MONTE VISTA, Colo. (AP) — The public is getting 45 days to comment on a proposed swap of national forest land with a developer trying to build a village near the Wolf Creek Ski Area.

In 2001, a joint venture involving Texas billionaire Red McCombs applied for access across the Rio Grande National Forest to connect its land with U.S. 160. After that plan was challenged in various lawsuits, the joint venture proposed swapping 178 of its acres within the forest with 204 federal acres that have access to U.S. 160.

The U.S. Forest Service released a draft environmental impact statement on the proposal Friday. It says benefits of the swap proposal over the previous proposal include scaled-down plans for development of the Village at Wolf Creek.

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Online:

http://1.usa.gov/OnpMZ0