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<br />OD0492 <br /> <br />Discharge Permits from the Colorado Department of Health, Water Quality Control <br />Division. A Storrnwater Management Plan will be required, as part of each permit, <br />to identify potential sources of pollution from stormwater discharges associated <br />with construction activities and the mitigation measures to be implemen~ed. <br /> <br />Additional snowmaking will require authorization by the Snowmass Water and <br />Sanitation District (SWSD) for the necessary water withdrawals. The District has <br />been granted water rights by the State of Colorado to divert water from Snowmass <br />and Brush Creeks for municipal and industrial purposes. Forest Service approval <br />of additional snowmaking on NFSL will be subject to the minimum streamflows <br />established by the CWCB. <br /> <br />The Aspen area is a nonattainment area for compliance with air quality standards <br />under the Colorado State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Clean Air Act Amendments <br />of 1990 prohibit federal actions which do not conform with the SIP. <br />Specifically, activities on federal land cannot cause or contribute to new <br />violations, increase the frequency or severity of existing violations, or delay <br />timely attainment of compliance with the SIP. Although the Snowmass Ski Area is <br />located outside the Aspen nonattainment area, the proposed expansion could <br />potentially increase activity within the nonattainment area due to its proximity. <br />As a consequence, compliance with the SIP must be demonstrated for any activities <br />authorized. <br /> <br />Consultation with the U,S, Fish & Wildlife Service for compliance with Section <br />7 of the Threatened and Endangered Species Act is required. This section qf the <br />Act requires all federal agencies to ensure that their actions are not likely to <br />jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species or <br />result in the destruction or modification of critical habitat. The Forest <br />Service received a draft Biological Opinion from USFWS which concluded that the <br />proposed project is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of certain <br />Colorado endangered fishes but that "reasonable and prudent alternatives" <br />developed by the USFWS will offset this jeopardy. After USFWS has received a <br />letter from ASC agreeing to the payment of a depletion fee, which is part of the <br />reasonable and prudent alternative, the Biological Opinion will be finalized and <br />the Section 7 consultation process completed. <br /> <br />Consultation is also required by Section 106 of the National Historic <br />Preservation Act with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the State <br />Historic Preservation Officer. Section 1.06 requires special review of any <br />undertaking that could affect historic properties that are included or eligible <br />for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. <br /> <br />Any activities 'authorized by the Forest Service as part of a new MOP that are <br />located partially on private land, e.g. East Village lift and snowmaking, will <br />also require approval by the TOSV. <br /> <br />II. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED <br />ACTION <br /> <br />A. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL <br /> <br />Five action alternatives and a no action alternative were analyzed in detail in <br />this FEIS, including the permittee'S Proposed Action (Alternative G) and the <br />Forest Service Preferred Alternative (Alternative F). This range of alternatives <br />was designed to provide a variety of choices for future development of the <br />Snowrnass Ski Area either within the existing area (Baldy Mountain), within an <br />expanded area (Burnt Mountain), or both. A variety of facilities and activities <br />were proposed in each alternative to meet Forest Service objectives for <br /> <br />Summary . 5 <br />