Remember three years ago when the Flathead National Forest, Holland Lake Lodge, and POWDR tried to slip a massive expansion of the Lodge under the public’s nose? Well, they’re at it again.
The Flathead National Forest (FNF) recently held a public meeting where they discussed their plans to increase the capacity of the wastewater/sewage treatment system that services the campground at Holland Lake and Holland Lake Lodge from 350,000 gallons to a massive 1,550,000 gallons … an increase of five times the size! There is no planned expansion in the campground, which means that 90% of this project benefits the Lodge. But why does the Lodge need such a HUGE wastewater system? And how much will this cost us taxpayers? Those questions were asked at the meeting last week, but the FNF cagily refused to answer them. How will the general public benefit from this use of our taxpayer dollars, which experts have estimated (because the FNF won’t tell us) to be in the $3-5 million range? Well, the truth is, most of us won’t benefit at all, unless you have $50,000-70,000 to throw an event at the Lodge. Because Holland Lake Lodge is going for the big moneymaker … 200 person weddings/events (multiple times a week) and they’ve already advertised exclusive use of our public land to their wealthy clientele. There will be no “let’s grab a beer at the Lodge” after hiking to the waterfall. They don’t plan to open to the general public. In fact, if the Lodge has their way, there will be no general public access on the public land on which the lodge operates at all. Their elite guests want their privacy, after all. And HLL is already talking about the possibility of adding more cabins. Because more guests equals more money. And what else would justify spending so much money to store substantially more poo?
Wouldn’t it be less expensive to taxpayers to rebuild the leaking system at the original planned capacity, which is still more than twice the actual capacity? Sure it would. Way less impact too. This project as proposed would mean over 1,500 truckloads of fill (over 15,000 cubic yards!), piled 10 feet high to collect sewage, primarily from the Lodge’s large, private parties. Right across the road from the campground. Sounds dusty. Stinky. Loud. Gross.
If you don’t want to write a blank check to the USFS so that a private, exclusive lodge for the wealthy can make a hefty profit operating on public land while you get kicked off of that land and get smothered in dust and stink in the campground, learn more and submit a public comment on their project page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/flathead/projects/68935.
Jennifer Nave
Polson