News Releases
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) will vote next Wednesday on whether to approve a plan for intensive new construction at Heavenly Mountain Resort, owned by Vail Corporation. All construction alternatives under consideration include more than 125 acres of ski runs and lifts, 2 large new lodges, a host of new development for summer use, a 120 unit residential complex at the Stagecoach parking lot, and much more. There will be a 20% increase in disturbed areas from what exists now on public land, not to mention likely increases in traffic, parking demand and related impacts. Heavenly’s plan is being considered at a time when environmental scientists have concluded that Lake Tahoe pollutants must be reduced by 35% in order to restore lake clarity to the goal of 100 feet. Avoiding unnecessary disturbance to the most environmentally sensitive areas is crucial to reduce the risk of environmental harm to Lake Tahoe from Heavenly’s plans. The portions of Heavenly assessed by the Forest Service as being in the poorest condition (1996-2003 Report) are the Bijou Wildwood and Edgewood Creek watersheds. Edgewood Creek encompasses the old growth North Bowl forest stand, through which Heavenly is pressing to build a new high speed lift and new ski runs. Because of past degradation in the Edgewood Creek watershed, TRPA has a current restriction prohibiting new disturbance in this area. This restriction must be removed to permit any of the construction alternatives in this area. The League to Save Lake Tahoe supports adoption of one of two plan alternatives that spare the North Bowl old growth stand. Alternative 5 would reduce the amount of new construction on currently undisturbed land in the Edgewood Creek watershed by upgrading two existing lift lines rather than building a new lift through the heart of the North Bowl stand. This alternative also includes a ski run alternative that goes around the stand. These lift and run choices would reduce the number of old growth acres to be cut and disturbed by 4.5 acres, and reduce the overall footprint of new disturbance in Edgewood Creek by about 225,000 square feet (the area to be cleared for the proposed lift). In response to an outpouring from the public to save the North Bowl trees, an alternative (4A) was developed which would build a high-speed angled lift around the old growth stand, rather than through it, as proposed under Alternative 4. This angled-lift alternative has the advantage of allowing removal of the Olympic lift and access road, which allows some SEZ restoration in addition to sparing the trees. TRPA staff has recommended approval of Alternative 4 —the “North Bowl Express” through the old growth stand – to their Governing Board. This recommendation was made despite the fact that TRPA rules prohibit removal of old growth trees (greater than 24” diameter) unless it determined “necessary” for recreation. TRPA rules also only allow new disturbance on the steep, fragile soils of Heavenly if “feasible” alternatives that avoid or minimize impacts are not available. Alternatives 5 and 4A both accomplish the basic objective of moving skiers faster from point A to B, with fewer substantial impacts -- while still meeting the overwhelming majority of Heavenly’s resort-wide goals. The public will be given an opportunity to tell the TRPA Governing Board what you consider “necessary” and “feasible” at their public hearing on Heavenly next Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the TRPA office in Stateline, NV at 10:30 a.m. |