[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55228-55229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26481]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Mt. Ashland Ski Area Expansion, Rogue River National Forest,
Jackson County, Oregon
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental
impacts of the proposed action to expand the Mt. Ashland Ski Area
(MASA). The project area is located approximately 7 miles south of
Ashland, Oregon, within the Siskiyou Mountains in Southern Oregon. The
proposed expansion would include construction of a new chairlift and
associated ski runs; a surface lift providing novice skiers access to
proposed runs; additional parking areas; maintenance access roads; and
necessary supporting infrastructure--sewer, water, and power lines. All
proposed expansion projects are within the existing Special Use Permit
area boundary. Proposed action would be implemented by MAA after Forest
Service authorization is granted. Full implementation is expected to
take 2-3 years. The agency will give notice of the full environmental
analysis and decision making process on the proposed expansion so
interested and affected members of the public may participate and
contribute in the final decision.
DATES: Additional comments concerning the scope of this analysis should
be received by October 29, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Submit additional written comments to Linda Duffy, District
Ranger, Ashland Ranger District, Rogue River National Forest, 645
Washington Street, Ashland, Oregon, 97520.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Duffy or Steve Johnson, Ashland
Ranger District, Rogue River National Forest, 645 Washington Street,
Ashland, Oregon, 97520, Telephone (541) 482-3333; FAX (541) 858-2402;
email address is sjohnson/[email protected].
[[Page 55229]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This site specific EIS will focus on a
project proposal for expansion within the existing Master Plan. The
environmental analysis will consider and include new information or
changed circumstances since the programmatic decision on the ``Master
Plan'' was made in 1991, including an action partially contained within
an area previously inventoried as roadless. A Forest Plan Amendment
will be needed to adjust the management allocation boundary from the
1990 Rogue River National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
The MAA expansion proposed action includes: construction of a new
top drive, quad chairlift and associated ski runs within the western
portion of the Special Use Permit area; approximately 8 acres of
surface lift corridors and staging areas, providing novice skiers
access to the proposed runs; a new skier services building; 2
additional work road segments; additional power, water lines and
storage tanks, sewer lines; and increase parking lot by 200 spaces. The
legal location description for all actions is T. 40 S., R. 1 E., in
sections 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, and 22, W.M., Jackson County, Oregon.
Currently the variety of ski runs offered at MASA does not reflect
the predominate demand of skiers and snowboarders, and projected future
trends. Intermediate and low intermediate skiing terrain is currently
inadequate, particularly to skiing groups and families with varying ski
abilities and skills. The primary purpose and need associated with this
proposed expansion is to make available additional novice and
intermediate skiing terrain. MASA's capacity to host special programs
and competitions is currently limited by available terrain and the
concurrent need to accommodate the general skiing public. In addition,
the current skier service facilities are not in line with the number of
users and in some cases are inadequate, for example, sanitation, food
service, and vehicle parking.
Preliminary issues include: water quality within a domestic supply
watershed; protection of wetland habitats and rare plant and animal
species; aesthetics and social considerations; and the economic
feasibility associated with the operation and expansion of a commercial
ski area. Alternatives being considered include opportunities to avoid
or reduce impacts to wetland areas and alternative locations for ski
runs, parking and other proposed ski area facilities.
Comments received on the draft EIS will be considered in the
preparation of the final EIS. The draft EIS is now expected to be filed
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for
public review in November 1999. The comment period on the draft EIS
will be 45 days from the date EPA publishes the Notice of Availability
in the Federal Register. At the end of the comment period on the draft
EIS, comments will be analyzed and considered by the Forest Service in
preparing the final EIS. The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by
March 2000.
Comments received in response to this notice, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public
record on this proposed action and will be available for public
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR Parts 215 or
217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request
the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing
how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality.
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the
FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited
circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service
will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding the
request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied, the
agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the
comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within a
specified number of days.
The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers
notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft EISs 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, 533 (1978). Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the draft EIS stage, but that are not raised until
completion of the final EIS, may be waived or dismissed by the courts.
City 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 important that those interested
in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45-day comment
period so 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 EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to
specific pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address
the adequacy of the draft EIS 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 provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points).
The Forest Service is the Lead Agency for this EIS. The Forest
Supervisor is the Responsible Official. The Responsible Official will
consider the comments, responses to the comments, environmental
consequences discussed in the final EIS, and applicable laws,
regulations, and policies. The Responsible Official will document the
Mt. Ashland Ski Area Expansion decision and the rationale for the
decision in a ROD. The Forest Service decision will be subject to
Forest Service Appeal Regulations (36 CFR Part 215).
Dated: September 30, 1999.
Robert W. Shull,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-26481 Filed 10-8-99; 8:45 am]
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