For Release: Thursday, February 28, 2008

Belleayre Scoping Document Released

The final scoping document for the environmental reviews related to (a) the proposed Wildacres and Highmount Spa Resort complex, and (b) the unit management plan for the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center has been released, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced today. It is available at www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6061.html -- look for the item marked:
Final Scope Belleayre Mountain Ski Center UMP DEIS and Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park SDEIS-February 2008.

The resort development project would be located in the towns of Shandaken (Ulster County) and Middletown (Delaware County), within the boundaries of the Catskill Park. Both the resort project, and the proposed unit management plan for the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center, are subject to an analysis as required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) for potential environmental impacts.

The purpose of the final scope is to outline the factors that must be included in the environmental impact statements for the resort project and the unit management plan. DEC began gathering public input with respect to the scoping document last fall, holding public meetings and accepting written comments.

The next step in the environmental review process is the preparation by the resort sponsor of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement regarding the resort project, and the preparation by the Department of Environmental Conservation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the unit management plan. Those drafts will be provided to the public for review and comment.