United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Eastern Region Mount Snow Disc Golf Course and Mountain Bike Race Course Project Scoping Information May 2017 Manchester Ranger District Green Mountain National Forest Town of Dover Windham County, VT For Information Contact: Tom Paquette Green Mountain National Forest Rochester Ranger District 99 Ranger Road Rochester, Vermont 05767 802-767-4261 tpaquette@fs.fed.us Responsible Official: David Francomb District Ranger Manchester Ranger District 2538 Depot Street Manchester Center, VT 05255 802-362-2307 1
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. This document can be made available in large print. Contact Tom Paquette (802) 767-4261 ext. 5521 or e-mail: tpaquette@fs.fed.us
PROJECT INFORMATION Mount Snow Disc Golf Course and Mountain Bike Race Course Project The USDA Forest Service is proposing to authorize Mount Snow Resort to construct a portion of a disc golf course and to re-establish two mountain bike downhill race courses from the mountain summit. The project is located on National Forest System (NFS) lands on the Manchester Ranger District, Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) in the Towns of Dover and Somerset, Windham County, Vermont (see attached map). BACKGROUND AND LOCATION Mount Snow Resort is located approximately nine miles north of Wilmington on Vermont Route 100 in the Towns of Dover and Somerset, Windham County, Vermont. Mount Snow is operated by Mount Snow, Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Peak Resorts, under a Special Use Permit (SUP). The SUP was issued in April 2007 and expires in 2047. On average 400,000 people visit Mount Snow annually, primarily in the winter months. Mount Snow also offers events and activities in the summer months including a mountain bike trail system located partially on National Forest System lands. PURPOSE AND NEED The purpose of the Mount Snow Disc Golf Course and Mountain Bike Race Course Project is provided by the 2006 GMNF Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) that includes the following direction: Role of the GMNF: Working in partnership with many organizations will continue to be a hallmark of how the Forest Service provides recreation opportunities to the public (Forest Plan p. 9). Goal 12 is to Provide a diverse range of high-quality, sustainable recreation opportunities that complement those provided off National Forest System lands with an objective to maintain or enhance high-quality opportunities for downhill skiing in partnership with the private sector (Forest Plan p. 15). The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act was passed in 2011 which allows for nature based summer activities at ski areas on National Forests operating under a Ski Area Permit. Frisbee, or disc, golf is one of the activities that was identified that could be authorized. To meet the intent of the Act, each activity and facility authorized shall meet three criteria: encourage outdoor recreation and enjoyment of nature, harmonize with the natural environment of the National Forest System land on which the activity or facility is located, and be located within the developed portions of the ski area. Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper
Mount Snow currently provides a limited amount of summer activities, including mountain bike trails, hiking, endurance foot races and scenic chairlift rides. The proposed disc golf course would be located near the top of the Canyon lift, and descend to the base area. The disc golf course would provide an additional activity for their summer visitors. One of the popular summer attractions at Mount Snow is their mountain bike facilities. A mid-mountain lift provides lift assisted access to several miles of trails for beginners to advanced riders. In the 1990 s and early 2000 s Mount Snow hosted a number of international World Cup and United States Championship downhill bike races from the summit. The proposed mountain bike race event would be located on the same two courses previously used, and be open for amateurs as well as some of the top pro racers. By hosting this event Mount Snow aims to attract mountain bike riders to their regular trail network and to regain their recognition as a premier mountain biking facility. The Mount Snow Disc Golf Course and Mountain Bike Race Course Project would meet the intent of the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act. There is a need to enhance permitted recreation activities. If the Mount Snow Disc Golf Course and Mountain Bike Race Course Project is not implemented, the opportunity to enhance permitted recreation activities and meet the intent of the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act will be lost. PROPOSED ACTION The proposed action is to authorize the construction of a disc golf course and the reestablishment of two mountain bike race courses from the summit. The eighteen target disc golf course would be located near the top of Canyon lift, a midmountain lift, at elevation 2,850 feet. The course would be located on existing open ski trails and work roads. No additional trees would be cut. Only the top seven targets would be located on NFS lands, the remaining eleven would continue towards the base area on private lands. Each hole on the course would have an approximate 5 x 12 foot levelled and hardened tee box and a basket target. The basket would be installed in a 2.5 gallon bucket filled with concrete and buried about two feet in the ground. The concrete filled bucket would remain, but the baskets would be removed prior to winter operations. Signs would be installed at each tee box and removed for winter operations. At least five of these holes would be located on the graveled service road. An excavator would be used to dig holes for the target bases and to level the tee boxes. The proposal is also to re-establish two mountain bike races courses from the summit. Two parallel race courses from the summit were analyzed and approved in the 2001 Re-establishment of Mountain Bike Trails from the Summit, Permitting Mountain Bike Racing and Selected Tree Island Clearing and Snowmaking Line Reconfiguration at Mount Snow Environmental Assessment. Each trail was used as the race course in alternate years to allow them more time to recover. This proposal is to re-establish the same two courses with some minor alterations and would only be used for one event
per year. It would only be open for the race registrants. Features including berms, ramps, and jumps would be added along the course. These features would be earthen or constructed out of wood and removed following the event. As needed waterbars and streams would be crossed on constructed temporary bridges. Approximately 300 participants are expected, each riding the course 10 to15 times over the course of three to four days. Following the event the course would be graded to fill in any ruts, waterbars maintained, and seeded and mulched. All construction work would meet the Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines as outlined in the Forest-wide Management Direction for Soil, Water, and Riparian Area Protection (Forest Plan, pp. 20-22). Mount Snow would provide and implement an approved erosion control plan for the project. The Forest Service permit administrator would monitor all construction activities and provide subsequent monitoring of the disc golf course and race trails. Mitigation measures to prevent the introduction or spreading of any non-native invasive plants would be followed. The project would be implemented during spring or summer 2017 when soil conditions are favorable for all soil disturbing activities. FOREST PLAN CONSISTENCY The Mount Snow Disc Golf Course and Mountain Bike Race Course Project is designed to be consistent with the goals, objectives, and Forest-wide and Management Area (MA) Standards and Guidelines as provided in the 2006 GMNF Land and Resource Management Plan. The project is located on NFS lands within the Alpine Ski Areas Management Area which emphasizes providing alpine winter sports opportunities and year round recreation opportunities at alpine ski areas managed by the private sector under Special Use Permit authority. The proposed action would promote the desired future condition for the Alpine Ski Areas Management Area of enhancing permitted recreation activities at the area while protecting the natural resources and visual characteristics (Forest Plan, p. 63). ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS This proposed action falls in a category of actions that may be excluded from analysis in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as proposals of this type individually and cumulatively do not have a significant effect on the human environment. This proposal appears to fall under category 36 CFR 220.6(e)(1): Construction and reconstruction of trails and 220.6(e)(3): Approval, modification or continuation of minor special uses on NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of land. The environmental effects from the proposed action will be analyzed following National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and guidance. The environmental analysis will consider the effects to impacted resources and identify any extraordinary circumstances that may exist and could result in significant effects to the environment.
At a minimum, the following specific resource conditions will be considered in accordance with 36 CFR 220.6(b): 1. Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Regional Forester s sensitive species; 2. Floodplains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds; 3. Congressionally designated areas (Wilderness or National Recreation Areas); 4. Inventoried Roadless Areas; 5. Research Natural Areas; 6. American Indians and Alaska Native Religious or Cultural Sites; 7. Archaeological Sites, or Historic Properties or Areas. Other resources anticipated to be included in the environmental analysis include soil, water quality and aquatic habitat.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Public comments received for the project proposal will help focus the environmental analysis on the resource issues of concern. The analysis will be the basis for the final decision. DECISIONS TO BE MADE After reviewing the environmental analysis, including public involvement and interdisciplinary resource specialists' input, the Responsible Official will make the following decisions based on the environmental analysis: 1. Whether the proposed project will proceed as proposed, as modified to address issues, or not at all; 2. What specific best management practices, mitigation measures and project design criteria should be implemented as part of the project; 3. Whether the project would have environmental impacts at levels that may require an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL David Francomb, Manchester District Ranger, Green Mountain National Forest, is the Responsible Official for the decision on this proposal.