[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 36 (Friday, February 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8199-8200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3083]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Bald Mountain Ski Resort Master Development Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
(FLPMA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) the Bureau of 
Land Management publishes a Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Bald Mountain Ski Resort 
Master Development Plan, the purpose of which is to analyze and 
disclose the effects of the updated Bald Mountain Ski Area Master 
Development Plan and 40-year term ski permit application.

DATES: The DEIS will be available for review and comment for 45 
calendar days from the date of this publication which coincides with 
the NOA published in the Federal Register by the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA). The Forest Service and Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) can best use comments and resource information if they 
are submitted by, or before, close of business the last day of the 
comment and review period. If you are uncertain as to what constitutes 
acceptable comment format or when comments are due, please contact Joe 
Miczulski, Winter Sports Manager at the Ketchum Ranger District; P.O. 
Box 2356, Ketchum, ID 83340; or phone at (208) 622-5371. Public 
meetings will be held to solicit comments on the DEIS on the update to 
the Master Development Plan for Bald Mountain Ski Resort. Dates and 
locations for these meetings will be published in the Idaho Mountain 
Express, Boise Statesman and Twin Falls Times News.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the DEIS was sent to affected Federal, State, and 
local government agencies and to interested parties. The document is 
also available electronically on the following Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sawtooth/projects. Copies of the DEIS will be 
available for public inspection at the following locations: Ketchum 
Ranger District, 206 Sun Valley Road, Ketchum, ID 83340, Business Hours 
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kurtz, Outdoor Recreation Planner 
at the Shoshone Field Office of the Twin Falls District, 400 West F 
Street, Shoshone, ID 83352; or phone at (208) 732-7296. Requests for 
information may be sent electronically to: [email protected] with 
``Attention: Bald Mountain DEIS Information Request'' in the subject 
line.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The majority of Sun Valley Resort's Bald 
Mountain Ski Area is located on public lands under the jurisdiction of 
both the U.S.D.A. Forest Service (Forest Service) and the U.S.D.I. 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The ski area is administered through 
two jointly-issued Special Use Permits (SUP), totaling approximately 
3,325 acres (1,969 of which are administered by the Sawtooth National 
Forest, and 1,356 are administered by the BLM's Twin Falls District).
    Sun Valley Company has requested a new 40-year term ski area permit 
for the Bald Mountain Ski Resort. The existing ski area permit, which 
was issued in December 1977, expires December 2007. One requirement for 
a ski area permit is to have an approved Master Development Plan (MDP), 
which is prepared by the permit holder and encompasses the entire 
winter sports resort envisioned for development and authorization by 
the permit. Upon acceptance by the Authorized Officers, the MDP becomes 
part of the ski area permit. The EIS will analyze the effects of the 
proposed action and alternatives. The agencies give notice of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and decision making 
process on the proposal so interested and affected members of the 
public may participate and contribute to the final decision. The 
Sawtooth National Forest, as the lead for both agencies, invites 
written comments and suggestions on the scope of the analysis and 
issues addressed.
    The 1989 MDP currently guides the Forest Service and BLM in their 
administration of the special use permit for the ski area. A majority 
of the actions described in the 1989 MDP have been implemented. Given 
the age and status of the 1989 MDP, the Forest Service, BLM and Sun 
Valley Company determined that an updated plan would be appropriate at 
this time. The Sun Valley Company has updated their MDP for Bald 
Mountain Ski Area and presented it to the Forest Service and BLM in 
conjunction with their request for a new 40-year permit to continue 
operating on these public lands. The existing permit expires December 
2007.
    The draft MDP as submitted by Sun Valley Company is available 
electronically on the following Web sites: Sawtooth National Forest--
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/Sawtooth and Sun Valley Company--http://www.sunvalley.com. An approved MDP will guide development on Bald 
Mountain Ski Area. Anticipated projects include new ski trail 
development both inside and outside of the current permit boundary, 
additional snowmaking installation, existing ski run modification, 
installation of new ski lifts, including gondola, removal of some 
existing ski lifts, and addition of a mountain restaurant. A Vegetation 
Management Plan (VMP) will be analyzed concurrently with the proposed 
MDP. The VMP will access current conditions of vegetation components on 
Bald Mountain, both with respect to timber and grass/forb species. The 
VMP will specify treatments necessary to enact, that will ensure long-
term health of vegetation on Bald Mountain.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for the proposed Master Development Plan (MDP) 
is to update the 1989 MDP to reflect current conditions and needs at 
the ski resort. Most of the improvements described in the 1989 MDP have 
been implemented. In addition, new ski area technologies, updated Land 
Management Plans, and changes in the environment have emerged during 
this time which warrant consideration in an updated MDP.

[[Page 8200]]

Proposed Action

    The proposed action analyzes the implementation of the MDP as 
submitted by the Sun Valley Company. The agencies have a responsibility 
to determine consistency of the MDP with their respective Land 
Management Plans, to evaluate if any proposed facilities are in 
hazardous areas (i.e. avalanche path); evaluate if improvements are an 
appropriate use of Forest Service and BLM land; determine if private 
land is available to accomplish the proposed activities; and to make a 
public interest determination.

Alternatives Identified

    Alternatives identified include: Alt. 1--No Action (continuing the 
present course of action). The existing MDP would not be updated. The 
ski area permit would be renewed in 2007 and the current MDP would be 
made part of it. Alt. 2--Proposed Action, the MDP as submitted by Sun 
Valley Company, would be attached to a new ski area permit. Alt. 3--An 
alternative which meets the purpose and need to update the MDP, but 
varies from the actions submitted by Sun Valley Company.

How To Submit Comments

    Comments must be submitted using one of the following methods:
    1. Comments may be electronically mailed to [email protected] with ``Attention: Bald Mountain DEIS'' in 
the subject line. Avoid the use of special characters or any form of 
encryption. If you do not receive a confirmation from our system that 
your comment has been received, please contact Joe Miczulski, Winter 
Sports Manager at the Ketchum Ranger District; P.O. Box 2356, Ketchum, 
ID 83340; or phone at (208)-622-5371.
    2. Written comments may be mailed directly or delivered to the 
Forest Service at: Joe Miczulski, Winter Sports Manager at the Ketchum 
Ranger District; P.O. Box 2356, Ketchum, ID 83340; or phone at (208)-
622-5371.
    3. Comments may be sent via telefax to the Forest Service, Attn: 
Joe Miczulski, (208)-622-3923.
    4. Comments may be given at the public meetings to be scheduled.
    To be given consideration by BLM, all DEIS comments must include 
the commenter's name and street address. BLM's practice is to make all 
comments, including the names and street addresses of each respondent, 
available for public review at the BLM office listed above during 
business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except 
for Federal holidays. Your comments may be published as part of the EIS 
process. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you 
wish to withhold your name, street address or both from public review 
or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your written comments. Such 
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. BLM will not 
consider anonymous comments. All submissions from organizations or 
businesses will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

Howard Hedrick,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. E7-3083 Filed 2-22-07; 8:45 am]
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