Montana Department of Environmental Quality About Us Permitting & Operator Assistance Public Participation

Water Quality | Cross Harbor Spanish Peaks Acquisitions (CHSP), LLC | Spanish Peaks Mountain Club Snowmaking | Comment Period Closes June 6, 2024

  • May 03 2024

APPLICANT NAME:
Cross Harbor Spanish Peaks Acquisitions (CHSP), LLC 
25 Town Center Ave.
Big Sky, MT 59716

FACILITY NAME:
Spanish Peaks Mountain Club Snowmaking

FACILITY LOCATION:
Spirit Mountain, Andesite Mountain
Spanish Peaks Base Area
Madison and Gallatin County

RECEIVING WATER:
North and South Unnamed Tributaries to Middle Fork West, Gallatin River

PERMIT NUMBER:
MT0032174

Cross Harbor Spanish Peaks Acquisitions (CHSP), LLC has applied for an MPDES permit to discharge treated domestic wastewater as artificial snow on ski runs of the Spanish Peaks Mountain Club on Spirit Mountain, Andesite Mountain, and the Spanish Peaks base area. The source of the treated wastewater is the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District wastewater treatment facility. CHSP, LLC proposes to discharge up to 44 million gallons of treated wastewater as artificial snow in two phases: 23 million gallons per year (MGY) in Phase 1 and an additional 21 MGY in Phase 2. Snowmaking will occur primarily during the early portion of the ski season. Natural snow will accumulate on top of and mix with the artificial snow. The wastewater will be disinfected to standards required for wastewater reuse. The permit includes additional effluent limitations to protect human health and the environment and the beneficial uses of the receiving waterbodies. The permit also requires significant surface water and snowmelt monitoring during the spring snowmelt and runoff season. Surface water and snowmelt monitoring must be conducted, and the results reported to DEQ every year of the permit term.

 A nondegradation analysis was performed in development of the proposed permit and appropriate requirements have been included in the proposed permit to prevent significant changes in the receiving water quality.

Associated Materials:

Comment Period Ends:  June 6, 2024

Send Comments To:  

DEQ Water Quality Division
Water Protection Bureau
PO Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620

Or electronically to:  DEQWPBPublicComments@mt.gov 

 


Tags: MEPA, Public Comment and Water