Wolf Creek plan draws more heat    

An already hot situation is nearing the boiling point at Wolf Creek Pass. Two more lawsuits were filed last week over the proposed Village at Wolf Creek. Durango-based Colorado Wild said it filed the suits to press the Forest Service to act in the public interest.  

The “Village at Wolf Creek” actually is much more of a city. Its plan is being forwarded by a Texas development company, funded by former Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs, and is in no way connected to the existing ski operation. McCombs and Bob Honts, his development manager, have proposed developing 287.5 acres just east of Wolf Creek Pass and at the base of the Wolf Creek Ski Area’s Alberta Lift, land that was acquired during a suspicious 1989 land exchange with the Forest Service. And the development would be a massive 2,172 new units and more than 220,000 square feet of commercial space, including 12 new restaurants and several hotels.

From its first announcement, opposition to the Village at Wolf Creek has been off the charts. Prior to last week, there were already three lawsuits challenging the development.

Colorado Wild’s new suits have very specific purposes. The first seeks to force the Forest Service to disclose critical public records related the development. The second pushes to block the Forest Service from allowing any further access to the development, which crosses public property and is illegal, according to the group. The parcel in question is a private inholding, surrounded by public land. Jeff Berman, executive director of Colorado Wild, noted that thousands of comment letters have opposed access and that the EPA, Colorado Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and others have concerns about it.

“For this reason, McCombs is having to gain access to the property via backdoor Forest Service authorizations with no public scrutiny or environmental analysis,” he said.

Colorado Wild filed a similar access permit lawsuit in October 2004 but voluntarily dropped it based on promises from the Department of Justice and Forest Service that no access would be granted until completion of the EIS. Colorado Wild alleges that the agency allowed illegal access to McCombs’ company on April 28 issuing a permit that expires June 30. Berman said the April access appears to be the result of political pressure.

“Seemingly impatient with public process, major pressure was placed on the Forest Service to grant some sort of temporary access in the meantime, even though the agency’s own Draft EIS concluded that springtime access would likely result in major water quality impacts,” he said.

Even though the temporary access permit expires this week, Colorado Wild suspects another will be forthcoming. Brad Bartlett, attorney for Colorado Wild, noted, “The Forest Service went so far as to cite regulations that no longer exist to rationalize approval of temporary access. Unfortunately, Colorado Wild is having to ask a judge to force the Forest Service to abide by the law and act in the public interest.”


Badly Bent take Telluride Bluegrass

Members of Durango bluegrass mainstay, the Badly Bent, couldn’t be in better place right now. The traditional bluegrass band took first place in the recent, prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition, beating out 11 up-and-coming bluegrass and newgrass bands from across the country. Another Durango band, the Broke Mountain Bluegrass Band, took second-place honors.

The Badly Bent attributes its success on the Telluride stage to its cohesiveness as an ensemble, not just a collection of proficient individual musicians. “This prestigious achievement reflects the hard work and dedication the band has put into its music and its performances,” said Pat Dressen, guitarist and one of the band’s lead vocalists. “We couldn’t be any happier.”

 By winning the competition, the band earned a main stage performance at next year’s 33rd annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, $750 in cash and free strings courtesy of D’Addario. While winning the contest was a pleasant surprise, it wasn’t the band’s goal.

“We set as our objective to place in the finals so that we would have a chance to play on the Telluride main stage during the contest finals,” said Mark Epstein, banjo player and vocalist. “We were very happy to achieve that goal. The fact that we won the competition is a bit overwhelming. The other bands were so fantastic. We are all so excited.”

In addition to Dressen and Epstein, the Badly Bent also

includes Jeff Hibshman, on bass, Robb Brophy, on mandolin and vocals, and Bill Adams, on resonator guitar. The Badly Bent recently released its first recording project, a self-titled CD including 14 songs.

The band will also perform at the final two dates of the seven-week, free bluegrass series at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College on July 28 and Aug. 4. The other local band performing in this free series is a past winner of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s band competition, The Hot Strings.


Fourth to be free of fire restrictions

For the first time in four years, local residents will be able to celebrate the Fourth of July unhindered by fire restrictions. However, the Forest Service is still urging people to exercise caution.

Fire Management Officer Mark Lauer noted that some areas are still prone to wildfire. “There is a wide array of conditions out there right now,” he said. “In the lower elevations, especially in the piñon-juniper forests, the grasses are tall, and they are drying out, but above 11,000 feet, recreationists will still find patchy snow and water running down trails.”

Lauer explained that last year’s strong winter was a blessing to the drought-parched forests, but it also brought on strong grass growth this spring. “Those grasses are what we’re really keeping an eye on right now,” he said. “These smaller, fine fuels can ignite quickly as they dry out, especially the cheatgrass, which turns purple, and then brown, as it dries out.” Thunderstorms in the past week have brought only a small amount of moisture to the area so Lauer urged backcountry travelers to use fire and tools like chainsaws with caution. He also reminded residents that while fire is allowed, fireworks are still strictly banned on public lands.


Public asked to weigh in on Petrox

Just a week after rescinding approval of two wells in the HD Mountains, the Forest Service has reopened the public process. The agency made the decision in response to a lawsuit filed by San Juan Citizens Alliance.

The local conservation group and two area landowners filed the suit requesting an immediate stop to the drilling of two coalbed methane wells in the HDs. They charged that the Forest Service violated the law by approving the two wells without completing an analysis of environmental consequences and alternatives. The coalbed methane wells are located in Fosset Gulch, just east of the HD Mountains, which are at the center of a much larger controversial proposal for many additional gas wells.

After withdrawing the approvals, San Juan National Forest Supervisor Mark Stiles said that the Forest Service now agrees that environmental analysis is the next logical step. As a result, the Forest Service is currently accepting public input on the proposal by Petrox Resources, Inc. to drill the two wells.

Criticisms that already have been raised include threats to public health and safety and that the wells could cause the drying up of domestic and agricultural wells, effectively taking private water rights from current landowners. In addition, the two wells are at the tip of a much larger proposal to drill in the HD Mountains, currently a roadless area. Nearly 300 new, coalbed methane wells are proposed for the pristine area just east of Bayfield.

Public comments on the scope of issues will be accepted until Tuesday, July 5. For more information, call 247-4874.

– compiled by Will Sands