2007 Vail Ski Area Improvements Project Vail Final Environmental Impact Statement December 2009 USDA Forest Service White River National Forest Eagle/Holy Cross Ranger District The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ABSTRACT FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE 2007 VAIL SKI AREA IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO DECEMBER 2009 Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Responsible Official: Scott Fitzwilliams Forest Supervisor White River National Forest For Information Contact: Roger Poirier, Winter Sports Program Manager White River National Forest Supervisors Office P.O. Box 948 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602-0948 fax (970) 945-3266 Abstract: This Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) has been prepared to analyze and disclose the estimated environmental effects of implementation of projects contained in Vail Resort’s (Vail) 2007 Improvements Project. Vail is located on the White River National Forest and Eagle County, CO. Vail operates in accordance with the terms and conditions of a Special Use Permit issued by the United States Forest Service. Proposed projects focus on enhancing the recreational experience at Vail by addressing issues related to the lift and terrain network, skier circulation, snowmaking coverage, guest services facilities and on-mountain maintenance infrastructure. All components of the 2007 Improvements Project are within Vail’s Special Use Permit area. This FEIS discusses the purpose and need for the Proposed Action; alternatives to the Proposed Action; potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of implementing each alternative; and project design criteria. A total of three alternatives are analyzed in the FEIS. The Decision Maker’s Selected Alternative is identified in the accompanying Record of Decision (ROD). Appeals: The decision documented in the ROD is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215.11. Any appeal of this decision must be fully consistent with 36 CFR 215.14, “Content of Notice of Appeal,” and it must be received within 45 days of the date of publication of the legal notice in the Glenwood Post. Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SUMMARY OF THE PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION The full text of the purpose and need can be found in Chapter 1. Purpose #1: Expedite mountain circulation and afternoon egress between Vail Mountain and the Vail Village/Lionshead base areas. Purpose #2: Improve skier/rider access to Sun Down Bowl. Purpose #3: Improve Vail’s lift and vehicular maintenance facilities. Purpose #4: Improve early-season and low snow year skiing on the front side of Vail Mountain. Purpose #5: Provide additional on-mountain dining opportunities. Purpose #6: Provide a ski/snowboard racing and training venue that meets international racing standards. SUMMARY OF THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED IN THE DEIS ALTERNATIVE 1 – NO ACTION By definition, the No Action Alternative represents a continuation of existing management practices without changes, additions, or upgrades to existing conditions. ALTERNATIVE 2 – PROPOSED ACTION The goal of Alternative 2 – the Proposed Action is to enhance the guest experience through a series of strategic, qualitative improvements. Vail’s Manage-To number of 19,900 daily guests would not change. Lifts High Noon lift (Chair 5) would be upgraded with new technology to decrease ride time.1 A new high-speed, detachable quad chairlift would replace the fixed grip triple chairlift. A new chairlift in Sun Down Bowl would be installed and operated to provide lift-served, round- trip skiing. Maintenance Facilities The existing Snow Summit Cat Garage at Eagle’s Nest would be converted to a lift maintenance facility and a new snowcat garage would be constructed adjacent to it. 1 Chair 5, also referred to as High Noon lift, is generally referred to by the public by number, rather than by name. 2007 Vail Ski Area Improvements Project Final Environmental Impact Statement ES-1 Executive Summary Race Terrain The Golden Peak race venue would be expanded to better serve races and training demands while continuing to segregate these activities from the general public. Guest Services A new restaurant at Mid Vail would be constructed and operated to increase indoor guest seating capacity and provide a more diverse range of on-mountain dining opportunities. Snowmaking Additional snowmaking infrastructure would be installed on the front side of Vail Mountain (on Simba and new Golden Peak terrain) to improve early-season and low-snow year skiing conditions and reduced congestion. ALTERNATIVE 3 Alternative 3 is identical to the Proposed Action but excludes installation of the Sun Down Express lift and expansion of the Golden Peak Race Venue. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT On November 14, 2007, a scoping notice was mailed to 67 community residents, interested individuals, public agencies, and other organizations. A legal notice was published in the Glenwood Post Independent, and a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register, on November 16, 2007. In response to the public outreach conducted by the Forest Service, 170 comment letters were received. The Notice of Availability of the DEIS was published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2008. Forty-three public and agency comments were received. Substantive comments are included, and responded to, in the Response to Comments. Between release of the DEIS and Final EIS (FEIS), a supplement to the 2007 Vail Ski Area Improvements Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) was prepared to analyze the modified location of the proposed on-mountain restaurant to Mid Vail. The 45-day SDEIS comment period extended through August 10, 2009; no comment letters were received. SUMMARY OF RESOURCE ISSUES ADDRESSED Based on the results of public scoping, the Forest Service identified specific areas of public concern. Each of the following issue statements includes a list of indicators (see Chapter 1) which were identified as a means of measuring or quantifying the anticipated level of impact on a particular resource. 2007 Vail Ski Area Improvements Project Final Environmental Impact Statement ES-2 Executive Summary HUMAN ENVIRONMENT Cultural, Archaeological, and Heritage Resources Proposed projects and associated ground disturbing activities could affect cultural and heritage resources. Recreation By design, proposed projects would alter the winter recreation experience within the SUP boundary. For example, upgrading High Noon (Chair 5) with high speed technology and installing a new Sun Down Express would affect the existing recreational character of the Back Bowl experience at Vail. Upgrading Chair 5 to a high speed lift would increase uphill capacity from 1,400 pph to 2,400 people per hour (pph). Improved access to Sun Down Bowl from the Sun Down Express (with an uphill capacity of 2,400 pph) could be accompanied by increased skier densities. The existing average skier density in Sun Down Bowl is only 1.2 skiers per acre, which is considered low for terrain of this nature. Consequently, skied-out conditions in the Bowl would be expedited. Additional impacts to the recreational experience are anticipated from the proposed snowmaking projects, the Golden Peak race venue expansion, and the proposed on-mountain restaurant. Traffic and Parking Implementation of proposed projects has potential to increase daily/annual visitation at Vail with associated effects on traffic volumes and/or congestion on the South Frontage Road and I-70. Parking capacities may also be affected by proposed projects. Scenery Resources Construction of the Sun Down Express and additional terrain on Golden Peak addition may affect visual resources. Social and Economic Resources The proposed on-mountain restaurant would require an increase in Vail employees and subsequent increased demand for employee housing. BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT Wildlife and Aquatic Species Ground disturbing activities could potentially affect Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive wildlife and aquatic species, as well as Management Indicator Species (MIS) through direct and indirect impacts to habitat and/or increased human presence. Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plant Species Ground disturbing activities may affect TES plant species. 2007 Vail Ski Area Improvements Project Final Environmental Impact Statement ES-3 Executive Summary Forest Health Tree clearing for the proposed Golden Peak expansion and Sun Down Express installation would result in a decrease in the aspen and sub-alpine fir cover type —both of which are unaffected by the mountain pine beetle outbreak. Air Quality Short-term construction related