Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Newcastle approves water bond issue From the Glenwood Springs Independent (Heidi Rice): "Despite hard economic times, New Castle voters realized the importance of passing a bond issue to make improvements to the town's water and wastewater treatment systems by approving a $3 million bond issue to fund the systems. According to unofficial ballot results from Tuesday night's election, voters approved Ballot Issue 2B by 804 to 711 votes -- a 53 percent to 47 percent margin. About $2.5 million of the bond issue will go towards upgrading the town's water processing plant, with the remaining $500,000 to install an additional raw water pump station." Category: Colorado Water 5:46:20 PM     Deadline for flow meters within the South Platte Natural Resources District is March 1, 2009 From the Sterling Journal Advocate: "The final deadline for flow meter installation within the South Platte Natural Resources District is rapidly approaching. Once the task is completed, all irrigation water wells in Deuel, Kimball and Cheyenne counties should be equipped with a flow meter. Flow meters first became required within the District in 2004, when the SPNRD board of directors chose the method to help keep track of ground water usage. The first flow meters, in Cheyenne County's Lodgepole Creek Valley and the Sidney Draw area, were installed in the spring of 2004. Since then, water well metering has been phased in through five areas. March 1, 2009 is the sixth and final deadline for meter installation, when the last wells on tablelands in Kimball and Deuel counties and in the South Platte River Valley in Deuel County are required to be metered." Category: Colorado Water 5:40:10 PM     Trees for Trout produces video about habitat restoration Click on this link to get to a new video about trout habitat restoration. Colorado Trout Unlimited reports: A YouTube video from one of our partners, the Coalition for the Upper South Platte, and their Trees for Trout program. They take dead trees from the devastated Hayman fire area in central Colorado, and build trout habitat. The video is CUSP's entry in the Tom's of Maine River Stories video contest. Category: Colorado Water 5:12:17 PM     Barack Obama elected 44th President of the United States of America Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama. This was a historic election in many ways. Just 40+ years from the struggle for civil rights in the 60s the U.S. has elected an African-American to its highest office. In itself that is huge and we congratulate the voters for their accomplishment. Let's not forget however that President-Elect Obama also promised action on climate change. All of the other issues -- in themselves very important -- pale in comparison to the climate crisis, the loss of species and the potential deaths of hundreds of thousands from famine and drought. Please do not take your eyes off the problem of climate change Senator Obama. Your stump speech mentions a "New Energy Economy" (taken from Bill Ritter's programs) and that brought many to your side. All we ask is a focus on the issue along with bold action to implement the changes needed. We would also request that you follow through on your campaign promises to restore science education and overturn the Bush policies that ignored scientific experts and politicized the EPA and other agencies that depend on the free flow of ideas. The U.S. is ready to elevate science above ideology and religion in policy decisions. One final note. When you're down in Arizona or meeting with their congressional representatives don't fall for their pitch to renegotiate the Colorado River Compact. The issue is electoral suicide in Colorado. Just ask Senator McCain. We also want to congratulate Mark Udall for his win. Senator-Elect Udall: Barack Obama needs your help to fight climate change naysayers and to implement immediate reductions in greenhouse gases. Regulating CO2 under the Clean Air Act is a good start. There is a cost to climate change that current markets do not measure. I'm sure our new president will listen to you about the downside to developing oil shale. He is pushing the oxymoron "clean coal" so let him dig up Montana. They have water. Category: 2008 Presidential Election 9:33:12 AM     Colorado Springs voters reject 200 and 201 to keep their stormwater enterprise From the Colorado Springs Gazette (Wayne Heilman): "Colorado Springs voters soundly rejected anti-tax crusader Doug Bruce's bid to essentially eliminate the city's stormwater fee and phase out payments to the city by other enterprises, measures officials said would have cost the city more than $200 million over 10 years. Question 200, which likely would have eliminated the city's Stormwater Enterprise, was defeated 60 percent to 40 percent. Question 201, which would phase out over 10 years payments from city enterprises to the general fund, lost 55 percent to 45 percent." Category: Colorado Water 9:04:47 AM     Amendment 52 goes down to defeat 65% to 35% From the Denver Post (Jeffrey Leib): "The contest over Amendment 52 turned into a battle largely between water and asphalt, and water won...As of late Tuesday night, the measure was getting trounced, with 63 percent against and 36 percent in favor. 'I think Coloradans made it very clear with their vote that they don't think messing with the constitution is the right solution, especially when it comes at the cost of Colorado's water projects,' said Heidi Van Huysen, spokeswoman for Responsible Colorado, a campaign committee set up to defeat the measure." More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 8:56:09 AM     Central Colorado Water Conservancy District: Ballot issues 4A, B go down to defeat From the Greeley Tribune: "Two ballot issues concerning the Greeley-based Central Colorado Water Conservancy District were soundly defeated by voters Tuesday. Ballot Issue 4A concerned the district as a whole, while Ballot Issue 4B pertained to the district's ground water management subdistrict. Both were going down by about a 70-30 percent margin by press time Tuesday. The district's boundaries basically follow the South Platte River from Brighton, in Adams County, through Weld County to Wiggins in Morgan County. Both measures asked voters to give permission to collect, retain and expend all revenue and other funds collected next year and in future years, commonly referred to as de-Brucing." Category: Colorado Water 8:51:52 AM     Pitkin County: Healthy Rivers and Streams Fund -- Referendum 1A passes From the Aspen Times (Jeanne McGovern): "Unofficial results from the Pitkin County Clerk & Recorder's Office showed Referendum 1A (Dedicated Sales Tax for Healthy River and Streams Fund) passing 5,621 to 3,402...As approved, Referendum 1A will raise the county's sales tax rate by one-tenth of 1 percent, or one penny for every $100 purchased, to keep local lakes, rivers and streams healthy and clean. Specifically, the referendum will increase the county's sales tax rate to 3.6 percent. The new tax will put the town of Snowmass Village at a combined tax rate of 10 percent. In Aspen, the new water fund tax will take the aggregate sales tax up to 8.6 percent." Category: Colorado Water 8:47:36 AM     Yuma County Water Authority Public Improvement District passing From the Rocky Mountain News (Jerd Smith): "A controversial $20 million water proposal that would keep at least 1,300 irrigation wells operating in Yuma County appeared to be winning, though absentee ballots on the two-part package had not been counted. 'They don't have the tally on absentees, yet, but it appears that both measures are passing,' said Yuma County Commissioner Robin Wiley. 'We feel pretty good about it. This will help secure the water supply for the long-term benefit of the citizens of Yuma County.'" More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 8:43:46 AM

© Copyright 2008 John Orr. Last update: 12/1/08; 7:15:51 AM.