[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 114 (Friday, June 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32286-32287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15484]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Bridger Bowl Ski Area Permit Renewal and Master Plan Update
Gallatin National Forest, Gallatin County, Montana
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of work planned
to be accomplished over the next 10-15 years at Bridger Bowl ski area
which includes expansion of the existing facilities to improve beginner
skier terrain; increase skier opportunities on the mountain; improve
parking facilities and increase snow making capacity. The proposal
would expand the ski area boundary to the north into the Bradley Meadow
and Northwest Passage areas and expand the ski area boundary to the
south into the Pine-Slushman area. Several new runs would be developed
as well as two surface lifts to the ridge and two new chair lifts.
Existing chair lifts would be reconfigured and/or replaced. The base
area would be expanded and sewage facilities upgraded.
Implementation of the proposal would require a Forest Plan
amendment to change the land management allocation for the area
adjacent to the existing ski area from a semi-primitive recreation and
wildlife habitat emphasis to a developed winter recreation (ski area)
emphasis.
DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received on or before
July 28, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed
management activities or a request to be placed on the project mailing
list to Gene Gibson, District Ranger, Bozeman Ranger District, Gallatin
National Forest, 3710 Fallon St, Suite C, Bozeman, Montana, 59718-1911.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Halstrom, EIS Team Leader, Bozeman Ranger District, Gallatin
National Forest, Phone (406) 587-6920.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bridger Bowl ski area is located in Bridger
Canyon about 16 miles northeast of Bozeman, Montana. The area is
operated by the Bridger Bowl Corporation, a non-profit Montana
corporation. Bridger Bowl owns about 326 acres of the lower mountain;
is in the process of procuring 120 acres of land it has leased from the
State of Montana; and is authorized through a special use permit to use
about 1,153 acres of national forest land for recreational skiing
purposes.
Skiing began in the early 1940's by local enthusiasts from the
Bozeman area. In 1950, the State of Montana acquired 120 acres of
private land to be used in conjunction with the ski area. By 1952, the
local residents had organized and constructed the first commercial rope
tow and base lodge with volunteer help and private donations. The non-
profit corporation was organized in 1954 to maintain and operate the
ski area. It was originally known as the Bozeman State Park Recreation
Association. The Forest Service issued the first special use permit for
the ski area in 1954. The ski area has grown to sevel lifts and about
600 acres of developed ski trails.
Bridger Bowl Inc. has submitted a Master Plan proposal to the
Gallatin National Forest which covers their plans for continuation of
their special use authorization to operate on national forest lands.
The Master Plan includes a series of work divided into three phases to
be accomplished over the next 10-15 years.
The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of
these will be the ``no action'' alternative, in which none of the
proposed activities would be implemented. Additional alternatives will
examine varying levels and locations for the proposed activities to
achieve the proposal's purposes, as well as to respond to the issues
and other resources values.
The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative
environmental effects of the alternatives. Past, present, and projected
activities on both private and National Forest lands will be
considered. The EIS will disclose the analysis of site-specific
mitigation measures and their effectiveness.
Public participation is an important part of the analysis,
commencing with the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which will
occur June 1997 to July 1997. In addition, the public is encouraged to
visit with Forest Service officials at any time during the analysis and
prior to the decision. The Forest Service will be seeking information,
comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and
other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected
by the proposed action. The proposed will be presented at two Open
Houses at the Bozeman Ranger Distrct Office on Monday, June 23. The
representatives will be at 3:00 pm and at 7:00 pm. Representatives from
Bridger Bowl Inc. and the Gallatin National Forest will be available at
the open house to discuss the proposed project and provide additional
information.
Comments from the public and other agencies will be used to
preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will be used to:
1. Identify potential issues.
2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.
[[Page 32287]]
3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a
relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the Gallatin Forest
Plan EIS.
4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
5. Identify potential environmental effects of the proposed action
and alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects).
6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
The following preliminary issues have been identified so far:
Potential effects to changes in sediment yield and channel
stability associated with the proposed new construction.
Potential impacts to Yellowstone Cutthroat trout habitat
in the South Fork of Brackett Creek due to potential changes in
sediment delivery.
Potential impacts to the primitive characteristics of the
inventoried Bridger roadless area which surrounds the current ski area
to the south, north, and west. The proposal includes the development of
ski lifts and ski trails adjacent to and within this area.
The proposal includes additional ski runs and lifts in the
Pine-Slushman area to the south of the current ski area and additional
ski runs and lifts to the north. This proposal has the potential to
change the existing visual condition as observed from various locations
in the Bridger canyon.
The proposal includes expanded season of use. The use
pattern of the national forest road and trails within the permitted
area may be affected.
Potential effects to the adjacent cross-country ski trail
system authorized on national forest land.
Effects to the traffic patterns and potential increase on
the highway to the ski area and it's compliance to current county land
use planning.
Other issues commonly associated with ski area development include:
effects on cultural resources, water quality, soils, sensitive species,
and scenery values. This list may be verified, expanded, or modified
based on public scoping for this proposal.
The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in November of
1997. At that time, the EPA will publish a notice of availability of
the Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the Draft
EIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA's notice of availability
appears in the Federal Register. It is very important that those
interested in management of the Bridger Bowl ski area participate at
that time. To be most helpful, comments on the Draft EIS should be as
site-specific as possible. The Final EIS is scheduled to be completed
by June, 1998.
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to give reviewers notice 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 scoping 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 developing issues and alternatives.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible.
Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
I am the responsible official for this environmental impact
statement. My address is Gallatin National Forest, P.O. Box 130,
Federal Building, Bozeman, MT 59771.
Dated: June 6, 1997.
Richard H. Inman,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 97-15484 Filed 6-12-97; 8:45 am]
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