Keystone Resort, Jones Gulch Development; White River National Forest, Summit County, Colorado

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Keystone Resort, Jones Gulch Development; White River National

Forest, Summit County, Colorado

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects from the

development of the Jones Gulch ski pod at Keystone Resort. Development

will be confined to Keystone Resort's existing Special Use Permit

boundary. The proposed actions to construct lifts, trails, snowmaking,

and associated service roads are being considered together because they

represent either connected or cumulative actions as defined by the

Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1508.25).

The Forest Service is evaluating a proposal, submitted by Keystone

Resort, which is consistent with forest management direction for ski

areas. The purposes of the project are to address the following needs:

(1) To improve skier/snowboarder distribution and reduce trail

densities on the front side of Keystone Mountain by providing

additional intermediate and advanced terrain on the front side of

Keystone Mountain; (2) to improve ingress and egress and reduce out-of-

base congestion by adding another portal at

[[Page 63025]]

Jones Gulch; (3) to meet existing and anticipated skier demand through

development of infrastructure consistent with advances in equipment,

lift technology, and consumer preference; (4) to address some existing

environmental concerns associated with historic activities and existing

development. The EIS will tier to the White River National Forest Land

and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and Final EIS of September

20, 1984, which provides overall guidance for ski area management of

the area. All activities associated with the proposal will be designed

to maintain high quality resource objectives.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be postmarked or

received by the Dillon Ranger District no later than 30 days after the

publication of this notice. Send comments to Michael Liu, Attn:

Keystone, Dillon Ranger District, P.O. Box 620, Silverthorne, Colorado,

80498, fax (970) 468-7735.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Michael Liu, Special Projects

Coordinator, Dillon Ranger District, phone (970) 262-3440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action includes construction of

facilities entirely within Keystone Resort's Special Use Permit area.

These facilities have been conceptually approved through previous

National Environmental Policy Act analysis of the Resort's Master

Development Plan (MDP). Specific elements of the proposed action

include: Approximately 125 acres of trail construction, approximately

95 acres of additional snowmaking coverage, construction of three

chair-lifts and one surface-lift, and construction of required service

roads.

The project area is located on National Forest System lands within

sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32, Township 5 South, Range 76 West of

the 6th P.M., all within Summit County, Colorado. Keystone Resort is

located approximately 70 miles west of Denver, Colorado.

These improvements are consistent with Forest Plan and Regional

Guide direction, and are considered necessary in light of current

resort deficiencies, increased visitation experienced over the past

decade, and projected future visitation increases. The proposed

analysis will provide additional site-specific detail for portions of

the existing MDP to accommodate changing socio-economic and

environmental considerations, and may modify previous approvals shown

in the MDP to avoid wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas.

Preliminary Issues

Preliminary issues identified forest fragmentation and effects to:

Wildlife, wetlands, water quality, mountain hydrology, geological

stability, and the relationship of the project to future development of

adjacent real estate. Additional issues will be identified during the

scoping process.

Public Involvement and Scoping

Analysis of this proposal was originally planned under an

Environmental Assessment (EA). After further study and additional

information from resource specialists, the Forest Service has decided

to prepare an EIS. Public scoping was conducted for the EA during

October and November of 1997 through newspaper articles, letters to

interested parties and two open houses. Comments previously submitted

as part of the EA scoping process will be included in the documentation

for the EIS and will be used to focus analysis and develop

alternatives. Interested groups and individuals that have previously

commented as part of the EA scoping process will be retained on the

project mailing list.

The project proposal has been modified since originally submitted

by Keystone Resort. The proposed Ski Tip Return Trail has been removed

and one chairlift has been added to the proposal.

This environmental analysis and decision making process will enable

additional interested and affected people to participate and contribute

to the final decision. The Forest Service will seek information,

comments, and assistance identifying issues from Federal, State, local

agencies, federally recognized Native American tribes, and other

individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by

the proposal.

Completion of the draft EIS is anticipated during the late winter

or spring of 1999. The final EIS should be completed some time during

the late summer or fall of 1999. The comment period on the draft EIS

will be 90 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency

publishes the ``Notice of Availability'' in the Federal Register.

Responsible Official

The Responsible Official for this project is Martha Ketelle, Forest

Supervisor for the White River National Forest. The Responsible

Official will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the

Record of Decision issued concurrently with the release of the final

EIS. That decision will be subject to appeal under 36 CFR 215.

Dated: November 3, 1998.

Martha Ketelle,

Forest Supervisor, White River National Forest.

[FR Doc. 98-30066 Filed 11-9-98; 8:45 am]

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