Public comment sought on Snow King upgrade EIS
Comments due by Sept. 4, 2018
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
August 5, 2018
Public comment is needed on the issues and alternatives also known as the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Ski areas on National Forest System Land should provide a diverse array of recreational activities including year-round opportunities. Snow King's proposal includes projects such as a new ski school/teaching center on the ridgeline west of the Snow King summit, new ski terrain totaling about 97.5 acres (groomed runs and teaching terrain), upgrading the existing Summit lift to a gondola, and upgrading and installation of facilities. A few of the buildings included in the proposal are a summit restaurant/guest services building and ski patrol facility, a temporary ski patrol building at the top of Cougar lift, an observatory and planetarium at the summit, a wedding venue west of the summit building, and a year-round yurt camp at the southern point of the permit area. Also included in the analysis will be the front-side mountain bike trails and a back-side mountain bike zone, hiking trails and a zip line, among other proposed improvements.
Ski area permits require a Master Development Plan (MDP) to provide a long-term framework for development of the ski area. The current MDP proposes an assortment of summer and winter recreational opportunities and chairlift modifications. It reflects environmental patterns and changes, variations in industrial technology, and trends in mountain resort recreation. It is operationally efficient for the Ski Area and the proposed uses are allowed by the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011. Each individual project in this proposal that Snow King made to the Bridger-Teton is consistent with their MDP and is now going through an extensive Forest Service review process and site-specific analysis through this EIS prior to moving forward. This scoping period is the opportunity for the public to comment.
Anyone with comments on the proposal is asked to submit them in writing or electronically by September 4, 2018. While comments will be accepted any time during the process, to establish standing for objection eligibility, comments must be received during this designated opportunity to comment which in this case is 32 calendar days (due to the weekend and a holiday) following the August 3, 2018 publication of notice for the request for comment in the Casper Star-Tribune (newspaper of record).
Please address comments as attention:
Snow King Mountain Resort On-mountain Improvements Project
Mary Moore, District Ranger
PO Box 1689
Jackson, WY 83001
The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered comments are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Electronic comments must be submitted to: comments-intermtn-bridger-teton-jackson@fs.fed.us. An objection period, if required, will follow the regulation found in §218.7. For objection eligibility (§218.5), only those who have submitted timely, specific written comments during any designated opportunity for public comment may file an objection. Please state "Snow King Mountain Resort On-mountain Improvements" in the subject line when providing electronic comments.
Additional information on the Snow King Mountain Resort On-mountain Improvements Project is also available on the webpage: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54201.
If you would like more information or have questions relating to this proposal, please contact District Ranger Mary Moore at 307-739-5500 or marymoore@fs.fed.us.
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