The Timberline Express Proposal
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THE TIMBERLINE EXPRESS PROPOSAL United States Final Environmental Impact Statement Department of Agriculture Forest Service Summary of DEIS, Errata Sheet, Pacific Response to Comments Northwest Region November 2005 Mt. Hood National Forest View offrom Mt. Mt. Hood Snoqualmie from Trilium looking Lake. West at Alpental. 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). 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ACRONYM LIST ACS Aquatic Conservation Strategy NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service ACSOs Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objectives NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ADA Americans w/ Disabilities Act of 1990 NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ADT Average Daily Traffic NOI Notice of Intent APE Area of Potential Effect NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service AWA Administratively Withdrawn Area OAR Oregon Administrative Rules BA Biological Assessment ODEQ Oregon Department of Environmental Equality BE Biological Evaluation ODOT Oregon Department of Transportation BMP Best Management Practices ODSL Oregon Department of State Lands BO Biological Opinion OHD Oregon Health Division CAA Clean Air Act PCNST Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail CCC Comfortable Carrying Capacity PM Particulate Matter CEQ Council on Environmental Quality PSD Prevention of Significant Deterioration CFR Code of Federal Regulations ROD Record of Decision CRA Congressionally Reserved Area RR Riparian Reserve CWD Coarse Woody Debris SAOT Skier’s at one Time dBA A-weighted decibel SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act DEIS Draft Environmental Impact Statement SHPO State Historic Preservation Office DWPA (Government Camp) Drinking Water Protection SRI Soil Resource Inventory Area EIS Environmental Impact Statement SUP Special Use Permit ESA Endangered Species Act SWA Source Water Assessments FHA Federal Highway Administration TES Threatened and Endangered Species FR Federal Register TSP Total Suspended Particulates FS Forest Service US 26 US Route 26 FSM Forest Service Manual USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers GIS Geographic Information System USC United States Code IDT Interdisciplinary Team USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture IRA Inventoried Roadless Area USDI U.S. Department of the Interior LOS Level of Service USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency LRMP Land & Resource Management Plan USFS U.S. Forest Service MDP Master Development Plan USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service MHNF Mount Hood National Forest VRMS Visual Resources Management System NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards VQO Visual Quality Objectives NEPA National Environmental Policy Act ZZRD Zigzag Ranger District NFSL National Forest System Lands NFSL National Forest System Lands NHPA National Historic Preservation Act Timberline Express Proposal FEIS i November 2005 TIMBERLINE EXPRESS FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Mt. Hood National Forest Clackamas County, Oregon Responsible Agency: USDA Forest Service For more information Contact: Responsible Official: Gary L. Larsen Mike Redmond Forest Supervisor Mt. Hood National Forest 16400 Champion Way Sandy, Oregon 97055 Sandy, Oregon 97055 (503) 668-1776 [email protected] Abstract: This Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) documents the analysis of five alternatives, including the No Action Alternative, developed for the Timberline Express Chairlift, ski trails, and associated infrastructure. The purpose of the action is to improve the winter recreational opportunities at Timberline Ski Area by 1.) Providing additional skiing terrain and opportunities during inclement weather conditions; 2.) Increasing available intermediate to advanced skill-level terrain at the ski area, and providing a terrain distribution that better matches industry standards; and 3.) Increasing opportunities and efficiency for skiers to circulate between pods (the ski trail system associated with each chairlift). Alternative 2, the Proposed Action under review, is an amendment to the existing Timberline Lodge Master Plan, a non-significant amendment to the Mt. Hood National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, and a site-specific proposal by the ski area operator (RLK and Company) to construct a new chairlift. The proposed Timberline Express chairlift would access terrain within the ski area Special Use Permit (SUP) boundary that is more protected from winter storms but is currently not served by existing chairlifts. The proposal will add approximately 62 acres of formal (open) ski terrain and 17 acres of gladed (treed) ski terrain. The chairlift bottom terminal would be developed in a previously disturbed upland site, located along Still Creek and an unnamed tributary to Still Creek. Additional night lighting on new ski trails, and a modification to the existing SUP boundary (an additional 11 acres) would also occur. Under Alternatives 3, 5, and 8, the alignment of the proposed Timberline Express and associated trails are adjusted to varying degrees to minimize impacts to streams and wetlands. Under the No Action Alternative, Timberline would continue to operate the existing six chairlifts and trails under their existing permit. The Forest Service Preferred Alternative is Alternative 3. Agency and public reviewers have provided the Forest Service with their comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). A response to comments section is included in the FEIS. All reviewers had been informed of their obligation to structure their participation in the National Environmental Policy Act process so that it is meaningful and alerts the agency to the reviewer’s position and contentions. The changes to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) resulting from public and agency comments, were minor and/or were limited to responses to public/agency comments. Therefore, these minor changes have been written on errata sheets, in lieu of rewriting the DEIS into a Final EIS, consistent with 40 CFR 1503.4(c). Only the comments, the responses, and the errata sheets to the DEIS have been circulated, and constitute the Final EIS (40 CFR 1503.4(c)). This FEIS is intended to provide the basic information on the corrections and minor changes which were made to the DEIS in a concise, easily understandable manner. A copy of the DEIS is available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood under Projects & Plans. Timberline Express Proposal FEIS ii November 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 ERRATA SHEETS: CORRECTIONS AND MINOR CHANGES MADE TO THE TIMBERLINE EXPRESS PROPOSAL DEIS.................................................................................................. 1-1 2.0 RESPONSE TO COMMENTS .................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Comments on the Draft EIS......................................................................................... 2-3 2.2 Comment Procedure..................................................................................................... 2-3 2.3 Comment Tracking Method......................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Comments and Responses............................................................................................ 2-3 2.5 Response to Comments................................................................................................ 2-4 05.0 General ................................................................................................................2-4 10.0 Climate and Snow ..............................................................................................2-10 20.0 Watershed Resources and Wetlands ..................................................................2-11 25.0 Vegetation ..........................................................................................................2-17 50.0 Aquatic Conservation Strategy ..........................................................................2-19 55.0 Heritage Resources............................................................................................2-20 60.0 Recreation..........................................................................................................2-21 65.0 Visual Resources................................................................................................2-37 70.0 Social & Economic Factors...............................................................................2-39 75.0 Transportation ...................................................................................................2-42 85.0 Noise ..................................................................................................................2-47 90.0 Land Use............................................................................................................2-47