Coyote Gulch

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Conservation Easements

Here's an article from today's Denver Post about a new conservation easement in the San Luis Valley [November 27, 2005, "Accord protects 'special place'"]. From the article, "By permanently protecting their water rights in a deal finalized last month, the Perrys have helped ensure critical runoff forever into La Garita Creek, sustaining a whole network of wildlife-rich wetlands in the arid country...His agreement to place a conservation easement on the historic Dunn Ranch - and more importantly, the senior water rights tied to it - is being hailed as a significant environmental triumph, a perfect combination of agriculture and conservation, and a telling legacy for the transplanted Englishman who fell in love with the land...In a place that averages less than 6 inches of rainfall a year, the groundwater running off the property helps to feed ephemeral lakes and streams known as playas that gurgle to the surface in places such as the waterfowl- critical Mishak Lakes more than 10 miles away. The Perrys gave up their ability to sell off their prized senior water rights or develop the 1,240-acre ranch in exchange for cash grants totaling about half its market value, a perpetual tax break and a broad measure of satisfaction."

Howling At A Waning Moon: "Funds to help restore habitat and environment along the Arkansas River in Pueblo is included in the Energy and Water Development Bill, U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., said Monday. Salazar secured $315,000 for the Arkansas River Habitat Restoration Project, designed to remove non-native plants like tamarisk and planting native trees, shrubs, willows and wetlands plants in terraces along the Arkansas River levee."

Category: Colorado Water

8:52:35 AM

Immigration Reform?
Here's an article profiling U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo from today's Denver Post [November 27, 2005, "Firebrand Tancredo puts policy over party line"]. From the article, "With every word, the ex-schoolteacher son of Italian immigrants pours fuel on a grassroots brush fire. Tancredo strives to agitate people enough that they demand change from Congress. As outraged citizens pressure lawmakers to follow Tancredo's lead, his power grows. Although he's never passed significant legislation on his top issue, Tancredo now is invited to dinners with those shaping legislation. He's asked to speak at forums. His opponents create lobbying groups to counterbalance Tancredo's contentious message. President Bush, congressional leaders and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce all are talking immigration reform this year, pushing a plan to let some immigrants stay in the country as guest workers. Many in business want to hire more foreigners. But pressure from outraged citizen groups - stoked by Tancredo and his allies - is forcing pro-guest-worker forces to retool their strategy." Read the whole article before it scrolls behind the Post paywall.

More Tancredo coverage here. Coyote Gulch apologizes for the newspapers that do not keep their links alive. We usually include the date and title of the articles for the Post and the Rocky Mountain News for your reasearch.

Here's an opinion piece about U.S. Healthcare from today's Denver Post [November 27, 2005, "Time to talk about health care"]. They write, "Now, fresh research has tapped the experiences of real people in six nations. The Commonwealth Fund commissioned a survey last spring of 6,957 adults who'd been hospitalized, had surgery or reported health problems in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain and New Zealand. While their systems vary, all but the U.S. have universal coverage. In the U.S., more than 15 percent are uninsured. And while some Americans take pride that we don't have 'socialized medicine,' it's no secret that about 65 percent of our health care costs are paid with public money. The study didn't rank the nations, and survey results found problems in each one. But the study did find, as The Washington Post put it, that 'the United States stood out for having the highest error rates, most disorganized care and highest costs.'"

Category: 2008 Presidential Election

8:15:41 AM

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