[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17671-17672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8771]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


49 Degrees North Mountain Resort Revised Master Plan, Colville 
National Forest, Stevens County, Washington

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of a 
site-specific proposal to revise the master plan and the present 
special use permit of the Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation, current 
operator of the 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort. The proposed master 
plan would replace the existing 1977 master plan. This master plan 
would expand the ski area from it's current size of about 900 acres to 
2,100 acres, utilizing the entire area the 1988 Colville National 
Forest Land and Resources Management Plan designated for downhill 
skiing (Management Area 3C). Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation owns about 
320 acres adjacent to the current permit area. All or portions of the 
proposed activities would occur on this private land. The proposal 
revises the master plan and includes projects that expand downhill 
skiing capacity and improve the downhill skiing experience, expands the 
Nordic skiing capacity, develops the associated infrastructure, and 
includes summer use of the permit area. The proposal may require a 
minor Forest Plan amendment because the Forest Plan Management Area 3C 
boundaries do not precisely coincide with the ridge tops. Connected 
action on adjacent private land, which will be evaluated as part of 
this proposal, include: (1) Constructing a mid-way lodge; (2) plating 
and preparing for the development of 120 residential housing units 
clustered on 32 acres; and (3) transferring one mile of Forest Road 
4300473 to Stevens County. Portions of the proposal ski trails, water 
pipeline, electrical cable would be located on private land. 49 Degrees 
North Mountain Resort is located approximately 10 miles east of the 
city of Chewelah, Washington and approximately 50 miles north of the 
city of Spokane, Washington. The purpose of the EIS will be to develop 
and evaluate a range of alternatives, including a No Action alternative 
and possible additional alternatives, to respond to issues identified 
during the scoping process. Except as described above, the proposed 
action is in compliance with the direction in the Colville National 
Forest Land and Resources Management Plan, which provides the overall 
guidance for the management area. The Agency invites written comments 
on the scope of this project. In addition, the agency gives notice of 
this analysis so that interested and affected people are aware of how 
they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions to Nora B. Rasure, 
Forest Supervisor, Colville National Forest, 765 South Main, Colville, 
Washington 99114. Attn: 49 Degrees North Revised Master Plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions and comments about this EIS 
should be directed to Dan Dallas, District Ranger, Newport Ranger 
District, 315 North Warren, Newport, Washington 99156; phone 509-447-
3129.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation, owner of 49 
Degrees North Mountain Resort, has been working to revise their master 
plan since they purchased the ski area in 1996. The Colville National 
Forest is initiating this action in response to a proposed revision of 
the master plan submitted by the corporation.
    The proposal would expand downhill skiing capacity and improve the 
downhill skiing experience by--(1) expanding ski runs from about 540 to 
860 acres, (2) expanding tree skiing from about 200 acres to 470 acres, 
(3) constructing one chair lift, and (4) installing three culverts and 
extending two culverts on existing ski runs. Develop new Nordic skiing 
facilities by--(1) developing about 12 miles of cross-country ski 
trails, and (2) constructing a Nordic ski center with an ice rink. 
Develop the necessary infrastructure by--(1) expanding the current 
lodge, (2) expanding the wastewater treatment facility, (3) installing 
additional water supply pipeline, (4) installing a larger water storage 
tank, (5) installing more underground electrical cable, (6) expanding 
the parking and including a small RV park, (7) constructing about 0.75 
miles of new primitive road to access work areas, (8) constructing a 
new maintenance shop, and (9) re-aligning the entrance road. The 
proposal further includes summer use of the area by--(1) allowing 
biking and hiking on the Nordic ski trails, and (2) developing a small 
tent camping area near the Nordic center.

[[Page 17672]]

    A range of alternatives will be considered, including a No Action 
alternative. Other alternatives will be developed in response to issues 
received during scoping. Preliminary issues that have been identified 
include the potential effects of structures and developments on--
streams and riparian areas, wildlife habitats., and heritage resources.
    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 revised master plan 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 part 215. 
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 draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for review in July 2002. 
The EPA will publish a notice of availability of the draft EIS in the 
Federal Register. The comment period of the draft EIS will be 45 days 
from the date the EPA notice appears in the Federal Register. At that 
time, copies of the draft EIS will be distributed to interested and 
affected agencies, organizations, Tribes, and members of the public for 
their review and comment. It is very important that those interested in 
the management of the Colville National Forest participate at that 
time.
    The Forest Service believes it is important, at this early stage, 
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
a draft EIS 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 connections. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power 
Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,553 (1978). Also, environmental objections 
that could be raised at the draft EIS stage, but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final EIS 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 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 the final EIS.
    The final EIS is scheduled to be completed October 2002. In the 
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable 
laws, regulations and policies considered in making the decision 
regarding this proposal.
    Nora B. Rasure, Forest Supervisor, Colville National Forest is the 
responsible official. As the responsible official, she will document 
the decision and reasons for the decision in the record of decision. 
That decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulation (36 
CFR Part 215).

    Dated: March 25, 2002.
Nora B. Rasure,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 02-8771 Filed 4-10-02; 8:45 am]
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