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Injunction delays Mt. A expansion
The United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals officially delayed expansion to the Mt. Ashland Ski Area on Friday afternoon when it issued a temporary injunction that will prevent the project from commencing until that court decides on the merits of a lawsuit brought forward by several environmental groups.
The environmental groups \"allege irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction because the project will result in the clear-cut logging of numerous acres of trees resulting in potential harm to the Pacific fisher, harm to water quality and to wildlife,\" wrote the court. \"Intervenor Mount Ashland Association claims an injunction will result in economic injury and harm to the public interest. We conclude that the hardship tips in favor of the appellants.\"
The 9th Circuit, a federal appeals court in San Francisco plans to hear the case the week of July 9.
\"We anticipated this appeal could happen,\" Mt. Ashland officials said in a press release. \"We do, however, expect to prevail in the appeals process and will proceed as quickly as possible to improve Mt. Ashland.\"
Expansion date looms
As the Mt. Ashland Ski Area\'s June 1 goal to begin logging for its expansion project approaches, the City of Ashland and the Mt. Ashland Association continue to disagree about how the process will move forward.
Last week, the city forwarded a work plan to the Forest Service on behalf of MAA that states the ski resort plans to drop most trees this summer, then log wetland and stream crossings next spring and build the new lift infrastructure next summer.
Bill Little, president of MAA board of directors, said this is all that is needed for them to begin their expansion plans.
\"It\'s our understanding the city doesn\'t have an approval in this process,\" he said. \"We believe the approval will come back to us. Nothing in our contract says the city will approve anything.\"
Injunction filed against ski area expansion
The Rogue Group Sierra Club, a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the Mt. Ashland Ski Area\'s plans to expand, filed a court petition on Wednesday for a temporary injunction.
Tom Dimitre, the executive director of the environmental group, said its petition to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals would delay, if approved, Mt. Ashland\'s plans to start the expansion in June.
The Rogue Group Sierra Club appealed a court decision that approved the expansion.
City rejects ski area request for permit
The Ashland City Council refused to budge Tuesday night from its position on the operation of the Mount Ashland ski area, emerging from a closed session stressing the need for ironclad agreements on erosion and water quality, a business plan and money for restoration should the enterprise go belly-up.
Navickas: No conflict over Mt. A
Incoming councilman Eric Navickas\'s lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service over the Mt. Ashland Ski Area expansion will likely not affect his ability to vote on ski area issues, according to the Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission.
Mt. Ashland requests city\'s permit
The Mt. Ashland Association — the nonprofit organization that operates the Mt. Ashland Ski Area — announced Thursday it wants the City of Ashland to turn over its special-use permit.
