To: Saddleback@atconf.org
Subject: RE: Saddleback Update, 2/11/0

-----Original Message-----
From: Saddleback@atconf.org [mailto:Saddleback@atconf.org]
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2000 4:59 PM
To: Saddleback@atconf.org
Subject: Saddleback Update, 2/11/0

Greetings-

Quite a bit of time has elapsed since the last Saddleback update. In this message, you'll find information on:

-> the NPS environmental assessment process
-> negotiations between NPS and the ski area
-> ATC's perspective


1) NPS EA Process-Last summer, NPS released and "environmental assessment" of Trail-protection alternatives at Saddleback. The public comment period for the EA extended through August 31, 1999, and NPS conducted three public hearings in Maine (Rangeley, Bangor, Portland) to gather public input. Approximately 4,500 comments were received. NPS needed several months to process and catalogue the comments last fall. NPS prepared and circulated a "summary report" on the EA on January 28. That report (which was mailed to everyone who submitted comments to NPS) identified Alternative #2 (the 893-acre corridor) as its "preferred alternative" and the basis for continued negotiations with the ski area owners. If you did not receive a copy of the summary report, contact the NPS office:

Appalachian Trail Park Office
National Park Service
Harpers Ferry Center
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
(304) 535-6278
e-mail: APPA_Park_Office@nps.gov

Here are some notes about the nature of the comments:

2,304 comments (51.3% of the total) supported strong protection for the Appalachian Trail. Of these, 95% wrote a detailed letter or e-mail message, many speaking passionately and eloquently about the importance of the Trail experience across Saddleback Mountain, the unparalleled scenic beauty available on this section of Trail, and the potential loss of solitude and primitive character if the ski area expands as it wishes.

2,210 comments (49.1% of the total) favored extensive ski-area expansion that would have dramatic impacts on the Trail. Of these, only 11% wrote a detailed letter or e-mail message. Nearly 90% simply signed a petition or post card pre-printed by Saddleback Ski Area.

Here are selections from the "Summary of Findings and Conclusions" section of the EA summary (underlining present in the NPS document):

"The alpine ridge, alpine bog-meadow, and krummholz communities on Saddleback Mount are ecologically important and should be preserved."

"The section of the (A.T.) across Saddleback Mountain provides some of the most dramatic and breathtaking scenery along the entire Appalachian National Scenic Trail..."

" The visual impacts of ski area development in the foreground zone, and patience ski development within a few hundred feet of the Trail, would be difficult if not impossible to mitigate."

"The subalpine spruce-fir forest community is important for several reasons and should be disturbed as little as possible."

"Soils and vegetation at the highest elevations of Saddleback Mountain are highly vulnerable to disturbance."

" Using Eddy Pond for snowmaking purposes would adversely affect the water quality, fisheries and the remote recreational opportunities provided by the pond."

"Saddleback Ski Area has the necessary approvals to...double its capacity b constructing the four lifts and six trails approved by LURC."

"Saddleback Ski Area faces a number of challenges to expansion (including) its relative inaccessibility, limited infrastructure, lack of resort-based development, and competition from established ski resorts..."

"Ski-area expansion onto the southeastern slopes of the mountain would require construction of two crossing of the Appalachian Trail and ski area facilities and lifts that would have adverse impacts on high-elevation soils and the subalpine spruce-fir forest community and be directly visible from the Appalachian Trail and the summit of Saddleback Mountain."

2) Negotiations between NPS and the ski area-After the end of the EA comment period, NPS processed and reviewed the public input; Park Manager Pamela Underhill personally read all 4,500 comments. In the fall, NPS representatives contacted Saddleback's representative, Kitty Breen (daughter of ski-area owner Don Breen), to arrange a negotiating session. Breen insisted that the starting point for negotiations should be the ski area's 600-acre donation offer (already rejected by NPS) and that the NPS negotiator must be "empowered" to make a decision "on the spot." After numerous calls and faxes, NPS agreed to fly to Boston for two days in early November. NPS confirmed the understanding in writing. At the last minute, Saddleback cancelled the meeting saying that NPS had not met its conditions. Senator Snowe's office tried to persuade the Breens to meet with NPS. NPS tried to arrange another date in early December, but the impending birth of Kitty's first child precluded any face-to-face negotiations until January at the earliest.

In January, NPS officials briefed staff from the Maine congressional delegation in Washington about the EA summary, the distribution of comments, and the NPS' preference for Alternative #2. Unfortunately, someone leaked the results of the meeting (which was agreed by all parties to be confidential as it was prior to the public release of the formal summary) to the Breens, who promptly blasted NPS in the press.


NPS contacted the Breens in January, but the Breens have been unwilling to arrange a negotiation session before April. In the meantime, the Breens continue to blame NPS for stalling the process and preventing a settlement. NPS remains eager to renew the negotiations, so far to no avail.


3) ATC's perspective on protection of the Appalachian Trail at Saddleback Mountain-ATC's position can be summarized as follows:

* ATC concurs with the findings of the National Park Service's "Summary Report" for the A.T. on Saddleback Mountain. The report is a fair, detailed and objective summary of the information presented in the environmental assessment and the comments provided by the public. NPS should be commended for preparing a superb report.

* ATC supports Alternative #2. Although ATC and many Trail supporters might prefer the A.T. corridor proposal outlined within Alternative #1 (indeed, 1,782 people supported this alternative in response to the EA), Alt. #2 represents a fair and balanced approach that satisfies the need to protect the A.T. and associated resources while continuing to provide the opportunity for substantial ski-area expansion and related economic development in the Rangeley region.

* ATC supports the prompt resumption of negotiations between NPS and the ski area's owners and resolution of the issue in a way the protects Trail values. One possible avenue to such a resolution would be acquisition (by NPS or some other entity) of the entire 11,000+-acre ownership from the Breen family, thereby satisfying their desire to sell the property and not pursue ski-area expansion. The Breens' asking price for the entire property is more than $16 million. Several appraisals indicate that the fair market value is in the range of $4-5 million.

Thank you for continued support for protection of the Appalachian Trail on Saddleback Mountain. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. (And, apologies if you received multiple copies of this message.)

Sincerely,

Kevin A. Peterson
Regional Land Trust Administrator-North
Appalachian Trail Conference
18 On the Common, Unit #7
Lyme, NH 03768-0312
Phone: (603) 795-4935
Fax: (603) 795-4936
mailto:kpeterson@atconf.org 

Visit ATC's Web site at
Appalachian Trail Conference
799 Washington Street
Harpers Ferry WV 25425
mailto:info@atconf.org
http://www.atconf.org

*** To unsubscribe from this list, send an email to mailto:list_requests@c-t-g.com In the body type unsubscribe saddleback
*** To Subscribe        to this list, send an email to mailto:list_requests@c-t-g.com   In the body type   subscribe saddleback