TheDraft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (DEIS/R) for the proposed Gondola between Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows was released on 4/27. FOWS has reviewed the DEIS/R with focus on traffic generation, potential to induce other projects, and the proposed alignment of the gondola and the associated impacts to the Granite Chief Wilderness Area, including:
Scenic degradation,
Impacts on recreation (especially the hiking experience),
US Forest Service & Placer County (details below)!
Comments are due by 5pm on June 11!
Additional Information:
The applicant (owners of Squaw/Alpine) proposed Alternative 2 (the most environmentally damaging option). The USFS and Placer County developed Alternatives 3 and 4, which locate the gondola to the east and out of the GCWA.
Alternative 2 - This alternative would build a gondola through a portion of the Granite Chief Wilderness Area (GCWA), impacting the Five Lakes Basin and beyond. Although it would be located on privately-owned land within the Congressionally-designated Wilderness Area boundary, it would result in negative impacts to the publicly-owned portions of the GCWA and prevent the privately-owned portion from ever being considered for public purchase, as originally intended when the GCWA boundaries were drawn. FOWS opposes this alternative!
Alternatives 3 and 4 - These alternative alignments locate the gondola outside of the GCWA boundary. While the visual impacts to the Five Lakes Basin would be reduced, the alternatives would still result in numerous environmental impacts, many with
additional mitigation options available that FOWS recommends be included in the Final EIS/R.
If you enjoy this quiet solitude of this area, especially hiking, please write a short email expressing your views.
Here are some points to consider:
Overall impacts: Squaw/Alpine's proposed alignment (Alt. 2) has numerous significant environmental impacts and the greatest impacts to the Granite Chief Wilderness Area (GCWA). Given there are feasible alternatives available, Alternative 2 should not be allowed!
Traffic: The gondola will increase traffic in the North Tahoe region and Tahoe Basin. All available mitigation options should be included to reduce this impact.
Recreation: The new gondola will increase noise, degrade views, and detract from the overall wilderness experience along the Five Lakes Trail and within the GCWA.
Scenic views: The gondola will degrade the scenic beauty of the area, including from within the GCWA. (Note: Alternatives 3 and 4 have the least amount of visual impact to the GCWA).
Growth-inducement:The gondola would make the adjacent proposed "White Wolf Subdivision" - a 38-unit luxury home development with a clubhouse/lodge, ski resort facilities, warming hut, and ski lift - more likely to be developed in the future as the subdivision would connect to the gondola, leading to more growth and traffic in the future.
