MISSOULA, Mont.— The U.S. Forest Service is holding a public hearing Tuesday in Condon, Montana, to take public comment on a controversial proposal by ski industry giant POWDR Corp. to triple the size of the historic Holland Lake Lodge and expand its use to include winter recreation. Originally built in 1925, and then rebuilt in 1947 following a fire, the Holland Lake Lodge currently accommodates 50 people for small summer events.

“For nearly 100 years, the Holland Lake Lodge has provided Montanans with a space to hold small, intimate events with little damage to the lake or wildlife,” said Kristine Akland, Northern Rockies attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “If it’s allowed to go ahead with this plan, POWDR Corp would bring industrial-scale recreation to this beautiful little lake, and that would have disastrous impacts on the area’s already imperiled wildlife.”

What: Forest Service public meeting to get comment on Holland Lake Lodge project

When: Tuesday, Oct. 4

Where: Public presentation from noon to 2 p.m. at Condon Community Hall; public hearing from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary School

Who: U.S. Forest Service, POWDR Corp, community members

Background

Under POWDR Corp’s proposal, a historic lodge would be torn down and a full-scale hotel built in its place. Besides bringing far more people to the area, expanding use of the lodge into winter is likely to include helicopter skiing and increased snowmobile use, both of which will be highly disruptive for bears, wolverines, lynx and other wildlife, as well as the wilderness character of surrounding mountains.

Despite the scope of the project, the Forest Service proposes to move forward without environmental analysis. The Center plans to submit comments expressing its opposition, joining thousands of Montanans who already have.