Stop the swap- oppose the legislative land exchange.
Wolf Creek Pass needs your help to remain the beautiful area that you and millions of others know and love. Out-of-state developers continue to pursue plans for a "Village" at Wolf Creek, a city of 8,000-10,000 people at the top of the Pass. This intense development plan in an otherwise undeveloped area entirely surrounded by National Forest would dramatically impact the entire region. Impacts of the proposed development threaten local businesses in nearby Archuleta and Rio Grande Counties, unspoiled backcountry recreation opportunities along the Continental Divide, water supply and water quality for downstream communities, rare and ecologically valuable fen wetlands, and one of the most critical wildlife corridors in the Southern Rocky Mountains.
Developer Red McCombs has spent more than 20 years attempting to circumvent legitimate public review of his proposed "Village." McCombs remains unwilling to trust his project to any traditional process of public analysis, disclosure, and decision-making, and has therefore hired a new team of lobbyists to attempt to circumvent this review process through a legislative land exchange to gain not only access, but also additional developable property.
While the idea that the FS would trade McCombs undevelopable wetlands for developable land with highway access is unthinkable, Friends of Wolf Creek is far more concerned about the process McCombs is pursuing to try to receive approval for the exchange. Rather than go though the traditional Forest Service land exchange review process - in which the public would have a chance to weigh in and the Forest Service EIS would disclose the impacts (pro and con) of the exchange before making a decision - McCombs and his new band of lobbyists is asking Congressman John Salazar to perform this land exchange legislatively.
Want to do more?
Congressman Salazar has yet to take a position on whether he would consider performing the land exchange through a bill in Congress. He and his staff are currently waiting to hear from local elected officials and the public about this proposal. We need your help to get the word to Salazar to say NO to any legislative land exchange. After more than 20 years of waiting, the public deserves a thorough and transparent analysis of the Village's impacts before any decisions are made about a land exchange or other strategy to facilitate development of this land. Rather than a legislative run around, McCombs should go through the traditional Forest Service review process including a robust public involvement process. You can contact Congressman Salazar's offices locally at:
Contact:
Congressman John Salazar's office
813 Main Ave, Ste 300, Durango, CO 81301, 970-259-1012
and through his website here and tell him to Stop the Swap - oppose the legislative trade.
OR
Contact Links: US Congress
Representative Salazar: DC 202-225-4761
Durango office John Whitney 259-1012
http://www.house.gov/salazar
326 Cannon House Office Building
District of Columbia 20515-0603
CLICK HERE to sign a petition to oppose the Legislative Land Trade!
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