[Federal Register: April 24, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 79)]
[Notices]
[Page 21716]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24ap00-32]
[[Page 21716]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District Small Sales EIS, Idaho
Panhandle National Forests, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental effects of
expanding the Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area. The proposal would
implement revised portions of the Lookout Pass Master Development Plan
approved by the Idaho Panhandle National Forest (IPNF) on June 10,
1997. A Special Use Permit would be required for the proposed action,
which would authorize additional development, construction, and
operation of ski area facilities on National Forest System lands.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
in writing by May 22, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Send written comment to Barry Dutton, Land & Water
Consulting Inc., P.O. Box 8254, Missoula, MT 59807.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Dutton or Nancy Winslow at Land
and Water Consulting Inc., (406) 721-0354, or Glenn Truscott at the
Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District, (208) 644-2318.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed activities are located adjacent
to the existing ski area, approximately 6 miles east of Mullan, Idaho,
and adjacent to Interstate 90 at the Idaho/Montana border. The new
project area is on the north and south flanks of Runt Mountain at the
upper ends of the St. Regis and Coeur d'Alene Rivers. The existing ski
area is on the east side of Runt Mountain, which is also in the
headwaters of the St. Regis and Coeur d'Alene Rivers.
Lookout Pass Ski Area currently covers approximately 202 acres on
Runt Mountain. The ski area and proposed expansion project straddle the
Montana-Idaho border and the boundary between the Lolo and Idaho
Panhandle National Forests. The Idaho Panhandle National Forests have
been designated the lead regulatory agency for the project. The
proposed action would increase the ski area by 364 acres, to a total of
approximately 566 acres.
The proposed expansion would include 11 new ski runs (covering
approximately 145 acres), 6,800 feet of new chair lifts, one primitive
road between ski runs (for tree removal, chair lift construction, and
possibly skier use), and 1 acre of new parking. The existing lodge
would be expanded by 4,000 square feet. A 6,400 square-foot guest
services building would be added to provide meeting rooms, a U.S.
Forest Service interpretive center, child care facilities, caretaker's
quarters, and overnight lodging. The rental show would be enlarged by
1,100 square feet and 960 feet would be added to the maintenance
building. The existing fueling station would be upgraded, and 20
recreational vehicle (RV) hook-ups would be added to the existing
parking lot. Approximately 1 acre of the of the rope tow and beginner
areas would be regraded and revegetated. The septic system that serves
the lodge, guest services building, and rental shop would be expanded.
Water would be supplied by an existing well near the base area.
The proposed action would add approximately 920 vertical feet of
skiing on the south side of Runt Mountain in the Lolo National Forest.
In addition, 1,240 vertical feet of skiing would be added on the north
side of Runt Mountain in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. New ski
runs would be classified as expert and advanced-intermediate. Two new
chair lifts would serve the new ski runs: one on the north side of runt
Mountain and one on the south side of Runt Mountain. The power line to
the ski area has sufficient capacity to meet the anticipated needs of
the proposed expansion.
All of the proposed buildings, RV hookups, new parking, and septic
systems would be located in the existing base area adjacent to
Interstate 90. Disturbed soil areas outside the base area would include
primitive trails between runs (for timber harvest, construction, and
possibly skier use), lift tower foundations, lift stations, buried
water lines, and buried power lines. Limited soil disturbance would
occur during stump removal on ski runs.
There would be no private land development associated with the
proposed expansion. All of the proposed development would occur
entirely within National Forest System lands. No inventoried roadless
areas would be affected by the proposed expansion.
The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency for this proposal.
District Ranger Susan Jeheber-Matthews is the responsible official.
The Forest Service believes it is important at this early stage to
give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, 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 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 environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts 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
on the draft EIS 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 environmental impact
statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specified as possible. It
is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. 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.
Dated: April 11, 2000.
Susan Jeheber-Matthews,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 00-10065 Filed 4-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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