News Release

US Forest Service
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 
35 College Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Public Affairs (530) 543-2627
Fax: (530) 543-2743

Date: April 15, 2009
Contact: Public Affairs, Cheva Heck (530) 543-2608 or Rex Norman (530) 543-2627

Forest Service Issues Decision on Galaxy Test Wells at Heavenly Mountain Resort

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. --The US Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) has issued a decision notice to drill two exploratory snowmaking water wells at Heavenly Mountain Resort. The purpose of the test wells is to confirm the availability of water for snowmaking operations.

The wells are expected to be drilled in July or August 2009, on Forest Service land within the permit boundary of the resort. This small scale project will use existing summer maintenance roads. One test well will be located near the intersection of Lower Milky Way Trail and the Orion's Belt Trail. The second test well will be located adjacent to the existing Mott Canyon summer maintenance road.

If the wells are successful, they will be temporarily capped in accordance with State of Nevada Division of Water Resources requirements. The decision applies only to the test wells. Any future permanent production wells will be subject to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, and will include public involvement opportunities.

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