[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51328-51329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17154]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 51328]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit; El Dorado Co., CA, Douglas Co., 
NV, Alpine Co., CA, Heavenly Mountain Resort Master Plan Amendment, 
2006

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Lake Tahoe 
Basin Management Unit, will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Heavenly Mountain Resort Master Plan 
Amendment, 2006. This update includes operational improvements for more 
efficient use of existing and proposed ski facilities, better skier 
dispersal, summer activities and lodge locations. Heavenly Mountain 
Resort is located within El Dorado and Alpine Co., California, and 
Douglas Co., Nevada, on the border between California and Nevada, 
adjacent to the community of Stateline. This Master Plan Amendment is 
submitted based on the existing 1996 Master Plan as part of Heavenly's 
special use permit.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by October 3, 2005. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected by December 2005 and the final environmental impact statement 
is expected by June 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Janine Clayton, Acting Forest 
Supervisor, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Dr., South 
Lake Tahoe, California, 96150, email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Ridley, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Dr., South Lake 
Tahoe, CA, 96150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    Alpine skiing is the predominant land use within the Heavenly 
Management Area. The Master Plan Amendment, 2006 is expected to 
optimize the quality of skiing based upon annual assessments of the 
skiing experience. The Forest Plan identifies maintaining a quality ski 
resort as a desired future condition, thus the Master Plan Amendment, 
2006 responds to changes in technology, resort ownership, market trends 
and user preferences.

Proposed Action

    The Heavenly Master Plan Amendment, 2006 is intended to update the 
existing 1996 Heavenly Ski Resort Master Plan in order to incorporate 
recommendations from comprehensive studies regarding lift technology, 
mountain utilization and lodge locations. The DEIS will tier where 
appropriate from the adopted 1996 Heavenly Ski Resort EIS/EIR. The 
Master Plan provides for more efficient use of ski facilities and 
summer activities, a better balance of skiers/riders between lifts and 
trails, and improvement of facilities within the existing, developed 
ski area to maximize guest safety and experience.

Possible Alternatives

    Alternative 1 is a No Action/No Project alternative. All future 
development would adhere to projects listed in the existing approved 
master plan and be subject to all mitigation measures, project 
limitations and timelines described therein. Alternative 2 is the 
Proposed Action and is based on updating the 1996 Heavenly Ski Resort 
Master Plan. The goal is improvement rather than expansion of resort 
lift technology, facilities and recreation activities. Additional 
alternatives may differ from the Proposed Action with possible 
revisions to the North Bowl Express alignment, ski trail design, 
snowmaking, and relocation of facilities and roads.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will 
serve as the lead federal agency. It will produce an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) that satisfies the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency 
(TRPA). The TRPA is the lead agency under the Tahoe Regional Planning 
Compact and will serve as the lead agency for a TRPA EIS. El Dorado 
County, California will serve as the lead agency for preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) under the California Environmental 
quality Act (CEQA). The intention is to produce a joint document 
meeting the requirements of NEPA, TRPA and CEQA.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official is Janine Clayton, Acting Forest 
Supervisor, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Dr., South 
Lake Tahoe, California, 96150.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Service expects that a DEIS will be filed and made 
available to the public and other commenting entities in December, 
2005. Following public comment, a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) is scheduled to be issued in June 2006 by the Forest Service. 
The LTBMU expects an insignificant amendment to the Forest Plan.

Scoping Process

    A public scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 21 at 
7 p.m. at the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit's Forest Supervisor's 
office, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, California. Scoping will 
occur on September 14 at the TRPA Advisory Planning Commission meeting 
at the TRPA Governing Board Rooms, 128 Market Street, Stateline, NV. 
Scoping will continue at the September 28 TRPA Governing Board meeting 
at the North Tahoe conference center, 8381 North Lake Blvd., Kings 
Beach, CA.

Preliminary Issues

    During preparation of the Master Plan Amendment 2005 Environmental 
Assessment, the following issues were identified: The need to prepare a 
project-level biological evaluation to analyze old growth and wildlife 
habitat; scenic quality, and project implementation in a stream 
environment zone. Due to the significance of these issues, it was 
decided to complete an EIS and not issue a decision under the EA.

[[Page 51329]]

Permits or Licenses Required

    The TRPA will issue project specific permits for projects and 
activities within the Lake Tahoe Region, as approved under the Heavenly 
Mountain Resort Master Plan Amendment.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review

    A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for 
comment. The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement 
will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    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 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 environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the 
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft 
environmental impact statement 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.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21)

    Dated: August 23, 2005.
Tyrone Kelley,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, LTBMU.
[FR Doc. 05-17154 Filed 8-29-05; 8:45 am]
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