Alta Ski Lifts, UT; Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Alta Ski Lifts, UT; Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement on Alta Ski Lifts proposed master plan update.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received

in writing by May 7, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael Sieg, District Ranger, 6944

South 3000 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rob Cruz, District Environmental Coordinator, (801) 943-2667.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Alta Ski Lifts, a ``Special Use Permit''

permittee is proposing to update its master plan. Much of the resort's

permitted boundary lies on National Forest System Land. This proposal

includes the following elements; modify the Blitz run to provide a path

for intermediate skiers to enter Main Street from the current top

terminal of the Collins Chair Lift; replace the Sunnyside and Albion

lifts and add a new rope tow east of the Wildcat Ticket Office; modify

parts of the Devil's Elbow, Roller Coaster, and Crooked Mile runs; and

add additional snowmaking capacity which would include a four million

gallon reservoir system.

The proposal also includes; remodeling the Albion Day Lodge, Albion

Ticket Office and the General Office building; replacing Watson

Shelter; constructing two new generator buildings, one on the end of

the existing maintenance building and the other near the bottom

terminal of the Supreme Chairlift; relocating the Germania ski patrol

building; remodeling both the Albion and Supreme Patrol buildings, and

widening the upper Grizzly parking lot to recapture 28 parking slots

lost to mass transit over the last decade. A complete description of

the proposal and its elements is available from the Salt Lake Ranger

District.

In addition to obtaining a new Ski Area Term Special Use Permit

from the Forest Service, Alta will also be required to obtain a

Department of Army 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers and

consult with the Environmental Protection Agency. They will also be

required to obtain an amendment of water supply permit agreement from

Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities and a Water Change

Application from the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of

Water Rights, State Engineer.

A scoping document was sent to over 600 individuals, organizations

and government agencies on September 24, 1993, detailing Alta's

proposal for the next planning period. An additional scoping document

has been sent to over 625 individuals, organizations and local and

state government agencies explaining the decision to conduct an

environmental impact statement, and soliciting additional comments.

Preliminary issues identified by the interdisciplinary team include

effects on visual quality, effects on run quality, effects on wetland

and riparian areas, effects on water quality and quantity, effects on

vegetation, effects on fish and wildlife, effects on traffic and

parking in Little Cottonwood Canyon and effects on threatened,

endangered and sensitive species. Four preliminary alternatives have

been identified. The proposed action which would permit the

aforementioned projects and require Alta to convert to a new Ski Area

Term Special Use Permit. An alternative which would protect the unique

quantities of Albion basin. No Action which would continue the use as

currently permitted with no new improvements and an alternative that

would maximize improvements without creating significant environmental

effects.

The public is invited to submit comments or suggestions to the

address above. Comments received from individuals, groups and

government agencies received from the September 1993 scoping will be

incorporated into this analysis. The responsible official is Bernie

Weingardt, Forest Supervisor. A draft EIS is expected to be filed in

August 1996 and the final EIS filed in January 1997.

The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will

be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice

of availability appears in the Federal Register. It is very important

that those interested in this proposed action participate at that time.

To be the most helpful, comments on the draft environmental impact

statement should be as specific as possible and may address the

adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives discussed

(see The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing

the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at

40 CFR 1503.3).

In addition, Federal court decisions have established that

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 reviewers' position and

contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,

533 (1978). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the

draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the

final environmental impact statement. City of Angoon v. Hodel, (9th

Circuit, 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.

1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to ensure that

substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest

Service

[[Page 15760]]

at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in

the final.

Dated: March 29,1996.

Robert A. Cruz,

District Environmental Coordinator.

[FR Doc. 96-8777 Filed 4-8-96; 8:45 am]

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