FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2018
Forest Service Declines to Appeal Decision
Nullifying Wolf Creek Land Exchange
Denver, CO – The United States Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service has declined to appeal an Order issued last May by Senior Judge Richard P. Matsch setting aside decisions approving a land exchange that would provide necessary road access for the long-sought Village at Wolf Creek development. The agency failed to file the required appeal brief by the May 9th deadline despite having originally notified the court last November of its intent to appeal.
Conservation groups were thrilled to hear that the decision to set aside the land exchange isn’t being appealed by the Forest Service and other federal agencies. “We believe this decision by the Forest Service marks the end of this litigation process,” said Matthew Sandler, Staff Attorney for Rocky Mountain Wild, “Our hope is that the developer also sees it this way.”
“This is welcome news for everyone who loves and appreciates Wolf Creek Pass in its current condition,” said Jimbo Buickerood, lands program manager at San Juan Citizens Alliance. “The Village at Wolf Creek has always been the wrong project in the wrong location.”
The development, envisioned to accommodate 8,000 people atop Wolf Creek Pass, has been a decades-long controversy. The pass is not only a critical wildlife corridor, linking the Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness areas, but is habitat for the threatened Canada lynx and supports rare fen wetlands.
“This is great news for the wilds of Colorado and for us lovers of the wild. Lynx can breath a sigh relief,” said Sloan Shoemaker, Wilderness Workshop’s executive director.
Rocky Mountain Wild, San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, San Juan Citizens Alliance and Wilderness Workshop, who brought the original lawsuit, vow to continue defending Wolf Creek Pass against continued and future threats.
Media Contacts
Travis Stills, Attorney, Energy & Conservancy Law, stills@frontier.net
• Matt Sandler, Staff Attorney, Rocky Mountain Wild, matt@rockymountainwild.org
• Jimbo Buickerood, Lands Program Manager, San Juan Citizens Alliance, jimbo@sanjuancitizens.org
• Christine Canaly, Director, San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, info@slvec.org
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Passing along an email I received from Rocky Mountain Wild yesterday:
The Forest Service Won't Appeal Ruling to Reverse Land Exchange!
Hi Peter,
As you may remember, last May (on Endangered Species Day), Senior Judge Richard P. Matsch reversed a land exchange on Wolf Creek Pass that had been approved by the US Forest Service in 2015. The land exchange would have provided increased access to a roughly 300-acre inholding that has been proposed for development by Red McCombs into the "Village" at Wolf Creek.
The last day to submit the opening appellate brief to challenge this decision was May 9. The Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture (LMJV) submitted their brief, but the US Forest Service has decided not to appeal Judge Matsch's Order!
Since the LMJV was an intervenor in the lawsuit, there's a chance that it can't proceed with the appeals process. We will continue to monitor and report back everything we hear, and we vow to continue defending Wolf Creek Pass against continued and future threats.
If LMJV can't proceed, they will need to restart the environmental analysis for the land swap. If they do proceed, we are ready to face them in the Court of Appeals.
Here is our Press Release about it and here's an article from Jonathan Romeo at The Durango Herald.
As you may remember, last May (on Endangered Species Day), Senior Judge Richard P. Matsch reversed a land exchange on Wolf Creek Pass that had been approved by the US Forest Service in 2015. The land exchange would have provided increased access to a roughly 300-acre inholding that has been proposed for development by Red McCombs into the "Village" at Wolf Creek.
The last day to submit the opening appellate brief to challenge this decision was May 9. The Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture (LMJV) submitted their brief, but the US Forest Service has decided not to appeal Judge Matsch's Order!
Since the LMJV was an intervenor in the lawsuit, there's a chance that it can't proceed with the appeals process. We will continue to monitor and report back everything we hear, and we vow to continue defending Wolf Creek Pass against continued and future threats.
If LMJV can't proceed, they will need to restart the environmental analysis for the land swap. If they do proceed, we are ready to face them in the Court of Appeals.
Here is our Press Release about it and here's an article from Jonathan Romeo at The Durango Herald.
Thank you for supporting the fight to keep Wolf Creek Pass wild!
#NoPillage
#NoPillage
Chris Talbot-Heindl
Rocky Mountain Wild
Rocky Mountain Wild
Communications & Membership Manager
P.S. If you want to follow us on social media, we do have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, which has up-to-date information from all Friends of Wolf Creek partners.
P.S.S. Consider making a donation to the Friends of Wolf Creek. Select "Friends of Wolf Creek" in the "Direct My Donation" drop-down.
P.S. If you want to follow us on social media, we do have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, which has up-to-date information from all Friends of Wolf Creek partners.
P.S.S. Consider making a donation to the Friends of Wolf Creek. Select "Friends of Wolf Creek" in the "Direct My Donation" drop-down.
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