A04_SOW.docx

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: MOUNTAIN-PRAIRIE REGION

Charles M. Russell NWR Cultural Resource Inventory Phillips, and Valley Counties Scope of Work

June 28, 2023 I. Purpose

The purpose of the proposed project is to complete a variety of mechanical treatments that will be used to reduce fuel loadings across the project by hand thinning, hand piling, pile burning, chipping, and mastication at Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR). The proposed project is considered an undertaking under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act due to its location on Federal lands, its provision of Federal funding, and the issuance of Federal permits.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) seeks a qualified individual (as defined by the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards for Archaeology) to conduct an intensive Class III survey of approximately 3,150 acres (including approximately 1,375 acres of Class III Area survey, and approximately 1,775 acres of Class III linear survey along CMR numbered roads. Under Section 106 of the NHPA and its implementing regulations (36 CFR Part 800), to identify any cultural resources occurring within the defined survey areas. Block areas subject to Class III survey should include the extent of the survey areas as mapped and provided to the consultant via GIS shape files with no additional buffer; linear areas subject to Class III survey along existing roadways should account for a total survey corridor width of 91 meters (300 feet) positioned along the edge of the existing road (i.e., 46 meters (150 feet) along each side of the roadway with no additional buffer. Any identified cultural resources (including sites or isolates, buildings, structures, and objects) should be subject to documentation and evaluation of integrity, significance, and National Register eligibility, followed by the development of Project effect recommendations.

II. USFWS Contacts Kevin Beck, Assistant Fire Management Officer, Kevin_Beck@fws.gov 406-370-9937 Allison Parish Archeologist Allison_Parrish@fws.gov 406-994-9949 Location (see attached map and associated GIS shape files)

The Project Area is located on Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in Phillips and Fergus Counties, Montana, approximately 95 miles northeast of Lewistown in the Missouri Breaks region. The headquarters for the Refuge Complex is in Lewistown. Three staffed field stations are located around the Refuge, including the Sand Creek Station 2 miles south of the Missouri River on the east side of U.S. Highway 191

The project area is within the Missouri Breaks; landforms are marked by gumbo soils, deeply incised drainages, steep slopes, and narrow ridges. A thorough examination in these conditions can be challenging. Variation from standard Class III inventory strategies must be defended.

Objectives.

A. General Service Objective: The overall Service objective is to inventory the area of potential effects (APE) for the proposed Pines Phase IV areas is to identify and evaluate historic properties within the APE, and to assess effects to identified historic properties within the APE.

B. Specific Study Objectives: Specific study objectives include the identification and evaluation of primarily surface indications of all cultural resources located on lands identified for survey within the project area. In general, site evaluations should be conducted using existing guidance from the Montana SHPO, the National Register Criteria (36 CFR 60.4), and the National Park Service National Register Bulletins. This area is known to have been used by members of many Montana’s tribes, United States Army, Lewis and Clark and numerous historic homesteaders. Documentation regarding that use should be part of this inventory and analysis. The historic nature of the transportation systems within the analysis area also needs to be evaluated, recognizing that some roads may be historic, associated with early exploration and agricultural settlement of the area, as well as historic FWS, military, GLO, and Grazing Service presence in the area.

Table 1

CMR 848

Township

T22N

Range

R25E

Sections 13,14

CMR 203

Township

T22N

Range

R25E

Sections 1,12

CMR 205

Township

T22N

Range

R27E

Section 7,8,17,20,21,27,28,34

Township

T21N

Range

R27E

Section

CMR 201 from 205 Junction to CK Creek

CMR 201 from CK Creek 206 Junction

Township

T24N

III. Description of Undertaking This undertaking will mechanically remove 2,900 acres of juniper and pine by using track vehicles and chainsaws to cut the trees off just above the ground surface.

IV. Schedule Period of Performance

Period Of Performance. To accomplish this work (in the approved trails and roads) contractor shall begin work after a purchase order has been issued and is given a period of 365 days to accomplish the designated work.

Length Of Contract- Contract is for the period of one (1) year, with up to four (4) option years with additional acres identified (subject to the availability of funds).

Site file and literature search shall begin no later than ten calendar days after the order has been issued and completed within 15 calendar days.

A. Contractor shall prepare a table summarizing the inventory results to the COR within ten days of completing the fieldwork. The table shall contain a unit number and inspection results, i.e., indicate if cultural resources were located and recorded.

B. One digital copy of the draft inventory report and site forms shall be submitted to the Service Zone Archaeologist no later than November 15, 2024.

C. The Service Zone Archaeologist will review all deliverables and comment on their adequacy within 30 calendar days of submission. All deliverables are due by December 31, 2024.

Table 2

Initial meeting and discussion between consultants and U.S. Fish and Wildlife cultural resource staff (USFWS) 1 month

USFWS Zone Archaeologist provides SHPO comments to consultant for final revisions of forms and report ~ mid-September 2024

* Actual calendar dates will be established at the start of the project.

V. Deliverable Products: Analysis and Report Preparation.

Findings/results of fieldwork and subsequent recommendations of individual resource eligibility and project effect should be compiled in a descriptive report and detailed on the appropriate State of Montana forms (including, but not limited to, CRIS and CRABS) following the standards and guidelines of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office. Pertinent historical information should be included in the report and on the forms. Select photographs should be embedded in the report and forms as appropriate.

All photographs should be provided as individual digital files labeled with a basic description and date upon submittal of the revised final report and forms to the Service.

An initial draft report and forms will be submitted to the Service Zone Archaeologist for review. A subsequent revised final draft report and forms addressing any requested revisions and/or comments will be submitted to the Zone Archaeologist. All deliverables should be submitted electronically.

VI. Access / Land Ownership The project is on CMR lands with access via numbered roads along the survey area. The consultant must contact the Sand Creek Field Station Manager, Michael Assenmacher,

(406) 464-5181 ext. 10 (office), (406) 366-0537 (cell), Michael_Assenmacher@fws.gov and Fort Peck Field Station Manager, Aaron Johnson Aaron_Johnson@fws.gov to coordinate schedules.

VII. Permits and Qualifications Individuals working on this project must be under the direct supervision of staff who meet or exceed the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualification Standards. Individuals meeting these standards must be present for all phases of the fieldwork. If the project is on federally owned lands, the contractor must obtain an Archaeological Resource Protection Act (ARPA) permit from the USFWS before starting any field work. A Special Use Permit (SUP) may also be required.

VIII. Additional Information Based on general knowledge, at least three historic resources have been preliminarily identified within the Project APE, including:

The consultant must complete a Class I file search and review the results to determine if any known or previously recorded resources occur within or near the Project Area. In addition, the consultant should revisit and update any known or previously recorded sites within the Project Area's bounds, including in the case that site(s) occur outside of a more limited Class II survey area as defined (i.e., The Pines Phase III).

Based on the file search results, any areas that have been previously surveyed in the past ten years can be excluded from the current survey (any such exclusions should be noted in the final report).

Known, previously recorded, and newly identified cultural resources greater than 50 years in age should be documented and updated following the standards of the Montana SHPO. In addition, any historic infrastructure encompassed within or otherwise directly associated with historic roads (such as bridges, culverts, etc.) should be documented in association with these roads and evaluated as contributing/non- contributing elements, and in the case that the road itself does not rise to eligibility standards, should be further evaluated for NRHP eligibility on an individual basis.

GIS shapefiles of Class II and III survey areas, along with a shapefile of the greater Project Area boundary (in the case of the Class II survey areas), will be electronically provided to the consultant at the start of the project. In addition, the consultant will need to apply for an ARPA permit with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and may need to apply for a CMR Special Use Permit (SUP) as well.

Due to the Refuge's immense size and remote location, visitors should be prepared for a variety of conditions. Temperatures can range from 100ºF in the summer to -20ºF in the winter. While the Refuge has many miles of vehicle trails open for travel, many of these trails are "primitive" and require a high clearance vehicle and/or four-wheel drive.

During wet weather, most trails are impassable. Plan to carry water with you as it is extremely limited on the Refuge and drinking water is generally unavailable. Cell phone service is sporadic.