Scoping Summary Report Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

Transcription

1 October 2016 Scoping Summary Report Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development Prepared for: Rio Grande National Forest Divide Ranger District W. Hwy 160 Del Norte, Colorado Prepared by: Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. 776 E. Second Avenue Durango, CO (970) Durango, CO Pagosa Springs, CO Santa Fe, NM Farmington, NM

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5 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction Proposed Action Meadow Lift Multi-Use Building Access and Electrical Service Ski Trails Bridges Scoping Scoping Activities Scoping Letter Legal Notice Press Release Scoping Comments Issues Identification for Consideration in the Environmental Assessment Issue Identification Considered Beyond Scope Issue Identification to Resolve through Policy or Administration Activities Following Scoping References Appendix A Scoping Letter... A-1 Appendix B Mailing List... B-1 Appendix C Legal Notice... C-1 Appendix D Press Release... D-1 Appendix E Comment Summary... E-4 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development i

6 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. List of Tables Table 1-1. Estimated vegetation and/or surface disturbance from the Proposed Action...2 Table 2-1. Legal Notice Publication Schedule...6 Table 3-1. Resource/Issue Categories and Number of Times Identified...7 Abbreviations and Acronyms CFR EA Ecosphere EIS FONSI FSR MDP Meadow Lift NEPA USFS WCSA Code of Federal Regulations Environmental Assessment Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Environmental Impact Statement Finding of No Significant Impact Forest System Road Master Development Plan Meadow Ski Lift National Environmental Policy Act U.S. Forest Service Wolf Creek Ski Area ii Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

7 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report 1. Introduction The Wolf Creek Ski Area (WCSA) is proposing to construct the Meadow Ski Lift (Meadow Lift), a multi-use building at the top of the lift, ski trails, the Alberta Lift winter use-only bridge (with magic carpet conveyance), and the Meadow Lift bridge. All components of the Proposed Action are located within the WCSA Special Use Permit boundary. The development is located in Mineral County, Colorado, between Pagosa Springs and South Fork, Colorado, south of U.S. Highway 160. The Proposed Action would be located primarily on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rio Grande National Forest-managed land. A small portion of the Proposed Action (the Meadow Lift base terminal and associated access road) would be located on privately owned land. The legal description of the proposed project is Sections 8, 9, and 16, Township 37 North, Range 2 East, New Mexico Principal Meridian. The WCSA operates under a Ski Area Term Special Use Permit with the USFS. One of the conditions of the Special Use Permit is that WCSA must develop a Master Development Plan (MDP). In 2012, WCSA released an update to its 1997/1998 MDP. The 2012 MDP (Ecosphere 2012) included a public outreach and input effort, and introduced the concept of the Meadow Lift as part of future development plans for WCSA. Also under the Special Use Permit, WCSA s operations must comply with the management direction provided in the 1996 Forest Plan (USFS 1996). Although the USFS accepted the 2012 MDP, potential impacts of individual projects must be evaluated per the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Implementation of any project on National Forest System lands within WCSA s Special Use Permit area is contingent on site-specific environmental analysis and decision documentation under the NEPA. 1.1 Proposed Action The Proposed Action includes: Construction of the Meadow Lift and a multi-use building at the top of the lift Installation of underground electrical service Construction of approximately 1,140 feet of new access roads and improvements to existing access roads Clearing and/or grading of approximately 12 new ski trails Construction of the Alberta Lift bridge (with magic carpet conveyance) over an unnamed tributary to the South Fork of Pass Creek Construction of the Meadow Lift bridge on the South Fork of Pass Creek Table 1-1 lists the project components and the estimated amount of vegetation or ground disturbance. Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development 1

8 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc Meadow Lift Table 1-1. Estimated vegetation and/or surface disturbance from the Proposed Action Project Component Disturbance Type Size (feet) Acres Meadow Lift Line Tree clearing along the line 2,115 by Meadow Lift Towers (8) Ground disturbance 10 by 10/tower 0.02 Meadow Lift Terminals Ground disturbance 60 by Multi-use Building Ground disturbance 50 by Access Roads Ground disturbance 1,140 by Electrical Service No new disturbance 3,950 by 2 0 Meadow Lift Trails Tree clearing - 40 Tumbler Trail Tree clearing; grading - 10 Alberta Lift Bridge Ground disturbance 12 by Meadow Lift Bridge Ground disturbance 80 by Total 53.6 The proposed Meadow Lift would be a detachable, high-speed quad chairlift approximately 2,115 feet long with eight support towers. Support towers would average 35 feet in height. A lower and upper terminal structure would house machinery and provide access to the lift line. Each terminal would be approximately 25 feet tall and would require a construction space of approximately 1,200 square feet (60 feet long by 20 feet wide). The bottom terminal would be located downslope and southeast of the bottom terminal of the Alberta Lift, on the north side of an unnamed tributary to the South Fork of Pass Creek. The top terminal would be located near the Alberta Lift between the existing Bankshot and Serendipity ski runs. The Meadow Lift would not be used in low-snow conditions; 50 inches of base snow depth would be necessary before opening the lift. No earthmoving or grading would be required to clear the network of new trails served by the Meadow Lift; however, there could be some ground disturbance from using mechanical methods to fell trees. Construction of the lift and associated terminals is expected to take 3 to 4 months. To minimize disturbance, tree removal, excavation associated with the lift towers, and tower installation would be conducted over the snow. No construction would occur in drainages or wetlands. Some tree removal would be required. Live and standing dead trees would be removed within an approximately 50-foot-wide corridor for the lift line construction. A track hoe or similar tracked equipment would be used to excavate the approximately 7-foot-deep, 5-footsquare lift tower footers. Similar techniques used to construct the existing Elma, Treasure, and Alberta Lifts would be used the concrete would be flown in via helicopter and then the footers would be poured on site. 2 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

9 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Once the footers are prepared and cured, the lift towers would be flown in, placed via helicopter, and secured by ground crews Multi-Use Building The Proposed Action would include construction of a multi-use building at the top of the Meadow Lift adjacent to the top terminal similar in dimension (approximately 50 by 80 feet) and style to the existing Raven s Nest multi-use building at the top of the Raven Lift. The multi-use building would be built into the hill slope, with the downhill side approximately 32 feet tall and the uphill side approximately 16 feet tall. During the off-season (summer), the building would be used to store lift chairs and would include space for chairlift maintenance. During the winter, the building would provide restroom facilities, a warming area, and food service, thus maximizing efficient use of indoor space. The multi-purpose building would be constructed during the summer, after the lift is completed. Construction is expected to take 4 months. Equipment required for construction may include a dozer, a grader, concrete trucks, and light- and heavy-duty vehicles. Vehicles and personnel would access the construction area along existing and proposed roads. Water would be hauled to a cistern at the multi-use building, and building facilities would be low-water use. The multi-purpose building would be similar to the Raven s Nest and would use a zero-discharge evaporative composting system; there would be no septic system. An existing 2,000-gallon holding tank would contain fluids that do not evaporate. About three times each year, these fluids would be pumped and transported to the WCSA treatment plant. The ski area operates a Class C, Domestic-Minor Municipal Mechanical Plant that discharges into an unnamed tributary to Pass Creek following ultraviolet disinfection. This discharge point is currently permitted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control Division. Additionally, according to the terms of this permit, WCSA receives and processes wastewater from the Colorado Department of Transportation facilities located north of Highway Access and Electrical Service Construction, operation, and maintenance access to the proposed top Meadow Lift terminal would be via a closed logging road off Forest System Road (FSR) 391. The bottom terminal would be accessed from a closed logging road off FSR 391 between the base of the Alberta lift and Alberta Park Reservoir. The logging roads would require upgrading to provide operation and maintenance access. Upgrading could include grading, crowning and ditching for adequate drainage, and gravel surfacing. Minimal live tree removal is expected for the road upgrades. The Proposed Action would construct two sections of new road to access the lift terminals: one approximately 685 feet long and the other approximately 455 feet long. The access roads would be approximately 22 feet wide, with a gravel surface. Disturbance from construction of the proposed access roads would be approximately 0.6 acre. Gates would be installed to restrict access along these roads during the off-season (summer). Both access roads would be for summer use only and in winter would be part of the trail network. These two routes would be the only ingress and egress points for equipment used during construction of the lift. Access road upgrades and construction would occur after snow has melted and the ground has dried. No construction would occur in drainages or wetlands. Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development 3

10 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. To power the lift and multi-purpose building, an underground, high-voltage electric power line would be installed within the footprint of the FSR 391, the abandoned logging road to the top terminal of the Meadow Lift, and the proposed new access road. The power line would be approximately 3,950 feet long and installed in an approximately 18-inch-wide by 3-foot-deep trench. The underground power line would not result in any ground disturbance beyond the road footprint Ski Trails Up to 50 acres may be cleared and revegetated (with herbaceous species) to provide groomable skiing terrain. For this analysis, the Meadow Lift Trails, which conceptually encompass approximately 40 acres, are portrayed to be 100 feet wide; however, actual width would likely be less. Live and standing dead trees would be removed or thinned across 100-foot-wide corridors (on average) to create the ski runs, and any hazard trees adjacent to proposed runs would be removed. Trails may be narrower in heavy timber and wider in spaces that are more open. Given the relatively flat terrain crisscrossed by drainages, grooming would occur only on approximately 20 percent (10 acres) of proposed Meadow Lift Trails. The Tumbler Trail development would disturb approximately 10 acres. Live and standing dead trees would be removed or thinned and the trail leveled to meet industry standards. The Tumbler Trail would tie into the existing Okey Dokey and A-Way trails. Tumbler would consist of two spurs: north and south. The north portion of the proposed Tumbler Trail would join the existing Okey Dokey Trail approximately 400 feet below the top of Okey Dokey. Downslope from this point, the existing Okey Dokey trail would be renamed and would become part of Tumbler. The north spur would continue to follow a two-track road along the existing Okey Dokey Trail. For analysis purposes, the north spur would be approximately 100 feet wide south of and including the existing two-track road. The south spur would roughly parallel the north spur approximately 150 to 200 feet south and would be approximately 200 feet wide; though actual cleared width would be less. No ground-disturbing activities or tree removal are planned for the Okey Dokey Trail. When designing and cutting these trails, WCSA would include a series of impact-reducing design features, such as tree islands, feathered edges, and areas that follow the area s natural openings and contours. Any tree removal to open up the trails is proposed to occur in late spring, over snow. It may be necessary to use equipment for larger-scale tree clearing needed for ski runs. No ground-disturbing activities or grooming would occur in drainages or wetlands. Future ski trail maintenance would be completed under WCSA s Ski Area Term Special Use Permit with the USFS Bridges A short bridge would allow beginners who come down A-Way Trail to cross over a tributary of the South Fork of Pass Creek that supplies Alberta Reservoir. The actual length and width of the Alberta Lift bridge would be determined by a final survey and engineering design. Once constructed, the bridge would occupy approximately 1,200 square feet (0.03 acre). The proposed bridge abutments would be concrete and located outside the drainage s ordinary high water mark and its associated wetlands and riparian zone. The bridge would be used by skiers and grooming equipment. During the ski season, the bridge would accommodate a covered, magic carpet- 4 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

11 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report style lift, similar to the Lynx Lift constructed in the summer of During the off-season, the bridge would be closed to vehicles. The Meadow Lift bridge would be constructed over the South Fork of Pass Creek as shown on Figure 2. The bridge would be approximately 60 by 80 feet in dimension and would allow skiers to cross the channel from south to north and access the lower Meadow Lift terminal. Approximately 0.4 acre of a knoll just south of the bridge location would be cleared of vegetation and graded to install the bridge. An approximately 80 by 200-foot area would be needed to install the culvert and grade the knoll. Grading would reduce the elevation of the knoll by approximately 10 feet and remove approximately 5,900 cubic yards of fill. If needed, material from the knoll would be used to install the bridge; any excess would be transported off site via truck. To minimize disturbance, vegetation removal in this area would be completed over snow. 2. Scoping Scoping is the process that is used to determine the scope of issues and alternatives to be addressed in a NEPA analysis. In this case, the project is expected to be analyzed in an Environmental Assessment (EA). Scoping begins before analysis of impacts is completed. This public involvement milestone is an integral part of the project s development. The purpose of soliciting input during the scoping period is to properly identify as many relevant issues, alternatives, mitigation measures, and analytical tools as possible so they can be incorporated into the environmental document. Due to the well-defined nature of the proposed action, the scoping period was combined with the 30-day comment period required under 36 CFR Scoping Activities Scoping activities included: Sending an informative letter with a project description and area map to individuals identified by the USFS as interested parties Publication of a legal notice in the Valley Courier the RGNF s newspaper of record The distribution of a press release to additional area news media outlets Publication in the RGNF s Schedule of Proposed Actions and posting project information on the forest s website Individuals were provided several methods to share their comments with the USFS, including a project-specific address and a facsimile number. Both the scoping letter and legal notice highlighted the opportunity to comment and the implications for eligibility during the objection period. 2.2 Scoping Letter Scoping letters containing a project description and comment submittal information were sent to 76 addressees consisting of individual stakeholders; business owners; local, state, and federal representatives and elected Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development 5

12 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. officials; non-profit organizations and clubs; and tribal entities. A copy of the scoping letter is included in Appendix A; the project mailing list is included in Appendix B. 2.3 Legal Notice A legal notice for the project was published in the Valley Courier (the newspaper of record). Additional noticed were published in The Pagosa Springs Sun, and in a suite of newspapers published by Valley Publishing, which covers the San Luis Valley area. Table 1-2 lists the newspaper and the date of publication. Table 2-1. Legal Notice Publication Schedule Newspaper Valley Courier August 31, 2016 The Pagosa Springs Sun September 1, 2016 The Del Norte Prospector September 1, 2016 The Conejos County Citizen August 31, 2016 The Mineral County Miner September 1, 2016 Date The Monte Vista Journal August 31, 2016 and September 7, 2016 * The South Fork Tines September 1, 2016 Center Post Dispatch September 1, 2016 * There was a small area of print loss/no ink within in the legal notice published in the Monte Vista Journal on August 31, 2016; because of the loss of print text in that legal notice, the Monte Vista Journal published the legal notice a second time on September 7, The legal notice identified the scoping comment period as within 30 days following publication of the legal notice in the Valley Courier. Therefore, the comment period was expected to close on or about September 30, A copy of the legal notice is included as Appendix C. 2.4 Press Release On August 29, 2016, the project press release was sent to the same newspapers in which the legal notice was published (see Table 2-1) and to the Durango Herald, Pueblo Chieftain, and Associated Press. Local area radio stations KGIW, KRZA, KSLV, KSPK, and NPR affiliate KRCC out of Colorado Springs also received the press release. A copy of the press release is included as Appendix D. 3. Scoping Comments Scoping comments were accepted during a 30-day period from September 1, 2016 through September 30, Interested parties had the opportunity to submit written comments, comments, or facsimile directly to the Rio Grande National Forest, Divide Ranger District, West Highway 16, Del Norte, Colorado 81132; comments-rocky-mountain-rio-grande-divide@fs.fed.us; or (719) During the scoping comment period, the USFS received 11 comment submittals submitted in hard copy letter and format. These 11 submittals contained 20 individual comments. Following the close of the comment- 6 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

13 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report scoping period, comments were compiled and analyzed to identify issues and concerns, reviewed and entered into an electronic database. Along with these comments, an additional comment received following the close of the comment period was included in the analysis and discussed in Section 3.1. A summary of the resource/issue category mentioned in the scoping comments is explained below. Appendix E contains the comment summary table. 3.1 Issues Identification for Consideration in the Environmental Assessment Table 3-1 lists of the resource/issue categories mentioned in the scoping comments for consideration in the EA. Table 3-1. Resource/Issue Categories and Number of Times Identified Issue Identified Number of Times Issue Identified Socioeconomics 2 Vegetation Management 2 Wildlife 2 Public Health and Safety 1 Visual and Aesthetics 1 Water Quality 1 Planning Process and Alternatives 1 Socioeconomics One of the two comments received and assigned to this resource category reflects concern about the increase of the price of the season pass with any development at the Wolf Creek Ski Area; the other commenter acknowledged the importance of the Wolf Creek Ski Area to the local economy and stated that the benefits of the project outweigh any impacts of the project s development. Vegetation Management The issue category was assigned to two comments that focused on the tree-clearing component proposed as part of this project. One commenter noted that " selective thinning and clearing of the forest will increase the overall health of the forest ; the other commenter believed that The proposed largescale clearing of trees will be irreversible and will drastically change the character of the ski area. Wildlife Concern about impacting wildlife was expressed in both comments received in this issue category. One commenter simply stated that they have observed lynx many times while skiing and hiking in the project area; the other commenter cited the sensitive ecology in the project area and believes that less development makes it possible to preserve wildness for wildlife. Public Health and Safety A commenter expressed concern over the location of the proposed project by stating, As the terrain in question includes many gullies, chutes and cliffs, it seems exceptionally poor terrain to attempt to develop into a beginner area as significant hazards would exist mere feet from the new cleared trails. Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development 7

14 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Visual and Aesthetics Concern was noted by one commenter that the project as proposed would mean more cables, towers, lift chairs, and less trees. Water quality The concern was expressed over maintaining good water quality in the area. The commenter noted that they believed the USFS would work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on addressing water quality. Planning Process and Alternatives A commenter noted that the proposed project ski lift is short and does not take advantage of the available vertical terrain. The commenter questioned why that particular geographic aspect was chosen instead of extending the top of the lift to the ridge line and also noted that the lift appears to have no significant vertical gain for the investment. 3.2 Issue Identification Considered Beyond Scope Several of the comment submittals contained statements either for or against the proposed project. In the NEPA process, commenting on a proposed project is not a vote on whether the proposed project should take place or not; therefore, these comments were categorized under the considered beyond scope. Nonetheless, any information provided during the scoping process can influence decision makers and their final decisions. Of those commenters who expressed an opinion, their preference on the proposed project can be summarized as six were in favor of the project and four were opposed. 3.3 Issue Identification to Resolve through Policy or Administration The Hopi Tribe responded to the scoping letter with a specific request to the USFS to provide the tribe with copies of the cultural resource survey of the area and the draft EA for their review and comment. This type of collaboration occurs through the Section 106 Consultation between the federal government and tribes; therefore, this request was coded as an issue to be resolved or addressed through policy or administrative action. 4. Activities Following Scoping The purpose of an EA is to determine the significance of the environmental effects and to look at alternative means to achieve the objectives of a proposed project. The EA is intended to be a concise document that briefly provides sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a larger more detailed and usually related to a major action significantly affecting human health or the environment; aids an agency s compliance with NEPA when an EIS is not necessary; and facilitates the preparation of an EIS if it is determined to be necessary (CEQ-EOP 2007). Since the EA evaluates the significance of a proposed project, it focuses on any effects of the proposed project that may significantly impact or affect human health or the environment. Many times the EA will identify ways in which the regulatory agency or project proponent can revise the proposed action to minimize environmental effects (CEQ-EOP 2007). 8 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

15 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report The EA process concludes with either a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or a determination to proceed with an EIS. A FONSI is a document that presents the reason why the USFS has concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts expected to occur upon implementation of the project action. The FONSI must also include, summarize, or attach and incorporate by reference the EA. An EIS will be prepared if the USFS determines that the proposed project is considered a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The regulatory requirements for an EIS are more detailed than those in an EA (CEQ- EOP 2007). Should the EA lead to a FONSI, the draft Decision Notice, FONSI, and EA will be made available to the public; the notice of this availability will be made in local newspapers and to interested parties on the project mailing list. Only those who submitted timely and specific written comments during the 30-day scoping comment period are eligible to file an objection per 36 CFR Part 218. Many projects and activities, and most land management plan amendments and revisions, are subject to a predecisional administrative review process, commonly referred to as an objection process. Direction for the project-level objection process is at 36 CFR 218. Under the process, individuals and entities may file objections after an environmental analysis document is completed and before a decision document is signed. The process builds on early participation and collaboration efforts, with the intention of resolving concerns before a decision is made. An objection is a written document submitted by an individual or organization seeking a pre-decisional administrative review of a proposed project and documented with an EA or EIS. An individual or organization may file an objection, if they submitted comments specific to the proposed project during scoping or other opportunity for public comment. The Responsible Official for the proposed project may not issue a decision until the Reviewing Officer has responded to all pending objections. A written response will be issued within 45 days. Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development 9

16 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. 5. References Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President (CEQ-EOP) A Citizen s Guide to the NEPA, Having Your Voice Heard. December. Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. (Ecosphere) Wolf Creek Ski Area Master Development Plan. September. United States Forest Service (USFS). 1996a. Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, Rio Grande National Forest, USFS Rocky Mountain Region, Rio Grande National Forest, Monte Vista, CO, November 7, Available online at: 10 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

17 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Appendix A Scoping Letter Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development A-1

18 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. A-2 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

19 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development A-3

20 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. A-4 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

21 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Appendix B Mailing List Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development B-1

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23 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Appendix Table B-1. Mailing List Name Organization Address City State Nancy Butler Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) P.O. Box 444 Del Norte CO Rio De La Vista Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) P.O. Box 444 Del Norte CO Paige Singer Rocky Mountain Wild 1536 Wynkoop St, Ste 900 Denver CO Tehri Parker Rocky Mountain Wild 1536 Wynkoop St, Ste 900 Denver CO Christine Canaly San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council P.O. Box 223 Alamosa CO Scott Robson Julie Mach Colorado Mountain Club and Backcountry Snowsports Alliance Colorado Mountain Club and Backcountry Snowsports Alliance th Street, Suite 200 Golden CO th Street, Suite 200 Golden CO Steve Earle San Juan Outdoor Club P.O. Box 3856 Pagosa Springs CO Jeff Reichel San Juan Outdoor Club P.O. Box 3856 Pagosa Springs CO Larry Olin Gray Wolf Ski Club P.O. Box 2394 Pagosa Springs CO Muriel Eason Gray Wolf Ski Club P.O. Box 2394 Pagosa Springs CO James Dickhoff Pagosa Springs Nordic Club P.O. Box 568 Pagosa Springs CO Penny Kipley Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association 45 Eagles Loft Circle Pagosa Springs CO Curtis Cloutier Up the Creek Ski & Rec Club P.O. Box Denver CO Scott Jones Colorado Snowmobile Association P.O. Box 262 Milliken CO Roger Pennington San Juan Sledders Snowmobile Club 37 Red Cliffs Road Durango CO Tim Batchelor Wolf Creek Trailblazers Snowmobile Club P.O. Box 3194 Pagosa Springs CO Curtis Miller South Fork Powder Busters (snowmobile club) P. O. Box 262 Milliken CO Elizabeth Baugh Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club of the San Luis Valley P.O. Box 343 South Fork CO Robert Kukuk Silverthreaders Club P.O. Box 702 Creede CO Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development B-1

24 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Forest & Jaclyn Bramwell Name Organization Address City State SnowCountry Snowmobile Tours/Third Generation Outfitters, LLC 135-F Country Center Dr. #93 Pagosa Springs CO Wolf Creek Snowmobile Tours 3505 US-160 Pagosa Springs CO Rick & Jill House Indian Summer Outfitters P.O. Box 1891 Pagosa Springs CO Scott Taylor High Country Fishing Charters 558 Ginger Circle Pagosa Springs CO Tom Knopick Duranglers 923 Main Ave. Durango CO Clyde Dooly Town of Creede P.O. Box 457 Creede CO Greg Schulte Town of Pagosa Springs P.O. Box 1859 Pagosa Springs CO James Dickhoff Town of Pagosa Springs P.O. Box 1859 Pagosa Springs CO Steve Wadley Archuleta County Government P.O. Box 1507 Pagosa Springs CO Clifford Lucero Archuleta County Government P.O. Box 1507 Pagosa Springs CO Michael Whiting Archuleta County Government P.O. Box 1507 Pagosa Springs CO Ramona Weber Mineral County P.O. Box 70 Creede CO Scott Lamb Mineral County P.O. Box 70 Creede CO Janelle Kukuk Mineral County P.O. Box 70 Creede CO Ellen Roberts Senator - District East Colfax Denver CO Gail Schwatrz Senator - District East Colfax Denver CO Scott Tipton Congressman- District E Second Ave Suite 230 Durango CO Eric or Lisa Burt Kristi Mountain Sports 3223 Main Street Alamosa CO Eric or Lisa Burt Kristi Mountain Sports 680 Grand Ave Del Norte CO Joel Condren 8200 Mountain Sports W. Highway 160 South Fork CO Ryan Graber Alpine Bike and Ski Highway 160 South Fork CO Jeff Greer Summit Ski & Sports 172 Pagosa Street Pagosa Springs CO Matt Yoksh Pagosa Ski Rental P.O. Box 1739 Pagosa Springs CO B-2 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

25 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Name Organization Address City State Dan and Juannalee Park Alpen Haus 2800 Cornerstone Drive Pagosa Springs CO Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce 105 Hot Springs Blvd Pagosa Springs CO Tracey Gillespie South Fork Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 577 South Fork CO Della Brown Creede & Mineral County Chamber of Commerce PO Box 580 Creede CO Jack Llewellyn Durango Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 2587 Durango CO Joanie Berde Carson Forest Watch P.O. Box 15 Llano NM Rick Basagoitia Colorado Parks & Wildlife 0772 County Road 1 East Monte Vista CO Rocky Smith Rocky Mountain Wild 1030 Pearl St #9 Denver CO SLV Ecosystem Council P.O. Box 223 Alamosa CO Bryan Bird WildEarth Guardians 312 Montezuma, Suite A Santa Fe NM Mineral County Commissioners P.O. Box 70 Creede CO Rio Grande County Commissioners 925 6th Street #207 Del Norte CO Kevin Terry Trout Unlimited P.O. Box 281 Del Norte CO Zeke Ward RWEACT P.O. Box 721 Lake City CO Craig Cotton Colorado Division of Water Resources, Div Murphy Drive Alamosa CO Alden Naranjo NAGPRA Representative SUIT P.O. Box 737 Ignacio CO Terry Knight, Sr. Dr. Jeff Blythe Tribal Hisoric Preservation Officer Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Jicarilla Apache Tribe P.O. Box 468 Towoac CO P.O. Box 1367 Dulce NM Leigh Kuwanwisiwma Director, Hopi Cultural Preservation Office P.O. Box 123 Kykotsmovi AZ Betsy Chapoose Cultural Rights and Protection Office Ute Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation P.O. Box 190 Ft. Duchesne UT Governor Phillip Perez Pueblo of Nambe Route 1, Box 117-BB Santa Fe NM Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development B-3

26 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Name Organization Address City State Tamara Billie Cultural Program Navajo Nation P.O. Box 7440 Window Rock AZ Timothy Menchego Tribal Resource Administrator Pueblo of Santa Ana Two Dove Road Santa Ana Pueblo NM Governor Daniel Ortiz Santo Domingo Pueblo P.O. Box 99 Santo Domingo Pueblo NM John Cruz Cultural Program Ohkay Owingeh P.O. Box 1532 San Juan NM Ben Chavarria Cultural Preservation and Land Rights P.O. Box 580 Espanola NM Donovan Gomez Tribal Administrator Taos Pueblo P.O. Box 1846 Taos NM Governor Leroy Arquero Pueblo de Cochiti P.O. Box 70 Cochiti NM Governor of Picuris Cultural Program P.O. Box 127 Penasco NM Kurt Dongoske Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Zuni Heritage & Historic Preservation P.O. Box 1149 Zuni Pueblo NM Gaylord Siow Tribal Historic Preservation Office P.O. Box 194 Laguna NM Tribal Administrator Pueblo of Acoma P.O. Box 309 Acoma Pueblo NM Jimmy Arterberry Tribal Historic Preservation Officer P.O. Box 908 Lawton OK B-4 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

27 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Appendix C Legal Notice Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development C-1

28 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Legal Notice Meadow Lift Project The Rio Grande National Forest is inviting public comment and participation in an environmental analysis to construct the Meadow Lift and associated facilities on U.S. Forest Service land operated under a Special Use Permit by the Wolf Creek Ski Area (WCSA). The proposal is located within the WCSA Special Use Permit boundary in Mineral County, Colorado. The legal description of the proposal is Sections 8, 9 and 16, Township 37 North, Range 2 East, New Mexico Principal Meridian. The proposed Meadow Lift would be approximately 2,100-foot-long lift with eight towers and terminals at each end. A 50 by 80 feet multi-use building would also be constructed for storage during the summer and as a service area during the winter. To access the lift for construction and maintenance, two sections of graveled road would be constructed; approximately 685 and 455 feet in length. An underground powerline would be installed in an existing closed Forest Service road and in a proposed access road. Up to 50 acres may be cleared and replanted to provide groomable skiing terrain in the proposed Meadow Lift and existing Elma Lift areas. A short pedestrian bridge would be constructed to cross over a tributary of the Alberta Reservoir and a box culvert would be installed in an unnamed south fork of Pass Creek to allow skiers to cross the channel. The proposal is tentatively scheduled to begin construction in May Wolf Creek Ski Area s 2012 Master Development Plan introduced the concept of the Meadow Lift for future development. Although the USFS has accepted the 2012 Master Development Plan, implementation of any project within WCSA s Special Use Permit area is contingent on site-specific environmental analysis and decision documentation under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Rio Grande National Forest is working with a third-party environmental contractor to prepare the environmental analysis. The comment period coincides with scoping and is 30 days from the first day after publication in the Valley Courier the Rio Grande National Forest s newspaper of record. This legal notice is expected to be published on August 31, The publication date of the legal notice in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to submit written comments on the proposed project or activity to be analyzed and documented in an Environmental Assessment. Only those who submit timely and specific written comments, signed by each individual or entity or verify identity upon request, during the 30-day comment period will be eligible for Objection status under CFR 36 Part (b)(4). Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, or electronic comments concerning this project will be accepted. Written comments should be submitted to Meadow Lift Project at: Divide Ranger District, W. Hwy 160, Del Norte, CO Comments may also be sent via to comments-rocky-mountainrio-grande-divide@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to Additional information can be obtained by calling Matt Dayer at or at the Forest website at C-2 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

29 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Publish one time on August 31, ed to Valley Courier: on August 24, 2016 USFS Contact Information: Matt Dayer: and/or Ecosphere Contact Information: Janet Wolf: and/or Billing information: Ecosphere Environmental Services Attn: Janet Wolf 776 East Second Avenue Durango, Colorado Please submit proof of publication with billing. Also sent to Pagosa Springs Sun for publication on September 1, 2016 and Valley Publishing for publication on August 31 or September 1, 2016 dependent on specific newspaper publication date: ed to Pagosa Spring Sun: on August 24, ed to Valley Publishing: on August 24, 2016 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development C-3

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31 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Appendix D Press Release Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development D-1

32 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST 1803 W. Highway 160 MONTE VISTA, CO Contact: Mike Blakeman, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 29, 2016 Rio Grande National Forest Begins Analysis of Proposed Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Project DEL NORTE, Colorado The Rio Grande National Forest is inviting public input on an environmental analysis to construct the Meadow Lift and associated facilities on National Forest System land operated under a special use permit by the Wolf Creek Ski Area (WCSA). The proposed project is located within the WCSA special use permit boundary in Mineral County. The proposed Meadow Lift would be approximately 2,100 feet in length with eight towers and terminals. A 50 by 80 foot multi-use building would be constructed for storage during the summer and as a service area during the winter. Two sections of gravel road, totaling less than a quarter mile, would be constructed to access the lift for construction and maintenance. An underground powerline would be installed under an existing closed Forest Service road and a proposed access road. Up to 50 acres may be cleared of trees and revegetated to provide open skiing terrain in the proposed Meadow Lift and existing Elma Lift areas. If approved, the project is tentatively scheduled to begin construction in May Wolf Creek Ski Area s 2012 Master Development Plan introduced the concept of the Meadow Lift for future development. Although the USFS accepted the 2012 Master Development Plan, implementation of any project within WCSA s special use permit area is contingent on site-specific environmental analysis. The Rio Grande National Forest is working with a third-party contractor to prepare the environmental analysis. Public input would be most useful if received within 30 days following publication of the legal notice in the Valley Courier. This legal notice is expected to be published on August 31, Written comments should be submitted to Meadow Lift Project at: Divide Ranger District, W. Hwy 160, Del Norte, CO Comments may also be ed to comments-rocky-mountain-riogrande-divide@fs.fed.us or sent by facsimile to D-2 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

33 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Additional information may be obtained by contacting Matt Dayer at or at the Rio Grande National Forest website at # # # Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development D-3

34 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Appendix E Comment Summary E-4 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

35 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Submission Number Commenter Type Standing for Objection Period Submitted Appendix Table E-1. Socioeconomics comments Submission and Comment 005 Individuals Yes Socioeconomics Consideration 008 Organizations/ Non-profits Yes Hard Copy Socioeconomics Consideration Category Consideration Comment Consider in EA Consider in EA a new development at the area they drastically increase the price of the season pass. Locals like me are having a hard time keeping up with the increases in the lift prices. Given the importance of Wolf Creek Ski Area to the local economy in winter and that a good number of our membership skis there in the winter, we feel the benefits well outweigh the impact of this development Submission Number Commenter Type Standing for Objection Period Appendix Table E-2. Vegetation management comments Submitted Submission and Comment 004 Individuals Yes Vegetation Management 011 Individuals Yes Vegetation Management Category Consideration Comment Consider in EA Consider in EA " selective thinning and clearing of the forest will increase the overall health of the forest " I am writing to express my opposition to the Meadows lift project, specifically the clearing of trails. The proposed large-scale clearing of trees will be irreversible and will drastically change the character of the ski area This terrain is best maintained in its natural state. Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development E-5

36 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Submission Number Commenter Type Standing for Objection Period Submitted Appendix Table E-3. Wildlife comments Submission and Comment Category Consideration Comment 005 Individuals Yes Wildlife Consider in EA I ski that area a lot and hike out and I have run into lynx many times in that area. 010 Individuals Yes Hard Copy Wildlife Consider in EA Due to the sensitive ecology of the area in question, I would like to see the wolf creek pass area have the least development possible to preserve wildness for wildlife and maintain the unique character of the area. Submission Number Commenter Type Standing for Objection Period Appendix Table E-4. Public health and safety comments Submitted Submission and Comment 011 Individuals Yes Public Health and Safety Category Consideration Comment Consider in EA As the terrain in question includes many gullies, chutes and cliffs, it seems exceptionally poor terrain to attempt to develop into a "beginner area" as significant hazards would exist mere feet from the new cleared trails. E-6 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development

37 Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Scoping Summary Report Submission Number Commenter Type Standing for Objection Period Appendix Table E-5. Visual and aesthetics comments Submitted Submission and Comment 001 Individuals Yes Hard Copy Visual and Aesthetic Category Consideration Comment Consider in EA More installment in a near location appears to be more cables, towers, lift chairs, less trees to occur Appendix Table E-6. Water quality comments Submission Number Commenter Type 008 Organization/ Non-profits Standing for Objection Period Submitted Submission and Comment Yes Hard Copy Water Quality Category Consideration Comment Consider in EA Our primary concern here would be for maintaining good water quality in the area, which we are sure you are addressing with the Army Corp [sic] of Engineers. Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development E-7

38 Scoping Summary Report Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. Appendix Table E-7. Planning process and alternatives Submission Number Commenter Type 012 Commercial Sector/Businesses Standing for Objection Period Submitted Submission and Comment No Planning Process and Alternatives Category Consideration Comment Consider in EA Wolf Creek is notorious for having a lack of vertical feet to ski without intersecting roads and trails. Looking at a reference topo map, it seems the proposed lift is short and doesn't take advantage of all the available vertical terrain. Is there a reason they chose the aspect they did? Any other reason they chose to not go all the way to the top of the ridge? Looking at the slope and gradient analysis, is seems this is a lift with no significant vertical gain for the investment. E-8 Wolf Creek Ski Area Meadow Lift Development