Living a green life is the ultimate goal, right? You're doing better by the environment, making sustainable choices, and even potentially bringing down your expenses. What’s more, by living a greener life, you’re doing your part to help address climate…
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Last week, a federal court ruled that the Bureau of Land Management failed to follow the law in selling oil and gas leases across Southwest Colorado in two recent auctions. The ruling applies to 14 parcels involving about 10,000 acres…
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Bighorns need our help! Disease from domestic sheep is threatening bighorns in Colorado. We need CPW to help close high risk domestic allotments.
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Electricity customers across Southwest Colorado have the opportunity this month to provide feedback about the future of our electricity supply. The Colorado Public Utility Commission is reviewing plans for long-term electric generation resources put forth by Tri-State Generation and Transmission,…
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Imagine Colorado 150 years ago, when hearing a faraway wolf howl or seeing a bighorn was not rare. While many things have changed in those 150 years, our Wildlife Program aims to restore this wildlife and ensure that it happens…
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After a whirlwind year, it’s time to take stock of some conservation gains over the past 12 months. We often ride a teeter-totter of conservation policy, down one year, up the next, but overall many a cherished landscape across the…
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Our work protecting the lands and forests across the San Juan Basin is ever-changing. Here is a quick summary of what we’re working on right now: Bootjack Ranch/Valle Seco Land Exchange The Decision Notice for this sordid and coordinated effort…
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One of the most remarkable features of Southwest Colorado is the spectacular canyon carved by the Dolores River. On those occasions when an abundance of snowpack blesses our region, adventurers can enjoy floating through 100 miles of a wild canyon…
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The choice between continued coal power or equitable transition at San Juan Generating Station There is nothing enchanting about Enchant Energy’s proposal to continue burning dirty coal and emitting pollutants in the Four Corners long into the future. Enchant proposes…
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A friend recently lamented the apparent disappearance of Colorado’s trademark cobalt blue skies, those piercingly clear summer days in the mountains when you can see almost forever. Instead, our peaks and valleys are obscured by smoke in a ritual repeated…
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Colorado's air quality is being threatened by the ever-present reality of oil and gas emissions. Let's ensure our air stays clean and create strong methane regulations for the state of Colorado.JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJSTlpPd3VNcVRpJTIyJTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZkZWZhdWx0LnNhbHNhbGFicy5vcmclMkZhcGklMkZ3aWRnZXQlMkZ0ZW1wbGF0ZSUyRmM1MDNhN2VhLWZiY2UtNGI3MS1hNzkzLTBmOWMwNmU5ZGQyYSUyRiUzRnRJZCUzRFJOWk93dU1xVGklMjIlMjAlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U=
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Join in for our June Monthly Scoop with SJCA's wildlife manager, Gary Skiba. Beyond Gary's extensive background with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, his personal passion for wildlife is infectious. Expect an update of wolf restoration progress, bighorn sheep management,…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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An inspiring story of rapid energy transition is playing out in a neighboring rural electric cooperative in northern New Mexico. Just recently, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative announced it is ahead of schedule to complete several solar projects by the end…
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President Biden’s new administration brings forth the opportunity to pivot management of public lands and waters from enhancing extraction to instead promoting protection. Biden’s newly confirmed Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, promises a refreshing perspective both as our nation’s…
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Maintaining a healthy river, and a healthy river community, means more than simply keeping the water clean. Fishing, swimming, paddling, or simply walking along a river trail are important services that healthy rivers provide and they play an important role…
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The coming year will be critically important for Colorado’s wolf restoration program. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and its Commission are charged with reintroducing wolves to the state, with paws on the ground by the end of 2023. Opponents of…
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Our May Monthly Scoop will feature Jimbo Buickerood, SJCA's lands and forest protection manager. Jimbo will provide an update on our upcoming BioBlitz in the HD Mountains and other public lands issues. Zoom registration is required to join this free…
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Last winter SJCA, (along with our partners at Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society) scored a victory to keep bighorn sheep safe and improve the management of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) State Wildlife Areas (SWAs).…
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Colorado and Wyoming are on rapidly diverging paths to distinctly different energy futures. Colorado’s Legislature next week will contemplate further greenhouse gas emissions reductions, with stricter requirements for rapid transition away from coal and other carbon emitting fuels. The intent…
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The territory bordering the Piedra River as it leaves the San Juan Mountains and emerges into lower elevation lands has long been of interest to peoples who lived in and travelled through these lands. The endemic forests, grasslands and streamside…
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Colorado is currently considering ways to strengthen rules for protecting water from future hardrock mining operations. It’s a direct link back to the Gold King Mine spill in 2015, though one perhaps obscured by the passage of time. The path…
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The Colorado Wilderness Act has been reintroduced, but in order to pass it needs the support of Colorado's Senators. Take action today and ask Colorado Senators Michael Bennet & John Hickenlooper to support the Colorado Wilderness Act!JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJhQW90ZGRTcnVuJTIyJTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZkZWZhdWx0LnNhbHNhbGFicy5vcmclMkZhcGklMkZ3aWRnZXQlMkZ0ZW1wbGF0ZSUyRjMyZmRjZmU0LTNjM2QtNGQ4My05ZTUxLThiNDlmZWNiNWM0NiUyRiUzRnRJZCUzRGFBb3RkZFNydW4lMjIlMjAlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U=
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JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJzVmdoRkdUUHBDJTIyJTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZkZWZhdWx0LnNhbHNhbGFicy5vcmclMkZhcGklMkZ3aWRnZXQlMkZ0ZW1wbGF0ZSUyRmEwNmNkN2VlLTBiODYtNDRhNC04YWMwLTkwNGZlMzk3M2VlOSUyRiUzRnRJZCUzRHNWZ2hGR1RQcEMlMjIlMjAlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U=
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The Colorado Wilderness Act was reintroduced in Congress today! First introduced in 1999, the wilderness bill proposes protections for 660,000 acres of Colorado's most spectacular canyon and desert wildlands, like the Dolores River Canyon. New wilderness protections are strongly supported…
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Congress reconvenes this month with major unfinished business around land conservation legislation of great significance to Southwest Colorado. After decades of analysis and consideration, last year bills advanced through the U.S. House of Representatives to enact wilderness and other protective…
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Since we couldn't see everyone in person this year, we made a video to show you what our staff has been up to & update you on some of our top campaigns! Check it out!
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Our Fall/Winter 2020 Newsletter has gone out to doorsteps and PO Boxes across the country! You can also check it out here by clicking the photo below. This newsletter has updates on energy transition, the HD Mountains, pending wilderness designations,…
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Attaining utility-scale renewable power for communities in the Four Corners region has been one of SJCA’s goals for years. Renewable energy is better for both our environment and our wallets; over the past few years the cost of renewables has…
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The changing of the guard of presidential administrations frequently brings substantial reversals of previous rules and policies. The Trump administration gained notoriety for its widespread attempts to abandon or undermine rules intended to reduce pollution or safeguard public lands. It’s…
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It’s really no surprise that Colorado’s highest peaks attract the greatest attention from human visitors, smart phone cameras, Wilderness designations, and more – they are awe-inspiring and photogenic. However, most of us have come to know that the “lower and…
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Photo: John Fielder Help Secure New Wilderness in Colorado Contact Colorado’s elected representatives to thank them for their strong support of public lands and ask that they do everything in their power to pass the CORE Act and the Colorado…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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Colorado voters approved a measure to reintroduce wolves to our state's western wildlands! State wildlife managers will develop and implement a plan for wolf reintroduction, with "paws on the ground," beginning no later than the end of 2023. As SJCA…
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A Montana judge recently ruled the head of the Bureau of Land Management had illegally served as the agency’s director for more than a year. That’s a big deal, seeing as it is the nation’s largest land manager. In Colorado,…
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SJCA believes that responsible management of our public lands protects our communities’ heritage, supports healthy wildlife and their habitat, sustains a strong and self-reliant economy, and preserves our quality of life for generations to come. To help our members and…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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Twenty years ago, Colorado wildlife officials restored long-missing lynx to the state’s forests and mountains. It was a joy to watch lynx bound away from their release point at Rio Grande Reservoir and take to their native habitat. Changing societal…
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Keep LPEA’s Exit Charge Case in Colorado LPEA has made huge headway in its fight for cleaner, cheaper power here in Southwest Colorado. But by illegally adding new members to the cooperative “family”, Tri-State qualified for federal regulation – pre-empting…
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Once again, the HD Mountains face new threats from oil and gas development, this time from a proposal for a massive methane gas compression and processing facility. The proposal for the El Toro facility has numerous flaws, not least of…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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The EPA proposed a new mine waste repository near Silverton, as part of their work at the Bonita Peak Superfund Site. We submitted our own SJCA comments on the proposal, and with your help sent in an extra 205 comments…
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As Congress nears the finish line this year, the fate of conservation legislation dealing with a million acres in Colorado is left hanging. The House of Representatives has now twice passed both the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act and…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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Last week, La Plata Electric Association inched closer to gaining the basic information it has long desired to evaluate whether it makes sense to stay with Tri-State Generation and Transmission as its wholesale electricity supplier or jump ship to potentially…
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Purgatory has shown an interest in developing the Ice Creek lift pod (at the eastern extent of greater Hermosa Park) area for many years and sought to include it an element of their Master Development Plan (MDP) during its creation…
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This November, Colorado residents will vote on Proposition 107. If passed, it will require the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife to reintroduce wolves to the state by the end of 2023. Colorado State University’s Center for Carnivore-Human Coexistence, in…
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Opponents to wolf restoration, whether here in Colorado or Yellowstone, claim that the wolves that would be released are a different species than the wolves that were originally there. Colorado wolf opponents claim that reintroduced wolves would wreak havoc because…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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Last December, Colorado required oil and gas companies to significantly reduce their emissions- a crucial step needed to improve public health and put the state on track towards its carbon reduction goals. Even though the public strongly supports the new…
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Last winter, Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted unanimously to adopt new emissions rules for the oil and gas industry. Now, the AQCC is working with the Energy Office to implement the greenhouse gas reduction goals in House Bill…
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The HDs are under siege. Again. The San Juan National Forest is proposing to approve an 8.6-mile natural gas pipeline that cuts across a portion of the HD Mountains Roadless Area. In doing so, the Forest Service intends to simply…
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It wasn’t the several contiguous weeks of working from my home “office” that motivated me to journey to the HD Mountains (between Bayfield and Chimney Rock National Monument); rather it was the need to see firsthand yet another set of…
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Check out our Spring/Summer 2020 Newsletter for updates on our campaigns and to learn what's coming up in the next couple months. To get a copy of our newsletter delivered right to your doorstep you can become a member here.…
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The transformation in Colorado’s energy landscape over the past year is nothing short of breathtaking. A good part of that transformation owes to the leadership of La Plata Electric Association. Who might have imagined a year ago that LPEA would…
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Breaking: The Trump Administration has proposed changes that would rollback critical elements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a bedrock environmental law. NEPA is fundamental to protecting public health, safety, and our environment, and the vast majority of Western…
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Stand up for New Oil and Gas Protections After nearly a decade in the making, Colorado passed major oil and gas reforms in 2019 affirming that its agency, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), will place health, safety,…
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Photo: John Fielder Last week, the Bureau of Land Management finalized plans to open millions of acres of southern Utah to energy development, oil and gas drilling, coal mining and a variety of other extraction activities. These were the…
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Conservationists pursue protective designations like wilderness or wild and scenic rivers to help ensure the undeveloped character of cherished places is guaranteed into the future. It’s a bulwark against the creeping industrialization that often threatens to consume the quiet valleys…
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Photo: WildEarth Guardians Last week, Tri-State announced it intended to close its Colorado and New Mexico coal generation assets ahead of schedule. This week Tri-State made a second announcement on its Responsible Energy Plan. Notably, Tri-State will: Strive for 100%…
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Photo: National Park Service In our original blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. Now, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. You can also check…
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The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted unanimously on new methane protections on the oil and gas industry that prioritize public health and the environment. These new regulations will cut methane emissions, improve air quality, and help Colorado meet…
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In 2014, our region gained notoriety as the nation’s methane hotspot. Researchers at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noticed via satellite measurements a plume of methane over the Four Corners that dwarfed anywhere else in the country.…
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Photo: National Park Service In our original blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. Now, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. You can also check…
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We know that meaningful and permanent public lands protections take time. Lots of time. Lots of stakeholders are at the table and compromises are hashed out over years, not weeks. Often times such efforts are framed by politicians as being…
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Photo: Jack Brauer Really, it isn't a surprise to most of us that the majority of Western Slope voters support our public lands and want them protected. For those who are skeptical, this recent poll clearly shows widespread support for…
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Come join us for the annual Four Corners Air Quality Group meeting in Durango this Wednesday to hear about important factors in our regional air quality and some of the steps being taken to improve it. There will also be…
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This week marks the 10th anniversary of long-simmering efforts to obtain added wilderness protections for the high ranges of the San Juan Mountains. Back in 2009, then Rep. John Salazar first introduced the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act, legislation aimed…
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Photo: Michael Remke Fire & Forests Learning Series Part III: Resilience Post 416 Fire November 6th, 6-8 pm Powerhouse Science Center Durango, CO To close the series, we will direct the conversation to the lessons learned by our community…
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Photo: Michael Remke Fire & Forests Learning Series Part I: The History of Fire & Forest Ecology in the San Juan Mountains October 23rd, 6-8 pm Powerhouse Science Center The series will kick off with a presentation on the foundational…
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Photo: Alex Pullen SJCA Open House & Wolf Creek Campaign Update Tuesday, October 29th 5-7 pm Pagosa Brewing & Grill 118 N. Pagosa Blvd., Pagosa Springs Wondering what the latest is with our decade-long campaign to protect Wolf Creek…
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Photo: Wikimedia Commons In our original blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. Now, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. You can also check out Part…
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A Rulemaking to Hold Tri-State Accountable The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is holding a rulemaking process through October 15th about Tri-State's Electric Resource Plan (ERP), which will fundamentally impact co-op customers for years to come. The ERP is a long-term…
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Photo: Carlan Tapp Why should we care about methane, exactly? Remember that methane hotspot floating over the Four Corners region? Explosive growth in the oil and gas industry have contributed to some of the highest levels of methane emissions…
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In our previous blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. In this and future blogs, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. Blogs by Gary Skiba,…
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This April, SB 19-181 passed through the Colorado Legislature and was signed into law, fundamentally altering the landscape of Colorado oil and gas operations. The bill reforms oil and gas law and charges the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission…
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Conservation advocates routinely harp on the single-minded focus of the Trump administration exhorting resource exploitation on our public lands. In case that just sounds like hyperbole, recent real-life examples help illustrate the reality of the Department of Interior’s energy dominance…
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In just a few weeks, Public Service Co. of New Mexico will initiate the process to officially retire the San Juan Generating Station, the 1,600-megawatt, coal-fired behemoth outside Farmington that once burned coal day and night to generate electricity. It’s…
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Photo: Tom Sykes The Forest Service has rescinded its approval to use chainsaws in Weminuche and South San Juan Wildernesses! We were surprised last month to hear about Regional Forester's illegal approval to use motorized equipment in the form of…
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Photo: National Park Service Chain Saws in Wilderness Update June 4th, 2019 Background On May 7th the Forest Service unexpectedly, and without any public notice or input, announced it would allow chain saws in the Weminuche and South San Juan…
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Photo: Fish and Wildlife Service Wolves have long stirred strong emotions in this country and still do. The idea of bringing wolves back to Colorado generates passionate support as well as die-hard opposition. Yet from an ecological standpoint, wolves belong…
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Clean off those 'No Pillage' bumperstickers*, because here we go again. If you've lived in the area for long, you know the Village has a decades-long history. The short story is that a billionaire from Texas has long wanted to…
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Below is our press release detailing our arguments against the Forest Service's recent secretive approval allowing for chainsaws to be used in the Weminuche and South San Juan Wildernesses starting June 1. We're asking the court to reverse the decision.…
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The Forest Service’s recent decision to approve using chain saws to cut out downed trees in wilderness areas might strike some as no big deal. But for longtime advocates for the wilderness concept generally, and supporters of the Weminuche and…
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This month, the Colorado legislature passed landmark oil and gas reform legislation that directs the state to adopt next generation methane standards and expand air quality protections statewide. On Tuesday, the Air Quality Control Division will hold a public hearing…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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Colorado is finally trying to revamp the regulation of oil and gas development for the 21st century. And it's long overdue. For decades, Colorado's official charge to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission was to "foster" oil and…
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Spring is in the air, and with it comes potentially big changes for our electric power supply. Leadership changes abound at both our local rural electric cooperative, La Plata Electric Association, and its wholesale electric supplier, Tri-State Generating and Transmission.…
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Energy 101: Navigating the New Energy Market Saturday, March 23rd 3:15 - 5:45 pm Durango Public Library Renewable energy is now less expensive than coal. This will be a community discussion about how to take advantage of these new…
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Photo: Alex Pullen OK, here we go again. Many of you joined us in submitting protests this last fall on the draft decision to provide road access to the Village. And for good reason. It's not surprising they went ahead and…
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Photo: Jason Hatfield Fans of Utah’s spectacular redrock country can savor congressional action this week that advanced protections for a million acres of the incomparable San Rafael Swell, and one of the Colorado Plateau’s longest wild river segments through Desolation…
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Photo: Jack Brauer Senator Bennet and Representative Neguse are breathiing new life into the decade-long campaign to permanently protect iconic, yet vulnerable, alpine landscapes in the San Juan Mountains. Next week, they're introducing a new bill, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation &…
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While Colorado has been a national leader in establishing state-wide methane rules to limit waste, a task force is calling for more to be done to curb ozone pollution stemming from the oil and gas industry. With many counties, particularly…
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Climate Action Happy Hour Monday, December 10th 5-6:30 pm Carver Brewing, Durango You're invited to join us and our friends at Conservation Colorado to discuss the future of renewable energy for our region and actions we can take to encourage…
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Photo: Jason Hatfield With spring full bore upon us, it’s hard not to cast an envious eye toward the high country and start daydreaming about alpine wildflower hikes. One favorite destination for many is Ice Lake Basin outside Silverton, one…
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We're celebrating! The Colorado state water court has upheld the instream water right instituted by the Colorado Water Conservation Board for the Dolores River in 2015. The standard was primarily intended to protect three struggling native fish populations, but will…
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Responsible management of energy and water may be two of the biggest challenges we face this century, particularly in light of climate change. Colorado's first-ever state water plan was a difficult but important step toward successfully meeting those challenges. The Alliance joins other…
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