DEQ Releases Draft Environmental Assessment for Alpine Slide Coaster

HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting public comment on a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing the potential impacts of turning an existing well into a public water supply. DEQ prepared the EA as part of its review of the proposal submitted by Wilderness Land Holdings LLC for a well located at the Alpine Coaster near Lakeside in Flathead County, Mont.  

Montana law requires facilities that propose to provide water to more than 25 or more people for 60 or more days a year submit their plans for review and approval as a public water supply. Public water supplies are required to conduct regular sampling to decrease public health and safety risks. Wilderness Land Holdings LLC is proposing to use an existing well and install a pressure tank and mechanical equipment in an existing building for use as a public water supply.  

DEQ’s review is limited to the proposed use of the well as a public water supply. Impacts from building construction, the overall construction of a recreational alpine coaster and associated traffic, water rights and general land use issues are outside the regulatory authority of DEQ and are not addressed in the draft EA. DEQ has no regulatory authority over the sewer service connection, other than to ensure the parent system has adequate capacity. 

DEQ prepared the draft EA in compliance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act to analyze potential impacts of converting the existing well into a public water supply. There is a 30-day public comment period following the publication of the draft EA, after which DEQ will review comments and respond to substantive comments in the final EA and make a final decision on the application. Public comment closes Feb. 28 2024, and comments can be submitted electronically or by mail. To view the draft EA and application, or to submit comment, please visit the DEQ website at: https://deq.mt.gov/News/publiccomment-folder/Flathead-Lake-Alpine-Coaster-01-29-2024