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

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: February 23, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 8199-8200]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23fe07-82]

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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. Exit Disclaimer 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: john_kurtz@blm.gov 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. Exit Disclaimer 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 
comments-intermtn-sawtooth-ketchum@fs.fed.us 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]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P

 
 

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