FALL 2020 NEWSLETTER

BUILD Grant Big Win: $20M!
 

Collaboration ain’t easy, but it gets results! In Spring of 2020, a group of businesses, nonprofits, and local governments in Teton Valley and Jackson Hole came together and applied for a $20 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT). BUILD grants are extremely competitive, but with a broad, regional collaborative, the partners felt we had a shot. In record time, we pulled the grant application together in time for the May 2020 deadline. 

Yesterday, USDOT announced the award of the grant, which will fund the Teton Mobility Corridor Improvements (TCMI) project. Key features include the following:

• Stilson Park Transit Center. Construction of transit center, access road, park ‘n ride, pedestrian and bicycle interconnections, covered bike parking and transit priority signal at WY-390.
• START Commuter Buses Purchase of four Commuter coaches, with bike racks,serving the Teton Valley route connecting Teton Valley to Jackson. This may allow for eight daily runs between our two valleys.                                               
• Greater Yellowstone Trail (GYT) Segment: Construction of next phase shared use pathway from Trail Creek Campground to Coal Creek.This will be paired with the segment from Moose Creek to Trail Creek (which is already funded), and is part of the envisioned 180-mile GYT from West Yellowstone to Jenny Lake.
• Driggs Downtown Transit Center Park-and-Ride. This will serve START & Targhee Shuttle by Doubling capacity by adding 52 park & ride spaces and a 2nd bathroom in the passenger facility.
• ID-33 Baseline Rd Intersection & Underpass Upgrade. Construction of turning lanes on SH33 Baseline Road Intersection, and replace pedestrian underpass to comply with ADA.

There’s a lot more to this massive project, and you can view project details here. 

VARD Targhee EIS Webinar Recording HERE

https://cts.vresp.com/c/?ValleyAdvocatesforRe/9f73203418/a3cc56528a/aee54edcb1

1. VARD’s role in the EIS process for Grand Targhee.
2. The Nonprofit Collaborative for the EIS review.
3. The Difference Between the Base Area Expansion on Private Land vs. the Proposed Forest Service Special Use Permit Expansion on Public Land.
4. A Primer on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) review process pursuant to NEPA.
5. Recap of the 2 virtual hearings held by CTNF.
6. Constructive Commenting - Early & Often.
7. Q&A, Discussion.

CTNF Hosts Targhee Expansion EIS Virtual Open House Meetings

Last week the Forest Service hosted two virtual public meetings where they did a runthrough of the NEPA EIS process and gave an overview of the project website, where detailed potential project infromation can be found. Questions were asked and answered for about 30 minutes each meeting and questions ranged from whether the Shoshone - Bannock tribes had been informed, to noise pollution concerns, dark skies elements, current winter closures, if Targhee would be up for sale if the proposed projects are approved, why currently permitted projects haven’t been completed yet, and more. Great questions were asked during the meeting, however, it’s important that questions and comments are written and submitted in order to be considered in the EIS. Questions and comments need to be clear, concise, detailed, specific, site sources, site studies, provide examples - so that your questions and comments are considered ‘relevant’ and aren’t discounted because of vagueness or because they are viewed as critical with no substantiation.

Our goal is for you to be confident in how you can meaningfully contribute to the EIS process, and ensure that the EIS process is as comprehensive as possible. Your participation is necessary to make this happen! Reach out if we can help!