Temsco approved
for Meade landings

By Jessica Edwards

The U.S. Forest Service last week approved a request by Skagway-based Temsco Helicopters to transfer 2,800 landings from the West Creek Glacier in the Skagway Borough to the Meade Glacier in Haines Borough and to several other glaciers nearby.

Individuals and organizations that submitted written comments about Temsco’s proposal during the comment period ending Feb. 26 may appeal the decision.

Appeals must be filed by Aug. 3 and should be posted to Forest Cole, Forest Supervisor, Federal Building, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901, or faxed to 907-228-6215.

Temsco sought Forest Service approval to transfer 2,800 landings it was permitted on the West Creek Glacier on Bureau of Land Management lands in the Skagway Borough to the Meade Glacier, managed by the Forest Service, because melting of the West Creek Glacier made it unsafe for landing helicopters.

The Forest Service approved 2,400 landings on the Meade in addition to the 1,100 already permitted, with the remaining 400 additional landings on three other glaciers. The company, however, is allowed a maximum 10 percent increase of landings on each glacier, effectively allowing them 2,750 additional landings on the Meade.                  

“I think this is a reasonable decision,” said Forest Service District Ranger Pete Griffin. “I think it will (address concerns) for most folks.”

Sixteen Haines residents and organizations filed comments with the Forest Service opposing Temsco’s proposal.

Nancy Berland of Lynn Canal Conservation said her group would probably appeal the decision, but hadn’t been successful in past appeals with the Forest Service.

“In all our years of dealing with helicopters and permitting with the Forest Service in Juneau, Skagway, and elsewhere, they have always given the helicopter companies exactly what they wanted,” Berland said. “So it is no surprise they gave Temsco what they wanted.”

Primary concerns filed on Temsco’s proposal were impacts to wildlife, specifically mountain goats, and impacts on residents and recreationalists.

In the document of decision, Griffin acknowledged that the long-term impacts of helicopters on goats are currently unknown, yet concluded “the (environmental assessment) identified no significant impacts would occur as a result of implementing this alternative.”

Questions also were raised during the comment period about the Forest Service’s latitude in administering Temsco’s permit since terms were set forth in a 1995 environmental assessment.

Although prior environmental documents and permits set maximum numbers of landings on the Meade, the agency has consistently managed Temsco’s permit according to the maximum number of landings allowed on all lands in the Skagway Icefield controlled by the Forest Service.

Under a 1996 permit, Temsco was allowed 1,100 landings on the Meade Glacier and a maximum of 4,006 in the Skagway Icefield, but the Juneau Ranger office allowed the company to transfer landings as long as the total did not exceed the maximum for the area.

According to the environmental assessment, Temsco landings on the Meade increased from 850 in 2002 to 1,920 in 2008. Under the new permit, the company could land on the Meade up to 3,850 times each year.

Many of those who commented felt the Forest Service should not issue a permit to Temsco as the company didn’t have a tour permit to operate in the Haines Borough and hadn’t remitted sales tax. The agency has maintained the borough does not have authority on Forest Service lands.

The Skagway Borough and a Skagway tour company supported transferring landings to the Meade. The Haines Borough filed no comment on the request.

The Forest Service selected from among five alternatives provided in an environmental assessment prepared by Seattle-based Meridian Environmental.

Griffin elected to allow 2,800 additional landings distributed among several glaciers in the Skagway Icefield, with 2,400 additional permitted on the Meade, 50 additional landings on the LeGrande Glacier, 50 additional landings on the Schubee Glacier, and 300 more on the Denver Glacier.

Under the plan, a maximum 10 percent increase in landings is permitted on each glacier to allow Temsco flexibility for flight safety and weather conditions, with total landings not to exceed 6,806 on the Skagway Icefield.

Other stipulations include daily recording of flight routes and landings submitted monthly to the Forest Service, and annual monitoring of mountain goat populations by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

During the environmental scoping process, Fish and Game raised concerns about minimum flight distances from mountain goats – Fish and Game recommends 1.5 kilometers and the Forest Service requires about .5 a kilometer – and sensitive kidding periods between May 1 and June 15.

Area biologist Ryan Scott said both the immediate and long-term effects of helicopters on goats were unknown.

Griffin said he’d met with Fish and Game biologists prior to his decision, and said the Forest Service planned to fund population studies.

Griffin said he selected the alternative that restricted the number of landings on each glacier to limit Temsco’s ability to relocate tours among glaciers at will, while still allowing flexibility for weather and safety concerns.

Daily record keeping of flight paths and landing sites would provide detailed information about potential interactions between helicopters and wildlife, residents and other recreational users, said Griffin, and annual Fish and Game monitoring of mountain goats in the area “will allow an understanding of long-term trends in populations, the distribution of goats across the landscape, and potentially an understanding of the interaction between helicopter activity and mountain goats.”