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34 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, January 1, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 30, 2004 Mount Ashland plans bring lawsuit As expected, activist files to have expansion stopped for potential environmental damage By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune An Ashland environmental activist filed suit Wednesday to halt the Mount Ashland ski area’s expansion project. Eric Navickas’ complaint, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that the U.S. Forest Service failed to adequately disclose and analyze the environmental impacts of building new ski trails on 71 acres of forest adjacent to the existing ski area. Cutting 2 million board feet of timber to build the new ski runs will have "serious impact to (Ashland’s) drinking water supply," Navickas said. His lawsuit came as no surprise to ski area managers. Navickas had declared his intent to sue at several public meetings, said Rick Saul, the ski area’s marketing director. "We were anticipating this," Saul said. Advertisement Navickas, who acted as his own legal counsel in filing the suit, further alleges that the Forest Service skewed its environmental analysis of the project to justify a decision that had already been made to expand the ski area. The final expansion plan, he alleges, is the same as that presented in the original application with only "minor variations." Navickas also alleges that the Forest Service failed to analyze an adequate range of alternatives for expanding the ski area. The suit asks the court to prevent the Mount Ashland ski area from expanding until the Forest Service complies with the National Environmental Policy Act. Linda Duffy, the Forest Service’s Ashland district ranger, noted that the same arguments that Navickas makes in his suit were rejected by Forest Service regional managers when they denied his appeal of the final decision to expand the ski area. Duffy said the original decision to expand the ski area was made during an environmental review in 1991, and the 2004 document simply defines the scale and location of an already-approved concept. Saul noted that the Forest Service’s original 2002 environmental review drew so much public comment that a completely new study was prepared over the next two years. "The 2004 document was strengthened by the quantity and quality of comments from 2002," he said. "We think the (final 2004 study) is a very sound scientific document." At least two local environmental groups, Ashland-based Headwaters and the Rogue Group of the Sierra Club, have discussed the possibility of suing to halt the expansion. Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Citibank Student Loans Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems