10/09/2026
Hey Standing Trees : You might have thought you earned a break after the Roadless Rule comment period wrapped up, but the US Forest Service didn't want you to get too comfortable! Please mark your calendar for a ***virtual-only*** Forest Service public meeting on Wednesday, Oct 14th from 6-7pm about the proposed expansion of the Loon Mountain Ski Resort (details here: https://usfs-public.app.box.com/s/gqlqgtsqqe1zffeu4kg02kbfjf5pdvqk/file/2509600751958).
The proposal, which includes almost 300 acres of direct impacts (145 acres of tree clearing and grading for traditional ski trails, an additional 135 acres of thinning for new ski glades, as well as additional clearing for lifts and other development), comes on top of another recent project that approved 300 acres of thinning for new glade skiing on the eastern end of Loon Mountain resort. In total, Loon is poised to more than double in size if the Forest Service approves this latest expansion plan.
Here is the bad news/good news as we currently see it:
đź‘ŽThis is an unprecedented 2 week comment period for an Environmental Assessment. There is absolutely no reason the Forest Service should shortchange the public on the amount of time it has (and needs) to properly review, ask questions about, and comment on this project. Two weeks is an outrageously short period of time; it's unacceptable for this to become the new normal under the Trump Administration or any other President.
đź‘ŽThe Waterville Valley Resort Expansion project, which is extremely similar to the Loon Mountain proposal, is actively being reviewed with a much more robust "Environmental Impact Statement" instead of a shorter "Environmental Assessment." The Forest Service has provided zero explanation for why the Loon Mountain project warrants a lower level of review. Both projects should be analyzed with an EIS to ensure that a full range of impacts and alternatives are reviewed.
đź‘ŽFor no apparent reason, this expansion project is being reviewed independently of another simultaneous expansion project at Loon Mountain Resort, which makes the total expansion appear to have a smaller footprint than it does in actuality. The entirety of Loon's expansion plans, especially the projects that are advancing at the same time, should be reviewed together.
đź‘ŽUnder the Trump Administration's new interpretation of the National Environmental Policy Act, this may be the only comment period, even though the public has minimal information at this time. Normally, a second comment period would occur after a Draft EA or EIS is published.
đź‘ŽThere is a tremendous amount of information that we don't yet have from the Forest Service. What are the unique characteristics of the forests that will be logged and graded to build ski trails, lifts, and lodges? How old are the forests? Is there any "old growth forest" or "old forest habitat" (two categories protected by the 2005 WMNF Forest Plan) threatened by the project? What threatened or endangered species (or habitats for threatened or endangered species) are present in the project area? What will the impacts be on water quality, flooding, etc? How much water will be consumed for snowmaking, and what impact will this have on local streams and rivers?
đź‘Ť Located next to an interstate highway and an existing ski resort in an area the 2005 WMNF Forest Plan already allocates for ski resort expansion;
đź‘Ť The expansion project does not appear to overlap with any Inventoried Roadless Areas (note: this doesn't mean these areas have roads; it just means that they were not mapped as "Inventoried Roadless Areas" during prior Forest Service inventories)
Please plan to attend the public meeting on the 14th and weigh in with your comment today!
