Waterville Valley Ski Resort Green Peak Expansion Project Town of Waterville Valley Grafton County, NH Environmental Assessment June, 2013 For Information Contact: Susan Mathison White Mountain National Forest 71 White Mountain Drive Campton, NH 03223 Phone: 603-536-6245 Fax: 603-536-3685; Attn: Susan Mathison [email protected] http://www.fs.usda.gov/whitemountain/land management/projects Environmental Assessment This document is available in large print. Contact the Pemigewasset Ranger District White Mountain National Forest 603-536-6100 TTY 603-536-3665 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities 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.) 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Printed on Recycled Paper Waterville Valley Ski Resort Green Peak Expansion Project Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 7 1.1 Document Structure ................................................................................. 7 1.2 Project Introduction .................................................................................. 8 1.3 Project Area................................................................................................ 8 1.4 Forest Service Authority, Policy, and Management Direction .......... 9 1.5 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ....................................... 13 1.6 Decision Framework .............................................................................. 15 1.7 Public Involvement ................................................................................. 16 2 Description of Alternatives and Issues for Analysis ......................................... 18 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 18 2.2 Proposed Action and Alternatives ....................................................... 18 2.3 Issues Identification ................................................................................ 23 2.4 Resources Not Analyzed in Detailed ................................................... 24 2.5 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................. 25 3 Existing Conditions and Environmental Effects ................................................ 27 3.1 Water Resources ...................................................................................... 28 3.2 Soil Resources .......................................................................................... 44 3.3 Fisheries and Aquatic Resources .......................................................... 49 3.4 Vegetation Resources and Non-Native Invasive Species ................. 53 3.5 Wildlife Resources .................................................................................. 59 3.6 Threatened, Endangered and Proposed Species (TEPS) and Regional Foresters Sensitive Species (RFSS) ....................................... 64 3.7 Visuals ...................................................................................................... 74 3.8 Winter Recreation Resources ................................................................ 91 3.9 Socioeconomic ......................................................................................... 97 3 Environmental Assessment 4 Consultation or Coordination ............................................................................. 107 4.1 USDA Forest Service Participation .................................................... 107 4.2 Other Governmental Agencies Contacted ........................................ 107 5 References .............................................................................................................. 108 6 Abbreviations and Acronyms ............................................................................. 114 Appendix A – Response to Comments ..................................................................... 117 4 Waterville Valley Ski Resort Green Peak Expansion Project List of Tables Table 2.5-1 Summary of Alternatives Analysis ................................................................ 26 Table 3.1-1. Snowmaking Demand and Completion under Existing and Proposed Conditions ........................................................................................ 40 Table 3.1-2. Recent or Probable Future Projects within the WMNF to be considered for Cumulative Effects ................................................................. 42 Table 3.2-1. Ecological Land Types mapped within the Waterville Valley Green Peak Project Area. ............................................................................................. 45 Table 3.3-1. Mad River Fish Stocking 2011 ........................................................................ 51 Table 3.6-1. Likelihood of Occurrence of TEPS and RFSS Plant Species and/or Habitat with the potential to occur in the Green Peak Expansion Area, based on field reviews. .......................................................................... 66 Table 3.6-2. TEPS and RFSS .................................................................................................. 69 Table 3.8-1. Existing Terrain Distribution by Ability Level............................................. 92 Table 3.8-2. Comparison of Existing versus Proposed Terrain Distribution by Ability Level ...................................................................................................... 94 Table 3.9-1. State, County and Town Population Estimates ........................................... 98 Table 3.9-2. Housing Supply Characteristics 2000-2009 .................................................. 99 Table 3.9-3. Employment and Wage Data ........................................................................ 100 Table 3.9-4. Employment by Industry Sector for Grafton County, 2000-2010 ............ 100 Table 3.9-5. Quarterly Unemployment Data, 2011 ......................................................... 101 Table 3.9-6. Regional Employment Derived From Waterville Valley Ski Resort, 2011-12 .............................................................................................................. 102 Table 3.9-7. Waterville Valley Skier Visits, Snowfall and Days Open 1997-1998 to 2011-2012 .......................................................................................................... 103 Table 3.9-8. Summary of Estimated Socioeconomic Effects to Grafton County and Local Communities ................................................................................. 104 5 Environmental Assessment List of Figures Figure 1.3-1. Waterville Valley Ski Resort Location Map. ................................................. 10 Figure 1.3-2. Green Peak Expansion Project Area. ............................................................. 11 Figure 3.1-1. Mad River Watershed Area. ........................................................................... 29 Figure 3.1-2. Green Peak Expansion Project Water Resources Map. ............................... 30 Figure 3.1-3. Green Peak Expansion Project Wetlands and Surface Waters. .................. 35 Figure 3.1-4. Green Peak Expansion Project Effects to Wetlands and Surface Waters................................................................................................................. 39 Figure 3.2-1. Green Peak Expansion Project and USFS Ecological Land Types. ............ 46 Figure 3.4-1. Green Peak Expansion Project Vegetation Communities. .......................... 55 Figure 3.7-1. Green Peak Expansion Project Viewpoint Location Map. .......................... 76 Figure 3.7-2. Viewpoint 2A – Village Area. ......................................................................... 79 Figure 3.7-3. Viewpoint 2B – Village Area. .......................................................................... 80 Figure 3.7-4. Viewpoint 3 – The Scaur. ................................................................................. 81 Figure 3.7-5. Viewpoint 4 – Goodrich Rock. ........................................................................ 83 Figure 3.7-6. Viewpoint 5 - Mt. Osceola. .............................................................................. 84 Figure 3.7-7. Viewpoint 6 – Mt. Tripyramid. ....................................................................... 86 Figure 3.8-1 Recent National, Regional and Waterville Valley Skier Visitation Trends ................................................................................................................. 93 6 Waterville Valley Ski Resort Green Peak Expansion Project 1 Introduction 1.1 Document Structure The USDA Forest Service has prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) in response to Waterville Valley Ski Resort’s proposal for the Green Peak Expansion Project in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other