[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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