Mt. Ashland Association offers 30 day delay

The Mt. Ashland Association announced Monday that it will wait 30 days to begin work on its ski area expansion project to make sure opponents have time to appeal a judge's decision that upholds the plan.

The self-imposed delay may be a moot point.

Rogue Group Sierra Club Chairman Tom Dimitre said Monday that the environmental groups that filed suit to block the expansion likely will appeal U.S. District Court Judge Owen Panner's decision.

"It's just a question of when and how," Dimitre said. "We don't have an opinion from the judge yet."

Panner announced his ruling Sept. 20, giving the ski area the go-ahead to build 16 new ski trails, two chairlifts and 200 new parking spaces on the mountain, but the full text of his opinion has not yet been released.

The language of the judge's opinion will shape the argument of the appeal, Dimitre said.

"That's really the crux of it," he said.

The opinion also could include specific language that would prevent any construction work to give opponents time to file an appeal before any trees are cut to make new ski trails.

The Forest Service is preparing the contracts to execute the timber sale for the trees that would be cut. Those contracts could be ready as soon as Oct. 5, said Kim Clark, ski area general manager.

Clark said the ski area's board of directors agreed to postpone any expansion work until Oct. 20 as a good-faith gesture.

An appeal would go to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. People familiar with the court have said it could take two years for it to hear the case.