Sunday, January 29, 2006

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774 - 2005 Have you been looking for that biographical tidbit about a former or current congressman? The GPO has all the details for you. Their updated, online, House Document No. 108-222, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774 - 2005. Thanks to beSpacific for the link. Just in case you were wondering there have been several Orrs that have served in the Congress, including one from Denver (No relation that I know of). 9:33:06 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor? Bill Ritter and Bob Beauprez were hanging out with Colorado highway contractors on Friday, according to the Rocky Mountain News [January 28, 2006, "Ritter, Beauprez trade jabs over Ref C"]. From the article, "Beauprez, a congressman representing Colorado's 7th District, and Ritter, Denver's former district attorney, appeared before about 550 members of the Colorado Contractors Association at Invesco Field at Mile High. The two also discussed transportation issues and immigration. Beauprez wants to crack down on illegal immigrants and the companies that hire them. Ritter said the federal government needs to do a better job of enforcing current laws, including deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes." Bob Beauprez's weblog is pointing to the same article. Category: Denver November 2006 Election 9:15:57 AM

Parker and agricultural water The Pueblo Chieftain is running an article about Frank Jaeger and the Parker Water and Sanition District's fallowing program in Logan County. From the article, "Jaeger said HB1124, sponsored by Rep. Mary Hodge, D-Brighton, doesn't add enough new opportunities for water leasing, but he supports it because it 'gets the issue out in front.' "The bill would allow cities to enter long-term leases with farmers under rotating crop management, a fancy name for fallowing. Supporters say it gives farmers additional income, while creating a reliable water supply for cities. Critics say it will allow cities to cherry-pick senior water rights, while leaving other farmers no opportunity to lease their water. "Jaeger said buying farm water from farmers is simply an economic reality. They have water, cities have money... "Parker bought 13 farms in Logan County, located in the northeastern corner of the state with the intention of using the water to repay anticipated depletions on the South Platte. Jaeger said the farms have more water than needed for augmentation, so a plan to pipe water back to Parker has been developed. "The water would be used to help fill the Reuter-Hess Reservoir, a 70,000 acre-foot storage project Parker is building and which may store water for its neighbors south of Denver as well." Category: Colorado Water 8:52:30 AM

Alito for Supremes? Here's an opinion piece penned by U.S. Senator Wayne Allard urging the Senate to approve Justice Samuel Alito's nomination to the U.S. Supreme court. He writes, "There can no longer be any doubt that Judge Samuel Alito is highly qualified to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Alito also has the intellect, temperament, and integrity required of a Supreme Court justice... As a representative of Colorado, I also appreciate the uniqueness of the issues important to our state, and to the West. The departure of Justice O'Connor and Chief Justice Rehnquist marks the loss of a Western presence on the Supreme Court. Earlier this year, I asked President Bush to nominate a judge who could capably decide issues important to Colorado and the West, such as water and resource law. When I asked Judge Alito about his understanding of Western resource and water law, I was pleased to learn that he grew to appreciate the importance and complexity of these issues while working in the U.S. Solicitor General's Office. He assured me that he understands the uniqueness to the West of such issues as water, the environment, and public lands." Elevated Voices: "Sen. Ken Salazar still resists joining the Democrats' filibuster of Judge Sam Alito even though he intends to vote against him." Josh Marshall: "Sometimes the key to good politics (and good policy) is simply to say out loud what your opponents are saying amongst themselves. And that's just the case with these new health care proposals the president is set to unveil in his state of the union. I'll leave it to the good folks over at our new health care blog to get down into all the details. But the core premise of the policies the president is about to lay out is that Americans are over-insured when it comes to health insurance. Over-insured. Got too much insurance." Oval Office 2008: "Former South Dakota Senator and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle 'is again thinking about a run for the White House in 2008' says the Sioux Falls Argus Leader." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 8:44:26 AM

Horsetooth headed to EPA 303d list? Horsetooth reservoir is heading on to the EPA's impaired list, according to the Fort Collins Coloaradoan. From the article, "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Horsetooth, Fort Collins' primary drinking water supply, should be placed on the list - called the 303d list - because levels of dissolved oxygen in the reservoir have failed to meet standards for aquatic life. "Dissolved oxygen, the amount of oxygen dissolved in water, is essential for aquatic life. When it gets too low, fish die or their populations struggle. "The EPA had also pursued the listing based on what it said were 21 failures in the last seven years by the reservoir - based on data provided by the city of Fort Collins - to meet state drinking water standards, but an EPA official said Friday the agency will drop that argument for now. "State water quality leaders say Horsetooth should be monitored for two more years because they don't have enough data to justify a spot on the 303d list, the same recommendation they made in 2004. "The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, which operates the reservoir for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, says Horsetooth doesn't belong on the list because low dissolved oxygen, or D.O., is only a problem in some parts of the reservoir. "'Low D.O., if in a reservoir at all depths, is a serious issue,' said Don Carlson, assistant manager of the NCWCD. "But Carlson said dissolved oxygen levels at Horsetooth are 'only a problem at a certain depth.' "The state's Water Quality Control Commission will hear the case Feb. 13 in Denver... "Fish in Horsetooth haven't suffered from the low dissolved oxygen levels because they're able to swim to depths with better levels, said Ken Kehmeier, an aquatic biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the fisheries manager for Horsetooth... "But another question is how often dissolved oxygen levels at lower depths near the Soldier Canyon Dam - where the city of Fort Collins draws water for its drinking water treatment plant - have violated state standards. The EPA says it's happened 21 times in the last seven years... "Prolonged low levels of dissolved oxygen near the bottom of the reservoir can cause the release of manganese from nutrients in the water. High levels of manganese can be difficult to treat out of drinking water but are seen primarily as an aesthetic problem... "Low dissolved oxygen levels are the result of high nutrient levels. Those nutrients, including phosphorus and nitrogen, trigger algae growth and drive up total organic carbon in the water, not all of which can be eliminated by the city's drinking water treatment facility. "The remaining TOC, when mixed with the chlorine used to treat drinking water, produces chloroform, a known carcinogen tightly regulated in drinking water by the EPA. City officials say TOC is not a problem for the city's water supply. "Nitrogen and phosphorus enter the Colorado-Big Thompson, of CB-T, system and Horsetooth through wastewater discharges, urban development, rain (which carries nitrogen) and C-BT's own pipelines, where algae grows. Category: Colorado Water 8:36:45 AM

© Copyright 2009 John Orr. Last update: 3/14/09; 7:59:32 PM.