li. IMPACTS ON THE PHSYICAL ENVIRONMENT 



AIR QULITY (continued) 



DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS 

 fNo-Jiction Alternative 



The existing condition would not change. 



taction Jiltemative 



Postharvest burning would produce smoke 

 emissions; log hauling and other project- 

 related traffic on dirt roads would increase 

 road dust during dry periods . None of the 

 increases are expected to exceed standards or 

 impact local population centers if burning is 

 completed within the requirements imposed by 

 the Montana Airshed Group and dust -abatement 

 material is applied to roads during dry 

 periods. 



CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 



JVo-Action Alternative 



The existing condition would not change. 

 Actum Alternative 



Additional smoke produced from prescribed 

 burning on adjacent USPS, private, and State 

 trust forestland would remain within the 

 standards for air quality, but cumulative 

 effects during peak burning periods could 

 affect individuals with respiratory illnesses 

 at local population centers for short 

 durations. All known major burners operate 

 under the requirements of the Montana Airshed 

 Groups, which regulate the amount of 

 emissions produced cumulatively by major 

 burners . 



7. VEGETATION COVER, 



QUANTITY AND QUALITY: 

 Will vegetative 

 communities be 

 permanently altered? 

 Are any rare plants or 

 cover types present? 

 Are cumulative impacts 

 likely to occur as a 

 result of this proposed 

 action? 



[Y] 



EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 



The project is located in Swan River State 

 Forest and directly affects the timber base 

 and other attributes at the forest -management 

 level. The project views the analysis area 

 on 2 scales : the Swan River State Forest 

 management block and the project area. The 

 concentrated blowdown takes in an area of 

 1,500 acres, primarily east of Highway 83 in 

 the northern portion of Swan River State 

 Forest {FIGURE A - BIG GLOWDOWN PROJECT 

 AREA) . The most common habitat types 

 throughout the project area are grand fir and 

 subalpine fir. APPENDIX C - VEGETATION 

 ANALYSIS describes indepth the vegetation and 

 the effects of the proposed alternatives. 



Page CEA-8 



Checklist Environmental Assessment 



