Crystal Mountain Master Development Plan, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Pierce County, Washington

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Crystal Mountain Master Development Plan, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie

National Forest, Pierce County, Washington

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) for Crystal Mountain's proposal to update its Master

Development Plan. The proposed development includes the replacement and

addition of chairlifts and surface lifts; construction of an aerial

tram; expansion of the snowmaking system; as well as the addition and

expansion of parking areas, day lodges, overnight lodging and other

related facilities, and utilities to support new ski and other

recreation opportunities. The proposed action also includes watershed

restoration projects that have been identified in the watershed.

The proposed action would increase the year-round recreational

opportunities within the existing Special Use Permit Boundary (4,350

acres). Implementation of the proposed Master Development Plan would

increase the skiers-at-one-time (SAOT) capacity from 7,150 to 10,990.

If implemented, the resulting persons-at-one-time (PAOT) capacity of

the resort would increase from 7,865 to 12,090.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this analysis should be in

writing and postmarked by January 15, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Daniel T. Harkenrider, Acting

Forest Supervisor, 21905 64th Avenue West, Mountlake Terrace,

Washington 98043, Attention: Crystal Mountain Master Plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Donovan, Winter Sports

Specialist, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Supervisor's Office,

21905 64th Avenue West, Mountlake Terrace, Washington 98043-2278.

Phone: (425) 744-3403. Internet: l.donovan/[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Crystal Mountain has been operating under a

Special Use Permit from the USDA Forest Service since it opened for

business in 1962. Presently, alpine skiing/snowboarding and other four-

season resort activities are provided to the public through a Special

Use Permit administered by the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The current Special Use Permit includes a requirement that an updated

Master Development Plan be prepared, as most projects identified in the

existing (1983) Master Development Plan have been developed.

The purpose (objective) of this project is an updated Master Plan

for long range (10-15) years management and development of the Crystal

Mountain Ski Area. The goal of the Master Plan will be to ensure the

long-term economic viability of Crystal Mountain; maintain the

competitive position of Crystal Mountain with other ski areas in the

Puget Sound Basin; maintain and restore a healthy ecosystem; and be

consistent with the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Plan.

The proposed action is the submitted 1998 Master Development Plan

proposal. It includes: replacing three existing chair lifts;

constructing seven new chair lifts, two new surface lifts, and an

aerial tram, resulting in an additional of 265.8 acres of lift-served

ski terrain. The tram provide improved four-season public access to the

summit of Crystal Mountain. Also proposed: an expanded snowmaking

system (from 30 acres of coverage to 249 acres); and increased night

skiing (from 65 to 175 acres). The proposed action also includes the

addition of 57,000 square feet of support facilities, including two on-

mountain restaurants. Expansion of the existing Alpine Inn and

construction of a new hotel would provide public lodging for an

additional 690 overnight visitors. An additional base area (Bullion

Basin) is proposed for development in a portion of the existing Parking

Lot B. Overall parking would be expanded by 11-12 acres. New employee

housing facilities are proposed, serving 285 employees. A new sewage

treatment facility is also proposed; it would serve the Crystal

Mountain ski area as well as other Forest Service Special Use Permit

areas and private development in the watershed. In order to meet the

increased snowmaking and domestic water consumption needs, several

wells would be developed. The proposed action also includes watershed

restoration projects as identified in the Silver Creek Watershed

Condition Assessment. Implementation could begin in the summer of 2000

and would continue for approximately 10-15 years.

The site-specific environmental analysis provided by the Crystal

Mountain Master Development Plan EIS will assist the Forest Supervisor

in determining which improvements are needed to meet the goals and

objectives, as stated above.

An environmental document will be produced which will display

alternativers considered, including (1) no action, and (2) the proposed

action. Three additional alternatives have been tentatively identified:

(3) reduced expansion into the East Peak area; (4) no development in

the North Country, South Country and East Peak Areas; and (5) reduced

disturbance to riparian reserves. The EIS will analyze the direct,

indirect, and cumulative effects of the alternatives. Past, present,

and projected activities on both private and National Forest System

lands will be considered. The EIS will disclose the effects of site-

specific mitigation.

Comments from the public will be used to:

Identify potential issues.

Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.

Eliminate minor issues or those that have been covered by

a previous environmental analysis, such as the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie

Land and Resource Management Plan.

Identify alternatives to the proposed action.

Identify potential environmental effects of the proposed

action and alternatives.

Issues Identified as the result of internal scoping include:

Consistency with the Forest Plan/Aquatic Conservation

Strategy Objectives;

Maintenance of Visual Quality Objectives in Mount Rainier

National Park and along the Pacific Crest Trail;

Transportation impacts to Highway 410 and Crystal Mountain

Boulevard;

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Increased access to ``Back Country'' terrain;

Maintenance of snags, large downed wood and old growth

habitat; and

Maintenance of habitat for Threatened & Endangered,

Sensitive and Survey & Manage species.

Scoping and public involvement are continuing. An initial scoping

letter will be mailed on November 19, 1998. Two public scoping meetings

will be held: December 8, 1998, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at the Seattle

Sea-Tac Marriot Hotel, 3201 South 176th Street, Seattle, WA 98189; and

December 9, 1998, from 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM at the Enumclaw Senior High

School cafeteria, 226 Semanski South, Enumclaw, WA 98022. The

information and comments received will be used in preparation of the

draft EIS.

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names

and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the

public record on this proposed action and will be available for public

inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and

considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have

standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR Parts 215 and

217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request

the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing

how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality.

Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the

FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited

circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service

will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding the

request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied, the

agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the

comments may be resubmitted with or without name and address within

(30) days.

The draft EIS is expected to be filed in April 1999. Following

release of the draft EIS, there will be a public comment period of at

least 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency

publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.

The Forest Service believes that it is important to give reviewers

notice at this early stage of several court rulings related to public

participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of

the draft EIS 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 EIS stage but that are not raised

until after completion of the final EIS 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 45-day 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 EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should

be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to

specific pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address

the adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives

formulated and discussed in the EIS. (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.)

The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in November 1999. In the

final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and

responses received during the comment period that pertain to the

environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable

laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the decision EIS

and applicable laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the

decision regarding this proposal. The lead agency is the Forest

Service. The Forest Supervisor of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National

Forest is the responsible official. The responsible official will

document the decision and the reasons for the decision in the Record of

Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service appeal

regulations 36 CFR Parts 215 or 251.

Dated: November 13, 1998.

Dennis E. Bschor,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 98-31906 Filed 11-30-98; 8:45 am]

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