[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18543-18544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10359]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Waterville Valley Ski Area Ltd. Snowmaking Ponds

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement for Waterville Valley Ski Area Ltd.'s proposal to construct 
snowmaking impoundments on the Pemigewasset Ranger District, White 
Mountain National Forest, Grafton County, New Hampshire. The New 
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has been asked to 
participate as a cooperating agency. The U.S. Corps of Engineers the 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior and the Town of 
Waterville Valley have been asked to provide assistance. The agency 
invites written comments and suggestions on the scope of the analysis. 
In addition, the agency gives notice of the full environmental analysis 
and decision-making process that will occur on the proposal so that 
interested and affected people are aware of how they may participate 
and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by June 10, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions concerning the scope 
of the analysis to Donna Hepp, Forest Supervisor, White Mountain 
National Forest, 719 Main St., Laconia, New Hampshire 03246.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Direct questions about the proposed action and environmental impact 
statement to Fred Kacprzynski, Waterville Valley Snowmaking 
Impoundments Coordinator, White Mountain National Forest, 719 Main 
Street, Laconia, New Hampshire 03246, phone: 603-528-8721.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Skiing is an important component of the 
recreational opportunities offered by the National Forests. The 
enabling authorities of the USDA-Forest Service are contained in many 
laws enacted by Congress and the regulations and administrative 
directives that implement these laws. The major laws include, the 
Organic Administrative Act of 1897, the Weeks Act of 1911, the 
Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960, the Forest and Rangeland 
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, the National Forest 
Management Act of 1976 and the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 
1986. Ski area operations are consistent with the recreation objectives 
of the National Forests.
    It is the policy of the Forest Service to meet downhill skiing 
demand on National Forest Lands by partnering with the private sector. 
The National Recreation Strategy (USDA-Forest Service 1988a) details 
the Forest Service role in increasing outdoor recreation on National 
Forests through partnerships such as those with the ski industry.
    The intent of ski areas as noted in the White Mountain National 
Forest plan is to, ``Broaden the range of recreation opportunities by 
recognizing the potential for year-round recreation facilities at 
alpine ski areas managed by the private sector.'' In addition, the 
Forest Plan states that, ``The Forest will not consider developing any 
completely new alpine ski areas.'' Indicating a direction to emphasize 
the continued operation of current ski areas. Skiing on the White 
Mountain National Forest accounted for about 17 percent of the total 
recreational use on the Forest, and uses about 3,500 acres or 0.4 
percent of the Forest, and use about 3,500 acres or 0.4 percent of the 
Forest. Waterville Valley Ski Area is an integral part of the Forest 
partnership in providing these recreation opportunities.
    Snowmaking is essential to a quality downhill skiing experience, 
and as such, important in maintaining the economic viability of the 
area and the partnership. Waterville Valley currently withdraws water 
directly from the Mad River, which has historically been an extremely 
unreliable source of water. The intent of Waterville Valley Ski Area is 
to provide enough water to fully cover the existing trail system three 
times during the winter,while increasing the minimum flow of the Mad 
River from the currently permitted minimum flow of 0.50 csm to the 
calculated February Median Flow (FMF) of 0.75 csm. Utilizing the 
current system (without snowmaking impoundments), with a direct 
withdrawal at 0.75 csm, Waterville Valley could only provide full 
coverage 9 percent of the time. The goal of the ski area is to provide 
coverage 95 percent the time.
    As a result, Waterville Valley Ski Area Ltd, has proposed to 
construct water storage impoundments to augment water withdrawal from 
the Mad River in order to provide a reliable and sufficient source of 
water to meet this goal. Their proposal is a combination of four to 
five sites with a total capacity of 130 million gallons in concert with 
the 100 million gallons available directly from the Mad River. 
Impoundment locations are near the existing Ski Area permit, they are 
in Management Areas 2.1 and/or 3.1. Proposed locations have been 
reviewed by the proponent based on screening factors including, 
operating costs, land availability, pond volume and environmental 
impact.
    Tentative issues which have been identified include, (1) changing 
water withdrawal limits from the current approved .50 csm to the FMF of 
.75 csm., (2) visual, (3) safety of the dams,

[[Page 18544]]

(4) continued implementation of the Forest Plan and (5) economics. In 
preparing the environmental impact statement, the Forest Service will 
consider the proposal against a range of reasonable alternatives to 
address issues identified through scoping. Alternatives may be other 
combinations of potential sites, on demand sources of supply, (direct 
withdrawal, wells) and the required No Action Alternative.
    Permtis and licenses to implement the proposed action may include a 
Wetlands Permit, State of New Hampshire dam permits and Alteration of 
Terrain permit. The issuing authority will be a term special use permit 
under the Term Permit Act of March 4, 1915 as amended (16 U.S.C. 497).
    Donna Hepp, Forest Supervisor, White Mountain National Forest, 719 
Main Street, Laconia, New Hampshire, is the responsible official.
    Public participation will be important at several points during the 
analysis. The first point is during the scoping process (40 CFR 
1501.7). The Forest Service will be seeking information and comments 
from Federal, State, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. This input will be used in preparation of the draft 
environmental impact statement (DEIS). The scoping process includes;
    1. Identifying potential issues.
    2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
    3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those which have been 
covered by a relevant previous environmental analysis.
    4. Exploring additional alternatives.
    5. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effect 
and connected actions).
    6. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
    The State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has 
been invited to participate as a cooperating agency. The Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, the U.S. Corps of 
Engineers and the Town of Waterville Valley have been informed and will 
be assisting in the analysis.
    Public scoping meetings will be held in the Spring of 1996. Meeting 
dates will be advertised in the media.
    The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) is expected to be 
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be 
available for public review in Summer, 1996. At that time EPA will 
publish a notice of availability of the DEIS in the Federal Register.
    The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will 
be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice 
of availability appears in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes that, at this early stage, it is 
important 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 stage that are not raised until after 
completion of the final environmental impact statement 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 
responding to the DEIS 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 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 specific 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 or 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.
    After the comment period ends on the DEIS, the comments will be 
analyzed and considered by the Forest Service in preparing the final 
environmental impact statement (FEIS). The FEIS is scheduled to be 
completed by the Fall of 1996. In the FEIS the Forest Service is 
required to respond to the comments received (40 CFR 1503.4). The 
responsible official will consider the comments, responses, 
environmental consequences discussed in the FEIS, and applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies in making a decision regarding this proposal. 
The responsible official will document the decision and reasons for the 
decision on the Record of Decision. The decision will be subject to 
appeal under 36 CFR 217 and 36 CFR 251.

    Dated: April 22, 1996.
[FR Doc. 96-10359 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]
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