Expansion controversy at Snowbird

Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort complied with the National Environmental Policy Act, known as the NEPA process, proposing an expansion on two of the resort's buildings.

The proposal, which is currently under review by the United States Forest Service, involves expanding the Creekside Lodge and a remodel project of the Mid-Gad Restaurant.

“It’s a process. Anytime we do something on Forest Service land we have to go through the correct procedure,” said Bob Bonar, the resort's general manager.

Snowbird, located in Little Cottonwood Canyon, is a watershed area for residents, businesses and recreational areas in the Salt Lake Valley.

“A watershed is a geographical or geological area drained by one river system,” said Alan Rinehart, Forest Service spokesperson from the Salt Lake Ranger District. “If a drop of rain lands near a ridgeline, it will eventually runoff to the canyon’s bottom stream.”

There are six watershed areas, which contribute to Salt Lake City's municipal water storage. Little Cottonwood Canyon is the third largest supplier, accounting for 15 percent of the Salt Lake Valley’s drinking water.

Since Little Cottonwood Canyon is essential to the valley’s water supply, some people are concerned with the proposal of the resort’s expansion.

“Everything that people need and use is a threat to the watershed,” said Carl Fisher, executive director of Save Our Canyons, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the beauty and wilderness of the Wasatch Mountains. “The mountains feed both surface and subsurface water. All of the six watershed areas flow into the South East Regional Water Treatment Plant in Sandy, Utah, where it is evaluated for use.”

Little Cottonwood Canyon hosts more than 3 million visitors per year according to the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service website.

“Our Earth provided that canyon with soil, rocks, trees and vegetation in its natural state. With all of those elements, the watershed works perfect and very little treatment needs to be performed,” Fisher said. “When those features start getting removed from building, increased volumes of people or altering the natural terrain we risk damage to the watershed.”

Think of the watershed as watering a houseplant, Fisher said. The water seeps into the soil and eventually soaks to the bottom of the pot. This is an ideal situation. Now, think of spilling a glass of water on a kitchen table. The water doesn’t soak in. This is what happens when the natural setting of our canyons change.

“If Snowbird’s expansion proposal passes, it will increase the impermeable surface area in Little Cottonwood Canyon, putting the watershed area under increased stress,” Fisher said.

While knowing groups such as Save Our Canyons are against the expansion, Snowbird views the upgrades as necessary for the resort’s guests.

“The Mid-Gad Restaurant was one of the first buildings built when Snowbird started in 1971,” Bonar said. “Snowbird attracts guests from all over the world. It is important to stay current and not fall behind in all aspects of the resort. Mid-Gad is overdue for an expansion. It is important for us to produce a product our guests are going to expect.”

In order to build anything on Forest Service land, Snowbird has to apply for a special use permit and the proposal must get approval from that government agency.

“People are always watching this type of business, just waiting for us to make a mistake,” said Peter Schory, the resort's winter operations director. “Good communication, doing it right, not taking shortcuts and meeting with the oppositions are the keys to making sure no one gets angry.”

According to Bonar, Snowbird is very close to receiving approval on the expansion proposal and should know sometime in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, Save Our Canyons is left wondering if the construction will ever stop.

“The scale is tipping and at some point Little Cottonwood Canyon isn’t going to be able to support any additional building,” Fisher said. “As it is now, the added expansion will decrease the water quality in the watershed and cost us all money with rising purification costs at the treatment plant.”