Village at Wolf Creek Land Exchange RGNF / 3 rd Party Consultant Meeting June 23, 2011
Agenda Summary of Scoping Comments Preview Individuals, Agencies, Environmental Groups, Wolf Creek Ski Area Alternatives & Proposed Action Alternatives Considered but Eliminated Village Details to Finalize Data from Proponent Additional Field Studies
Summary of Scoping Comments 110 Comments Received - 32 Support Trade (46%) - 37 Oppose Trade (54%) - 29 Support Development (41%) - 42 Oppose Development (59%)
Summary of Scoping Comments Major Categories # Comments Socioeconomics 106 Process 96 Wildlife 74 Vegetation/Landscape 50 Land Use 40 Surface Water 38 Recreation 31 Traffic & Transportation ti 31 Development 27 Water Rights & Use 27 Land Exchange 26 Air Quality 21 Alternatives 21 Utilities 21
Summary of Scoping Comments Major Categories # Comments Visual Resources 20 Cumulative Effects/Connected Actions 16 Health & Human Safety 14 Wilderness & Natural Areas 9 Development Scenarios 6 Way of Life 5 Access 3 Environmental Justice 2 Ground Water 2 Noise 1 Out of Scope Many
106 Comments Socioeconomics Job creation; economic development; positive effect on adjacent counties; benefits to tourist industry (~48) Negative impact on adjacent counties and existing small businesses; increase costs of goods and services for locals; negative impact on local real estate market (~19) Ski area/resort industry and its viability; current economy may not support this; impacts if the village fails Concerns over types of jobs (seasonal, low wages); would create a worker class Lack of services in Mineral County Comments about importance of socioeconomics to the analysis
Process 96 Comments Trade not fair/equal; not in the public interest; is this really reasonable use / reasonable access? Thank you for open process; agree with purpose and need; should not delay / timing is critical Please give a complete assessment of benefits/tradeoffs/impacts Scope should be broader than alternative means of accessing an inholding; highway access should not be a guiding principle in a land exchange Is ANILCA applicable to this project? / Recognize obligation to provide access
Wildlife 74 Comments Impacts to Lynx: habitat loss & fragmentation, traffic collisions, equality of habitat on trade parcels, need for mitigation; evaluate project in terms of Southern Rockies Lynx Amendment Migration corridor impacts Rio Grande cutthroat trout and other aquatic species / habitats Migratory birds Habitat loss, traffic impacts, year round disturbances Develop adequate design criteria, mitigation, and monitoring
50 Comments Vegetation / Landscape Wetlands: direct vegetation impacts; hydrology impacts; functional conversion; impacts to fens Quantify acreage of wetlands & streams exchanged Reduce / minimize wetland impacts; use BMPs & buffers; discuss mitigation and include non-jurisdictional wetlands Wetlands permitting issues and alternatives analysis Include wetland impacts from all foreseeable phases / activities Impacts to riparian habitat, rare plants, TES habitats Landscape ecology: habitat fragmentation / connectivity
Surface Water 38 Comments Water quality impacts Impacts to streams: erosion; water quality; changes in natural flow regime and temperature Need a thorough analysis of all aquatic resource impacts Impacts of road runoff, snow storage Impacts from WWTP, contaminants not removed or regulated ie. hormones Mitigation of impacts is technically possible
Recreation 31 Comments Negative impact on ski area Impacts to backcountry experience Impacts to Alberta Park Reservoir & fishing Benefits of new facilities and availability of more recreational opportunities; will enhance the ski area experience Residents of Village would cause increased disturbances to adjacent USFS lands
31 Comments Traffic & Transportation Concerns with increased traffic on Hwy 160 Increased safety with new interchange Environmental impacts of new interchange Problems with year-round access E d f ibilit f di t hi Emergency access and feasibility of dispatching emergency services to the Village
27 Comments Village Development New location has reduced impacts; changes made to address concerns; new proposal is superior to old one; project is welldesigned The development is incompatible with the environment; a scaled back development still has major flaws and impacts New development plans should be scaled back further; use green building practices Benefits to ski area from the new design New plan is a balanced approach to land use rights and impacts
27 Comments Water Rights and Use Adequacy of water supply for Village development Impacts to downstream water rights and availability
Land Exchange 26 Comments Minimizes impacts to federal property Protects wetlands and natural resources Better than ANILCA Better for ski area Better suits purpose and need Irregular shape of parcels could increase user conflicts and trespass
Air Quality 21 Comments General concerns over air quality impacts Impacts of climate change Need a complete picture of baseline conditions and impacts including full buildout, ski area expansion, and hwy interchange Use detailed transportation analysis to assess impacts Include construction impacts Discuss mitigation Air impact analysis on sensitive receptors may be warranted
21 Comments Received Alternatives Alternatives should include returning private parcel to public ownership by trade or purchase Consider a full range of alternatives Consider no action; include no village and no ski area expansion as no action Exchange for a different parcel with fewer environmental impacts If not possible to stop development exchange should be approved with a smaller development
Visual & Scenic Resources 20 Comments Received Enforce the Scenic Easement General concern over visual impacts, impacts to views from ski area and from Hwy 160 Visual impacts of water tanks
Cumulative Effects/Connected Actions 16 Comments General concerns over cumulative effects Village development is a connected action Residents of Village will cause additional future impacts to adjacent FS lands Ski area expansion is a connected action Timber harvest, wildfire mitigation Utility easements & SLVREC upgrades Impacts to NFS lands from increased need for parking and recreational needs of more users
Agency Comments Rio Grande County Commissioners i EPA U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Rio Grande County Commissioners Project will bring economic benefits and jobs to both sides of the divide Will benefit the tourist industry and the users of the ski area Request economic analysis of benefits
EPA Impacts to Wetlands, Riparian Habitat & Water Quality Buffers for wetlands Mitigation for Impacts Petroleum Contamination Reduced Stream Flows due to Water Diversions Air Quality Impacts Village Traffic Climate Change Impacts to Lynx Habitat Environmental Justice
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service A Cooperating Agency Migratory Birds Contaminants Wetlands Canada Lynx Traffic impacts Minimize habitat loss Section 7 vs. Section 10
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers A Cooperating Agency Will require a Wetland Permit Alternatives Analysis Should be adequate for an Individual Wetland Permit
Environmental Groups Colorado Wild San Luis Valley Wetlands Focus Area Committee
Colorado Wild Applicability of ANILCA outside Alaska Standard Form 299 Transportation & Utility Systems on Public Lands Transfer the Scenic Easement Compliance with terms of 1986 land exchange Concerns with new Interchange on Hwy 160 Traffic, wildlife, ski area access Liability issues with benzene plume Wetland impacts need hydrology studies to quantify Wildlife Impacts Boreal toad, lynx, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Management Indicator Species
Colorado Wild Air Quality Impacts Traffic, expansion of South Fork Airport, Wilderness Areas Recreational Use Impacts in wilderness areas Light Pollution Impacts Water Quality Impacts Sewage Treatment Impacts of Village on Wolf Creek Ski Area Revenues vs. cost of services for three counties Utilities Additional impacts, connected actions Adequacy of Water Rights
Colorado Wild Soils & Geologic Hazards Emergency Services Health emergencies related to elevation Fire Protection Increased wildfire risk; emergency e access Snow Removal Plan Recreation Needs of Village Residents Impact on National Forest EIS must consider: Appeal Settlement Agreement Mineral CO Preliminary Plan of 2000 Scenic Easement Studies performed by Durango Mtn. Resort EA for 1986 Land Exchange
San Luis Valley Wetlands Focus Area Committee Impacts to fen wetlands; fens cannot be mitigated Individual Wetland Permit Need baseline data on hydrology & water quality Water quality impacts Construction, wastewater, destabilization of streams Erosion of stream beds Snow removal & storage Wildlife Impacts Boreal toad, Lynx, Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout
San Luis Valley Wetlands Focus Area Committee Traffic and Safety on Wolf Creek Pass Social Impacts Creation of a worker class, shift in communities Economic Impacts Is there a market for a high end ski village? Document valuation of parcels Scenic Easement should be Enforced Consider conservation option for private parcel
Wolf Creek Ski Area Generally support the project Have right to maintain current access to Hwy 160
Alternatives & Proposed Action No Action Proposed Action ANILCA Alternative
Proposed Action
ANILCA Alternative
Alternatives Considered but Eliminated i from Detailed danalysis Option III Direct purchase of private parcel Smaller exchange parcels Exchange of private parcel for a federal parcel located elsewhere
Option III
Village Details to Finalize Emergency Access U.S. Highway 160 Interchange Parcel size adjustment following appraisals Electrical power supply/gas pipeline Wastewater treatment facility Storm Water Management Plan Raw water storage Building height & architectural theme Other details
Work Being Performed by Proponent U.S. Highway 160 Interchange Design Water quality/stream flow/temperature Data Socioeconomic data collection Finalization of Concept Plan Traffic analysis
Alternative Interchange Design
Field Studies to Perform Macroinvertebrate Sampling Lynx Habitat Verifications? Wetlands & Cultural Resource Inventories, based on potential boundary changes
Wetland Map