SAVE HOLLAND LAKE

https://www.savehollandlake.com

https://www.facebook.com/savehollandlake

Save Holland Lake Group Asks Forest Service to Deny Permit

to Allow Massive Development on Public Land at Holland Lake

Group Says Public’s Been Locked Out of Process, Development Will Harm Wildlife, Ecosystem

October 4, 2022

(Contact: Bill Lombardi / 406-459-8860 / bebomontana@gmail.com)

(Seeley Lake, MT) – An ad-hoc coalition of citizens called Save Holland Lake is pressing the U.S. Forest Service to deny a permit to a giant Utah ski developer to triple the size of Holland Lake Lodge on public land and rule that the proposal is not in the public interest.

The group says the public has been locked out of the process and that the massive development, on public land, will harm the pristine nature of Holland Lake, the fragile ecosystem, endangered and threatened species, and the unique rural and historic nature of the wildlife-rich Seeley-Swan Valley.

“Thousands of Montanans know this giant project is plain wrong for Holland Lake and our public land,” said Jacole Johnson, a Missoula mother of two and businesswoman who, with her family, recreates at Holland Lake south of Condon. “We’ve lost trust in the Forest Service because they’ve locked us out of the process to determine the future of our public land. This massive project will have extensive effects on the valley and harm its air, water, ecosystem and wildlife. It’s wrong and not in the interest of the public.”

The group is asking the Flathead National Forest Service supervisor to:

• Extend the public comment period beyond October 7, 2022

• Complete a more detailed environmental impact statement (EIS)

• Ultimately deny the extensive project’s special use permit for development on public land because it is not in the public interest

The Save Holland Lake group started just last month after the Flathead National Forest announced that it was considering a special use permit for one of North America’s largest ski developers, POWDR in Utah, to triple the size of the rustic Holland Lake Lodge and substantially increase human visitation to the quiet Holland Lake area 20 miles north of Seeley Lake.

The massive project would be built on public land. POWDR hatched the plan behind closed doors with the Forest Service, who received development plans in April 2022 (or before) but didn’t announce the proposal until September 1 this year. Then the Forest Service said the public had to comment on the proposal by September 21. But thousands of cries of public protest forced the forest supervisor to extend the comment period until October 7.

Flathead Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele said officials would consider the project under a categorical exclusion, the least stringent analysis, rather than using a more rigorous environmental analysis or environmental impact statement.

So far, in just a month, the Forest Service has received more than 5,600 comments on the proposal, with the overwhelming majority of the comments opposed to POWDR’s plans for extensive development on public land.

“We love this place and care about what happens to our public land and wildlife,” Johnson said. “And we’re committed to fighting this giant development that simply doesn’t belong in this rural area near wilderness and endangered wildlife. We’ll continue to protect the places we love so we can turn them over to future generations like my children and my students.”

BACKGROUND

Who

Save Holland Lake is an ad-hoc coalition of concerned citizens fighting to protect Montana’s  natural treasures – Holland Lake and the Seeley-Swan Valley – from “industrial tourism” and a U.S. Forest Service/Utah ski developer’s proposal to triple the size of Holland Lake Lodge on our public land.

What

The U.S. Forest Service and POWDR Corp., one of the largest ski developers in North America, propose to triple the size of the historic Holland Lake Lodge – on our public land – and turn it into a recreation-hotel complex on a 400-acre lake that harbors threatened and endangered species like bull trout, grizzly bear, and Canada lynx, sits in the ancestral homeland of indigenous peoples, like the Pend d'Oreille (Kalispel), Salish, Kootenai and Blackfeet, and for decades has served as a quiet retreat for friends and families to celebrate important moments in their lives. The Forest Service said they would use the most lenient environmental analysis on the giant proposal instead of employing more rigorous analyses to determine the harmful effects on the ecosystem and surrounding area.

When

In April 2022, the U.S. Forest Service received plans from POWDR to highly develop Holland Lake Lodge – on public land – but didn’t tell the public until September 1, and told Americans they had just three weeks to comment on the proposal. The process simply has been secretive for land that we own.

Where

Holland Lake and Holland Lake Lodge, 20 miles north of Seeley Lake and situated between the spectacular and wildlife-rich Mission and Swan mountain ranges. The Seeley-Swan Valley is largely undeveloped, and presents public recreational opportunities to all and hasn’t (yet) turned into an exclusive playground for the rich and famous, like Yellowstone Club west of Big Sky.

Why

Holland Lake Lodge’s website says: “Experience Spectacular Solitude at Holland Lake Lodge, Montana’s Hidden Gem. Holland Lake Lodge is a rustic lakeside resort with genuine Montana charm, surrounded by stunning views of two mountain ranges, a pristine lake, and a 100-foot waterfall.”  Not for long – if you don’t take action!

How You Can Take Action and Make Your Voice Heard

COMMENT HERE: You have until October 7 to comment on this proposal. Please take time to comment and say NO – https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=61746

Attend These Public Meetings on Tuesday, October 4, 2022

12 noon to 2 p.m. – Condon – Community Meeting at Condon Community Hall. Hosted by POWDR/Holland Lake Lodge and U.S. Forest Service.

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Seeley Lake – Public meeting at Seeley Lake Elementary School. Notification document and streaming details on USFS Website. Accepting questions beforehand if you can’t attend. All comments and attendance to be recorded for public record.