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Thursday, September 4, 2008
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From The Denver Post: "An abandoned mining site blamed for leaking fish-killing contaminants into a creek in southwestern Colorado was added to the Superfund list on Wednesday, clearing the way for a cleanup at federal expense...
"The Nelson Tunnel-Commodore Waste Rock Site is a mile north of Creede and 150 miles southwest of Denver. The tunnel drains water from abandoned silver, lead and zinc mines. The waste rock is from the now-closed Commodore mine. The EPA says cadmium, lead and zinc from the tunnel are contaminating the Willow Creek watershed and are killing fish in a two-mile stretch of the waterway."
More coverage from The Pueblo Chieftain. They write:
The move opens the door for federal funding to clean up the Nelson Tunnel and the Commodore waste rock pile, which are adjacent to each other on West Willow Creek, roughly a mile north of town. Pollutants from the two are responsible for a two-mile dead zone in the creek and limited fish reproduction in a nearby segment of the Rio Grande. The main threat to humans from the site is the possibility that a flash flood could wash part of the waste rock pile into town, said Peggy Linn, a community outreach coordinator for the EPA. While not unexpected, the listing allows the agency to go ahead with an evaluation of possible cleanup measures for the tunnel, which is the largest contributor of pollutants such as cadmium, lead and zinc in the watershed.
The next step for the agency will be an evaluation of possible cleanup methods of the tunnel, which along with two others, extends roughly 4.5 miles below ground. Linn said there was no timeline for how long the study would take. "You don't know what kinds of problems you might encounter as you're going down the road," she said. Nevertheless, she said the agency had a leg-up in its investigations thanks to the Willow Creek Reclamation Committee...
Although the prospect of taking on liability for the tunnel limited the amount of cleanup work the committee could undertake, it was able to install monitoring and sampling sites, said committee Chairman Zeke Ward. In June, the agency told community members the biggest question facing the cleanup of the tunnel is whether it would require a water treatment plant, which would elevate the cleanup costs. Linn reiterated that point Wednesday, adding that the agency will look to pinpoint the contamination sources inside the tunnel in an attempt to devise a cleanup strategy that doesn't include a treatment plant. In the meantime, the EPA is expected to undertake work on the waste rock pile this week under the agency's emergency response program. Plans include the construction of a new channel for West Willow Creek that will slow the stream's velocity and keep it within its banks.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:07:16 PM 
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From email from Reclamation (Kara Lamb): "Denver Water has decreased their release from Dillon to the Upper Blue. As a result, we have curtailed our releases it by the same amount, about 70 cfs. As of this afternoon, there should be about 780 cfs in the Lower Blue."
Category: Colorado Water
5:49:57 PM
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Here' s the press release for the draft environmental impact statement for the Windy Gap Firming Project, from Reclamation (Kara Lamb):
Draft EIS on Proposed Windy Gap Firming Project
Available for Public Review
The Bureau of Reclamation is releasing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Windy Gap Firming Project to the public this Friday, August 29, 2008. The Draft EIS is open for review and comment for sixty days. Comments must be provided in writing no later than October 29, 2008.
To access the Draft EIS, Executive Summary, and supporting technical reports please visit www.usbr.gov/gp/ecao. The document is also available at local area libraries from Ft. Collins to Granby. A complete list of libraries is included on the website.
In October, Reclamation will host two public open houses to present the Draft EIS to the public and answer questions. Written comments will be accepted at the open houses. Written and oral comments will also be accepted at public hearings that will follow each open house.
To provide a comment on the Draft EIS, mail, fax or e-mail to the attention of Will Tully at:
Bureau of Reclamation
11056 W. County Road 18E
Loveland, CO 80537
(fax) 970-663-3212
(e-mail) wtully@gp.usbr.gov
The Windy Gap Firming Project was proposed to Reclamation by the Municipal Subdistrict of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. The Draft EIS summarizes the anticipated effects of the proposed project and five alternatives, including a No Action Alternative.
For more information on the Draft EIS and Executive Summary, or to request a hard copy of either document, please contact Kara Lamb at (970) 962-4326 or klamb@gp.usbr.gov.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.
Category: Colorado Water
5:43:45 PM
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Progress Now is calling out John McCain over his hopes to renegotiate the Colorado River Compact. They'll be on the west steps of the state capitol building Friday at 10:00 a.m. They write:
Here are the details:
What: Discussion of the water policies of John McCain
When: Friday, September 5, 2008; 10:00 am Mountain/noon Eastern
Where: West Steps of the State Capitol
Who: Tony Massaro, LCV Senior Vice President, former Director of Colorado
Conservation Voters
Michael Huttner, Executive Director ProgressNowAction
Category: Colorado Water
5:32:38 PM
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Here's an update on Pueblo County's 1041 review of Colorado Springs' proposed Southern Delivery System, from The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:
Pueblo County is trying to determine if applications submitted last month for the Southern Delivery System pipeline satisfy its land use regulations...
The application itself is 144 pages, with more than 300 pages of appendices. It may be viewed on the county Web site. Pueblo is one of at least 24 counties in Colorado that have adopted regulations under 1974's HB1041, which encourages cities or counties to regulate projects of state interest. Pueblo County revised its 1041 regulations in 2005, particularly with an eye to water projects...
However, SDS is not the sole focus of the regulations. There are at least three reservoir projects downstream of Lake Pueblo that also could face county scrutiny under its 1041 regulations, Headley said. Southwest Farms asked for and was denied a finding of no significant impact under 1041 regulations last year. Colorado Springs developers Jim and Mark Morley are expected to apply for a 1041 permit for a planned reservoir at Stonewall Springs east of Pueblo. Transit Mix has talked about storage in a former gravel pit at its former operations west of Pueblo.
Colorado Springs on Aug. 20 submitted $50,000 to the county along with 10 boxes containing the application. Last week, Pueblo County rejected Colorado Springs' request for a finding of no significant impact. "I find it interesting that they filed the application before we had made a determination on the FONSI," Headley said. The letter from SDS Project Director John Fredell indicated the FONSI was unlikely, but still asked to keep the option open. On Wednesday, Fredell said the letter largely was in response to comments made to the Bureau of Reclamation on its draft environmental impact statement by Pueblo County land-use attorney Ray Petros, not by an independent decision by Colorado Springs Utilities.
Last week, Headley made a determination that an application would be required under county land-use regulations because of numerous impacts, including not only construction-related impacts, but the potential for changes in flows on Fountain Creek and in the Arkansas River. Colorado Springs' application includes discussions about the possible impact of SDS on the rivers, largely using information from the draft EIS. Last week, the Bureau of Reclamation said it would add a new section on water quality to the draft EIS, but Fredell did not know if that would affect the 1041 application as well.
Headley said the major expense to Pueblo County will be hiring consultants to evaluate engineering, saying there are no issues with the legal and administrative aspects of the application. "Our intent is to hire a consultant who has the expertise to review the technical parts of the application," Headley said. Headley could not say how long it would take to determine if Colorado Springs' application is complete. That might take as long as two months after a consultant is hired. After it is determined the application is complete, the county is required to set a hearing within 30 days, and also to publish the hearing at 30-60 days in advance.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:33:03 AM
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From The Fort Collins Coloradoan: "Fort Collins' view of Glade Reservoir and the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project is not likely to spill over to the Larimer County commissioner."
More from the article:
...the three commissioners' views on the controversial project are far from unanimous, Commissioner Randy Eubanks said Wednesday during a campaign news conference next to the river at Lee Martinez Park. Eubanks said he supports the city's resolution and its concerns about the draft EIS. But he's not sure why commissioners Kathay Rennels and Glenn Gibson appear to support the project, which proponents say is needed to meet the future water needs of growing regional cities...
In a telephone interview, Rennels said she generally supports NISP because of its potential benefits, including increasing flows on the Poudre during times of the year when it usually is dry. But she said environmental concerns raised by Fort Collins and others would have to be addressed through mitigation in final plans for the project. The commissioners still have to have "a very long conversation" about what comments to send to the Corps, she said. The issues are likely to be decided on up-or-down votes. "There are some things we can all agree on, and there are some things we won't agree on," she said. "I think we need to look at this on a regional basis." Gibson said he supports NISP for several reasons. It would supply growing cities with the water they need and take pressure off farmers to sell their water, he said. Its potential benefits would stretch across Northern Colorado, he said. "I think we need to also prepare for the future and the future is not just, Larimer County," he said. "It's the surrounding area, as well."
More coverage from The Northern Colorado Business Report. They write:
Larimer County commissioner Randy Eubanks on Sept. 3 outlined his concerns about a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project, which includes Glade Reservoir northwest of Fort Collins...
Eubanks said the most volatile piece of the draft EIS -- the proposed 177,000-acre-foot Glade storage reservoir just outside the mouth of Poudre Canyon -- is at best "a short-term solution" to the region's water needs and that a statewide policy is needed to address long-term needs. Eubanks cited possible economic impacts to the city of Fort Collins' water facilities and uncertain impacts on agriculture and wildlife habitat as some of his concerns. Eubanks said Larimer County has not yet offered its comments on the draft EIS but he expected that would happen when the full commission meets next week. Eubanks said he will request a vote on each comment sent to the Corps of Engineers...
Eubanks said he believes it is critical that the county weigh in on the proposal with a clear set of comments and concerns that express the points of view of all commissioners -- Republicans Kathay Rennels and Glenn Gibson as well as Eubanks. "This is our only shot to do this and I want to make sure we do it right," he said.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:14:06 AM
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© Copyright
2008
John Orr.
Last update:
10/1/08; 6:31:38 AM.
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