[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2178-2179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-226]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2006 / 
Notices  

[[Page 2178]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Lolo National Forest; Montana; Montana Snowbowl Ski and Summer 
Resort Expansion

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 
notice is hereby given that the Forest Service, Lolo National Forest 
will prepare an Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) through a 
third-party contractor to evaluate and disclose the environmental 
consequences of the proposed expansion of the Montana Snowbowl Ski Area 
(MSB) in Missoula County, Montana. The proposed expansion would 
increase the area of ski runs from approximately 240 to 406 acres, all 
of which would be on the National Forest. New infrastructure would 
include five lifts and three skier services buildings totaling about 
7,000 square feet. The new permit would also allow summer mountain 
biking and hiking on the new expansion area of TV Mountain. The 
expansion may require a Forest Plan amendment since it would include 
portions of Management Areas 16 and 25 which do not specifically 
include developed recreation.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
by February 15, 2006. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected to be available for public review in October 2006 and the 
final environmental impact statement is expected in February 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit written or oral comments to Stephanie Lauer, PBS&J, 
1120 Cedar Street, Missoula, MT 59802, phone (406) 721-0354. You may 
also submit comments via e-mail--[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    1. Don Stadler, East Zone NEPA Coordinator/IDT Leader at the 
Missoula Ranger District, Building 24A, Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT 
59804 at (406) 329-3731; or via [email protected].
    2. Barry Dutton, Project Manager or Stephanie Lauer, Assistant 
Project Manager at PBS&J, 1120 Cedar Street, Missoula, MT 59802 at 
(406) 721-0354; or via [email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Missoula Snowbowl Ski and Summer Resort has 
operated on Lolo NF lands under a SUP since 1961. Their present SUP was 
granted under the authority of the National Forest Ski Area Act of 1986 
(16 U.S.C. 497b). The Act authorizes the U.S. Forest Service to issue 
team ski area permits ``for the use and occupancy of suitable nordic 
and alpine skiing operations and purposes'' (Section 3(b)). The Act 
also states that a permit shall encompass such acreage as the Forest 
Service ``determines sufficient and appropriate to accommodate the 
permittee's need for ski operations and appropriate ancillary 
facilities'' (section 3(b)). Montana Snowbowl Ski and Summer Resort 
presently has a 40-year permit. The Lolo National Forest has received a 
proposed, revised Master Plan from Montana Snowbowl, Inc. The revised 
Master Plan was reviewed by the Lolo National Forest on December 6, 
2004. The Lolo National Forest Plan is currently in the process of 
revision.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The expansion is needed to continue safe, high quality recreation 
and provide the financial capabilities to continue to make improvements 
and upgrades to the facilities and operation of Montana Snowbowl Ski 
and Summer Resort.

Proposed Action

    Montana Snowbowl, Inc. proposes to expand the Missoula Snowbowl Ski 
and Summer Resort north of Missoula, Montana. The project would be 
implemented in 2007 and be completed over a ten-year period. The 
proposed action is located within and adjacent to the existing ski 
area, approximately 12 miles north of Missoula, Montana. The existing 
resort is mainly on the north and west slopes of Big Sky Mountain. The 
proposed expansion area is mainly on TV Mountain, adjacent to and 
immediately west of the existing resort. TV Mountain is the site of the 
original ski area that operated during the 1950s and evolved into the 
present day MSB. The proposed expansion area is located in the upper 
end of the Butler Creek and La Valle Creek drainages. Butler Creek and 
LaValle Creek are tributaries to the Clark Fork River. No inventoried 
roadless areas would be affected by the proposed expansion.
    The current Montana Snowbowl Ski and Summer Resort SUP includes 
approximately 1,138 acres of Forest Service lands. The proposed action 
would increase the SUP areas by 1,088 acres, from 1,138 to 
approximately 2,226 acres. The resort also encompasses an additional 80 
acres of private land owned by Montana Snowbowl, Inc. The existing 
resort and proposed expansion project are located on the Lolo National 
Forest, which is the lead agency for the project.
    The proposed expansion would increase the area of ski runs from 
approximately 240 to 406 acres, all of which would be on the National 
Forest. The proposed expansion takes advantage of existing openings 
wherever possible. Approximately 114 acres of new clearing would be 
required. New infrastructure would include five lifts and three skier 
services buildings totaling 7,000 square feet. The new permit would 
also allow summer mountain biking and hiking on the new expansion area 
of TV Mountain. The expansion may require a Forest Plan amendment since 
it would include portions of Management Areas 16 and25 which do not 
specifically include development recreation. The Lolo National Forest 
Plan is presently being revised.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the Montana Snowbowl Ski and Summer 
Resort Expansion is Deborah L. R. Austin, Forest Supervision, Lolo 
National Forest.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisor of the Lolo National Forest will decide 
whether to grant a change to the existing Montana Snowbowl Ski and 
Summer Resort SUP to include an additional 1,088 acres and include 
provisions to clear additional ski runs, construct five new lifts, 
three new skier service buildings, and include summer mountain biking 
and hiking.

[[Page 2179]]

Scoping Process

    The federal Forest Service is the lead agency for preparing this 
EIS. The EIS will be prepared through a third-party contractor. The 
Forest Service will consult with the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service when making this decision. The scoping process will include, at 
a minimum, one public meeting, scoping mailings, and public notices in 
newspapers of record. The responsible official will make a decision on 
this proposal after considering comments, responses, environmental 
consequences, applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The decision 
and rationale for the decision will be documented in a Record of 
Decision (ROD).

Permits or Licenses Required

    A change to the Montana Snowbowl Ski and Summer Resort SUP would be 
required as part of the proposed action.

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, Inv. 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 draft environmental impact statement 
comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made 
available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaning fully 
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: January 3, 2006.
Gary Garthwait,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06-226 Filed 11-12-06; 8:45 am]
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