Council asked to support NEPA review on Snodgrass issue

Let’s all be good neighbors

The new Crested Butte Town Council listened to a request from Crested Butte Mountain Resort president Tim Mueller to send a letter to the U.S. Forest Service, asking that the Snodgrass expansion proposal be allowed into the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) review process. The council did not make any such commitment but asked the town staff to gather more information.

A room full of people, many of them supporters of lifts on Snodgrass, greeted the new council Monday evening. Before departing as the Crested Butte mayor, Alan Bernholtz asked that everyone remember to treat each other with respect.
“It is difficult what this process has done to the community,” he said. “Everyone is allowed and should have an opinion. We all should be able to live in the same town and be friends and neighbors despite differing opinions.
“Tim and Diane [Mueller] are not happy with the Forest Service decision,” Bernholtz continued. “I wouldn’t be either and I would go down every path available as well to get it changed. But let’s all remember that we are neighbors.”
With that, Bernholtz turned over the gavel to new mayor Leah Williams and went to a going-away party. Williams allowed three minutes of public comment from each person. Only three people addressed the Snodgrass issue.
Former Gunnison County commissioner candidate and local businessman Al Smith reminded the council that “a sustainable economy is in the interest of the entire community. Will the council support Snodgrass going into NEPA?” he asked. “It can help working families and local businesses.”
Gary Dotzler of Crested Butte thanked the retiring council for protecting Snodgrass Mountain. “A lot of misinformation is out there right now. We haven’t been denied deep rights by the proposal not going into NEPA. Support the protection of the valley,” he said.
Mueller told the council he felt that the Forest Service decision was a poor one. “The issue raises a due process issue,” he said. “Of course the project would have a significant impact on the community. But whether you are for or against the proposal, you should want it to get a fair hearing. The pros and cons should be discussed.
“The Pre-NEPA process is not used everywhere and this is the first ski area denied into NEPA for a review on an expansion to land already in the permit area,” Mueller continued. “We ask that the town support CBMR getting into NEPA. We are not asking for support of the project until you have more information. But we are concerned with the process issue.”
Mueller gave the council a letter to that effect. Three hours later, at the end of the council meeting, the council discussed the request.
Councilperson Dan Escalante said the request felt rushed, and CBMR should deal with the Forest Service before the town considers action.
Councilmember Reed Betz agreed. “I feel like the town went the extra mile with the public process and we already sent a letter,” he said. “We aren’t a permitting authority, but the Forest Service asked us to comment. Our letter supported the NEPA process and listed several potential impacts. I feel like we’ve said what we needed to say.”
Councilperson John Wirsing said the council got some public pushback a few weeks ago, when the members hurriedly endorsed a request from the High Country Citizens’ Alliance to designate land near Whetstone Mountain as wilderness. That issue, like the Snodgrass request, was not noticed or even evident on the agenda.
“I don’t want to vote on sending a letter tonight,” added councilperson Jim Schmidt. “To me, the Forest Service let a lot of people down by having the town hold the public hearing they should have been doing. I’m not sure if they were just lazy or what. My question is whether or not forest supervisor Charlie Richmond accurately portrayed the position of the town.”
Williams took the advice of town staff and asked everyone to slow down. She advised letting the dust settle and having the staff gather more information about where the Snodgrass and NEPA process was heading. The issue may come before the council in the future but the public will be given ample notice.