Village at Wolf Creek EIS release update 3/31/2014

After the Durango Herald's article and considering March has come and gone, I contacted Mike Blakeman, Public Affairs Specialist for the Rio Grande National Forest to ask him about the Village At Wolf Creek Landswap Environmental Impact Statement and received the following reply.

Hi Peter,  

When it comes to the VWC land exchange EIS, everything takes longer than you expect.  As you know, many people have been expecting the RGNF to release the VWC FEIS and ROD for a while now. After a thorough review of the EIS, Dan (Dan Dallas - Rio Grande National Forest Supervisor) has determined that additional analysis is needed before he can make an informed decision. 

In particular, Dan asked the team to expand their review associated with developments that are accessed next to ski areas on public lands. We don’t currently have a timeline, but we hope to have the work completed by early summer. 

As a reminder,  Dan stated early on when the EIS was first initiated that the process would take as long as is needed in order to complete a thorough analysis on which he could base his decision. NEPA requires Dan to take a “hard look” at all aspects of the environmental and social issues associated with the proposed project. 

He asked for a more in-depth look and further analysis upon review of the draft EIS documentation prior to making a final decision.  

Hope that helps.  

Mike Blakeman 

Public Affairs Specialist 

Indeed it does.  
Thank you for the information Mr. Blakeman.

Durango Herald: Village at Wolf Creek, Delayed But Not Derailed - 2/15/2014

OK, here we go.

Durango Herald headline February 15, 2014:

"Delayed but not derailed" 

Even as beetles ravage forest, the scale of Red McCombs’ plans to build a mountaintop village hinge on land swap 

By Joe Hanel Herald staff writer | 2/15/2014  

http://durangoherald.com/article/20140215/NEWS01/140219691/Delayed-but-not-derailed-

"A turning point in the three-decade battle over Wolf Creek Pass is expected next month, when the U.S. Forest Service will declare its preference on a land exchange with a Texas developer who wants to build a resort village.

"B.J. “Red” McCombs has been trying since 1986 to build the Village at Wolf Creek at the base of Wolf Creek Ski Area. His latest proposal – now five years in the making – is to swap his private land in a large meadow below the ski area for Forest Service land abutting U.S. Highway 160. 

"Rio Grande National Forest Supervisor Dan Dallas expects to make a decision on the land swap in early to mid-March. 

"Much has changed on Wolf Creek Pass since McCombs offered the land trade in 2009. … "

Courtesy of San Juan Citizens Alliance

In summer 2007, the trees of Wolf Creek Pass were still green, 

before a spruce beetle outbreak ravaged the forest.

{read the entire article at the Durango Herald}

Alberta Park Swap FOIA Request update 4/2/12

For the results see: http://no-villageatwolfcreek.blogspot.com/2012/05/usda-forest-service-decision-notice-and.html

As I've mentioned before I'm a independent working guy and it's no surprise I'll make mistakes along the way.  I received a letter (a week late because I was out of town) from the Rio Grande Forest Supervisor asking for clarification on my FOIA request.  My response:

Regarding:  RGF-2012-004
Addition to my 3/15/12 FOIA request
                           

Reply to Dan Dallas’ letter
of March 22, 2012
File Code 6270



Dear Supervisor Dallas,

Thank you for your letter of March 22. 
I’ve been west of here for the past week,
so am reading it for the first time.

Forgive my clumsy wording in the 3/15/12 letter. 
I’m a working guy not versed in legalize so this will be a learning process. 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The records I seek:

1) ... a copy of the 1986 RGNF decision that rejected the LMJV land trade offer for Alberta Park.

2) ... a copy of the USDA (or RGNF) order to Rio Grande National Forest officials to transfer Title to a 300 acre portion of Alberta Park to LMJV. 

3) ... most importantly, a copy of the decision/decree/veto ~ whatever it was ~
that reversed the original RGNF decision which rejected LMJV’s hostile takeover bid for the heart of the RGNF’s Alberta Park watershed.
{Which incidentally, is part of the source waters for the interstate, international Rio Grande River.}
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I thank (ST) for her helpful phone call and look forward to hearing from (TC) when she has some information.


Sincerely,

Peter Miesler

The Village at Wolf Creek, It’s A Scandal

Let me tell you a story about a man named Red. It was back in the 80’s, he purchased some private land within the Saguache Ranger District of the Rio Grande National Forest. It was nice land; land the Forest Service had been eyeing for some time and Red had a plan.

With those chips in hand Red saddled up to the public lands real estate table, proposing to trade his coveted Saguache District chips for an incredible parcel smack in the middle of the high country and Rio Grande National Forest.  Not just any land, but an amazing water shed that captures and filters some of the greatest snow all in the 48 States.  In 1986 after due process Red’s’ proposal was rejected by RGNF officials.  … but, …

RGNF sent the official rejection papers to the Reagan era US Department of Agriculture, where the trade was miraculously reborn then returned to RGNF marked ‘land trade accepted’ and Mr. Red McCombs received Title.

Amazingly RGNF officials are unable to produce a record of how that reversal actually occurred. Unfortunately, since it’s past the statute of limitations, no one seems interested in learning about it.

Well I am, so March 15th I submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the paper trail of what transpired between the RGNF’s rejection and McCombs receiving Title.

(FOIA) Freedom of Information Request: Regarding The Title Transfer of Alberta Park ~ 3/15/12 ~

For an update see: http://no-villageatwolfcreek.blogspot.com/2012/05/usda-forest-service-decision-notice-and.html


I've decided to share my Freedom of Information Act request to the Rio Grande National Forest:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 3/15/2012

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to request records of the Saguache District, Rio Grande National Forest land trade proposal by Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture.  Wherein he proposed to trade out three private parcels within the Saguache District for a large section of Alberta Park (near Wolf Creek Pass) - Rio Grande National Forest land. . .

Defending Alberta Park, Memes Courier, La Plata Democratic Assembly

.

On occasion I do a flier titled the Memes Courier.  

Here's a copy of my most recent venture.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

✯ EXTRA ✯  The Memes Courier  ✯ EXTRA  ✯

Alberta Park, Rio Grande River Watershed, 

Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado, USA

~ The Bid for a Village at Wolf Creek ~

La Plata County Democratic Assembly Edition ~ March 17, 2012

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

While fact checking the article in the previous post, I discovered something interesting.

The original 1986 Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture’s offer to trade Saguache District parcels for a chunk of Alberta Park near Wolf Creek Pass was rejected by the Rio Grande Forest Service.
Yet, that original rejection metamorphosed into an approval and the USFS cannot cite how it happened!

What happened?  Who knows?  Was it perhaps a clerical error? 
How do we actually know McCombs’ Deed is legitimate? 
Has everyone been fooled into playing liars poker?

Fast forward a quarter century and that landlocked parcel at Alberta Park has been nothing but failed advances and headaches for the intrepid speculator.
 
Now McCombs want’s to trade in 178 acres of that land, for 204 acres of RGFS land with direct access to Highway 160.

Sadly, all bets seem to be that the RGNF is on the way to allowing the trade. 

The Red McCombs’ Alberta Park Real Estate Poker Game

The saga continues: 
{updated March 23, 2012}  
 

Red McCombs’ 
Alberta Park Poker Game 

{Yup, the one near Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado.}

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

The sad saga of Alberta Park began back in the 1980’s when a billionaire purchased some private land within the Saguache Ranger District of the Rio Grande National Forest. It was nice land; land the Forest Service had been eyeing for some time.

With those chips in hand Red McCombs saddled up to the public lands real estate table. Proposing to trade his coveted Saguache District chips for an incredible parcel smack in the middle of the high country. In 1986 after due process McCombs’ proposal was rejected by Rio Grande National Forest officials. But, McCombs had a few cards up his sleeve. . .

Exhibit Four: Pagosa Daily Post offers an excellent review: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down on Village at Wolf Creek

I won't be sharing any quotes from the following series of articles that appeared in the Pagosa Daily Post in October two years back. But, it is another source for understanding the background and history to the continuing saga of VWC High Altitude Development Fever. Written by Bill Hudson editor of the Pagosa Daily Post:

EDITORIAL: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down on Village at Wolf Creek, Part One
Bill Hudson ~ 10/23/09 ~ Pagosa Daily Post

EDITORIAL: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down on Village at Wolf Creek, Part Two
Bill Hudson ~ 10/26/09 ~ Pagosa Daily Post

EDITORIAL: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down on Village at Wolf Creek, Part Three
Bill Hudson ~ 10/27/09 ~ Pagosa Daily Post

EDITORIAL: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down on Village at Wolf Creek, Part Four
Bill Hudson ~ 10/28/09 ~ Pagosa Daily Post~
____________________________________________


Also A Change Is Gonna Come
Article by Sheila K. Goodman
Wolf Creek – May 2007 – Colorado Central Magazine -

I won't be sharing any quotes from this article either, yet Sheila Goodman does an excellent job reporting on the personal story behind Billy Joe “Red” McCombs and former partner Bob Honts long struggle to urbanize a Continental Divide meadow at 10,300 elevation.