Eco News: IndyBlog, Colorado Springs Independent

Gasland Part II lights up UCCS crowd

Matthew Schniper — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:44:00 -0600

Filmmaker Josh Fox, propelled into fracking fame with Gasland, screened a pre-HBO preview of Gasland Part II at UCCS last night. (Editor's note: See our May 22 cover story on Fox's latest film here.)

Though Gasland Part II premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, last night's showing, as part of the Grassroots Tour, was only the seventh for the film — a rare treat for Colorado Springs audiences.…

Sand bags to the rescue

Pam Zubeck — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:08:00 -0600

Today's drippy skies serve as a reminder that people who live in a potential flood zone can pick up some sand bags today, compliments of the Colorado Springs Office of Emergency Management.

They're available today starting at 5 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless building, 2424 Garden of the Gods Road, the city says in a news release.…

Help two CC alums 'rediscover' the prairie

Edie Adelstein — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:22:00 -0600

In 1806, Thomas Jefferson predicted that it would take 100 generations or more to inhabit the western U.S. He had sent Lewis and Clark to forge a path from the Missouri River to the sea and inspect the vast lands the country had just acquired via the Louisiana Purchase.

It didn't take 100 generations.…

Portions of Waldo Fire burn area to reopen

Bryce Crawford — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:30:00 -0600

The U.S. Forest Service today announced that roughly 40 percent of the area burned by last summer's Waldo Canyon Fire — and no, there's still no word on what or who started it — will reopen to outdoor enthusiasts this Friday, May 24. Available areas will include Rampart Reservoir, related campgrounds and picnic areas, and Schubarth Road.…

Electric-vehicle charging arrives downtown

Bryce Crawford — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:06:44 -0600

A parking lot at the southwest corner of North Nevada Avenue and East Cache la Poudre Street is a little more energetic with Colorado College's recent installation of a publicly accessible electric-vehicle charging station. The new hardware comes courtesy of CC graduate Jim Burness, says a press release, who is the CEO of National Car Charging, and arranged for a separate company to donate the station.…

Have a say in oil and gas leasing of Pike forest

Pam Zubeck — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:18:00 -0600

Quick: Name the largest city abutting the Pike and San Isabel national forests and Cimarron and Comanche national grasslands (PSICC).

That's easy, right?…

Anti-fracking group sues city

Kirk Woundy — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:51:00 -0600

Yesterday, Colorado Springs Citizens for Community Rights filed suit against the city in its ongoing effort to put a ban on fracking before local voters.

As explained in this week’s paper, the Initiative Title Setting Review Board last week rejected CSCCR’s proposed amendment to the city charter that would prevent “the extraction of natural gas or oil, including but not limited to, the processes commonly known as hydraulic fracturing and/or directional natural gas and oil well drilling, within the City of Colorado Springs.” The board contended the amendment violated the city’s rule against having multiple subjects addressed in a single ballot measure; CSCCR disagrees with that assessment, and even argues that the single-subject rule itself may not be legally valid.…

Aquaponics abound: Help fund another farmer

Matthew Schniper — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:30:00 -0600

Are we seeing proof of the hive mind? Or just two entrepreneur types who have the same idea about how best to approach growing produce during drought times?

Last week I told you about the Ivywild Farm's Kickstarter campaign to raise $9,650 for a 40-tower aquaponic system.…

Venetucci will have water, and pumpkins, in 2013

Ralph Routon — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:05:24 -0600

Michael Hannigan sounded an alarm earlier this month, as the Pikes Peak Community Foundation’s executive director warned everyone that the storied Venetucci Farm might not have water for its crops, livestock or pumpkins in 2013.

“We have to do whatever we can to save this farm,” Hannigan said in the Between the Lines column of the Indy’s April 10 issue.…

The mother of all recycling events

Edie Adelstein — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:00:54 -0600

From the listings desk: We see a lot of events here, and many recycling events for old electronics, expired medications and chemicals. But this one, coming up on Earth Day weekend, takes the cake.…

Turtles: They're on the move

Edie Adelstein — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:33:00 -0600

According to the Colorado Reptile Society, water and land turtles are returning to their summer homes after hibernation. Thus, you may encounter one specimen on his or her journey.…

Fort Collins bans fracking, courts lawsuit

Chet Hardin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:10:00 -0700

Despite threats from Gov. John Hickenlooper, Fort Collins has become the second municipality in Colorado to ban fracking.

According to the Denver Post:

The approved measure was developed in response to widening public concerns about increasing oil and gas operations along Colorado's heavily populated Front Range.…
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Oil and gas possibilities 'disappointing,' says Ultra

Chet Hardin — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:56:14 -0700

The petroleum that sits underneath El Paso County does not appear to present commercial possibilities. That's what Ultra Petroleum, which holds the majority of the approved permits for oil and gas drilling in El Paso County, had to say when it announced its results for the fourth quarter of 2012.…

The truth about our plastic habit

Matthew Schniper — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:22:06 -0700

Before you ask what this upcoming film, Midway, has to do with Colorado Springs or our area, or why it's worthy of this posting, I'll say that this four-minute clip (found on a friend's Facebook feed today) pretty much speaks for itself.

Take a look:

MIDWAY : trailer : a film by Chris Jordan from Midway on Vimeo.…

O, yes: Bingo World starts recycling

Matthew Schniper — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:11:26 -0700

Consider this an open letter of appreciation and acknowledgment to Bingo World.

Last August, in my exploration into local bingo halls, I criticized Bingo World and the Knights of Columbus bingo hall for not recycling the mass of paper and vending items (cans, plastic bottles, etc.) their businesses generate daily.…

Sierra Club spews more warnings about Drake

Pam Zubeck — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:47:27 -0700

After Colorado Springs Utilities' board of directors sent Sierra Club packing last month by voting down a lawsuit tolling agreement, the environmental group is baaaaack.

Now, the group says it commissioned a study of the city's Drake Power Plant sulfur dioxide emissions and found that even if $120 million worth of Neumann Systems Group's clean-up technology is installed, the plant will still pollute and violate federal standards.

The analysis was performed by Wingra Consultants of Madison, Wisc., which also helped a coal-fired lime kiln obtain an air quality permit, which is listed among its other projects here.…

Oil and gas emissions on state's radar

Chet Hardin — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:45:54 -0700

The state announced today that it will be contracting with Colorado State University to conduct a study of emissions due to oil and gas drilling.

According to the press release:

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will contract with Colorado State University to conduct the study.…
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UPDATE: State proposes new oil and gas rules

Pam Zubeck — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:21:45 -0700

UPDATE: Mary Talbott, a Colorado Springs resident who has watched the city's oil and gas regulation process like a hawk, has analyzed the proposed Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission rules and takes issue with several points in an e-mail to us. Among them:

1.…

CC to spend $14 million to green one of its dorms

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:20:14 -0700

Colorado College announced last week that it will soon overhaul Slocum Hall, the student residence building at the corner of Nevada Avenue and Cache la Poudre Street.

Though some of the renovation will address campus and student needs (such as a new lounge, new furniture in rooms and technology-related upgrades), much of it will focus on sustainability.…

Anti-fracking faction takes message to City Hall

Matthew Schniper — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:43:03 -0700

As reported here last week by Pam Zubeck, a rally was planned for earlier today in opposition of proposed fracking in Colorado Springs residential areas.

More information, including comments from organizers and participants, can be found on the Frack Up: 500 People To City Hall on Tuesday December 11th, 2012 Facebook event page.…

UPDATE: Motorcycle group leader not giving up on Captain Jack's

J. Adrian Stanley — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:47:11 -0700

It's the end of an era for local off-road motorcyclists.

The U.S. Forest Service will close Captain Jack's trail and other trails in the Bear Creek watershed to motorized vehicles on Monday.…

Rally against fracking announced

Pam Zubeck — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:07:28 -0700

City Council's second reading of the oil and gas regulation ordinance won't happen until Dec. 11, but foes of the ordinance are already planning a protest rally.

We wrote about the ordinance in our latest edition.…

Frack film fest announced

Pam Zubeck — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:03:43 -0700

If you want to learn more about fracking (hydraulic fracturing, that is — the use of water, sand and chemicals to jar loose oil and gas deposits that otherwise couldn't be produced), here's your chance. Since fracking is likely to be part of this community within just a few months, the Colorado Springs Citizens for Community Rights is hosting an event to educate the public on this procedure.…

Wind power can reduce global warming

Pam Zubeck — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:15:06 -0700

Perhaps it's appropriate that today Environment Colorado released a report from the Environment America Research and Policy Center that concludes that:

"Coal- and natural gas-fired power plants pollute our air, are major contributors to global warming and consume vast amounts of water — harming our rivers and lakes and leaving less water for other uses. Wind energy has none of these problems.…

James Balog's Chasing Ice comes to Denver

Edie Adelstein — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:59:29 -0700

This weekend, the New York Times published an opinion piece by James Atlas about the future of global warming, and what New York City could look like if only minimal efforts are made to curb our contributions to a hotter world.

The picture was grim.…