Boulder Community Network | Environmental Center | Stop $SuperVail
Last Modified: Monday, 10-May-1999 17:42:37 MDT

For the latest news and updates, please see:

http://stopvail.net

Older News

If you're new to the issue, try reading from the bottom up.

February 12, 1999 Update:

Here are some links to other recent news stories about the Grand Jury investigation.

February 11, 1999 Update:

Today's Colorado Daily features a story about another local activist who has received a subpoena from the Grand Jury investigating the fires at Vail. According to the Daily, Kyle Turner of Boulder received the subpoena after refusing to answer questions from the FBI on January 28th. Turner told the Colorado Daily that he is not going to comply with the Grand Jury investigation. He also stated that he believes the fires were set by the FBI "to target the environmental movement and take it down." The Colorado Daily also ran this opinion piece about the investigation.

I have added two new documents to our little library here. Both were published recently in the Earth First! Journal-

Federal Grand Jury Sites contains links to more information about Federal Grand Juries than you'll ever want to know.

February 6, 1999 Update:

A copy of Our Constitional Rights by Clayton Van Lydegraf, from Grand Jury Comix is available here now.

February 4, 1999 Update:

Looks like the grand jury is moving ahead, with reports in the press this week of two more subpoenas to be issued. Testimony was also heard from the first person who received one.

I've decided to mirror some important documents here in light of the grand jury investigation:

January 24, 1999 Update:

I've heard stories in the last few months about FBI harassment of activists opposed to the CAT III expansion, in relation to the fires at Vail- of being tailed, of having the FBI contact various friends, family members, etc. about suspected "terrorist activities"; and apparently widespread wiretaps.

Now a Grand Jury has begun issuing subpeonas to compel testimony from local activists regarding the fires at Vail. Here's a copy of Ancient Forest Rescue's press release about the grand jury.

I will update this page with more information as time permits... until then, here's something else to chew on from the Cornell Law Review:

WHY GRAND JURIES DO NOT (AND CANNOT) PROTECT THE ACCUSED

Hopefully the grand jury will have a few free thinkers on it ;)

October 30, 1998 Update:

The true system, the real system, is our present construction of systemic thought itself, rationality itself, and if a factory is torn down but the rationality which produced it is left standing, then that rationality will simply produce another factory.

-Robert Pirsig,
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

That goes for restaurants and chair lifts too.

=M=

October 22, 1998 Update:

Personal note from the webmaster-

I'm hoping to keep this page updated as news about the fires in Vail unfolds. I had the flu the day the news broke and I'm still recovering and trying to get caught up at work.

Over the past few days I've gotten quite a bit of e-mail. I've been called some extremely nasty names... "Nazi" seems the most popular so far. So I'd like to take a little space here to publicly talk about this situation and my feelings about it.

Ours is not the first movement to be hurt by the actions of an extremist who does not represent the views of 99.99% of those working for the cause. The majority of anti-abortion activists absolutely oppose any form of violence, yet find themselves stigmatized by the actions of a man like Eric Rudolph, who allegedly committed crimes in the name of their cause.

I create web sites. I also do some Perl programming and system administration. And in my meager spare time I work for social and environmental justice. I don't set fires or support anyone who does. There's only so many ways I can say that I reject violence as a solution, that I don't support it, endorse it, or believe, in any way, that violence will solve any of the problems we face today. I personally find the arson and claims of responsibility by the Earth Liberation Front repulsive. And I am extremely grateful that no human lives were lost.

I've retitled this page the "unofficial" Stop Super Vail web site, because it was not created or officially endorsed by any organization. I took it on myself to get the electronic text of Ancient Forest Rescue brochures, and occasionally get other information to post here. But all decisions about the content are mine, and all responsibility for errors mine as well.

Although I have never been on Vail Mountain, I received several e-mails from people who loved the place and who were crushed by what the fires destroyed. I was particularly moved by one person who wrote this: 

I skied there as a child, and grew to appreciate nature there. I
would like whoever it is that did this to know that they are responsible
for the deaths of a large number of whistle-pigs (marmots), Wood mice,
weasels, and various other animals that lived under these structures. I
know they lived there, as I used to take them treats during the winter and
developed a fond relationship with these wonderful little friends. 
What a shame.
I hope that the "Earth Liberation Front" (or whoever started the fires) is reading this. You have severely hurt our cause, and I pray that you are caught before an incident like this hurts or kills someone, and before another legitimate campaign to protect wilderness is damaged by your efforts. And to that end, I'm personally donating $50 to the reward fund for your capture and conviction.

Peace isn't just the goal, it's the WAY!

October 20, 1998 Update:

Yesterday morning a number of structures on Vail mountain were damaged and/or destroyed by fire.

Please take a moment to read this Press Release: Ancient forest rescue activists adhere to strict non-violence code, including repudiation of damage to persons, property, or wildlife

Here are some news links pertaining to the fires:
Rocky Mountain News: 8 fires hit Vail Mountain
The Boulder Camera: Feds Probe Fires at Vail Ski Resort
The Denver Post: Arson suspected in Vail fires

September 29, 1998 Update:

U.S. District Court Judge Edward Nottingham ruled against an injunction to prevent Vail from beginning work on the category CAT III expansion.

However, our lawyers immediately moved for a stay of his ruling, pending an appeal. Judge Nottingham granted that motion, and the case should move quickly to the higher court (appeal in the 10th circuit).

It appears that Vail will begin work on the wetlands mitigation portion of this project very soon.

May 18, 1998 Update:

The Vail County Commissioners approved the Vail CAT III expansion 3-0.
Please send comments or suggestions to Mike Lewinski at: 
copylefted by
once upon a moon productions....

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