be known, or geologic conditions may be such as to make 

the lands prospectively valuable for mineral occurrence. 

Land Unit (Watershed) A mapped land type polygon; or a mapped soil unit. 

Landline (Land Survey) For Forest Plan purposes, National Forest property boundaries. 

Landscape (Silviculture) The primary unit of analysis for silviculture. A landscape for purposes 

of silviculture is a sixth-level watershed. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 141 

Landscape Aesthetics Generally, the study, science, or philosophy dealing with beauty and with 

judgments concerning beauty; more specifically, those aspects of National Forest System lands 

which are related to the human senses of, predominantly, sight, smell, and sound. In scenery 

management, aesthetics describe landscapes that give visual and sensory pleasure. 

Landscape Architecture The art and science of environmental design, planning, or management 

of the land; arrangement of natural and constructed elements through the application of aesthetic 

principles; application of cultural and scientific knowledge with concern for resource 

conservation and stewardship, to the end that the resultant environment sustains human health, 

psychological well-being, and social progress. 

Landscape Character Particular attributes, qualities, and traits of a landscape that give it an 

image and make it identifiable or unique. Valued landscape character creates a "sense of place" 

and describes the image of an area. The landscape character provides a reference for defining 

the inherent scenic attractiveness classes. 

Landscape Scale A heterogenous land area composed of a cluster of interacting ecosystems that 

are repeated in similar form throughout. Landscapes vary in size from many thousands of acres 

to only a few acres. 

Landscape Visibility Visual accessibility of the landscape to viewers, referring to one’s ability 

to see and perceive landscapes and to the relative importance and sensitivity of what is seen and 

perceived in the landscape. Concern levels and distance zones are elements of landscape.

Late Succession Ecosystems distinguished by old trees and related structural features. This term 

encompasses the later stages of stand development that typically differ from earlier stages in 

structure, composition, function, and other attributes. There are two types of late-successional 

ponderosa pine defined for the Black Hills. The first type, open-canopy late-successional 

ponderosa pine, occurs where periodic, low-intensity fires have been part of the ecosystem. 

These late-successional stands would consist of clumps or groups of trees with grasses in the 

openings between the clumps. They would contain large old trees with open branches, irregular, 

and flattened crowns. The clumps or groups of trees would contain little down dead material and 

few small trees. The second type, closed-canopy late-successional ponderosa pine occurs where 

periodic, low-intensity high-frequency fires have not been a significant part of the ecosystem. 

These stands would contain large old trees with open branches and irregular crowns. The stands 

would have multiple canopy layers made up of various-aged trees. They would be well stocked 

with trees and contain standing dead and down trees. 

Leasable Minerals Those minerals or materials designated as leasable under the Minerals 

Leasing Act of 1920. They include coal, phosphate, asphalt, sulphur, potassium, sodium 

minerals, and oil and gas. Geothermal resources are also leasable under the Geothermal Stream 

Act of 1970. 

Local Roads (See "Road Functional Classification.”) 

Locatable Minerals Minerals or mineral materials subject to claim and development under the 

Mining Law of 1872, as amended. Generally, includes metallic minerals, such as gold and 

silver, and other materials not subject to lease or sale, like some bentonites, limestone, tale, 

zeolites, etc. 

Location (Minerals) Perfecting the right to a mining claim by discovery of a valuable mineral, 

monumenting the corners, completing discovery work, posting a notice of location, and 

recording the claim. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 142 

Lode A tabular-shaped deposit of valuable mineral between definite boundaries; a lode may also 

include several veins spaced closely together so that they may be mined as a unit. A mineral 

deposit in solid rock. 

Logging Debris Unmerchantable tree parts like crowns, rotted logs, and uprooted stumps that 

remain after harvest. 

Logging Slash The wood residue left on the ground after harvesting. It includes unused logs, 

uprooted stumps, broken or uprooted stems, tops, branches, and leaves. 

Lopped, Lopping (Timber Management) Cutting off one or more branches of a tree, whether 

standing, dead, or fallen. 

Lopping and Scattering Lopping logging debris and spreading it more or less evenly on the 

ground. 

Low Probability Plant Habitat: Habitats lacking characteristics desirable for the occurrence of 

sensitive plant species. Low probability plant habitat is fairly constant throughout the Black 

Hills National Forest and consists of drier sites such as dry pine sites, and dry meadows with 

non-native plant species. 

Low Risk (Fuels) (See "Fire Risk.”) 

Maintenance Levels (See "Road Maintenance Level.”) 

Management Indicators (Wildlife) Plant or animal species or habitat components selected in a 

planning process that are used to monitor the effects of planned management activities on 

populations of wildlife and fish, including those that are socially or economically important. 

Management Objectives Clearly stated objectives describing the intended post-management 

status of an area. Typically, objectives are disclosed in the NEPA documentation. 

MBF Thousand board feet. 

MCF Thousand cubic feet. 

Meadow An area of perennial, herbaceous vegetation, usually grass or grass-like. A natural 

opening in a forest, generally at higher elevations, that produces exceptional levels of herbaceous 

plants, which is usually a consequence of high soil/water content or a perched water table. 

Generally, a prairie grassland will occupy a convex surface while a meadow will occupy a 

concave surface. 

Midstory (Vegetation) Vegetative layer 10 to 40 feet tall between the overstory trees and 

ground layer. May consist of trees and/or shrubs. 

Mineral A naturally formed chemical element or compound having a definite chemical 

composition and, usually, a characteristic crystal form. A mineral is generally considered to be 

inorganic, though organic compounds are classified by some as minerals. Those who include the 

requirement of crystalline form in the definition of a mineral would consider an amorphous 

compound, such as opal, to be a mineraloid. In a broad nontechnical sense, the term embraces 

all inorganic and organic substances that are extracted from the earth for use by man, for 

example, the mineral fuels. 

Mineral Deposit A mass of naturally occurring mineral material, e.g. metal ores or nonmetallic 

minerals, usually of economic value, without regard to mode of origin. The organic fuels (coal 

and petroleum) may or may not be considered as mineral deposits; usage varies and should be 

defined in context. Any occurrence of minerals, in, or on the earth. The deposit may or may not 

be profitable to mine. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 143 

Mineral Development The activities and facilities associated with extracting mineral deposits. 

Mineral Entry Claiming public lands administered by the Forest Service under the Mining Law 

of 1872 for the purpose of exploiting minerals. May also refer to mineral exploration and 

development under the mineral leasing laws and the Material Sale Act of 1947. 

Mineral Material Common varieties of sand, building stone, gravel, clay, rock, etc., obtained 

under the Minerals Act of 1947, as amended. 

Mineral Material Permit A document used for sale transactions of common variety, salable 

minerals. 

Mineral Potential The classification of lands according to the probability of undiscovered 

mineral resources, delineated as to the type of mineral, the extent of the expected deposit, and 

likelihood of its occurrence. 

Mineral Withdrawal The exclusion of locatable mineral deposits from mineral entry on areas 

required for administrative sites by the Forest Service and other areas highly valued by the 

public. Public lands withdrawn from entry under the General Mining Laws and/or the Mineral 

Leasing Laws. 

Mining Claims That portion of the public estate held for mining purposes in which the right of 

exclusive possession of locatable mineral deposits is vested in the locator of the a deposit. 

Mining Law of 1872 Provides for claiming and gaining title to locatable minerals on public 

lands. Also referred to as the “General Mining Law” or “Mining Law.” 

Misfire Failure of a dynamite charge to explode or detonate. 

Mitigation Includes avoiding the impact altogether by not taking certain action or parts of an 

action; minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its 

implementation; rectifying the impacts by repairing, rehabilitating or restoring the affected 

environment; reducing or eliminating the impact over time by preservation and maintenance 

operations during the life of the action; or compensating for the impact by replacing or providing 

substitute resources or environments. 

MMBF Million board feet. 

MMCF Million cubic feet. 

Moderate Risk (Fuels) (See "Fire Risk.”) 

Moisture Regime (Soils) The presence or absence of groundwater or water held at a tension of 

less than 15 bars in the soil or in specified horizons by periods of the year. 

Monitoring The sample collection and analysis of information regarding Forest Plan 

management practices to determine how well objectives have been met as well as the effects of 

those management practices on the land and environment. 

Multi-storied Stands (Vegetation) Plant communities having two or more recognizable canopy 

layers or height levels. 

Multiple Use According to the Multiple-use Sustained-yield Act of 1960, multiple use is the 

management of all the various renewable surface resources of the National Forest System (NFS) 

so that they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the needs of the American people; 

such management makes the most judicious use of the land for some or all of these resources or 

related services over areas large enough to provide sufficient latitude for periodic adjustments in 

use to conform to changing needs and conditions. Some lands will be used for less than all of the

resources. Harmonious and coordinated management of the various resources is employed, each 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 144 

with the other, without impairment of the productivity of the land. Consideration is given to the 

relative values of the various resources and not necessarily the combination of uses that will give 

the greatest dollar return or the greatest unit output. 

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) An act declaring a national policy to 

encourage productive harmony between people and their environment; to promote efforts that 

will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and the biosphere and simulate the health 

and welfare of people; to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural 

resources important to the nation; and to establish a Council on Environmental Quality. 

National Fire Management Analysis System (NFMAS) A broad umbrella process to help fire 

managers identify the most efficient fire program meeting the direction in the Forest Plan. This 

includes information for the planning record on program composition, annual programmed costs, 

emergency firefighting costs, expected resource impacts, and net value change. 

National Forest Management Act (NFMA) A law passed in 1976 amending the Forest and 

Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act that requires the preparation of Regional and 

Forest Plans and the preparation of regulations to guide that development. 

National Forest System (NFS) Land Federal lands designated by Executive Order or statute as 

National Forests, National Grasslands or Purchase Units, or other lands under the administration 

of the Forest Service. 

National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) A list of heritage resources that have local, state, 

or national significance. The list is maintained by the Secretary of the Interior. 

Natural Fuels Fuels resulting from natural processes and not directly generated or altered by 

land-management practices (compare activity fuels). 

Natural Regeneration The renewal of a tree crop by natural means without seeding or planting 

done by people. The new crop is grown from self-sown seed or by vegetative means, such as root 

suckers. 

Net Public Benefit The overall long-term value to the nation of all outputs and positive effects 

(benefits) less all associated inputs and negative effects (costs) whether they can be 

quantitatively valued or not. Net public benefits are measured by both quantitative and 

qualitative criteria rather than a single measure or index. 

Non-motorized Activities Activities that do not incorporate the use of a motor, engine, or other 

non-living power source. Non-motorized activities exclude such machines as aircraft, hovercraft, 

motorboats, automobiles, motor bikes, snowmobiles, bulldozers, chainsaws, rock drills, and 

generators. 

Non-withdrawn Lands (Minerals) Lands that are not withdrawn from mineral entry under the 

mining laws or other executive or administrative rulings. 

Notice of Intent (Minerals) Written notice to the affected Range District by those who intend to 

engage in mining activity on the Forest of proposed prospecting, exploration, mining, and 

mineral processing activities. 

Noxious Weeds Those plant species designated as weeds by federal or state laws. Noxious 

weeds generally possess one or more of the following characteristics: aggressive and difficult to 

manage; poisonous; toxic; parasitic; a carrier or host for serious insects or diseases; and generally 

non-native. 

Objective Concise statement of desired measurable results intended to promote achievement of

specific goals. Attainment of objectives is limited by the application of standards and guidelines. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 145 

Obliteration (Transportation) The reclamation and/or restoration of the land occupied by a 

transportation facility for purposes other than transportation. 

Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Any motorized vehicle designed for or capable of cross-country 

travel on or immediately over land, water, snow, ice, marsh, swampland, or other natural terrain. 

Openings (Tree Canopy) The hole created by removing the majority of the tree canopy. This 

includes the harvesting of the majority of trees in a given area. 

Ore A mineral deposit from which one or more metals can be recovered profitably. Deposits 

with nonmetallic minerals may also be called ore. 

Ore Body Generally a solid and fairly continuous mass of ore, which may include low-grade and 

waste as well as pay ore, but is individualized by form or character from adjoining country rock. 

Ore Deposit A general term applied to rocks containing minerals of economic value in such 

amount that they can be profitably exploited. Also applied to deposits which, though they may 

not be immediately capable of profitable exploitation, may yet become so by a change in the 

economic circumstances that control their value. 

Outcrop The outcrop is the edge or surface of a mineral deposit or sedimentary bed which 

appears upon the surface. 

Overstory (Biological Diversity) The portion of vegetation in a forest forming the uppermost 

foliage layer. 

Pay Streak A limited horizon within a placer deposit, containing a concentration of values or 

made up of material rich enough to mine. Gold tends to concentrate at or near bedrock. 

Pine Engraver Beetle (See "Ips.”) 

Piling and Burning (Timber Management) Piling slash resulting from logging and 

subsequently burning individual piles. 

Plant Associations A grouping of plants that has reached dynamic equilibrium with the local 

environmental conditions and is equivalent to climax. On site, there is no evidence of 

replacement by other dominant plant species (and there is no evidence of serious disturbance.) 

Plant Communities Assemblage of plant species living in an area. It is an organized unit to the 

extent that it has characteristics in addition to the individuals and populations and functions as a 

unit. 

Placer A place where gold is obtained by washing; an alluvial or glacial deposit, as of sand or 

gravel, containing particles of gold or other valuable mineral. 

Pollution The presence of matter or energy whose nature, location, or quantity produces 

undesired environmental effects. 

Pre-commercial Cutting (See "Thinning.”) 

Preparation Cut (Silviculture) A timber harvest method that removes trees near the end of a 

rotation so as to open the canopy and enlarge the crowns of seed bearers to improve conditions 

for seed production and natural regeneration, as typically in a shelterwood method. 

Preparedness Level (Fire Management) Planning levels of suppression readiness dependent on 

fire activity, fuel moisture, drought conditions, fire weather, fire danger, and resources deployed 

or available. There are five preparedness levels with level five being the most active state of 

readiness. 

Prescribed Burning Controlled application of fire to wildland fuels in either their natural or 

modified state under specified environmental conditions that allows the fire to be confined to a 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 146 

predetermined area and at the same time produce the fireline intensity and rate of spread required 

to attain planned resource management objectives (synonym for controlled burning). 

Prescribed Fire A fire burning within prescription resulting from planned or unplanned ignition. 

Prescription (Fire Management) A written statement defining objectives to be attained, as well 

as temperature; humidity; wind direction and wind speed; fuel-moisture content; and soil 

moisture, under which the fire will be allowed to burn, generally expressed as acceptable ranges 

of the various indices, and the limit of the geographic area to be covered. 

Present Net Value (PNV) The difference between the discounted value (benefits) of all outputs 

to which monetary values or established market prices are assigned and the total discounted costs 

of managing the planning area. 

Pre-suppression (Fire Management) Activities required in advance of fire occurrence to ensure 

an effective suppression action. It includes recruiting and training fire forces; planning and 

organizing attack methods; procuring and maintaining fire equipment; and maintaining structural 

improvements necessary for the fire program. 

Products Other than Logs (POL), Products Other Than Sawlogs, Products Other Than 

Sawtimber Products such as posts, poles, and fiber from trees or parts of trees less than sawlog 

size. POL usually include trees greater than 5 inches diameter breast height (dbh) (4.5 feet from 

ground level) and less than 7.9 inches diameter breast height (dbh), with tops of trees greater 

than 4 inches to less than 6 inches in diameter. 

Project One or more site-specific activities designed to accomplish a specific on-the-ground 

purpose or result. Projects are tiered to the Forest Plan and will have further site-specific 

analysis. 

Public Access Usually refers to a road or trail route over which a public agency has secured a 

right-of-way for public use. 

Public Domain Areas of mineral land owned by the United States government open for location 

of mining claims. 

Ranger District Administrative subdivisions of the Forest supervised by a District Ranger who 

reports to the Forest Supervisor. 

Raptor Habitat Habitat required by hawks, falcons or owls, especially for nesting. 

Rate of Spread (Fire Management) Relative activity of a fire in extending its horizontal 

dimensions, expressed as rate of increase of the perimeter, rate of increase in area, or rate of 

advance of its head, depending on the intended use of the information, generally in chains or 

acres per hour for a specified period in the fire's history. 

Reclaimed The restoration of a hazardous mine site or feature to a stable, non-threatening status. 

Reclamation Returning disturbed lands to a form and productivity that will be ecologically 

balanced, often in conformity with a predetermined reclamation plan. 

Reforestation Reestablishment of a tree crop on forested land. 

Regeneration (Silviculture) The renewal of vegetation whether by natural or artificial means. 

Also, the new growth itself. 

Resource Value-at-risk (Fire Management) Fire-suppression planning tool providing a relative 

expression in five classes of fire effects on all resources but not the value of the resources 

themselves (compare values at risk). 

Resource Values The tangible and intangible worth of forest resources. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 147 

Responsible Official The Forest Service employee who has the delegated authority to make a 

specific decision. 

Retention (Vegetation Management) To keep the existing extent of a vegetative component. 

Usually refers to a species, such as aspen, birch, or bur oak. 

Revegetation The reestablishment and development of a plant cover. This may take place 

naturally through the reproductive processes of the existing flora or artificially through the direct 

action of reforestation or reseeding. 

Rights-of-way Land authorized to be used or occupied for the construction, operation, 

maintenance, and termination of a project or facility passing over, upon, under, or through such 

land. The privilege that one person or persons particularly described may have of passing over 

the land of another in some particular line. 

Rights-of-way Corridors A linear strip of land identified for the present or future location of 

transportation or utility rights-of-way within its boundaries. 

Riparian Area (See "Riparian Ecosystem.”) 

Riparian Communities Repeating, classified, defined, and recognizable assemblages of plantor-animal communities associated with riparian areas. 

Riparian Ecosystem The moist transition zone between the aquatic ecosystem and the relatively 

drier, more upland, terrestrial ecosystem(s). This transition zone can extend both laterally and 

longitudinally away from aquatic ecosystems, sometimes into headwater swales that have no 

defined stream channel. The riparian ecosystem is the area whose soil is relatively more moist 

than the adjacent upland and whose vegetation growth reflects the greater accumulation of 

available water. 

Risk (Fire Management) (See "Fire Protection Assessment.”) 

Risk Index (Fire Management) A number related to the probability of an ignition of a fire 

(Compare "Human-caused Risk.") 

Roads A general term denoting a way with at least two-wheel tracks for purposes of travel by 

vehicles greater than 50 inches in width. 

Road Functional Classification The way in which a road services land and resource 

management needs and the character of service it provides. Functional classifications for roads 

are forest arterial, forest collector, and forest local. 

Forest Arterial Road: Provides service to large land areas and usually connects with public 

highways or other Forest arterial roads to form an integrated network of primary travel 

routes. The location and standard are often determined by a demand for maximum mobility 

and travel efficiency rather that specific resource management service. It is usually 

developed and operated for long-term land and resource management purposes and constant 

service. 

Forest Collector Road: Serves smaller land areas than a Forest arterial road and is usually 

connected to a Forest arterial or public highway. Collects traffic from Forest local roads 

and/or terminal facilities. The location and standard are influenced by both long-term multiresource service needs, as well as travel efficiency. May be operated for either constant or 

intermittent service depending on land use and resource management objectives for the area 

served by the facility. 

Forest Local Road: Connects terminal facilities with Forest collector or Forest arterial roads 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 148 

or public highways. The location and standard are usually controlled by a specific resource 

activity rather than travel efficiency. Forest local roads may be developed and operated for 

either long- or short-term service. 

Road Maintenance Level Defines the level of service provided by and maintenance required for 

a specific road consistent with road management objectives and maintenance criteria. The 

maintenance levels are 

Maintenance Level 1: Assigned to intermittent service roads during the time they are closed 

to vehicular traffic. The closure period is 1 year or longer. Basic custodial maintenance is 

performed. 

Maintenance Level 2: Assigned to roads open for use by high-clearance vehicles. Passenger 

car traffic is not a consideration. 

Maintenance Level 3: Assigned to roads open and maintained for travel by a prudent driver 

in a standard passenger car. User comfort and convenience are not considered priorities. 

Maintenance Level 4: Assigned to roads that provide a moderate degree of user comfort and 

convenience at moderate travel speeds. 

Maintenance Level 5: Assigned to roads that provide a high degree of user comfort and 

convenience. Normally, roads are double-laned and paved or aggregate-surfaced with dust 

abatement. 

Road Prism Equivalent to the term "roadway." The portion of the road within the limits of 

excavation and embankment, including slope rounding. A similar term is "road template," the 

shape and cross-sectional dimensions of the roadway to be constructed as defined by the

construction staking notes and the characteristics of the typical sections. 

Roadside Corridors A passageway that frames a road or travelway. The corridor includes the 

viewing area and facilities, which may be within the immediate roadside area or part of a 

sweeping distance panorama. 

Roadway (See "Road Prism.”) 

Salable Minerals Include common varieties of sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite, cinders, 

and clay. In general, these materials are widespread occurrence and are of relatively low unit 

value. They are generally used for construction materials and for road building purposes. 

Salvage Harvest Removal of damaged, dead or dying trees resulting from insect and disease 

epidemics, wildfire, or storms to recover logs before they have no commercial value for 

production. 

Salvage of Dead Material (See "Salvage Harvest.”) 

Sanitation Cutting, Sanitation Harvest (Silviculture) The removal of trees occupied by insect 

or disease pests to reduce pest populations and limit their spread. 

Sawtimber Trees suitable in size and quality for producing logs that can be processed into 

lumber. For planning purposes, trees with an 8-inch diameter or more are classified as 

sawtimber. 

Scarify To abrade, scratch, or modify the surface of the ground to expose mineral soil. 

Scenery The composition of basic terrain, geologic features, water features, vegetative patterns, 

and landrise effects that typify a land unit and influence the visual appeal the unit may have for 

visitors. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 149 

Scenery Management The art and science of planning and designing landscape attributes 

relative to the appearance of places and expanses in outdoor settings. Scenery management 

involves administering the use of National Forest System lands within the context of multipleuse ecosystem management to ensure high quality scenery for the overall well-being and 

psychological welfare of society and future generations. 

Scenery Management System. An overall framework for the orderly inventory, analysis, and 

management of scenery. This system applies to every acre of National Forests and National 

Grasslands administered by the Forest Service and to all Forest Service activities including, but 

not limited to, timber harvesting, road building, stream, range, and wildlife improvements, 

special use developments, utility line construction, recreation developments, and fuels 

management. 

Scenic Attractiveness. Primary indicator of the scenic importance of a landscape based on 

human perceptions of the intrinsic beauty of landforms, rockforms, waterforms, vegetation 

patterns, and cultural features. Reflects varying visual perception attributes of variety, unity, 

vividness, intactness, coherence, mystery, uniqueness, harmony, balance, and pattern. The frame 

of reference for scenic attractiveness (generally at the section scale) is landscape character. 

Three levels of scenic attractiveness are identified during the scenery inventory process: 

Distinctive (A), Common or Typical (B), and Undistinguished (C). 

Scenic Class Scenic classes measure the relative importance or value of discrete landscape areas 

having similar characteristics of scenic attractiveness and landscape visibility. Scenic classes are 

used during forest planning to compare the value of scenery with the value of other resources, 

such as timber, wildlife, late succession, or minerals. The higher the scenic class, the more 

important it is to maintain the highest scenic value. Scenic classes are determined and mapped 

by combining the three classes of scenic attractiveness with the distance zones and concern 

levels of landscape visibility. A numerical value of 1 to 7 is assigned to Forest lands. Generally, 

scenic classes 1-2 have high public value; classes 3-5 have moderate value; and classes 6 and 7 

have low value. 

Scenic Integrity (Existing or Objective) State of naturalness or conversely the state of 

disturbance created by human activities or alteration. Integrity is stated in degrees of deviation 

from the existing landscape character in a national forest. It is the measure of the degree to 

which a landscape is visually perceived to be complete. The highest scenic integrity ratings are 

given to those landscapes that have little or no deviation from the character valued by

constituents for its aesthetic appeal. Scenic integrity is used to describe an existing situation, 

standard for management, or desired future conditions. 

Very High: A scenic integrity level that generally provides for ecological change only. 

High: A scenic integrity level meaning human activities are not visually evident. In high 

scenic integrity areas, activities may only repeat attributes of form, line, color, and texture 

found in the existing landscape character. 

Moderate: A scenic integrity level that refers to landscapes where the valued landscape 

character "appears slightly altered.” Noticeable deviations must remain visually subordinate 

to the landscape character being viewed. 

Low: A scenic integrity referring to the landscapes where the valued landscape character 

"appears moderately altered." Deviations begin to dominate the valued landscape character 

being viewed, but they borrow valued attributes such as size, shape, effect, and pattern of

natural opening, vegetative type changes, or architectural styles within or outside the 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 150 

landscape being viewed. They should not only appear as valued character outside the 

landscape being viewed but compatible or complimentary to the character within. 

Very Low: A scenic integrity level that refers to landscapes where the valued landscape 

character "appears heavily altered.” Deviations may strongly dominate the valued landscape 

character. They may not borrow from valued attributes such as size, shape, edge effect, and 

pattern of natural openings, vegetative type changes, or architectural styles within or outside 

the landscape being viewed. However, deviations must be shaped and blended with the 

natural terrain so that elements such as unnatural edges, roads, landings, and structures do not 

dominate the composition. 

Unacceptable Low: A scenic integrity level that refers to landscapes where the valued 

landscape character being viewed appears extremely altered. Deviations are extremely 

dominant and borrow little if any line, form, color, texture, pattern, or scale from the

landscape character. Landscapes at this level of integrity need rehabilitation. This level 

should only be used to inventory existing integrity. It must not be used as a management 

objective. 

Second Growth (Silviculture) Forest growth that has become established after some 

disturbance with the previous forest stand, such as cutting, serious fire, or insect attack. 

Sediment Material suspended in water or that has been deposited in streams and lakes. 

Sediment Load The solid material transported by a stream and expressed as the dry weight of all 

sediment that passes a given point in a given period of time. 

Sediment Yield Amount of sediment leaving an analysis area and entering a channel. 

Seed Cutting (Silviculture) A harvest method that removes all mature trees from a stand except 

for selected seed-bearing trees retained on the site to provide a seed source for stand 

regeneration. In a two-step shelterwood cutting method, the first of the shelterwood cuttings. 

Seed Tree, Seed-tree Cutting Small number of seed-bearing trees left singly or in small groups 

after timber harvest to provide seed for regeneration of the site. 

Selection Cut (Silviculture) A harvest method that periodically removes mature trees 

individually or in small groups from an uneven-aged forest. By this method, both regeneration 

cutting and tending of immature stand components are accomplished at each entry. 

Sensitive Species Those plant and animal species identified by the Regional Forester for which 

population viability is a concern, as evidenced by significant current or predicted downward 

trends in population numbers or density; or significant current or predicted downward trends in 

habitat capability that would reduce a species' existing distribution. 

Seral (Ecology) A biotic community that is in a developmental, transitory stage in an ecological 

succession. 

Seral Stages (Ecology) The sequence of a plant community's successional stages to potential 

natural vegetation. 

Severely Burned Soil A condition in which most woody debris and the entire forest floor is 

consumed down to bare mineral soil. Soil may have turned red due to extreme heat. Also, fine 

roots and organic matter are charred in the upper one-half inch of mineral soil. 

Shaft A vertical or steeply-inclined excavation for the purpose of opening a servicing a mine. 

Shelterwood, Shelterwood Method (Silviculture) A harvest method in which a portion of the 

mature stand is retained as a source of seed and/or protection during the period of regeneration. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 151 

The mature stand is removed in two or more cuttings commonly termed seed cutting and 

removal cutting. The seed cutting may or may not be preceded by a preparatory cutting. 

SHPO (See "State Historic Preservation Officer.”) 

Silvicultural System A management process that tends, harvests, and replaces forests, resulting 

in a forest of distinctive form with a desired condition. 

Silvicultural Treatment A management practice that utilizes a method of tree culture, harvest, 

or replacement (See "Single-tree Selection,” "Shelterwood Method,” "Group Selection,” "Evenaged Management,” "Uneven-aged Management,” and "Clearcutting.”) 

Silviculture Generally, the science and art of tree management, based on the study of the life

history and general characteristics of forest trees and stands, with particular reference to local 

factors; more particularly, the theory and practice of controlling the establishment, composition, 

constitution, and growth of forests for desired conditions. 

Site An area considered in terms of its physical and/or biological environment; for example, a 

riparian zone, a homogenous stand of vegetation, or a campground. 

Site Index A measure of the relative productive capacity of an area for growing trees. 

Measurement is based on height of the dominant trees in a stand at a given age. 

Site Preparation (Silviculture) The activity that prepares a site for natural regeneration or the 

planting of seedlings. The objective is to create a favorable environment for establishing and 

growing the desired vegetation classes. Treatments could include chemical, mechanical, or fire. 

Site Productivity Production capability of specific areas of land. 

Skid Trails (Timber Management) Any way, more or less prepared, over which logs are 

dragged. Any road or trail leading from stump to landing. 

Skidding (Timber Management) Moving logs from the stump to a collecting point. 

Slash (Timber Management) The residue left on the ground after harvesting, sanitation 

operations, windstorm, or fire. It includes such material as unutilized logs, uprooted stumps, 

broken or uprooted stems, tops, branches, and leaves. 

Snag (Vegetation) Standing dead tree or standing portion from which at least the leaves and 

smaller branches have fallen; often called a stub if it is less than 20 feet tall. 

Snag-dependent Species (See "Cavity Nesting Species.”) 

Soft Snags (Vegetation) A snag composed primarily of wood in advanced stages of decay and 

deterioration, particularly in the sapwood (outer) portions; generally there are no live branches 

on the snag. 

Softwood A conventional term for both the timber and the trees belonging to the evergreen 

group, as the pine, spruce, fir, etc. 

Soil Compaction A physical change in soil properties that results in a decrease in porosity and 

an increase in soil-bulk density and strength. 

Soil Erosion The detachment and movement of soil from the land surface by water or wind. Soil 

erosion and sediment are not the same (See "Sediment.”) 

Soil Productivity The inherent capacity of a soil to support the growth of specified plants, plant 

communities, or a sequence of plant communities. Soil productivity may be expressed in terms 

of volume or weight/unit area/year, percent plant cover, or other measures of biomass 

accumulation. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 152 

Soil Surveys The systematic examination, description, classification, and mapping of soils in an 

area. 

Standard Mandatory courses of action; any deviation from standards requires amendment of the 

LRMP. 

Stand (Vegetation) A community, particularly of trees, possessing sufficient uniformity as

regards to vegetation type, age class, risk class, vigor, size class, and stocking class that 

distinguishes it from adjacent communities and thus forms a management or silvicultural unity. 

Within a stand, a dominant or primary species and age class is identifiable, but there may be 

inclusions or clusters of different species or ages. R2 RIS stands are typically greater than 10 

acres. IRI stands are typically greater than 5 acres. 

Stand-replacing Fire A fire that kills all or most living overstory trees in a forest and initiates 

secondary succession or regrowth. 

Stand Risk Rating (Insects) A ranking of relative forest stand conditions that reflects the degree 

of susceptibility to attack by a particular insect species and the potential level of damage if an 

outbreak occurs. It does not indicate where or when an infestation will actually occur. For 

mountain pine beetles in ponderosa pine, a computer model exists to determine low-, mediumand high-risk stands based on measures of stand structure, average basal area, and average tree 

diameter. 

State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) A person appointed by a state's governor to 

administer the State Historic Preservation Program. 

Stream Health The condition of a stream relative to robust health for that stream type and 

landscape, considering indicators such as channel pattern; slope; particle size; pool frequency 

and depth; bank vegetation; and woody debris that reflect the stability and habitat quality of the 

stream. 

Strike The direction of the line of intersection of a dipping, planar feature, such as a fault, vein, 

or bed, with a horizontal plane. 

Structural Stages (Vegetation) Any of several developmental stages of tree stands described in 

terms of tree size and the extent of canopy closure they create. They include 

Structural Stage 1 (Grass/Forb): An early forest successional stage during which grasses 

and forbs are the dominant vegetation. At the RIS site level, Structural Stage 1 is defined as 

nonstocked, with an AMD less than 10 percent. Small-scale Structural Stage 1 within RIS 

sites are at least one acre in size, do not meet the seedling stocking criteria, and contain no 

saplings, poles, or mature trees. 

Structural Stage 2 (Shrubs/Seedlings): Developmental stage dominated by tree seedlings 

(less than one inch dbh) and shrub species. 

Structural Stage 3 (Sapling/Pole): Developmental stage dominated by young trees 1 to 7 

inches dbh, 10 to 50 feet tall, and usually less than 50 years old. This stage is subdivided into 

three canopy closure classes: A (less than 40 percent); B (40 to 70 percent); and C (greater 

than 70 percent). 

Structural Stage 4 (Mature): Consists of trees larger and older than structural stage 3. Also 

classified by the same canopy closure categories as structural stage 3. 

Structural Stage 5 (Late Succession): This structural stage is characterized by trees 160 

years of age and older. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 153 

Survey Types for Botany 

Field Check: The surveyor gives the area a quick “once over” but does not walk completely 

through the project area. The entire project area has not been examined. Approximately 2-

10% of the project area has been examined. 

Cursory: The surveyor gives the area a quick “once over” by walking through the project 

area. Approximately 11-24% of the project area has been examined. 

General: The surveyor gives the area a closer look by walking through the project area and 

perimeter or by walking more than once through the area. Approximately 25-49% of the 

project area has been examined. 

Intuitive Controlled: The surveyor has given the area a closer look by conducting a 

complete reconnaissance through a specific area of the project after walking through the 

project area and perimeter or by walking more than once through the area. Approximately 

50-74% of the project area has been examined. 

Complete: The surveyor has walked through the area being examined until all of the area has 

been examined. Approximately 100% of the project area has been examined. 

Target Plant Species: This term is used to collectively describe R2 sensitive plant species, 

South Dakota state-listed plant species of concern, species of local concern, and species of 

insufficient information. 

Species of Insufficient Information: Those species evaluated in the process for identifying 

wildlife and plant species of local concern, but having insufficient information available to 

make a determination. This list appears in the Black Hills National Forest Land and 

Resource Management Plan Phase II Amendment Final EIS. 

Species of Local Concern (SOLC): Plant, fish or wildlife species (including subspecies or 

varieties) that do not meet the criteria for sensitive status. These could include species with 

declining trends in only a portion of Region 2, or those that are important components of 

diversity in a local area. The local area is defined as NFS lands within the Black Hills 

National Forest (USDA Forest Service 2005a). The list of SOLC appears in the Black Hills 

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Phase II Amendment Final EIS. 

Subdivisions Areas of previously undeveloped land divided into individual home sites and/or 

blocks of lots. 

Successional Stages (Seral Stages) The relatively transitory communities that replace one 

another during development toward a potential natural community. 

Suitability The appropriateness of applying certain resource management practices to a 

particular area of land, as determined by an analysis of the economic and environmental 

consequences and the alternative uses foregone. A unit of land may be suitable for a variety of 

individual or combined management practices. 

Suitable Habitat Habitat which meets the requirements of a species or group of species. 

Different species may have different requirements and not all requirements may be understood at 

this time. Examples of different possible requirements include: vegetative composition, edaphic 

characteristics, moisture content, landscape structure, and the presence of mycorrhizal 

associations. Habitat may be suitable but unoccupied and it may exhibit varying degrees of 

quality. There is likely a spectrum of suitability that varies in time. 

Suppress a Fire To extinguish a fire or contain it within specified boundaries. 

Suppression (See "Fire Suppression" and "Insect and Disease Suppression.”) 

Temporary Roads (See "Short-term Transportation Facility.”) 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 154 

Thinning (Silviculture) The practice of removing some of the trees in a stand to meet desired 

conditions. Two types of thinning may be done: 

Pre-commercial, Non-commercial: Removing trees that are too small to make a 

merchantable product. 

Commercial: Removing trees that have reached sufficient size to be manufactured into a 

product and to improve tree spacing and promote more rapid growth. 

Tailings Material rejected from a mill after the recoverable valuable minerals have been 

extracted. 

Talus Slopes The accumulation of broken rocks that occurs at the base of cliffs or other steep 

slopes. 

Threatened Species Any species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future 

throughout all or a significant portion of its range and that has been designated in the Federal 

Register by the Secretary of Interior as such. 

Timber A general term applied to tree stands that provide a wood-fiber product. 

Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) The elimination or suppression of the less desirable 

vegetation in favor of the more desirable tree growth, such as thinning, cleaning, weeding, and 

release cuttings. 

Trail A general term denoting a way usually less than 50 inches wide for purposes of travel by 

foot, stock, or trail vehicle. 

Transportation System All roads needed to manage and administer Forest resources. A road 

network. 

Transportation/Utility Corridor A linear strip of land identified for the present location of 

transportation or utility rights-of-way within its boundaries. 

Travel Corridor A strip of land that includes up to a maximum of 1,000 feet for major roads 

(500 feet either side of the road's centerline) or 500 feet for major trails (250 feet either side of 

the trail's centerline); travel corridors form a passageway that allows travelers to experience and 

interact with the quality and character of the landscape. 

Travel Management Travel management is the movement of people and products to and 

through national forests and grasslands. It connects many different varieties of users and multiple 

uses on National Forest System (NFS) lands. 

Treated Area Area on which management such as timber harvesting or prescribed burning 

occurs. 

Tree Improvement (See "Timber Stand Improvement.”) 

Tunnel A horizontal underground passage that is open to the atmosphere at both ends. 

Understory (Vegetation) The lowest layer of vegetation in a forest or shrub community 

composed of grass, forbs, shrubs, and trees less than 10 feet tall. Vegetation growing under the 

tree canopy. 

Uneven-aged Management (Silviculture) The application of a combination of actions needed 

to simultaneously maintain tall, continuous cover, recurring regeneration of desirable species, 

and the orderly growth and development of trees through a range of diameter or age classes to 

provide a sustained yield of forest products. Cutting is usually regulated by specifying the 

number or proportion of trees of particular sizes to be retained within each area, thereby 

maintaining a planned distribution of size classes. Cutting methods that develop and maintain 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 155 

uneven-aged stands are single-tree selection and group selection. 

Valid Existing Rights (Minerals) Legal interest that attaches to a land or mineral estate and that 

cannot be divested from the estate until that interest expires or is relinquished.

Value (Fire Management) (See "Fire Protection Assessment.”) 

Values at Risk (Fire Management) Any or all natural resources, improvements, or other values 

that may be jeopardized if a fire occurs (Compare "Resource Values-at-risk.”) 

Vegetative Buffer Strips Strips of grass or other erosion-resisting vegetation between areas of 

ground disturbance and areas needing protection from sedimentation. 

Vegetative Management, Vegetative Manipulation, Vegetative Treatment Any activities 

undertaken to modify the existing condition of the vegetation. 

Vein A fissure, fault, or crack in a rock filled by minerals that have travelled upwards from some 

deep source. 

Vertical Diversity The diversity in an area that results from the complexity of the above-ground 

structure of the vegetation; has two or more layers; the more tiers of vegetation or the more 

diverse the species makeup, or both, the higher the degree of vertical diversity. 

Viable Population Group of individuals of a particular species that produces enough offspring 

for long-term persistence and adaptation of the species or population in a given place. 

36 CFR 219.19 defines a viable population for planning purposes as one that has the estimated 

numbers and distribution of reproductive individuals to insure that a continued viable population is

well distributed in the planning area. Planning area is further defined by 36 CFR 219.3 as the "area 

of the National Forest System covered by a regional guide or forest plan." Direction from the 

Forest Service Manual (FSM) defines a viable population as one that has the estimated numbers 

and distribution of reproductive individuals to ensure the continued existence of the species 

throughout its existing range (or range required to meet recovery for listed species) within the 

planning area. 

Viewshed Total visible area from a single observer position or the total visible area from 

multiple observer positions. Viewsheds are accumulated seen areas from highways, trails, 

campgrounds, towns, cities, or other view locations. Examples are corridors, feature, or basin 

viewsheds. 

Wall Rock The rock forming the walls of a vein or ore deposit. Also referred to as country rock.

Waste (Minerals) Barren rock in a mine, or at least material that is too low in grade to be of 

economic value. 

Waste Dumps (Minerals) The area where the overburden or non-ore material is placed. This 

material is derived from materials removed in gaining access to the targeted ore. Any dirt or 

rock that has been removed from its original location by mining operations. 

Water Influence Zone The land next to streams and lakes where vegetation plays a major role 

in sustaining the long-term integrity of aquatic ecosystems. Includes the geomorphic floodplain, 

riparian ecosystem, and inner gorge, and has a minimum horizontal width (from top of each 

bank) of 100 feet or the mean height of mature dominant late-seral vegetation, whichever is 

greater. 

Watershed The area of land bounded by a divide that drains water, sediment, and dissolved 

materials to a common outlet at some point along a stream channel or to a lake, reservoir, or 

other body of water. Also called drainage basin or catchment. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 156 

Watershed Level The number assigned to an entire drainage basin contributing to the stream 

segment of a given level and bearing an identical designation; for example, a first-level 

watershed contains all the drainage area of a first-level stream (See “Stream Level.”) 

6th Level Watersheds: A watershed coded with a 12-digit code, typically 10,000 to 30,000 

acres in size. 

Waters of the United States Waters used for navigation and all other waters such as lakes, 

streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, 

wet meadows, playa lakes or natural ponds, and their tributaries. 

Wetlands Those areas that are inundated by surface water or groundwater with a frequency 

sufficient to support and under normal circumstances do or would support a prevalence of 

vegetative or aquatic life that requires saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions for growth 

and reproduction. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas such as 

sloughs, potholes, wet meadows, river overflows, mud flats, and natural ponds. 

Wildfire Any wildland fire not designated and managed as a prescribed fire within an approved 

prescription. All wildfires will be given an appropriate suppression action. 

Wildland-Urban Interface In applying Title I of the HFRA, this term means: 

• An area within or adjacent to an at-risk-community (ARC) identified in recommendations to 

the Secretary in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan 

OR 

• In the case of any area for which a Community Wildfire Protection Plan is not in effect: 

—an area extending 1⁄2 mile from the boundary of an at-risk community (ARC) 

—An area within 1-1/2 miles of the boundary of an at-risk community (ARC), including any

land that 

Has a sustained steep slope that creates the potential for wildland fire behavior

endangering the at-risk community (ARC) 

Has a geographic feature that aids in creating an effective firebreak, such as a road or 

ridgetop 

OR 

Is in Condition class 3 as documented by the Secretary in the project-specific 

environmental analysis 

AND 

—An area that is adjacent to an evacuation route for an at-risk community (ARC) that the 

Secretary determines—in cooperation with the at-risk community (ARC)—requires 

hazardous-fuel reduction to provide safer evacuation. 

Withdrawal (Minerals) An action that restricts the use of public land and segregates the land 

from the operation of some or all of the public land and mineral laws. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 157 

CHAPTER 6 LIST OF PREPARERS 

Interdisciplinary Team 

Robert Thompson District Ranger - Bachelor of Science, Geology, University of Montana, 1979. 

Thirty years of Forest Service experience at district and forest level in Montana 

and South Dakota. Fourteen years experience as geologist conducting mineral 

appraisals, permitting, environmental analysis and compliance. Certified Review 

Mineral Examiner. Seventeen years as District Ranger on two ranger districts 

responsible for managing a full range of resources, goods and services. 

Katie Van Alstyne ID Team Leader, Writer/Editor - Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Hollins University, 

1990. Eleven years with the National Park Service as an interpreter and law 

enforcement dispatcher. Ten years of Forest Service experience at the district, 

regional, and national level in planning/litigation. 

Jessica Eggers Writer/Editor - Master of Science, Forestry Wildland Recreation with a minor in 

Public Administration, University of Tennessee, 2005; Bachelor of Science, 

Forestry Wildland Recreation with a minor in Wildlife and Fisheries Science, 

University of Tennessee, 2003. Three years with the National Park Service as a 

Law Enforcement Park Ranger. One year with the National Park Service as the 

Natural Resource Program Coordinator. Two years of Forest Service experience at 

the district level in planning/litigation. 

Randy Rick Silviculturist – Bachelor of Science, Forest Resources: Ecosystems and 

Silviculture, University of Minnesota, 1984. Continuing Education in Ecosystem 

Management, 2002. Twenty-seven years of Forest Service experience at the 

district level in timber sale preparation, fire, and silviculture, including 6 years as 

Sale Prep Forester and 8 years as a Silviculturist. Region 2 Certified Silviculturist. 

Terry Tompkins Prescribed fire and fuels specialist - Bachelor of Science, Recreation Resource 

Management, School of Forestry, University of Montana 1992. 23 Years of Forest 

Service experience at the district level in Montana, Idaho, and South Dakota in fire 

operations, fuels, and prescribed fire planning. Fire qualifications are Incident 

Commander Type 3, Division/Group Supervisor, and Burn Boss Type 2. 

Shirlene Haas Travel Management Specialist / Wildlife Biologist - Master of Science in Wildlife 

Ecology, Utah State University, 1991; Bachelor of Science in Biology, University 

of Nebraska, 1986. 20 years of Forest Service experience at the district and forest 

level in South Dakota, Wyoming, and California in project and forest planning, 

and wildlife program management. Planning experience includes vegetation

management, special uses, lands, minerals, prescribed fire and fuels, range 

management, travel management, and recreation. 

Jessica Gould Hydrologist – Master of Science in Civil Engineering, South Dakota School of 

Mines and Technology. Currently working towards a PhD in Geology & 

Geological Engineering, focusing on hydrogeology. 14 years of Forest Service 

experience at the district level in Montana and South Dakota managing soil and 

water resources. 

Renee Boen South Zone Archaeologist - Master of Arts, Anthropology/Museum Studies, 

University of Nebraska, 1993; Bachelor of Science, Anthropology/Sociology, 

University of South Dakota, 1977. Thirty years experience with the South Dakota

State Historical Society as an archaeologist, repository manager, and State Burial 

Coordinator. Two years experience as a research associate at the University of 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Proposal Draft EIS, – Page 158 

South Dakota Archaeology Lab. One year expierience as the manager for the 

University of Nebraska State Museum archaeology lab. Private contractor 

conducting archaeological surveys and museum/repository evaluations for Native 

American tribes. 

Jeff Knutson Roads and Travel Management Engineering Technician – University of South 

Dakota; Black Hills State University. Twenty-five years of Forest Service 

experience at the District and Forest level in transportation planning, road design, 

contract administration, and environmental analysis. 

Chelsea Vollmer Botanist- Bachelor Degree in Biology with options in Botany and Ecology, 

University of Montana, 2003. Seven years of experience in botany with the USFS 

in Colorado, California, and South Dakota. 

Eugene F. Bolka Eugene F. Bolka – Noxious Weed Coordinator for the Mystic Ranger District. 

Twenty-six years with the United States Air Force as a Life Support 

Superintendent. 19 Years of Forest Service experience with YCC program, 

recreation, range, and noxious weed management. Representing the Forest Service 

in the Deerfield/Hill City and Doty Springs Noxious Weed Management Areas. 

Amy Ballard Recreation Forester - B.S. Aquatic Biology/Ecology, Allegheny College, 1986. 

M.S. Recreation Resources, Colorado State University, 1988. M.F. Forestry, 

University of Montana, 1990. 22 years with USFS as a recreation forester. 

Steve Keegan Landscape Architect - BS, Landscape Architecture & Environmental Studies, State 

University of New York, 1980; BS, Syracuse University 1980; AA, State 

University of New York - Onondaga, 1978. 28 years of Forest Service experience

at the forest and zone level in MT, ID, OR, SD, conducting: Scenic Resource 

Assessments, watershed analysis, recreation facility design, scenic byway 

coordination, and road design. 

Steve Hirtzel Fisheries Biologist – Bachelor of Science in Wildlife & Fisheries Science, South 

Dakota State University. Twenty-one years of experience in research, regulatory 

and management programs with various federal agencies, the past seven years on 

the Black Hills NF. 

Peter Werner Engineer – Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Montana State University 

(1990), Master of Science in Mining Engineering, Columbia University (1985), 

Bachelor of Science in Geology, Stanford University (1980). Nine years with the 

Forest Service as a mining engineer; ten years with the State of Montana as a 

mining engineer; five years private industry. 

Rodney Brown Lands/Recreation Forester – Bachelor of Science, Michigan State University, 

1977. Over 30 years working for the US Forest Service at the District level in 

Michigan and South Dakota working in special use permit administration, 

recreation residence permits, small tract act and land exchange cases; acquired and 

granted road and trail easements; working with utility companies on new and 

existing over head and underground power lines, telephone and fiber optic lines. 
Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Draft EIS, Page 169 

CHAPTER 7 INDEX 

1872 Mining Law, iv, v, 12, 13, 111 

air quality, 17, 25, 47, 68, 69, 70, 129, 132 

Deciding Official, v, 23 

design criteria, iv, 11, 25, 26, 44, 53 

EIS, 2, iii, iv, v, 11, 14, 22, 24, 26, 27, 37, 

41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 50, 79, 116, 135, 153 

Environmental Impact Statement, 1, 2, iii, 

11, 23, 125, 135 

Forest Plan, v, 14, 15, 17, 23, 25, 27, 41, 43, 

45, 46, 47, 63, 72, 75, 77, 78, 79, 87, 88, 

91, 100, 104, 116, 130, 134 

FP, 140, 143, 144, 146 

hydrogeology, 157 

ID Team, 2, iv, 17, 23, 25, 27, 157 

Interdisciplinary Team, 2, iv, 139, 140, 157 

Management Area, 2, 15, 17, 78, 87 

management indicator species, 19, 78 

MIS, 2, 19, 78, 79, 87, 91 

mitigation, iv, 13, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 44, 46, 

75, 91, 109 

monitoring, 11, 34, 38, 44, 67, 76, 90, 91, 

109, 114, 126, 129 

National Environmental Policy Act, 2, iii, iv, 

11, 14, 27, 50, 133, 144 

NEPA, 135 

National Forest System lands, iv, 12, 13, 21, 

23, 50, 53, 71, 74, 141, 149 

NEPA, 2, iii, iv, 11, 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 25, 

27, 50, 116, 133, 135, 142, 144 

NFS lands, 22, 51, 53, 74, 153 

Plan of Operation, v, 12, 14, 21 

PO, 2, iii, v, 12, 21, 27 

proposed action, iii, iv, v, 11, 21, 23, 24, 25, 

26, 27, 29, 44, 49, 72, 75, 76, 77, 92, 111, 

131, 136 

reclamation, 13, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 30, 31, 

32, 34, 35, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 

49, 54, 60, 61, 63, 69, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 

79, 80, 92, 94, 96, 100, 102, 103, 104, 

106, 107, 110, 113, 114, 115, 116, 130, 

145, 146 

Record of Decision, 2, 14, 44, 126 

scoping, iv, v, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 44, 50 

slash, 140, 145 

soils, 18, 39, 54, 59, 60, 63, 78, 81, 90, 129, 

130, 152 

Soils, 143 

SOLC, 19, 74, 75, 78, 79, 88, 90, 91, 153 

Species of Local Concern, 74, 75, 79, 88, 

153 

wildfire, 137, 148