[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 155 (Friday, August 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41562-41563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20325]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 155 / Friday, August 9, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 41562]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area Master Development Plan, Arapaho National
Forest, Summit County, CO
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environment impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) has received a Master
Development Plan from Arapahoe Basin Ski Area (A-Basin) to update the
1982 plan presently in effect. The Master Development Plan outlines a
number of ski area modifications and new facilities, including limited
snowmaking and a mid-mountain lodge. A-Basin is located in Summit
County and operates on Arapaho National Forest under a Special Use
Permit issued by the Forest Service. The Forest Service is initiating
the process of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
analyze and disclose the effects of the proposed Master Development
Plan and alternatives. Potential alternatives have not yet been
identified.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
by September 7, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Tere O'Rourke, District Ranger,
U.S. Forest Service, P.O. Box 620, 680 Blue River Parkway,
Silverthorne, Colorado, 80498. FAX comments to Tere O'Rourke at (970)
468-7735. Oral comments will also be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Sharp, Winter Sports
Administrator, (970) 468-5400. FAX (970) 468-7735.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Arapahoe Basin Master Development Plan
(MDP) was recently completed to update the 1982 Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
Master Plan (1982 Plan). The 1982 Plan currently guides the Forest
Service in their administration of the ski area's Special Use Permit. A
majority of the upgrades describes within the 1982 Plan have been
implemented, with the exception of the proposed snowmaking facilities.
Given the age and status of the 1982 Plan, the Forest Service and A-
Basin determined that an updated plan would be appropriate at this
time. The MDP includes the following features:
Snowmaking capabilities on 84 acres of terrain (17% of the
total developed terrain) potentially to extend the ski season to
September 1 annually
Potential construction of a one-acre foot capacity pond
for water storage for the snowmaking facilities
Facility upgrades and modifications including: rental shop
upgrade; additional parking and access through a highway underpass; a
utility corridor (for water, wastewater, electricity, and phone); a
mid-mountain day lodge; and alpine slide; Norway lift modifications;
and patrol headquarters building
Mountain biking trails
Hiking/interpretive trails
Details pertaining to these proposed modifications are included in
the MDP, on file at the Forest Service offices in Silverthorne,
Colorado and at the Silverthorne and Frisco libraries. The MDP does not
include expansion of the Forest Service permit boundary, new lifts, new
ski terrain,or an increase in capacity or skiers-at-one-time (SAOT).
The purpose of and need for the proposed MDP are as follows:
Update the 1982 Plan which is out-dated (almost 15 years
old). Most of the improvements described in the 1982 Plan have been
implemented. In addition, new ski area technologies, planning
strategies, and environmental philosophies have emerged during this
time which warrant consideration in an updated plan.
Increase summer recreational opportunities at A-Basin,
potentially to include year-round alpine skiing, mountain biking,
interpretive trails, and an alpine slide. Additional recreational
opportunities would enhance economic activity and employment within
Summit County. In addition, providing for increased recreational
opportunities at A-Basin would be consistent with the White River
National Forest Plan and Forest Service policies encouraging additional
opportunities for summer and winter recreation on National Forest
System land, including the summer use of ski area facilities, where
appropriate.
Provide year-round public skiing opportunities and race
camp experiences for young racers through the employment of snowmaking
to cover approximately 17% of the developed terrain at A-Basin. It
would also provide for fall training facilities for the U.S. Ski Team.
Currently, young racers and U.S. Ski Team members must travel out of
state or out of the country to obtain appropriate training experiences.
Update and improve restaurant, parking, patrol
headquarters, and other facilities at the resort. The proposed facility
improvements would address current deficiencies and enhance the quality
and safety of the resort experience at A-Basin.
Encourage year-round use of the facilities while
maintaining the resort character.
The decision to be made is whether or not to approve and accept the
proposed MDP as a portion of the existing special use permit.
Preliminary issues associated with the MDP include water quality
and quantity; instream flow maintenance; fisheries; wetlands; wildlife;
and recreational compatibility.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ``404 Permit'' for dredging and
filling waters and/or wetlands may be required. The Forest Service will
request the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to cooperate in the environmental analysis, and may request
cooperation from other State and Federal agencies.
The Forest Service invites comments and suggestions on the scope of
the analysis to be included in the draft environmental impact
statement. In addition, the Forest Service gives notice that it is
beginning a full environmental analysis and decision-making process for
this MDP so that interested or affected people may know how they may
participate in the environmental analysis and contribute to the final
decision. The public scoping meetings are scheduled for Monday August
12, 1996 from 7:30-9:30 pm at the Silverthorne Recreation Center, 430
Rainbow Drive, Silverthorne, Colorado; and Tuesday, August 13, 1996
from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Forest Service Regional Office, 740 Simms
Street, Golden, Colorado. The purpose of these meetings is to learn
what issues and concerns members of the public or interested agencies
have that are associated with the proposal and should
[[Page 41563]]
be considered. Knowledge of these issues and concerns will help
establish the scope of the Forest Service environmental analysis and
define the kind and range of alternatives to be considered. Forest
Service officials and the proponent will describe and explain the
proposed actions and the process of environmental analysis and
disclosure to be followed in evaluating the MDP. The Forest Service
welcomes any public comments on the MDP.
The Responsible Official: Sonny LaSalle, Forest Supervisor, White
River National Forest, P.O. Box 948, Glenwood Springs, CO. 81602.
We expect to publish the draft environmental impact statement in
late 1996 or early 1997, to ask for public comment for a period of 45
days, and to complete a final environmental impact statement in mid
1997.
The 45-day public comment period on the draft environmental impact
statement will commence on the day the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes a ``Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers
notice at this early stage of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft environmental impact statements must structure their
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553, (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc., v. Harris,
490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court
rulings, it is very important that those interested in this proposed
action participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. (Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provision of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.) Please note that comments you
make on the draft environmental impact statement will be regarded as
public information.
Dated: August 2, 1996.
Veto J. LaSalle,
White River National Forest, Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-20325 Filed 8-8-96; 8:45 am]
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