1. Develop and conduct a cross-disciplinary baseline study comprised of 

 various study components, which is harmonious with the Montana Major Facility 

 Siting Act and the Montana Environmental Policy Act, and which will permit 

 initiation of impact evaluations of a facility application is received; and 



2. Obtain baseline data that are suitable for assessment of the action 

 under applicable statutes, and acceptable to those local, state, and federal 

 agencies involved in the proposed project. 



STUDY AREA 



Initially, the study area -- which is properly the focus of impact studies — 

 was defined as the area encompassing the biotic, abiotic, and cultural char- 

 acteristics that a mine and coal-conversion facility located in McCone County 

 near either the Fort Peck Reservior of the Missouri River may influence. Once 

 Dreyer Brothers, Inc. provides a better description of plant design and DNRC 

 understands the area's meteorligical characteristics better, the location of 

 the study area can be refined. If Dreyer Brothers, Inc. changes the location 

 of the proposed conversion facility indicated in the current long range plan, 

 DNRC will make the necessary adjustments in the definition of the study area. 



Three different study areas, corresponding to three levels of study in- 

 tensity, were recognized for the wildlife evaluation. These study areas are 

 shown in Map 1 and described below. 



Proposed Mining Area 



In March of 1977, Dreyer Brothers, Inc. defined a 29.8 km (an eleven and 

 one half square mile ) area encompassing the anticipated twenty-year strip 

 mining activity. This area, termed the proposed mining area, became the 

 primary focus of field study after its definition and contains all experimental 

 study plots for the wildlife study. At the time the remaining study components 

 are initiated, much of the monitoring equipment and study plots involved will 

 likewise be sited in this area. 



Mine Study Area 



The mine study area, which surrounds the proposed mining area, was studied 

 in nearly as much detail detail as the proposed mining area. It encompasses a 

 174.3 km^ (99 square mile) area as shown in Map 1. The vegetation evaluation 

 was focused upon a 132.0 km^ (75 square mile) area, also shown in Map 1. The 

 mine study area contains all control study plots, and most aerial surveys cov- 

 ered this area; it corresponds to the 7.5' field maps used to record data. 



Reconnaissance S tudy Area 



The reconnaissance study area, which corresponds roughly with the boundaries 

 of McCone County and Montana Department of Fish and Game hunting district (H.D.) 

 550 is the largest of the study areas. As implied by the name, this area 



