[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 62 (Monday, April 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15356-15357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7759]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Mt. Ashland Ski Area Expansion, Rogue River National Forest, 
Jackson County, OR

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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 a proposal 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 two chairlifts, two surface 
lifts, and approximately 73 acres of associated new ski run terrain 
primarily within the western half of the Special Use Permit area. There 
would be an additional 11 acres of clearing for lift corridors, 
widening of existing runs, and staging areas. In addition, expanded 
features would include a tubing facility in the southern portion of the 
permit area; three guest services buildings, a yurt, additional night 
lighting; additional maintenance access road segments; additional 
power, water lines and storage tanks, sewer lines; an additional snow 
fence, and an increase in parking by 220 spaces. Additional watershed 
restoration projects would be implemented, including structural storm 
water control, and non-structural controls, such as the placement of 
coarse woody material. The proposed projects would be implemented and 
financed by the Mt. Ashland Association (MAA) as soon as possible after 
Forest Service authorization. Overall completion may take 10 or more 
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 May 3, 2002.

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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This site specific EIS will focus on a 
project proposal for expansion within the existing ski permit area. A 
draft EIS was released in February 2000, documenting detailed analysis 
of three alternatives including No-Action. Extraordinary public 
response on that draft EIS has caused the Forest Service to conduct 
additional analysis that will result in a new environmental impact 
statement. The new EIS will result in an analysis that reflects active 
citizen participation and improves the range of alternatives considered 
in detail. This process is designed as a continuation of the ongoing 
environmental analysis and all input previously received will be 
utilized in the formulation of the new EIS. The stated purpose and need 
is modified from the February 2000 draft EIS. The proposal, as received 
from MAA, has also been modified to reflect further refinements that 
reduce environmental impacts. 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 inventoried roadless 
area.
    In a 1991 Record of Decision (ROD) and final EIS, the Forest 
Service decided that expanding the Mt. Ashland Ski Area (MASA) was an 
appropriate use of National Forest System Lands. In this current EIS 
process, the Forest Service is responding to a modified request (March 
2002) by Mt. Ashland Association (MAA) to allow construction of some of 
the expanded ski facilities programmatically approved in 1991. MAA 
believes that operations and economic viability at the MASA would be 
enhanced by construction of proposed new facilities, which are intended 
to bring the ski area up to date relative to ski industry terrain and 
safety standards. The Forest Service agrees that this overall need 
exists and has agreed to consider options for meeting this need. The 
Forest Service and MAA have cooperatively determined six specific 
purpose elements for ski area expansion at the MASA at this time. 
Purpose 1 is terrain balance and diversity, including: develop a 
balance of terrain by ability level, develop suitable terrain for 
beginners, provide accessibility of existing lower level terrain, 
increase terrain for special programs and competitions, increase 
diversity of non-traditional terrain, and provide recreational 
opportunities for non-skiers. Purpose 2 is guest access and circulation 
including: enhance lift access and skier density, and improve access to 
facilities. Purpose 3 is update and balance guest services and 
facilities including: enhance guest experience by updating the quality 
of existing skier services, and provide additional guest services to 
improve accessibility. Purpose 4 is skier safety including: enact 
improvements that provide for and improve user safety. Purpose 5 is 
economic viability and longevity including: augment and modernize 
existing facilities to provide an economically viable and stable ski 
area, and provide a quality recreation experience appealing to the 
broadest spectrum of the skiing and snowboarding market. Purpose 6 is 
watershed restoration including: implement restoration projects to 
maintain or improve the trend of recovering watersheds.
    Concurrent with the analysis of the Proposed Action under NEPA, the 
Forest Service will document several non-significant Forest Plan 
Amendments to make the Land and Resource Management Plans for the Rogue 
River and Klamath National Forests, consistent with the decision 
reached in the 1991 ROD/final EIS.
    Based on extensive previous scoping, analysis and public comment 
received on the February 2000 draft EIS, a preliminary site specific 
list of project issues has been developed. The significant issue 
categories that will be used to develop the range of alternatives in 
the forthcoming draft EIS include: Effects on Water Quality, Effects to 
Wetlands and Riparian Reserves, Effects to Englemann Spruce, Effects to 
Mt. Ashland Lupine and Henderson's Horkelia, Effects Associated with 
Human Social Values, and Effects Associated with Economics.
    Based on extensive public input and detailed field survey and 
analysis conducted by ski area planners, the following five 
alternatives will be analyzed in detail (at a minimum) in the 
forthcoming draft EIS: No-Action (as required by NEPA, the Proposed 
Action (based on a revised proposal received from Mt. Ashland 
Association), an alternative to the Proposed Action in the Middle Fork 
Ashland Creek area that addresses a reduced impact to Englemann spruce 
and wetlands, an expansion alternative based on development of 
additional facilities sited in the ``Knoll'' area, and an alternative 
that would primarily expand ski area facilities in areas already

[[Page 15357]]

developed (current facility expansion). The legal location description 
for all actions being considered is T. 40 S., R. 1 E., in sections 15, 
16, 17, 20, 21, and 22, W.M., Jackson County, Oregon.
    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 July 2002. 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 
fall 2002.
    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, Rogue River National Forest, is the Lead Agency 
for this EIS. The Forest Supervisors of the Rogue River and Klamath 
National Forests are the Responsible Officials. The Responsible 
Officials will consider the comments, responses to the comments, 
environmental consequences discussed in the final EIS, and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies. The Responsible Officials will 
document the Mt. Ashland Ski Area Expansion decision and the rationale 
for the decision in a Record of Decision (ROD). The Forest Service 
decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations (36 CFR 
Part 215).

    Dated: March 25, 2002.
Thomas K. Reilly,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 02-7759 Filed 3-29-02; 8:45 am]
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