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<br />nationally known ski area and the subsequent demand for services and facilities, Base <br />11 will develop regardless of a 404 permit. Available dry land would be heavily utilized <br />to meet this demand, with no mea:;ures required to ensure protection of the stream <br />and its wetlands. In an effort to address and therefore avoid the "worst" case possible <br />under current local land use regulations, a common effort was initiated to resolve <br />future conflicts. The result of this effort, the Base II Master Plan, establishes <br />community goals and sets forth areas of coordination between owners. These are only <br />recommendations unless followed through into regulations. Summit County has not <br />initiated regulations or standards for planning at Base II, but the applicants have still <br />included them in the permit to ensure continuity with the Plan. Under the permit <br />therefore, greater control and protection j:; available to pl'otect the wetlands and the <br />Snake River water quality. <br /> <br />Public dedication of wetland and a protective fencing program would not be <br /> <br /> <br />possible unless a permit was requested. The urban runoff control measures and erosion <br /> <br /> <br />control techniques would not otherwise be implemented if steps to provide them were <br /> <br /> <br />not initiated by the permit. The wetlands and river would therefore experience far <br /> <br /> <br />greater stress and degradation under the current local development process since these <br /> <br /> <br />measures are not required. Stream enhancement measures such a.s the revegetation of <br /> <br />scoured streambanks and the additi."n of [ish habitat areas will not be constructed <br /> <br /> <br />except under this permit. Degraded area.s will continue to contribute to stream <br /> <br />sedimentation on an annual basis unless attention is given to these problem areas. <br /> <br />Issuance of the permit also provides an opportunity to begin cleanup and <br />restoration of existing environmental problems caused by past human activity in the <br />watershed. These rehabilitative projects will not be undertaken except as a mitigation <br />measure for the proposed development. <br /> <br />It is our conclusion that there is a net benefit to issuance of the permit through <br />implementing a sound master plan for the Base II community as well as rehabilitative <br />environmental projects which will benefit the entire valley. <br /> <br />EVALUATION <br /> <br />The criteria addressed follow 33 C.F,R" 320.4 and consider a.1I factors <br />necessary to balance benefits and detriments, This is pa.rallel to the master planning <br />process which was used to determine the best community plan. <br /> <br />-6- <br />