FS appeals judge's decision on Village at Wolf Creek

SAN LUIS VALLEY — The U.S. Forest Service is challenging a federal judge’s ruling from earlier this year that its Rio Grande office’s approval of the Village at Wolf Creek was steeped in “predictive bias” and was “contrary to law.”

The Durango Herald reported that on Thursday, the U.S. Forest Service, through the U.S. Department of Justice, filed a notice of appeal with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The developers of the proposed resort, Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture, also appealed in October.

The notice of appeals the Forest Service submitted contained only a brief statement that it intended to protest the decision. The federal agency has 14 days to submit a more substantial challenge.

The U.S. Forest Service referred all questions to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice declined to comment.