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Elk tags, oil and gas hot issues
Charlie Meyers / Denver Post
'What follows are two morality plays that seemingly haven't the slightest shred of connection, as different as truth and lie.'
Western & Colorado Water Project Staff Notes
September 2008
We continued to participate in the "visioning" exercise that Colorado's Inter-Basin Compact Committee is doing around what the state's water future will look like. http://ibcc.state.co.us/
The first printed copies of the WWP's 10th Anniversary Report, Water, People, Fish arrived in time for us to distribute to Board and annual meeting attendees. Additional copies will arrive soon and information will be available on CTU’s website and National’s Western Water conservation page.
http://www.tu.org/site/c.kkLRJ7MSKtH/b.3022975/
We completed the white paper about the next generation of TU’s Conservation Success Index (CSI) and made a presentation with the task force's recommendations to TU’s Board of Directors. More information on this will be forthcoming and expect to see some changes on the CSI website as a result of this effort as well.
http://www.tu.org/site/c.kkLRJ7MSKtH/b.4347959/
Excellent news on the hiring front! The Colorado Water Project hired Greg Espegren to be its aquatic specialist. Formerly, Greg was with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Water Conservation Board. And, after a thorough search of an excellent pool of candidates, we've filled the WWP Communications Director position with Randy Scholfield, the editorial writer for the Wichita Eagle newspaper and an avid TU member and angler, who was previously an organizer with the Great Plains Earth Institute and a teacher after having been awarded a PhD in English.
TU and the other parties to the Colorado water court proceedings to quantify the Black Canyon reserved water right are engaged in mediation. The lawyers have reached agreement on a proposed decree. The parties’ principals are now reviewing.
We met with the proponents of expanding Rio Grande Reservoir. The proponents claim that expanded storage capacity could be used to improve late season flows in the Rio Grande River. We are evaluating the expansion and will be providing input.
http://www.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=CORSRG&CU_ID=1
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has released its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Colorado Springs’ Southern Delivery System (SDS). We have prepared draft comments on the EIS. We have also been discussing mitigation measures with the BOR and Colorado Springs: http://www.sdseis.com/
The Army Corps of Engineers released its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Northern District’s Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). We submitted comments on the EIS in September. http://www.ncwcd.org/project_features/nisp_main.asp
We will be reviewing Denver’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license application related to expanding Gross Reservoir on South Boulder Creek. Comments are due at the end of September.
Fraser Valley water officials optimistic about device that vacuums sediment from streams
Environmental report for Chimney Hollow shows possible effects of reservoir southwest of Loveland
By Pamela DickmanLoveland Reporter-Herald
'The 90,000-acre-foot reservoir near Carter Lake (southwest of Loveland) would store water from the Windy Gap project for Front Range communities.'
Feds defend BLM’s Roan Plateau drilling plan
The government, in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 10 environmental groups [including CTU] in July, denied allegations that the BLM’s plan for natural gas development on the Roan Plateau violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), court documents show.
River Rehab
by David Halterman - Durango Telegraph
'Now that river levels have dropped, monsoon season is over, and tuber sightings are as rare as ants teeth, the banks of the Animas River have been calling for a bit of attention. Well, they got it last Saturday morning as local volunteers came out to cash in on a little river karma while tidying up the shoreline. Organized by Ty Churchwell of Trout Unlimited...."
http://www.durangotelegraph.com/telegraph.php?inc=/08-09-18/day.htm
What's the rush on oil shale?
Denver Post Opinion
A premature plan to open vast Western energy reserves to development (if states approve) could cost taxpayers trillions....
River Rehab
photos by David Halterman
Now that river levels have dropped, monsoon season is over, and tuber sightings are as rare as ants teeth, the banks of the Animas River have been calling for a bit of attention. Well, they got it last Saturday morning as local volunteers came out to cash in on a little river karma while tidying up the shoreline. Organized by Ty Churchwell of Trout Unlimited, the river maids were given gloves, trash bags, water, and as many Cliff Bars as they could stuff into their pockets and sent out to clean a predetermined 1/4 mile stretch of river, between 32nd Street and Santa Rita Park. Whether it was beer cans, whiskey bottles, underwear or shopping carts, the crews dragged and bagged an assortment of river garbage, while the city did its part by collecting and disposing of the mess from collection points along the river trail. Keeping Durangos lifeblood unspoiled is everyones responsibility, so thanks to those who came out on Saturday to do their part.
Photos at: http://www.durangotelegraph.com/telegraph.php?inc=/08-09-18/day.htm
With heavy lifting, river restored at Middle Fork
by on September 18, 2008 The story on the outdoor page of Wednesday’s paper gave a fairly straightaway account of how Colorado Trout Unlimited has executed a $300,000 stream improvement project on the Middle Fork of the South Platte, where it crosses Highway 9 between Fairplay and Hartsel.
With money from the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s Fishing is Fun program, Park County and private donors, the conservation organization achieved meaningful channel restoration on a 1.5-mile stretch that had suffered degradation from uncontrolled cattle grazing.
Feds defend BLM’s Roan Plateau drilling plan
By Phillip YatesGlenwood Springs, CO Colorado
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — The Bureau of Land Management’s drilling plan for the Roan Plateau Planning Area does not violate federal environmental law, U.S. Department of Justice attorneys argued in court documents filed earlier this week.
The government, in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 10 environmental groups in July, denied allegations that the BLM’s plan for natural gas development on the Roan Plateau violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), court documents show.
The groups’ lawsuit argues that the BLM’s plan should be invalidated and that the issuance of any leases should be blocked because it “relies on the (agency’s) illegal plan and its inadequate environmental analysis.”
The environmental groups’ lawsuit argues the agency did not analyze the long-term environmental impacts of its actions nor did it consider a reasonable range of alternative approaches.
They argue that the BLM’s environmental impact statement for drilling “ignores the vast majority of the oil and gas development that eventually will result from the (BLM’s) leasing decision” and also ignores the possible ozone pollution that may result from natural gas development in the area.
The government, in a response filed Monday, denied those allegations.
The coalition of environmentalists — which include the Wilderness Society, Colorado Trout Unlimited, Colorado Mountain Club and the Wilderness Workshop — filed its lawsuit in July about a month before the BLM auctioned off 31 parcels that encompassed about 54,600 acres of the Roan Plateau Planning Area.
