Thinking Green

Land protection on deck for new Congress

Congress reconvenes this month with major unfinished business around land conservation legislation of great significance to Southwest Colorado. After decades of analysis and cons...

DATE: Jan 16, 2021 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

New administration means new environmental rules

The changing of the guard of presidential administrations frequently brings substantial reversals of previous rules and policies. The Trump administration gained notoriety for it...

DATE: Dec 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Utility to assist Navajo energy transition

The accelerating transition from coal-fired electricity to renewables is great news for the climate, but poses tough economic challenges to dependent communities like Farmington and Shiprock...

DATE: Nov 22, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Unlawful public lands head invites chaos

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...

DATE: Oct 17, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Will wolves join lynx as recovered species in Colorado?

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 Re...

DATE: Sep 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Defense spending bill may provide path to land conservation

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 t...

DATE: Aug 14, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Electric co-ops closer to securing Tri-State exit fees

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 Transmiss...

DATE: Jul 17, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Carbon capture technology is an elusive dream

Our region took a major step toward a cleaner energy future recently when New Mexico regulators gave Public Service Co. of New Mexico approval to retire the coal-fired San Juan Generating St...

DATE: Jun 21, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Chaco drilling plans advance despite pandemic

While much of the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s full speed ahead at the Department of Interior approving oil and gas development projects. One of the most c...

DATE: May 16, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

As coal-fire power plants close, our skies are clearing

One of the noticeable, and remarkable, changes in recent years has been the dramatic improvement in visibility and air pollution in the Four Corners. Longer-term residents routin...

DATE: Apr 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

La Plata Electric Association helps drive statewide policy change

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 Elect...

DATE: Mar 23, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

Legislation ensures lasting conservation

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...

DATE: Feb 12, 2020 | CATEGORY: Thinking Green

FLC partners with Los Alamos National Laboratory to promote Indigenous women in physicsTwo students selected for an internship with nuclear and particle physicists

Los Alamos National Laboratory has partnered with Fort Lewis College to provide an internship program for undergraduate Indigenous women interested in a career in physics.“Indigenous women are the most underrepresented group in physics degree completion and careers, and we’re in a region where the demographics are heavily Native American,” said co-principal investigator Astrid Morreale, physicist with the Nuclear and Particle Physics and Applications group at Los Alamos National Laboratory in a news release.The new program aims to build a pipeline of talent from the undergraduate level in the Four Corners to get them enrolled in graduate programs and eventual careers in physics, including at national laboratories such as Los Alamos.“It’s a bit of an incoherence, where we’re here doing high-level science and engineering, yet still underrepresented groups are either not coming to us or we’re not bringing them in,” Morreale said. “This program represents an effort to turn that around.”

Two FLC students were selected to be the first participants in the program:

Julie Nelson, an engineering and math major with an emphasis in physics, and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Ariello Platero, also an engineering and math major with an emphasis in physics, and a member of the Navajo Nation.

“This internship and the research I am privileged to participate in will be the first steps I take in pursuit of a career in physics,” Nelson said. “Obtaining the knowledge no longer seems out of reach because of this opportunity. I am thrilled to get hands-on experience at Los Alamos National Laboratory and explore the research side of academia while collaborating with scientists and mentors about the contributions of nuclear and particle physics that can benefit humanity.”The students will receive year-round mentoring from laboratory physicists while attending FLC. Included in the program is a 10-week internship in Los Alamos and a two-week visit to CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research.“As a Navajo woman in the STEM field, I am very excited to work with the Los Alamos team, because it gives me an opportunity to contribute to and to help pave the way for new and exciting physics discoveries,” Platero said. “I am looking forward to continuing on this path to graduate school and to representing my tribe and showing the younger generation that we can do great things if we apply for these opportunities and put in the work.”Students in the program will also be able to participate in the American Indian Resource Group that promotes access to Native American resources and a sense of community and inclusion while learning about high-energy nuclear physics at the laboratory.Nelson and Platero will work alongside Morreale and co-principal investigator Cesar Luiz da Silva, staff scientist and fellow Nuclear and Particle Physics and Applications group member.While the program aims to help Indigenous women advance in physics, Morreale stresses that the laboratory and the field of physics have much to gain by bolstering participation from underrepresented groups.“We don’t see this program as the laboratory just helping students,” she said. “We need them. They would help us if they came here. We want to have different ideas and different points of view in our discipline. We’re trying to help our field by bringing in new talent and perspectives.”The program began on Nov. 15, and funding has been secured through the U.S. Department of Energy for the next two years.Nelson and Platero will conduct gluon saturation research, seeking to discover a new state of matter in which gluons are densely packed and give rise to properties not unlike ordinary glass. Gluons are fundamental particles that glue all visible matter together and can be studied with detectors being constructed at Los Alamos and then deployed at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.njohnson@durangoherald.com

Two students selected for an internship with nuclear and particle physicists

Durango High School boy’s and girl’s basketball teams play Pagosa Springs High School at DHSBoys win in OT, 48-42; girls come up short, 40-37

Boys win in OT, 48-42; girls come up short, 40-37

Photos: Mancos takes on Haxtun in Colorado’s 8-man championship gameBluejays lose to Haxtun in historic season

Bluejays lose to Haxtun in historic season

More than 500 runners turn out for Durango Turkey Trot

City of Durango releases video explaining 2022 budgetResidents can check on projects without having to read thousands of line items

With the city in the middle of its budget approval process for fiscal year 2022, city staff is working to demystify the massive document with an easy-to-watch video.“It was an easy way to give a snapshot to our residents,” said Durango City Manager José Madrigal. “They can go and see the video, and basically walk away with the gist of a budget without having to go through the hundreds and hundreds of documents and pages.”

The video details some of the major projects and goals detailed in the upcoming year’s budget.Two big concerns Madrigal hears from residents when talking about budgets are worries about tax increases and questions about what new things the city is providing in the coming year.“When someone asks what they’re getting out of the budget this year, that’s always tough to show in the pages of the budget,” Madrigal said. “That’s what our video was really entrenched to say, is here’s what you’re getting and here’s why.”Much of what residents receive from the city’s budget has to do with the city trying to fund projects that meet the goals of the city’s strategic plan.Goals like enhanced livability, diversity and equity, and affordability and economic opportunity are highlighted in the video.“We’re looking at doing things like disability improvements in our Parks and Recreation areas and in our streets,” Madrigal said. “We need to figure out how we can allow those people with disabilities to safely use our services without fear of being hit by a car.”He said the big things coming up for residents are a number of capital improvement projects to update things like the city’s water and sewer infrastructure, improving Parks and Recreation amenities, and expanding transportation networks.A cost increase residents will notice is a $2.22 rate increase on water and sewage.“That’s to keep up with operation costs and fund some capital improvements that we need to accomplish so that we can continue to maintain and enhance our system, Madrigal said.The city’s budget video is one of a number of efforts city staff members are making to provide residents with more transparency of city operations.Another large effort on that front was the launching of the city’s OpenGov website earlier this year. OpenGov is a transparency tool that provides residents with real-time information about city spending.Madrigal said he hopes to continue to provide residents insight into city operations with the launching of a new video series where he will try to answer common questions he receives from residents.“We’re really trying to address any topics that come up where we get questions and see a pattern developing,” he said. “We can begin to put these videos up for residents so they can kind of learn a bit about city operations and why we do what we do.”njohnson@durangoherald.com

Residents can check on projects without having to read thousands of line items

Fort Lewis College men’s basketball take on the University of the SouthwestSkyhawks pull away in second half to win, 85-64

Skyhawks pull away in second half to win, 85-64

Colorado Department of Transportation examines winter driving in video seriesDocumentary-style shorts seek to raise awareness about being prepared

With winter well on its way, the Colorado Department of Transportation launched an educational video series this week about safe practices for winter driving.The series is called “Winter Driving in the Wild.” and features information on Colorado winter driving. The first video is narrated by a David Attenborough-esque voice.“The whole point of this campaign is to focus on driver behavior,” said CDOT spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes. “It’s driver behavior that is behind many of our crashes that happen. Whether it’s driving distracted or driving under the influence, or just driving unprepared.”CDOT released the first video in the series on Monday, and will continue to release more as winter approaches.

The series will include videos about the passenger vehicle traction law, tire and snowplow safety, winter preparedness tips and a guide for winter driving resources.“Motorists who are unprepared for winter road conditions create dangerous situations for themselves and everyone on the road, not to mention the extended delays we see from spinouts, slide-offs and crashes,” said Andrew Hogle, CDOT public information officer, in a news release.In Southwest Colorado, CDOT recognizes five highly traveled mountain roads as major passes, including Red Mountain, Coal Bank, Molas, Lizard Head and Wolf Creek.Schwantes said Wolf Creek Pass is typically the most dangerous of the major passes in Southwest Colorado.“U.S. Highway 160 Wolf Creek Pass is very nice and wide in some areas, which makes the pass very deceiving for you to gain speed as you head down the pass from the summit,” she said. While not one of the area’s major passes, Schwantes said Hesperus Hill is another area that drivers should be mindful of this winter.“Hesperus Hill is 1,000 feet higher than Durango, so it will get double the amount of snow that the city of Durango will get,” she said. “Even heading 15 miles west out of Durango, folks need to be prepared for a change in weather and road conditions.”CDOT reminds drivers that having proper traction for winter weather is not just safe, it’s the law.When a passenger vehicle traction law is in effect, all drivers are required to have proper tires or chains for their vehicle.In a January 2020 study, CDOT found that 91% of in-state vehicles surveyed were in compliance with the passenger vehicle traction law, and 86% of out-of-state vehicles were in compliance.“The Traction Law is activated for safety and efficiency purposes,” Hogle said. “If everyone on the road has adequate tires and tread, then we’ll see fewer crashes and reduce delay times.”Before traveling this winter, CDOT recommends checking weather conditions, planning a route in advance, checking tires and knowing the laws.While on the road, CDOT asks drivers to make sure headlights are on, and keep speeds consistent with visibility of the road ahead. It’s illegal to pass a snowplow when it is operating its lights, or when it’s operating in a tandem formation with one or more snowplows.CDOT has a number of online resources for drivers to stay up to date on things like road conditions, travel alerts and scheduled lane closures. njohnson@durangoherald.com

Documentary-style shorts seek to raise awareness about being prepared

Durango High School takes on Evergreen High School in the Class 3A playoff game at DHS on SaturdayDemons win, 56-3

Polis releases budget proposal focused on crime, homelessness and business recoveryColorado governor unveiled $40 billion plan for 2022-23 fiscal year

Gov. Jared Polis wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars next fiscal year to ease the financial burden of government fees on businesses, reduce homelessness and combat rising crime.The Democrat, who is heading into the final year of his first term and preparing for reelection in 2022, unveiled the wish list Monday as part of his $40 billion budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The plan incorporates state tax revenue and federal coronavirus relief dollars and calls for an 8.5% increase in discretionary spending by the Legislature, which will determine how much of Polis’ plan to pursue.Polis said the budget “doubles down” on his previous initiatives and is “our response to the call of the moment” as Colorado works to recover from the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.“These are proposals that Coloradans will see and feel in their everyday lives,” Polis said.

The governor’s proposal also calls for major investments in efforts in education and to combat climate change and pollution, including the hiring of 50 new staffers for Colorado’s Air Pollution Control Division and spending $150 million to purchase electric school buses to replace their diesel-guzzling counterparts.

One of the largest line items in Polis’ plan is $600 million to address the state’s $1 billion unemployment insurance trust fund deficit. The $1 billion is owed to the federal government, and businesses will have to pay a surcharge to help cover the tab.Half of the $600 million will go toward buying down the debt while the rest will be distributed to lower the employer surcharge.Polis wants $100 million of the $600 million to come from federal coronavirus relief dollars the state received earlier this year. State lawmakers haven’t committed to that spending, though Republicans would like to see as much federal aid money go toward the deficit as possible.Another $50 million would be spent under Polis’ plan to prepay six months of fees businesses will owe to implement Colorado’s new paid family and medical leave program. Voters approved the program in 2020 through the passage of Proposition 118.“It would push (businesses’ payments) out closer to when the benefits kick in,” Polis said.There’s also a $51 million proposal to help businesses hire workers, including through job-training programs and apprenticeship programs. There would also be tens of millions of dollars set aside to increase child care options.The governor wants to spend $113 million on public safety. The dollars would go toward grants to reduce recidivism and boost forensic and investigative resources. Polis also wants to spread initiatives where behavioral health experts respond with police officers, which have been successful in Denver.The spending plan also includes $200 million to reduce homelessness, spread across drug and alcohol treatment investments, intervention strategies and community response efforts.“Homelessness has risen to the level of state priority,” Polis said. “We can no longer just say ‘Denver, you deal with it, it’s your fault. Colorado Springs you deal with it. Aurora you deal with it.’ I think it’s become an issue that affects all of us. ... We can either keep doing the same thing, which is not working, or we can say, ‘You know what, cities can’t do this alone. The state needs to step up.’”Crime and homelessness are two areas that Republicans are already attacking Polis on heading into the 2022 election. The issues haven’t been spending priorities for the governor in prior years.

One new proposed program the governor unveiled Monday would pay local transit agencies to offer free fares on high ozone pollution days. This year was the worst in recent decades when it comes to ozone pollution for the northern Front Range.“It can play a role in changing habits and support long-term increases in ridership,” Polis said of the proposed program.Polis also wants to spend $10 million for an environmental study for the potential buildout of a Front Range passenger train system and direct money to help drive down energy-use in cannabis cultivation.Finally, the governor’s budget proposal calls for setting aside $1.8 billion for future budget obligations, including for schools, transportation and affordable housing, as well as $2 billion as a reserve for future economic downturns.The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering Colorado issues. To learn more, go to coloradosun.com.

Colorado governor unveiled $40 billion plan for 2022-23 fiscal year