Overview: From Colorado Wild & Friends of Wolf Creek

With renewed national attention focusing on government transparency and illegal political influence, Colorado finds itself at the center of an emerging scandal that runs from local government all the way to Washington, DC. Although Colorado Wild has been uncovering evidence of collusion between Wolf Creek developer Red McCombs and US Forest Service officials in DC, newly acquired documents show that the developer has also had extraordinary influence in Mineral County. A series of communications between the McCombs’ attorneys and Mineral County staff show extensive behind-the-scenes participation in the entire land use approval process before the county. Furthermore, these documents appear to have been both deliberately excluded from a September 24, 2004 Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request made by Colorado Wild, and withheld from the administrative record in Colorado Wild’s lawsuit against Mineral County.

The County's failure to include these damaging documents as part of the record of Colorado Wild’s case challenging the lack of meaningful public participation in Mineral County’s approval of the Village at Wolf Creek is highly suspect. Further, these documents appear to have been concealed or withheld from Colorado Wild despite the fact that they were expressly requested under CORA in September of 2004. Mineral County has likely violated state law and their ethical responsibilities. While it is disturbing to see that the developer was essentially authoring the County’s policies, it is even more outrageous that Mineral County appears to have deliberately concealed this information from the public.

Meanwhile, the Forest Service is continuing to evade its responsibility to provide information to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), despite a January 17th Federal District Court ruling that ordered the agency to provide an index of communications between the developer and the Forest Service. As a result, Colorado Wild’s ongoing lawsuit against the Forest Service under FOIA remains unresolved, and we will likely be forced to again go back to Court. Learn More >>

Press Coverage:

Retired Forest Service official says Wolf Creek proposal is seriously flawed
April 6, 2006 - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Agency OKs access at Wolf Creek
Forest Service approval of roads to village likely to be challenged
April 4, 2006
By Joe Hanel | Herald Denver Bureau

Evidence of Red McCombs’ Undue and Possibly Illegal Influence
on the Village at Wolf Creek Approval Process
March 10, 2006
Prepared by Colorado Wild

E-mails draw ire of Wolf Creek project foes
Wolf Creek developer allegedly influencing environmental study
March 4, 2006
By Judith Kohler | Associated Press Writer

Developer gunning for showdown
Larson up to Honts’ challenge, eyes attending Wolf Creek forum
March 3, 2006
By Jesse Harlan Alderman | Herald Staff Writer

Rep. Salazar asks Corps to review development
March 3, 2006
By Jesse Harlan Alderman | Herald Staff Writer

Wolf Creek controversy hits House
Texas developers welcome closer look
March 1, 2006
By Joe Hanel | Herald Denver Bureau

Rep. Salazar balks on Wolf Creek
Larson calls for investigation into ‘lobbying abuses’
February 17, 2006
By Jesse Harlan Alderman | Herald Staff Writer

Larson to push for probe into Wolf Creek
February 14, 2006
By Jesse Harlan Alderman | Herald Staff Writer

Critics: McCombs writing the rules
Mineral County denies it withheld documents in Wolf Creek development
February 14, 2006
By Jesse Harlan Alderman | Herald Staff Writer

Wolf Creek developer pulls strings
‘Red’ McCombs uses influence to push project in Washington
February 6, 2006
By Mike Soraghan The Denver Post

Forest Service secrecy foils public duty
January 26, 2006

County officials, developer appeal Wolf Creek ruling
January 21, 2006
By Dale Rodebaugh | Herald Staff Report

Forest Service must release papers
Documents may shed light on creation of Wolf Creek plan
January 18, 2006
By Jesse Harlan Alderman | Herald Staff Writer