Beaver Creek Resort Mccoy Park Terrain Development Decision Notice Environmental Assessment
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BEAVER CREEK RESORT MCCOY PARK TERRAIN DEVELOPMENT DECISION NOTICE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT November 2018 USDA Forest Service White River National Forest Rocky Mountain Region In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected] (link sends e-mail). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. DECISION NOTICE Contents Introduction/Background ................................................. 1 Purpose and Need for Action .......................................... 1 Decision and Reasons for the Decision ............................ 1 Selected Alternative Description ...................................... 2 Terrain ........................................................................................................................ 2 Chairlifts ...................................................................................................................... 3 Snowmaking ................................................................................................................ 3 Skier Services .............................................................................................................. 4 Ski Patrol Facilities .................................................................................................... 4 Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing Trails .......................................................... 4 Construction, Maintenance, and Utility Access ........................................................ 4 Rationale for My Decision ............................................... 5 Other Alternatives Considered ......................................... 6 Public Involvement ......................................................... 6 Finding of No Significant Impact ..................................... 6 Findings Requirement by Other Laws and Regulations ....... 7 Opportunity to Object the Proposed Project ..................... 7 Implementation Date ...................................................... 7 Contact ............................................................ 7 Appendix A. Project Design Criteria Environmental Assessment i DECISION NOTICE conditions, 45 percent of Beaver Creek Resort’s INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND terrain capacity should serve beginner through low-intermediate ability level guests; however, This Decision Notice documents my decision only 40 percent of Beaver Creek Resort’s terrain and rationale for approving the proposed capacity currently serves these ability levels. projects on the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest (WRNF). The current teaching areas at Beaver Creek The Project Area is located within the Beaver include the Highlands and Red Buffalo Park. Creek Resort (Beaver Creek) Special Use Permit The Highlands area is served by the Buckaroo (SUP) boundary, Eagle County, Colorado. My Gondola, Highlands chairlift, and several surface decision is based on and supported by the lifts (carpets). This teaching area is at the August 2018 Beaver Creek Resort McCoy Park intersection of several intermediate and Terrain Development Environmental Assessment advanced ability level trails in one of Beaver (EA). Creek Resort’s busiest areas. Specifically, as advanced skiers make their way down to the Beaver Creek operates under a SUP base of the Centennial Express chairlift on the administered by the WRNF’s Eagle-Holy Cross Latigo, Gold Dust, and Assay trails, user Ranger District. The 2002 WRNF Land and conflicts occur between advanced skiers and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) beginner/low-intermediate skiers. While the provides general standards and guidelines for the Highlands area is practical for first-time skiers, operation of Beaver Creek regarding its it does not offer longer beginner and low- activities and operations on National Forest intermediate trails that are essential for skier System (NFS) lands. The SUP and associated progression. Red Buffalo Park is served by the summer and winter operating plans, as well as Red Buffalo Express chairlift, with guest access other resource management documents, provide primarily achieved via the Centennial Express more specific guidance for annual winter and chairlift and Cinch Express chairlift. Red summer ski area operations and projects. Buffalo Park offers longer beginner trails; PURPOSE AND NEED however, the area is utilized by advanced skiers accessing Rose Bowl and Stone Creek Chutes. FOR ACTION Additionally, this area requires guests to The purpose of the Proposed Action is to download the Centennial Express or down the provide guests with a dedicated beginner and Cinch catwalk, which intersects with multiple low-intermediate ability level area with intermediate and advanced ability level trails. appropriate slope angles in an engaging setting that is also separated from advanced ability level DECISION AND REASONS terrain, and which offers high-quality snow FOR THE DECISION conditions throughout the season. There is a After thoroughly considering the Purpose and need for Beaver Creek to offer a dedicated Need for Action, issues, range of alternatives, beginner and low-intermediate area that is and analyses presented in the EA, as well as removed from intermediate and advanced trails; public comments that were received, I am provides longer, consistently comfortable approving the Proposed Action with the beginner and low-intermediate trails; and inclusion of all Project Design Criteria (PDC) experiences high-quality, natural snow coverage identified in Table 2 of the EA and included in through the season. Appendix A of this document. The Selected There is an overall deficiency of lower ability Alternative will include various lift, terrain, level terrain (beginner, novice, and intermediate) snowmaking, skier service, and operational at Beaver Creek Resort. Based on market improvements associated with providing lift- Environmental Assessment 1 DECISION NOTICE served terrain in McCoy Park, as described affected by the mountain pine beetle. These trees below and depicted on the attached figure. will be removed first, and trail layout will connect existing open spaces. Minimal The Selected Alternative, along with my additional clearing may be necessary to facilitate decision to require PDC, meets all applicable grooming operations; thus, the completed trails laws, regulations, and policies. With the would appear to be natural glades instead of application of PDC, the project will not result in clear-cut trails. Most dead lodgepole pine trees any unacceptable effects to NFS lands. Failure will be removed within McCoy Park. Access to to comply with the required PDC will constitute beginner and intermediate terrain in McCoy a breach of the project approval and could Park will be made possible via three proposed suspend construction and/or operations on the skiways from the top of Larkspur Express facilities approved by this decision. The Selected chairlift, Strawberry Park Express chairlift/ Alternative includes a collection of projects Upper Beaver Creek Mountain Express chairlift within the McCoy Park area. It is understood and the proposed McCoy Park Express chairlift: that not all projects may be implemented immediately to open and operate the terrain in 1. From the top of the Larkspur Express McCoy Park (e.g., the McCoy Park Egress chairlift, an approximately 1,500-foot-long chairlift may not be initially constructed); proposed skiway (Skiway A) will travel project components can be phased in over time northwest, entering McCoy Park with this authorization. approximately 980 linear feet northeast of and below the proposed McCoy Park SELECTED ALTERNATIVE Express chairlift top terminal (described in the section Chairlifts below). Skiway A will DESCRIPTION only require vegetation clearing All the approved projects