Associated Press - July 10, 2009 1:35 AM ET
WHITE PASS, Wash. (AP) - After two decades of legal battles, work is under way to nearly double the size of the White Pass ski resort south of Mount Rainier.
The 2-year, $8.5 million project will add two ski lifts, a mid-mountain lodge and 13 ski runs in Hogback Basin, southwest of the current ski area. Trees have been cut down for the new runs, and about half of the concrete needed for ski lift and building foundations has been poured.
Opponents had fought the expansion, which is next to the Goat Rocks Wilderness area. A federal judge ruled against opponents last year, allowing the project to move ahead. Workers, however, have to follow requirements in an environmental impact statement, including minimizing effects on the roadless Hogback Basin.
Information from: Yakima Herald-Republic, http://www.yakima-herald.com
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