News Releases from Region 10

Bogus Basin Recreational Association and EPA settle alleged stormwater violations at ski area near Boise, Idaho

SEATTLE – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Bogus Basin Recreational Association, Inc., have settled a Clean Water Act enforcement case stemming from alleged violations of construction stormwater permit requirements at the ski area and recreation complex located 16 miles northwest of Boise, Idaho.  Bogus Basin is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization which operates by a Special Use Permit on the Boise National Forest under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

EPA alleges violations took place at Bogus Basin’s  Stabilization Project, designed to support existing ski and recreation facilities.  Construction included installing a retention dam, creating an in-stream 42-acre-foot water storage pond for snowmaking, and chair lift replacement.

Concluded under an Expedited Settlement Agreement, the action included a penalty of $52,680. Expedited Settlement Agreements offer business and industry a faster, more streamlined process to resolve permit violations with monetary penalties commensurate to the severity of the violations.

The alleged violations were observed during an unannounced facility inspection conducted by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, on EPA’s behalf, on June 17, 2019, and a follow-up inspection conducted by EPA on September 17, 2019. 

The documented violations include:

• Deficiencies in Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and Site Map
• Failure to conduct required inspections
• Improperly installed and maintained “Best Management Practices”

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff can cause serious problems for people and the environment, including:

• Flooding - Damage to public and private property
• Erosion - Sediment can clog waterways, fill lakes, reservoirs and kill fish and other aquatic life.
• Impaired Recreational Uses - Swimming, fishing, boating
• Public Health Threats - Drinking water contamination, fish and shellfish harm

Learn more about EPA’s Stormwater enforcement: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-stormwater-program