Environmentalists Sue Over Wolf Creek Ski Village

By David Frey, 10-20-06

Two environmental groups are suing the Forest Service over a proposed ski village at the base of no-frills Wolf Creek ski area in southwest Colorado.

Durango-based Colorado Wild and Alamosa's San Luis Ecosystem Council have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, the Associated Press reports, and are asking a judge to halt any road construction.

The two groups say Forest Service officials broke the law when they approved roads across the forest to the proposed ski village and changed the decision to suit developers.

Texas billionaire Billy Joe "Red" McCombs, co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, is planning to build 222,100 square feet of commercial space and housing for up to 10,500 people, the AP reports. His developer, Bob Honts, asked Agriculture Secretary Michael Johanss, who oversees the Forest Service to reverse a decision that required two roads instead of one.

Critics accuse the developers of bypassing the public process by shooting straight to the top. McCombs tried, unsuccessfully, to tie the project to a federal bill.

Last April, the Forest Service gave the go-ahead to build a road between the village and the ski area. Developers still need permits from state transportation officials to build it. An extension of an existing road would also link the sites, but during ski season, it would be closed except to emergency vehicles, shuttle buses and other mass transit systems.
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