Attachment_3.1.pdf

Prospectus for Commercially Guided Helicopter Skiing Services on the Seward Ranger District Chugach National Forest

R10-MB-861e

Attachment 3.1 Appendix D, Stipulations – Sample Special Use Permit

The following stipulations will be attached to and made a part of the special use permit.

Wildlife

1. Helicopters shall maintain a ½-mile horizontal (ground level) or 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL) from observable wildlife. *

2. Helicopters shall not hover, circle, or harass any species of wildlife in any way. Helicopters shall adhere to the No-Fly Zones, which identify mountain goat and Dall’s sheep concentration areas. No-Fly Zones are based on a separation distance of 1,500 feet from important habitat. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game shall be consulted by the Forest Service before any alteration of zone boundaries to less than 1,500 feet. Holder shall ensure they have a current set of No-Fly Zone maps prior to start of their operations.

Maps are available from the Permit Administrator. Pilots will use flight paths that avoid mountain goats and their habitat as much as possible, generally avoiding ridge tops.

3. Holder shall provide mountain goat, Dall’s sheep, and other wildlife sightings to the

Seward Ranger District. The Permit Administrator shall provide holder with incidental wildlife observation forms to be filled out when sighted. These forms shall be submitted upon completion of the permit season. Unique wildlife sightings, such as wolves, wolverines, or brown bears, shall be reported to the Permit Administrator during the next business day.

4. If a brown bear or wolverine den is located, holder shall maintain a ½ mile horizontal or

1,500 ft AGL separation distance around the den site during their operations. *

5. No skiing or other human activity shall be allowed within 330 feet of known bald eagle nests.

6. Helicopters shall not fly within 1/4-mile horizontal distance or 1,500 ft AGL of any active bald eagle or goshawk nest. When it is not known whether the nest is active, helicopter flights will avoid the nest*. The Seward Ranger District will provide holder an updated bald eagle and goshawk nest map prior to the season.

7. The holder should ensure that staff and participants do not approach, chase, or otherwise harass wildlife species encountered during the course of the permitted activity.

Community/Other National Forest Users

1. Holder shall provide a public “heli-skiing hot line” stating their planned runs for the day.

2. Holder shall not fly over the east side of Turnagain Pass (non-motorized recreation area).

3. All heli-skiing shall take place between 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

4. All helicopters shall maintain a distance of 1/2 mile above the valley floors.**

Prospectus for Commercially Guided Helicopter Skiing Services on the Seward Ranger District Chugach National Forest

5. All helicopters shall maintain a distance of 1/2-mile horizontal (ground level) distance or 1,500 feet AGL above observed users. *

6. Holder shall not fly along the South Fork of Snow River drainage to reduce potential conflicts with non-motorized users. Holder shall minimize the number of crossings of the drainage to access Mile 12.4 staging area and these crossings shall occur as close to the South Fork and North Fork of Snow River confluence as possible.

7. Holder’s helicopters exiting/entering from the Seward Airport or Mile 12.4 staging area will not fly in the Resurrection River Valley corridor. There will be no flightseeing over Exit Glacier or Harding Ice Fields to preserve the natural quiet of the Exit Glacier area.

Safety Issues

1. Holder shall ensure that all FAA safety requirements are followed.

2. Holder helicopters shall not land above, nor shall holder ski onto an avalanche path above any observed backcountry user.

3. Holder shall not use explosives for avalanche control.

4. Holder shall have standard fuel spill prevention, containment, and cleanup materials on hand at any fueling site and will maintain and follow a spill plan that includes spill prevention, containment, cleanup, and notification procedures. If fueling takes place within 50 feet of a wetland or water body, the fuel tank shall be located within an impermeable containment basin.

General Operation

1. Holder shall follow an established set of flight routes to and from heli-skiing units that avoid low-level (less than 1,500 feet AGL), overflights of no-fly zones, backcountry ski areas closed to heli-skiing, and residences, as weather allows. *

2. Holder shall ensure that all litter is removed from the permit areas. In addition, at the end of the season, Holder shall ensure that all helicopter landing and pickup area improvements are removed. This may require a flight during the summer months after the snow has melted. Holder shall maintain a log of visibility stakes placed in the field by date and location, with a method for tracking when the stakes are removed from the field.

This will allow any lost stakes to be tracked and removed after the snow melts in the summer.

Monitoring

1. Seward Ranger District personnel shall monitor all aspects of the Holder operation on NFS lands to assure permit compliance. Holder will provide, on a need only basis, an approved (Office of Air Services carded) pilot and helicopter and follow Forest Service air safety procedures for permit administration.

2. Holder shall cooperate with the Seward Ranger District and participate in the monitoring program.

3. Holder shall provide the Seward Ranger District a copy of their run log at the end of the operating season to help actively monitor their activities. In addition Holder shall provide to Seward Ranger District a copy of a run data excel spreadsheet after the operating season ends. These submissions will be used to generate a cumulative use dataset which

Prospectus for Commercially Guided Helicopter Skiing Services on the Seward Ranger District Chugach National Forest will be available for future effects analysis related to other recreation activities and wildlife.

4. Holder shall use a GPS data logger to track their flights, and provide data to the Seward Ranger District as described in Appendix E, Chugach National Forest GPS Permit Protocol and Performance Standards for Compliance with No-fly Zones.

* Helicopters may fly at less than the minimum required separation distances when safety may be compromised.

** Helicopters may fly at less than the minimum required separation distances when: 1) shuttling passengers from the bottom of a run to the top of a run 2) during landing and takeoffs, 3) flying over major highway corridors, and 4) when safety may be compromised.