Editorial: Environment can coexist with resort upgrades

As part of Washington state’s solution to its budgetary challenges, Gov. Chris Gregoire last week signed legislation setting a fee to visit state parks. The outdoor splendor that Washingtonians cherish isn’t cheap and it certainly isn’t free.

That point should be factored into a decision the state Parks and Recreation Commission is expected to make Thursday regarding expansion of the ski and snowboard area at Mount Spokane State Park.

The nonprofit concession holder, Mt. Spokane 2000, has been working for five years to secure an OK for an expansion and upgrades that would result in a bigger, better ski facility. Adding a chairlift and several new runs to the shaded north slopes of the mountain would mean longer seasons with runs better suited to intermediate and experienced skiers. For the revenue-strapped state, it would mean an increase in the more than $350,000 the facility pays annually in rent and taxes.

But the decision is tied up in a classic conflict between economic and environmental values. An alliance of several conservationist groups opposes the proposed chairlift and ski runs as an intrusion on distinctive forests and wildlife habitat.

In the interest of full disclosure, the head of Mt. Spokane 2000 is Jim Meyer, husband of Betsy Cowles, the chairman of Cowles Co., which owns The Spokesman-Review. The Cowles family also originally donated much of the land for the park.

While the land was given primarily for recreational purposes, Mt. Spokane 2000 has not been insensitive to the environmental concerns. At 14,000 acres, Mount Spokane is the state’s largest park, 800 acres of which have not yet been classified as to allowable uses. As first planned, the expansion would have needed 400 acres to be classified for recreation. The proposal is now down to 279 acres, and steps have been taken to minimize impact on the most sensitive areas.

The fact is, the targeted terrain has been used for skiing for years. Before ski lifts became common, there was a series of rope tows there. And today, operators of the existing facility routinely help bring out lost and injured recreationists who venture into the undeveloped area. They’ll do so quicker and more efficiently if the project goes through.

As the Spokane area population grows, its recreational opportunities should keep pace. With climbing gasoline prices putting pressure on family travel budgets, skiers and snowboarders want access to adequate facilities close to home.

The ski area expansion has been studied at length with considerable public input. Environmental concerns have been substantially addressed.

These purposes, nature and recreation, needn’t be mutually exclusive. They can exist side by side if the Parks and Recreation Commission renders a reasonable decision.