I am a resident of Bradford and have followed the Sunapee expansion. I am concerned that dollars from the Mount Sunapee lease go to fund Cannon Mountain. I am wondering why it is that Cannon Mountain allows free skiing for seniors aged 65 and up while Sunapee does not. Why not keep some of those dollars at Sunapee to allow seniors to ski free? I ask Commissioner Rose to add that to the new lease agreement.
As a longtime conservationist, I am concerned about the huge amount of snowmaking that will be necessary to keep the west bowl’s sunny western slopes covered, especially in late winter and in a time of fickle weather. This issue needs to be studied further as to how taking millions of gallons from the Lake Sunapee watershed and having it run off into a completely different watershed will impact the environment.
Some environmental studies used to support the expansion plan are 10 years old. Thorough, up-to-date studies are needed before approving a plan of this magnitude.
Where in the plan is federal oversight for things like the Land and Water Conservation funds to be upheld in perpetuity that were given to the resort? In the lease amendment, it seems a lot of amendments go against LWCF rules. In the amendments, the oversight seems to be turned over to the resort.
AUDREY V. SYLVESTER
Bradford