Snoqualmie Ski DEIS I90WBC comment 02-21-06

Jwatkins

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3414 ½ Fremont Ave N Seattle WA 98103 206.675.9747 ext 208 www.i90wildlifebridges.org February 21, 2006 Larry Donovan, Winter Sports Specialist Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest th21905 – 64 Ave West Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Re: Summit at Snoqualmie MDP DEIS Dear Mr. Donovan, On behalf of the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition, I would like to submit these comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Summit at Snoqualmie Master Development Plan. Our coalition is made up of forty local and national organizations to advocate for high quality wildlife crossing standards in the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project, and working towards maintaining and enhancing the wildlife corridors of the Central Cascades. We work with the Summit at Snoqualmie as a coalition partner, and appreciate the importance of recreational opportunities at the Pass and their efforts to mitigate for the resorts impact. However, some portions of the proposed development plan would have direct negative impacts on habitat connectivity in the area of our focus, and which is not !"# offset by the proposed mitigation. $ ...

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• Publié par: Zaem
• Nombre de lectures: 4
• Langue: English

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3414  Fremont Ave N Seattle WA 98103 206.675.9747 ext 208 www.i90wildlifebridges.org February 21, 2006 Larry Donovan, Winter Sports Specialist Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest th 21905 – 64Ave West Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Re: Summit at Snoqualmie MDP DEIS Dear Mr. Donovan,    On behalf of the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition, I would like to submit these comments on     the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Summit at Snoqualmie Master   Development Plan.Our coalition is made up of forty local and national organizations to       advocate for high quality wildlife crossing standards in the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East    Project, and working towards maintaining and enhancing the wildlife corridors of the Central      work with the Summit at Snoqualmie as a coalition partner, and appreciateCascades. We  the importance of recreational opportunities at the Pass and their efforts to mitigate for the resorts impact.However, some portions of the proposed development plan would have   direct negative impacts on habitat connectivity in the area of our focus, and which is not   offset by the proposed mitigation.   ! "#    $! !#!  !  #  Habitat Connectivity % Snoqualmie Pass is a critical wildlife corridor of the Central Cascades.Within the & !   Snoqualmie Pass Adaptive Management Area, it is one of only three potential connectivity '!  & corridors across I-90, designated as Connectivity Emphasis Areas.Without it, there is (  ! ) * !# + !# almost no connection between the forests south and north of the ski areas.Wildlife are % '   %    already at risk in this area due to other development projects near Summit East and Gold    Creek, and the additional impacts of the ski area expansion into these forests near Summit    East would have a detrimental cumulative effect.The Snoqualmie Pass vicinity – above    2600 provides the only upper elevation forest zone connection between the north and  %    !# south Cascades.The SPAMA sets standards to protect wildlife connectivity and especially  *" #"' laete-successional forest. #*   #  ! * The DEIS proposes to construct two new chairlifts and a road in the forest near Hyak Creek #!( " (Section 16), plus cut new downhill runs and crossover snowboard trails through that forest. ,---& !#* The Creek Run pod (lifts and runs) will have the greatest effect on the section, and the   other projects will add to the cumulative impact.The DEIS points out that “….the mature ).# forest habitat in Section 16 … has been identified as an important area of habitat &* ' % & connectivitiy for wide-ranging species…Low mobility wildlife species also use the mature %  #%* forest in this area.Construction of chairlifts and ski trails within the mature forest in Section /* * 16 (Summit East) has the potential to impact wildlife habitat connectivity by reducing the //! /  available connective habitat, increasing edge habitat, decreasing interior habitat, creating *  ' ' potential barrier affects, and increasing human activity, which in turn increases potential   0 disturbance to animals moving through the area.”The glading and/or clearing of this area will result in open areas with less cover that increase the potential risks of avoidance and predation. Another impact to wildlife is in riparian zones.The MSP proposes new facilities within riparian reserves in Hyak Creek and Mill Creek, as well as parking lots near Silver Fir. Most of this additional parking will only be needed on peak days.Before riparian zones are      94-:;:<=>7<2< 57-!*5*   , 12,2 3 4 94-:;:<=>,--< !?7-!*5*&  5 6# 78,-1

bulldozed for parking more effort must be made to reduce the number of vehicles or even build parking structures to limit the impact on natural habitats. Our current knowledge of future land use patterns, wildlife species recovery, and habitat conditions is not adequate to make substantial alterations to the landscape in critical connectivity areas.Caution is required in all landscape changes within this area, to avoid any decrease in habitat connectivity.In fact, the Forest Service should be exploring measures to increase connectivity there.We suggest further monitoring and studies over the life of this development plan, to inform the decisions made in the next plan. Impacts on Interstate 90 Investments The ski area at The Summit is located near the west end of the 15-mile I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project area, and is closest to the habitat near the discussed crossing structures at Hyak and Coal Creek.Previous habitat investments in the wildlife corridors north and south of the I-90 project area total nearly $100 million, and the monetary investments in the wildlife crossing structures in the highway project will be substantial. The I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project has become a national example for addressing the safety of both motorists and wildlife in a highway improvement, and initially set wildlife connectivity as a goal for the success of the overall project.This project has become a unified effort of state and federal government agencies, local businesses, non-profit organizations, and the public to ensure the completion of this project and coordinate efforts, including the protection and restoration of quality habitat near the project. The Forest Service has been an invaluable partner in the effort to get effective widlife crossing structures included in the I-90 project.But the agency has additional work to do to improve connectivity habitat on national forest lands, such as in the Mt. Hyak/Keechelus area.This narrow land corridor has impacts from roads, reservoir, recreational and other development.Improvements here are needed, but are years away, so this cannot be considered a substitute for the Hyak Creek corridor. The longterm success of the crossing structures are strongly dependent on the habitat quality adjacent to them. Theimpacts to the habitat at Hyak Creek and the proposed increase in human activity and lighting seriously threaten the success of a potential investment in this area. Conclusion The cutting of the late-successional forest in the Hyak Creek corridor and the grading of riparian habitat for parking does not appear to meet the requirements of the SPAMA.The DEIS does not provide sufficient information, analysis or rationale to support a decision to cut the forests in this corridor.We urge you to amend the Purpose and Need statement to include maintaining and enhancing wildlife connecivity.We ask that the Forest Service conduct an intensive study of the habitat and connectivity needs of wildlife in this zone before considering projects that would diminish or fragment the forest corridor around Hyak Creek. That study should also evaluate ongoing and proposed mitigation and conservation measures.That MDP should include additional measures to improve connectivity at Hyak Creek and Keechelus. Wildlife connectity is critically important in this area and some elements of the proposed MDP would have dramatic and long term impacts on that.To maintain connectivity we must support an alternative such as Alternative #4 that avoids the impacts to the Hyak Creek forest corridor.However, the Rampart lift could be allowed if moved south to the #55 run to avoid the contigous forest corridor.In addition, land donation and restoration in Mill Creek should be included in the MDP. Thank you for this opportunity to comment.We look forward to working with you to develop a solution that provides for improving both skiing opportunities and wildlife connectivity. Sincerely, Paul Balle Steering Committee Member cc: Jim Boynton, Supervisor, Wenatchee National Forest