Stevens Pass Bike Park Update
- Thread starter Stevenspass
- Start date
Me three. And thanks for the encouragement E.B.
WTFu@C! is right! If it was up to me we would have been riding this summer, but whatever. I hope everyone by this time understands that this is the process nothing we can do about it but try to keep it moving. We are 5 years into this process to get to this point. The EA is out and offically goes public this week when it is posted in the Everett newspaper on Thursday. This is the website http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/stevens-pass-mdp/index.shtml to go to for all of the information. Hang in there.
Will keep posts more curent now that there is something to post. If it starts snowing again there may be pow delays in posts.
Joel
Will keep posts more curent now that there is something to post. If it starts snowing again there may be pow delays in posts.
Joel
Moderator - Can I get this stickied (SP?)
Please note that Environmental Assessments are a little different than an open comment period for support of a project.
EA's are part of the larger NEPA process. NEPA mandates federal agencies (or entities proposing to build on public lands) to integrate environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives to those actions. It essentially offers an opportunity for the public to review a proposal with regard to how it meets environmental standards. The USFS is the governing agency that oversees the process and ultimately approves issuance of the Special Use Permit (which is what Stevens is striving for now). The USFS is responsible for providing details of the requirements and reviewing satisfactory completion of the requirements. At a minimum, the process includes providing a plan of use, an assessment of the current environment, and public input based on the plan and assessments.
So the EA here is really an opportunity for folks (environmental groups and concerned citizens) to speak up if they want to raise objection to a project based on environmental concerns. They’re essentially looking for inaccuracies, potential environmental impacts not identified, adverse impacts perhaps not discussed, possible mitigation measures or the need for further study, etc.
Being that there may already be some objection to from various groups, I suppose that your comment can't hurt here. But I thought it'd be good to distinguish what kinds of comments they were looking for here. The mountain bike communities support of the project won't make a difference in regards to any environmental concerns or objections raised by other parties. If significant adverse environmental impacts are found in the threshold determination, then Stevens will still have to address and mitigate those concerns.
EA's are part of the larger NEPA process. NEPA mandates federal agencies (or entities proposing to build on public lands) to integrate environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives to those actions. It essentially offers an opportunity for the public to review a proposal with regard to how it meets environmental standards. The USFS is the governing agency that oversees the process and ultimately approves issuance of the Special Use Permit (which is what Stevens is striving for now). The USFS is responsible for providing details of the requirements and reviewing satisfactory completion of the requirements. At a minimum, the process includes providing a plan of use, an assessment of the current environment, and public input based on the plan and assessments.
So the EA here is really an opportunity for folks (environmental groups and concerned citizens) to speak up if they want to raise objection to a project based on environmental concerns. They’re essentially looking for inaccuracies, potential environmental impacts not identified, adverse impacts perhaps not discussed, possible mitigation measures or the need for further study, etc.
Being that there may already be some objection to from various groups, I suppose that your comment can't hurt here. But I thought it'd be good to distinguish what kinds of comments they were looking for here. The mountain bike communities support of the project won't make a difference in regards to any environmental concerns or objections raised by other parties. If significant adverse environmental impacts are found in the threshold determination, then Stevens will still have to address and mitigate those concerns.
Well put Jon. Exactly right. While supportive comments do help some it really a NEPA requirement to have public comment on the actually studies and process more than need. This is just part of the NEPA process. Believe me I have asked and would take an actual act of congress to change.
Joel
Joel
Sorry for not posting quicker, got tied up with a few things. This is a huge step in the process. Here is the mail and follow the link for more info.
Thank to everyone for hanging in there with us as we wade through the process.
Joel
Hello!
The Forest Service has approved Phase 1 of the 2007 Master Development Plan for Stevens Pass Ski Area.
The project includes the contruction and operation of lift served downhill mountain bike trails and associated skill development parks.
A replacement water treatment system is also approved.
The cover letter and the Decision Notice including the Finding of No Significant Impact and a response to public comments is posted online at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/nepa-projects.shtml
These documents describe in detail the decision and rationale including various required mitigation measures.
Thank you for your interest in this project.
Sean
***************************
USDA Forest Service
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Skykomish Ranger District
mbs_stevens_ski@fs.fed.us
www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs
Thank to everyone for hanging in there with us as we wade through the process.
Joel
Hello!
The Forest Service has approved Phase 1 of the 2007 Master Development Plan for Stevens Pass Ski Area.
The project includes the contruction and operation of lift served downhill mountain bike trails and associated skill development parks.
A replacement water treatment system is also approved.
The cover letter and the Decision Notice including the Finding of No Significant Impact and a response to public comments is posted online at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/nepa-projects.shtml
These documents describe in detail the decision and rationale including various required mitigation measures.
Thank you for your interest in this project.
Sean
***************************
USDA Forest Service
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Skykomish Ranger District
mbs_stevens_ski@fs.fed.us
www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs
Now that this is approved, what is the timeline for the park this summer? What is the status of the trails there? Are they built, or just marked? Are we able to expect anything this summer?
-KT
-KT
I'm guessing the 110" of base snow is making it hard to build trails at the moment..
looks like we have a comedian...
Good guess, but your off. Have you noticed how the snow level dropped recently and the mountains got a bunch of snow? 110 or so is probably spot on.
www.heraldnet.com/article/20100414/NEWS01/704149825
Link from the Herald about Stevens Pass and the approval. Some of the comments at the bottom are pretty funny, I'm not sure if some people are just one sided or just dumb.
Link from the Herald about Stevens Pass and the approval. Some of the comments at the bottom are pretty funny, I'm not sure if some people are just one sided or just dumb.
ryanrider must not get to Stevens much. We do indeed have that much snow on the ground! Skiing has been the best it has been all year for the last 3 weeks.
We can't start building until we get the final approval. Right now we are in the 45 day appeal period where the public can appeal the FS decision. It is part of the process that, I don't like it but have to live with it.
Once we get final approval the plan is to start building. Have to wait and see when this acutal happens before we can figure anything out for opening.
Joel
We can't start building until we get the final approval. Right now we are in the 45 day appeal period where the public can appeal the FS decision. It is part of the process that, I don't like it but have to live with it.
Once we get final approval the plan is to start building. Have to wait and see when this acutal happens before we can figure anything out for opening.
Joel
Mountain bike trails block wildlife?
I guess no one has ever been to Whistler to actually asses what the trails do?
Black bears humping 10 feet off the trail without a worry in the world about the guy hucking an 8 footer next to them.
Nature is obviously more resilient than some environmentalists.
I guess no one has ever been to Whistler to actually asses what the trails do?
Black bears humping 10 feet off the trail without a worry in the world about the guy hucking an 8 footer next to them.
Nature is obviously more resilient than some environmentalists.
It is funny what some of these enviro-wackos get bent out of shape about. Worrying about the effect of 6 dirt mtb trails on one mountain when there's logging roads being bulldozed, paved roads criss-crossing all over out there, and several big parking lots just seems so misguided. What about the effect of game trails next to creeks? When will we stand up against the Zionist deer! Their non-padded hooves churn up the dirt and kill the native grass species. I've even heard most deer are sexual predators and prey on underage salmon. Won't someone think of the salmon!
I stand in awe of both your patience, and the molasses-doused-with-liquid-nitrogen speed of our government. I officially owe you a beer. Or twelve.
I can't wait for the snow to melt!
Mmmmmm beer! Thanks Benny it is what it is. Cant wait for the first day of building!
Joel
Joel
i probably missed it, but is there a target date for opening day?
In the middle of the 45 day appeal process. Still waiting to see what comes of that.
Joel
Joel
Let us know. Lots of pow to melt first. Send the sled's home
Yeah, I read that. Fingers crossed...
As much hating as I have done I am really starting to feel for you guys, trying to get a good thing going and constantly getting road blocked by eco-nazis claiming ridiculousness. As someone said in one of the comments on that page, how would a mountain bike trail affect anything anywhere near as much as a 4 lane highway?
this is so disgusting. only feeds my extreme dislike of enviro-clubs
Don't let the few make the rest look bad. There are plenty of groups out there going after more important things.
Just like there are a-hole bikers who make the rest of us look bad.
There is no reasoning with fanatics I guess.
I wonder how much of the Sierra Club's operations rely on them being able to say they are stopping the man to the people who fund them? Regardless of any actual grounds to their actions. I was part of an environmental group and found a lot of true environmentalists HATE the Sierra Club.
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Honestly everyone I was not surprised by the appeals and was fully expecting them. It is part of the process and it is what it is. I don't like it anymore than anyone else. The end of the next 45 day review period will be the big one. The appeals don't have any information that was not already addressed in the original EA so in theory there should not be any issues found by an appeal committee. Once this next 45 days ends is when we will actually get the stamp of approval. The last hurdle would be if the SC, CNW or the tribes wants to sue the government and make them prove it in court. If this happens that is when we can start the uprising!
Joel
Joel