|
|
Friday, October 13, 2006
|
|
| |
Matt Singer (via Left in the West): "There's been a lot of back-and-forth over libertarian Democrats. I've said it before. I'll say it again. The West doesn't have a libertarian streak. It has a 'f*ck you' streak. It's the streak that gives us the people in bars who hate their boss for telling 'em what to do, their union for taking part of their paycheck, the government for taking part of their paycheck, the church for judging 'em, the schools for telling their kids what to think, and on and on and on.
"It's called populism. And it's a cousin (by an on-again, off-again marriage) of libertarianism, but it's pretty damn distinct. It's also an extremely confused, often contradictory, deeply cynical ideology that isn't always political."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:37:14 PM 
|
|
Denver Water customers are holding down water consumption, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Water use was 11 percent below pre-drought levels during the 2006 outdoor watering season, possibly indicating a permanent shift toward greater conservation among Denver Water's 1.2 million customers, utility officials said Wednesday. Timely late-summer rainstorms also contributed to the water-use reductions, which were accomplished without mandatory watering restrictions, said Greg Fisher, the utility's chief planner. 'We think that some part of it is that people have made permanent, sustainable changes in their water use' Fisher said. But it will take several more summers to draw any firm conclusions, he said...
"The reductions were achieved despite some of the hottest and driest weather in recent Denver-area history during April, May and June. Average daily high temperatures during that span were 7 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, while precipitation was 4.5 inches below normal, Fisher said. As a result, water use exceeded the pre-drought average during those three months. But helpful rains arrived in July and continued through the end of the outdoor watering season, and beyond. Water use plummeted during that three-month period: 23 percent, 18 percent and 21 percent below the pre-drought average in July, August and September, respectively...
"Currrently, Denver Water reservoirs are at 90 percent of capacity, Pokorney said Wednesday at a meeting of the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. 'The fall precipitation hit where we needed it most, and helped our reservoirs greatly,' he said.
"Also at Wednesday's meeting, the commissioners approved a 21.1 percent increase in the rate it charges the City and County of Denver for treated water. The increase is expected to generate $643,723 in additional revenue next year, said David LaFrance, the utility's director of finance. Looking for ways to recover from a $12.2 million revenue shortfall, the board last month approved new residential rates that raised fees for heavy water users."
Category: Colorado Water
6:24:01 AM
|
|
Rocky Mountain News: "A company called #10 Enterprises LLC has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to correct environmental damage caused when it released fill into two creeks and wetlands near DeBeque in Garfield County. EPA spokeswoman Monica Heimdal said the material was dumped into the North Dry Fork of Roan Creek, the Dry Fork of Roan Creek and adjacent wetlands at the High Lonesome Ranch. According to the EPA, the discharges were made without a permit when they were constructing approximately 100 ponds to be used for fly-fishing by guests at the High Lonesome Ranch, a recreational hunting and fishing property owned by #10 Enterprises."
Category: Colorado Water
5:33:51 AM
|
|
The Denver Post is reporting that some scientists think the effects of global warming are more pronounced here in the west than elsewhere. From the article, "The globe is warming, but the American West is really cooking - hotter and faster on average than the rest of the U.S. and the world, a leading climate researcher said at a conference here Thursday. 'The West is warming dramatically,' said Jonathan Overpeck, director of the Institute for the Study of Planet Earth at the University of Arizona. 'Things are just going to get hotter. You can bet the farm on it.' It's not just the farm and shorter irrigation seasons at stake. It probably means shorter skiing and rafting seasons but longer droughts, worse floods, sweatier summers and more dead trees. The West is already 2 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than its average annual temperature, calculated using more than 100 years of records, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Most scientific studies peg the rise in the Earth's average temperature since 1880 at 1 degree Fahrenheit, making it the warmest it has been in the past 400 years."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:18:07 AM
|
|
U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (via the North Denver News): "U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) announced today that President Bush has signed legislation designed for the control and eradication of the salt cedar plant, also known as the tamarisk. 'The tamarisk is causing severe problems throughout Colorado and the West,' said Allard. 'The President's signing of this legislation marks a major milestone in the ongoing effort by Congress and this administration to provide critical resources for the removal of this destructive and invasive species.' The tamarisk has invaded the margins of streams, lakes and wetlands throughout the Western United States. An individual plant can consume up to 200 gallons of water per day, which has exacerbated drought conditions in the West, and is highly disruptive to native habitats and species."
The President also singed H.R. 3443 which, "which requires the Department of the Interior to convey certain water distribution facilities to the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District.
Category: Colorado Water
5:10:30 AM
|
|
|
|
© Copyright
2006
John Orr.
Last update:
12/29/06; 12:20:19 PM.
|
|
|
