Energy: BLM eyes new rules for fracking on public lands

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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BLM wants to update 30-year-old fracking regs.

Common sense steps address some environmental and health concerns

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — An updated set of draft rules for fracking on public and Indian lands includes several common-sense safeguards that will help protect the human health and safety, as well as the environment. For starters, the rule requires disclosure of the chemicals used for fracking, a key measure that ensures transparency and gives the public some assurance.

The proposed rule beefs up standards meant to insure well bore-integrity, which will help verify that fluids used during fracturing operations are not contaminating groundwater. Operators must also have a plan in place for handling fluids that flow back to the surface.

About 90 percent of wells drilled on Federal and Indian lands use hydraulic fracturing, but the Bureau of Land Management’s current regulations governing hydraulic fracturing operations on public lands are more than 30 years old and were not written to address modern hydraulic fracturing activities. (more…)

Filed under: BLM, energy, Environment, gas drilling, oil drilling, public lands | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Colorado: Roan Plateau drilling plan back in federal court

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Fossil fuel industry frustrated by federal delays

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The BLM, conservation groups and the fossil fuel industry are grappling with a development plan for the Roan Plateau in northwest Colorado.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The fossil fuel industry continues to battle over energy development in court, most recently by asking a federal appeals court to overturn a previous lower court ruling that spurred the Bureau of Land Management to reconsider its plan for northwest Colorado’s Roan Plateau.

Conservation groups joined the battle in late April, filing their response to the latest legal challenge, which would “turn back the clock” to Bush-era energy development policies, according to Earthjustice, which is representing community and environmental groups in the case.

At issue is how many wells will be drilled atop the plateau, which is billed by conservation advocates to have high natural resource values. The fight dates back to a development plan approved by the BLM under the Bush administration. (more…)

Filed under: BLM, Colorado, energy, Environment, gas drilling, oil drilling, public lands | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

New group aims to protect national parks from drilling

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Retired park rangers call on the BLM to fully adopt national leasing reforms

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Mesa Verde National Park could be at risk from oil and gas drilling. NPS photo.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — As oil and gas drilling rigs creep closer and closer to the borders of popular national parks around the country, a passel of retired park rangers has formed a new organization to try and protect cherished resources, including view sheds, air quality and wildlife habitat.

The idea is not to stop drilling. The ex-rangers acknowledge that energy development is needed. Rather, the group wants to hold other federal agencies — primarily the BLM — accountable to national guidance that requires smart, up-front planning when it comes to drilling around parks.

“We’re really concerned about the impacts if the drilling isn’t properly planned,” said Ellis Richard, a National Park Service veteran who ended his career as acting superintendent of Dinosaur National Monument, one of the park units potentially threatened by drilling. (more…)

Filed under: BLM, energy, Environment, gas drilling, oil drilling, public lands | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Travel: Popular Grand Canyon trailhead gets a makeover

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

National Park Service touts expanded parking, better visitor service

The Bright Angel trailhead at the Grand Canyon has had a big makeover, with more parking and an expanded view area

The Bright Angel trailhead at the Grand Canyon has had a big makeover, with more parking and an expanded seating area.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — One of the most storied trails in the country has seen a partial makeover, and the National Park Service will celebrate the new look of Grand Canyon National Park’s Bright Angel Trail with a May 18 ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The renovation encompasses a 3.5 acre area at and surrounding the Bright Angel Trailhead. The work focused on creating an accessible and comfortable area for visitors that complements existing historic buildings including the Bright Angel Lodge and Rim Cabins designed by Grand Canyon architect Mary E. J. Colter.

With little work on the trailhead in the past 100 years, the National Park Service said visitors were having a hard time finding the trailhead, and there was no convenient or comfortable place for people to sit to either enjoy the view or prepare for hikes.  The renovation will greatly improve conditions at and around the trailhead, providing a much better experience for park visitors. (more…)

Filed under: hiking, national parks, public lands, recreation, tourism, Travel | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Study: Human impacts dominant in most ecosystems

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Nature unbound — or not? Bob Berwyn photo.

‘Even in protected areas, the influence of humans might be greater than we previously thought … ‘

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — As much as we’d like to believe in nature unbound, a new Canadian study suggests that human impacts are more widespread than we realize, even extending well into protected areas.

The five-year study by University of Calgary ecologists, included monitoring wolves, elks, cattle and humans. The resarchers concluded that human activities dominate all other factors, even in protected areas.

“Our results contrast with research conducted in protected areas that suggested food chains are primarily regulated by predators. Rather, we found that humans influenced other species in the food chain in a number of direct and indirect ways, thus overshadowing top-down and bottom-up effects,” said lead author Dr. Tyler Muhly.

The study was a collaboration between NSERC, Shell Canada, Parks Canada, the Alberta Government and the Universities of Alberta and Calgary. The ecologists used dozens of animal tagging devices and motion sensor-activated cameras to study human, animal and plant distribution throughout southwest Alberta. The research area stretched from Calgary in the northeast, through to the provincial borders with British Columbia in the west and the US-Canada border in the south.

“Understanding the significance of the impact that humans have on ecosystems is a critical component in formulating long-term and effective conservation strategies,” said reseacher Marco Musiani. “Our results led us to believe that ecologists have underestimated the impact of humans on natural food chains. The data we collected shows that humans are deliberately or inadvertently engineering ecosystems regardless of whether they would be naturally pre-disposed to top-down or bottom-up effects. Even in protected areas, the influence of humans might be greater than we previously thought,” Musiani said.

Ecologists have long debated whether natural ecosystems and associated food chains are primarily regulated by predators or by the productivity of plant species, called top-down and bottom-up effects, respectively. With most of the world’s ecosystems now dominated by humans, researchers from the University of Calgary sought to understand how much people influenced food chains in southwest Alberta.

“We painstakingly monitored wolves, elk, cattle and plant species, as well as humans for five years. We evaluated how these species interacted across the landscape and ultimately found that humans dominated the ecosystem,” Muhly said.

“In particular, we found that forage-mediated effects of humans (bottom-up effects) were more influential than predator-mediated effects in the food chain. The presence of humans was most correlated with occurrence of forage (plants). Elk and cattle distribution correlated closely with forage, and the distribution of wolves matched that of the elk and cattle they view as potential prey.

Filed under: biodiversity, Environment | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Water: Upper Colorado gets some instream flow rights

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

State-held instream flows to help protect trout

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A BLM map identifies sections of the Coloado River with wild and scenic values.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Battered by drought and drained to a trickle by diversions, the Upper Colorado River got a bit of a boost as a state water court finalized a decree for three important instream flow rights that could help protect trout populations during low-flows.

The instream flows, meant to protect the environment to a reasonable degree, are very new compared to most established water rights, and they wouldn’t prevent any existing diversions. But the new instream flow rights will have to be satisfied before water rights filed in later years can take water. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Environment, rivers, water | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: Skier donations build forest conservation legacy

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

National Forest Foundation awards $650,000 for stewardship work

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Ski area visitors leave behind a year-round stewardship legacy when they contribute to the Ski Conservation Fund. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Thanks to voluntary contributions from ski resort visitors, the the U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation will partner to invest about $650,000 in forest restoration and recreation projects. The donations are collected in a voluntary add-on to ticket and lodging sales, a dollar or two at a time.

The grants were awarded recently to organizations like the Blue River Watershed Group, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, the Colorado Mountain Club and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program for projects like trail improvements, wildlife habitat enhancement, tree planting and stream restoration. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, Dillon Ranger District, Environment, forests, public lands, ski industry, Ski Resorts, US Forest Service, Vail Resorts, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Colorado: BLM releases North Fork oil and gas leasing info

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Should the BLM be required to release names of companies nominating parcels for oil and gas leasing?

Community groups say more transparency is needed early in leasing procedure

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Community groups in Colorado this week hailed the Bureau of Land Management’s decision to release the names of the entities who nominated the public lands in Western Colorado’s North Fork Valley for oil and gas drilling and fracking.

The agency’s decision is a win for the public and government transparency, said Jim Ramey, director of the Delta County community group Citizens for a Healthy Community.

“The BLM’s mission is to best manage public resources, not to promote an energy speculation and commodities trading industry. If drilling companies want to develop publicly-owned minerals they should say so publicly, allowing concerned citizens and affected communities to evaluate their health, safety, and environmental record,”  Ramey said. (more…)

Filed under: BLM, Colorado, energy, Environment, gas drilling, oil drilling, public lands | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Public lands: 2014 budget eyes slight boost for national parks

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Overall park service budget has dropped 20 percent in past decade

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Badlands National Park. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — As national parks across the country struggling with sequester-driven budget cuts, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. President Barack Obama’s proposed 2014 budget requests $2.6 billion for the agency, with a net programmatic increase of about $26.1 million over 2012, plus $30.5 million to cover fixed cost increases.

The budget includes a total of $2.5 billion for National Park Service programs that support the President’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, including $2.3 billion for national park operations; a total increase of $48.4 million over 2012.

Key increases include $5.2 million to control exotic and invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels, $2.0 million to enhance sustainable and accessible infrastructure across the national park system, and $1.0 million to foster the engagement of youth in the great outdoors. These increases are partially offset by programmatic decreases to park operations and related programs totaling $20.6 million. (more…)

Filed under: Environment, national parks, public lands | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Summit County: Stakeholder group to take another close look at proposal for motorized trails on Tenderfoot Mountain

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Consensus sought on divisive plan to build new trails

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Local dirt bike riders hope to create a new system of challenging single-track trails.

Click here to read full Summit Voice coverage of the Tenderfoot issue.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — The White River National Forest has hit the pause button on its proposal to develop a new motorized trail system on Tenderfoot Mountain. Before issuing a final decision on the plan, forest supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams will consider the input of a stakeholder group that’s meeting in a process facilitated by the Keystone Center.

The stakeholder group includes Forest Service representatives, local government officials and planners, conservation advocates, motorized users and local homeowner groups. The hope is to find some sort of consensus on the contentious plan, said Peech Keller, who coordinates environmental reviews for the Forest Service’s Dillon Ranger District. The group will meet about every two weeks through mid-June, she added. All the Forest Service documents related to the proposal are online here. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, Dillon Ranger District, Environment, Summit County Colorado, US Forest Service, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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