Lee Canyon Ski Area Master Development Plan Phase I

Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Lee Canyon Ski Area Master Development Plan Phase I Prepared by: US Department of Agriculture – Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest With the assistance of: Cirrus Ecological Solutions, LC Logan, UT August 2018 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotapes, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of Communications at (202) 720-2791. To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer. LEE CANYON SKI AREA MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN PHASE I DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Responsible Official: William A. Dunkelberger, Forest Supervisor Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest 1200 Franklin Way Sparks, Nevada 89431 Information Contact: Jonathan Stein, Interdisciplinary Team Manager Spring Mountains National Recreation Area 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nevada 89130 (702) 872-5486 Abstract: The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (HTNF), proposes to authorize Lee Canyon ski area, which operates under Forest Service special use permit, to implement Phase 1 of the ski area’s accepted master development plan. Elements of the Phase 1 project are intended to update and renovate ski area infrastructure, improve capacity balance on several levels, and provide year-round recreational opportunities. Three alternatives including the required no-action alternative, the proposed action, and the Bristlecone Trail alternative, were developed and analyzed to provide a range of options for development at the ski area. The preferred alternative is the Bristlecone Trail alternative. Under this alternative, proposed infrastructure would be shifted away from a popular multi-purpose trail, the Bristlecone Trail, in order to minimize impacts on trail users. This alternative would still meet the purposes and needs addressed by the proposed action. Public Notice and Comment: The HTNF is providing those interested in or affected by the proposed action that is analyzed and documented in this Draft EIS an opportunity to make their concerns known. This project is subject to the Forest Service’s project-level pre-decision administrative review process pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. Only those individuals or organizations who submitted timely specific written comments during a public comment period are eligible to file an objection. How to Comment and Timeframe: Comments should be in writing and should be specific to the proposed action, describing as clearly and completely as possible any issues or concerns the commenter has with the proposal. Comments will be accepted for 45 days following the date of publication of Notice of Availability (NOA) of this Draft EIS in the Federal Register. Electronic comments are encouraged. Comments can be submitted through the Forest website at: https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public //CommentInput?Project=50649. Send email comments to [email protected]. Mail written comments to Donn Christiansen, Area Manager, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89130. Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who comment, will become part of the public record for this EIS and will be available for public inspection. Information about this EIS will be posted on the internet at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50649 This page intentionally left blank. Draft Environmental Impact Statement Lee Canyon Ski Area MDP Phase I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION On December 6, 2016, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (HTNF) received a proposal from Lee Canyon ski area, requesting authorization to implement Phase 1 of improvements included in their master development plan (MDP). Lee Canyon operates entirely on National Forest System (NFS) land, so all the proposed infrastructural improvements require Forest Service approval prior to implementation. As this project (hereafter referred to as the proposed action) would have the potential to impact the human environment, it is subject to review in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This environmental impact statement (EIS) documents that review. Based on this EIS and associated documentation, the Responsible Official will determine whether, and under what conditions, the Forest Service will authorize this project or any of its elements. Lee Canyon is located in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA), 30 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, in Clark County, T19S, R56E, Sections 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, and 22. The Land and Resource Management Plan, Toiyabe National Forest, as amended (including the General Management Plan [GMP] for the SMNRA, hereafter referred to collectively as the Forest Plan), provides primary guidance for management of HTNF resources, including those within the ski area. PROPOSED ACTION The proposed action includes the following elements: Lifts and Ski Runs: Lift 4: A new carpet lift along the skier’s left edge of the Rabbit Peak run. Chair 5 pod: A new fixed-grip quad chairlift on the slope east of the existing beginner area, with three new novice-level ski runs and a conveyor lift (Lift 6) from the bottom of Chair 3 to the bottom of Chair 5. Chair 8 pod: A new fixed-grip quad chairlift accessing several new higher-elevation novice-to- intermediate ski runs southwest of Chair 2. Glading (i.e., selective tree removal to open dense forest patches) between Chairs 1 and 5, above the snow-making pond, and between Chairs 2 and 8. Snowmaking Coverage: Additional snowmaking lines and a pump house. Summer Activities: Mountain coaster. Hiking trail. Mountain bike trail system. Zip line. Facilities: Equipment rental/food & beverage building at the mid-mountain site. First aid/ski patrol building near the bottom of the new Lift 4. Vault toilet facility at the lower parking lot. Parking lot below the beginner area. Gate house on the access road. S-1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Lee Canyon Ski Area MDP Phase I Culinary water tank near the snowmaking reservoir. Project-specific Forest Plan Amendment: Forest Plan amendment exempting the project from standards 0.31 and 11.57. PURPOSE AND NEED Two factors underlie the purpose and need for action at Lee Canyon: the length of time since the ski area’s facilities have been upgraded and emerging trends in ski-area recreation. Lee Canyon has been operating under Forest Service permit since 1964. The permitted area comprises 785 acres. Incremental improvements have been made over time, but over the past two decades the ski area has fallen behind in developing and maintaining the infrastructure required in today’s recreation market. The goals of Lee Canyon’s MDP are to modernize the ski area and develop underutilized portions of the permit area. Regarding emerging recreation trends, extensive customer surveys conducted by Lee Canyon and other ski areas indicate that visitors are increasingly seeking a more diverse range of recreational activities, particularly for families, that includes year-round opportunities and more adventurous options. Reflecting these two factors, the purpose and need for the proposed action are to: Update and renovate ski area infrastructure, particularly run-down base facilities, to meet current standards and the expectations of today’s recreation market. Improve balance on several levels: between lift and run capacity, between on-mountain and base- area capacity, and between overall ski area capacity and growing recreational demand from Las Vegas and the surrounding area. Develop year-round recreational opportunities to meet increasing demand by recreationists of various types and skill levels. Review of the Forest Plan indicated the need to amend two standards, on a project-specific basis, to bring the proposed action and alternatives other than the no-action alternative into compliance. The proposed action could not be revised, or an alternative developed, in a way that complied with these standards and still met the stated purpose and need for action. DECISIONS TO BE MADE In consideration of the stated purpose and need and the analysis of environmental effects documented in this EIS, the Responsible Official will review the proposed action and alternatives in order to make the following decisions: Whether to authorize the proposed action or an alternative, including the required no-action alternative, all or in part; What design criteria and mitigation measures to require as a condition of the authorization; What evaluation methods and documentation to require for monitoring project implementation and mitigation effectiveness; and Whether to authorize a project-specific Forest Plan amendment exempting the project from standards 0.31 and 11.57. S-2 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Lee Canyon Ski Area MDP Phase I RELATIONSHIP TO THE FOREST PLAN The Forest Plan provides primary guidance for management of HTNF resources, including those within the ski area permit boundary. The Forest Plan indicates

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