[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 95 (Friday, May 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27007-27008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12851]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort Master Development Plan, Wasatch-
Cache National Forest, Salt Lake Ranger District, Salt Lake County,
Utah and Uinta National Forest, Pleasant Grove Ranger District, Utah
County, Utah
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement on Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort's proposed master
development plan.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
in writing by June 16, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael Sieg, District Ranger, 6944
South 3000 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Cruz, District Environmental
Coordinator, (801) 943-9483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, a ``Special
Use Permit'' permittee is proposing to update its master plan. Much of
the resort's permitted boundary lies on National Forest System Land.
This proposal includes elements on both public and private lands.
Public land elements include the following: upgrade the Big Emma NASTAR
course; regrade and asphalt the Gad Valley parking lot; construct a new
day lodge facility in the lower Gad Valley; upgrade the skier services
facilities on Hidden Peak with a multi-use structure; add additional
snowmaking capacity which would be completed in three phases and total
approximately 110 acres; construct a new Gad III Chairlift; upgrade the
Little Cloud Chairlift to a fixed-grip quad; implement a vegetation
management plan; regrade portions of the following ski trails: Middle
Bassackwards, Madam Annie, ski access to upper Big Emma, Upper
Regulator intermediate route, Big Emma creek crossing, and Modify the
Blackjack Road: construct the following summer trails: Extension to the
barrier-free trail; trails that would augment existing trails on both
sides of Hidden Peak; construct an access road to the top station of
the Gad III lift; construct ski trails associated with the God III
chairlift; improve skier access from Hidden Peak into Peruvian Gulch
and Mineral Basin.
The following private land elements are also included in this
proposal; construct a quad lift and fixed-grip double in Mineral Basin;
develop, improve or maintain the following trails and roads: Chips
Switchback; Lower Men's Downhill Chute; South Ridge widening; construct
new ski trails in Mineral Basin; a snowcat route from the top of Little
Cloud lift down into Mineral Basin; Mineral Basin access tunnel/road;
alter a rock chute in Mineral Basin and install three avalauncher
platforms in Mineral Basin. Associated with the Mineral Basin
expansion, the special use permit would be expanded to include portions
of the Uinta National Forest. A complete description of the proposal
and its elements is available from the Salt Lake Ranger District.
In addition to obtaining a new Ski Area Term Special Use Permit
from the Forest Service, Snowbird may also be required to obtain a
Department of Army 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers and
consult with the Environmental Protection Agency. They may also be
required to obtain an amendment of water supply permit agreement from
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities.
A scoping document will be sent to over 750 individuals,
organizations and government agencies on May 16, 1997, explaining the
decision to conduct an environmental impact statement, and soliciting
comments. Comments received from scoping documents on Snowbird's Three
and Five-year plans will be included in this analysis. Two public
meetings will be held during the scoping period: June 2, 1997 at the
Hampton Inn (10690 South, 160 West) in Sandy, Utah, and June 3, at the
Lehi Public Library, 120 Center Street, Lehi, Utah. Both meetings will
run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Preliminary issues identified by the
Forest Service interdisciplinary team include effects on visual
quality, effects on wetland and riparian areas, effects on water
quality and quantity, effects on vegetation diversity, effects on fish
and wildlife, effects on traffic and parking in Little Cottonwood
Canyon, recreational conflicts and effects on threatened, endangered
and sensitive species. Two preliminary alternatives have been
identified. The proposed action alternative would permit the
aforementioned projects and require Snowbird to convert to a new Ski
Area Term Special Use Permit. The No Action alternative would continue
the use as currently permitted with no new facilities.
The public is invited to submit comments or suggestions to the
address above. Comments received from individuals, groups and
government agencies received from the September 1993 and May 1995
scoping documents will be incorporated into this analysis. The
responsible officials are Bernie Weingardt and Peter Karp, Forest
Supervisors. A draft EIS is anticipated to be filed in May 1998 and the
final EIS filed in November 1998.
The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will
be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's
[[Page 27008]]
notice of availability appears in the Federal Register. It is very
important that those interested in this proposed action participate at
that time. To be the most helpful, comments on the draft environmental
impact statement should be as specific as possible and may address the
adequacy of the statements or the merits of the alternatives discussed
(see The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3).
In addition, Federal court decisions have established that
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 reviewers' position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
533 (1978). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the
draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the
final environmental impact statement. City of Angoon v. Hodel, (9th
Circuit, 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.
1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to ensure 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.
Dated: May 8, 1997.
Michael Sieg,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 97-12851 Filed 5-15-97; 8:45 am]
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