GOVERNMENT/ENVIRONMENT
San Luis Valley
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2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
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Government/Environment Progress
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Drilling in the San Luis Valley
BY JOHN MCEVOY
SAN LUIS VALLEY— What appeared to be a future nightmare for environmentalists and a possible economic boon to others in the San Luis Valley may have faded away. Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) may be too expensive to be economically feasible now since the price of oil has dropped. Fracking is the process of forcing water, sand and chemicals into the ground down to promising geological shale formations in order to expand the rock by cracking it and forcing it to release oil or natural gas to flow into the well bore and then pumped into above ground tanks for storage and later refinement. Areas of the San Luis Valley have been found to possibly hold these promising deposits of oil and natural gas. Recent projects by First Liberty Energy (FLE) five miles north of Del Norte and a permit granted to the Dan Hughes Company for drilling in the San Francisco Creek area, raised alarms from landowners, ranchers, environmentalists and others, who are concerned the required drilling through the San Luis Valley aquifers, may contaminate the precious water source. In order to frack the oil and gas deposits, oil companies must drill down to the formation holding the oil and gas, which is often more than 7,000 feet below the ground surface. These potential oil and gas deposits are also more than 5,000 feet below any drinking water aquifers. Rio Grande County Commissioners published a Commissioner’s Corner article in 2012, stating that the “County approved an oil and gas permit by First Liberty Oil with numerous conditions. The county is constantly reviewing and monitoring its code book for oil and gas regulations and updates. The commissioners have listened to both negative and positive comments for the drilling of these gas and oil wells and will consider each permit on a case-by-case basis. The commissioners weigh the financial consequences of each decision and determine what risk the county may or may not want to incur.” Now that oil prices have dropped drastically, oil companies are cutting back on new exploration, and many workers in the oil industry have been laid off. The perceived threat to the Valley’s aquifer from future fracking operations may have subsided— temporarily. Recent pollution incidents perpetrated by oil and gas companies around the nation and the world have also come to light creating an even bigger outcry from the public to more closely regulate these companies that sometimes bypass the rules and regulations enacted by state and local governments. A new study, appearing in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, has found that discharge of fracking wastewaters to rivers, even after passage through wastewater treatment plants, could be putting the drinking water supplies of downstream cities at risk.
File photo
In 2012, concerned San Francisco Creek property owners and citizens gathered in the area to paint the “endangered landscape,” pictured. Duke University released a report on Jan. Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Com- environment. An article in the Wall Street Journal re14, 2015, stating that high levels of two mittee (COGCC). They are updating the ported that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s adminenforcement system in response to action potentially hazardous contaminants, ammonium and iodide, have been documented by state lawmakers and Gov. John Hicken- istration said it would prohibit hydraulic in wastewater being discharged into streams looper. Lawmakers in 2013 raised fines from fracturing statewide, citing health concerns and rivers from oil and gas operations in a maximum of $1,000 per day with a $10,000 and calling the economic benefits to drilling Pennsylvania. Levels of contamination were cap to $15,000 a day with no cap. It was the in New York state limited. An article published in Florida’s Coastal just as high in wastewater coming from con- first update of fines since 1955. First Liberty Energy (FLE) had a permit to Breeze News in October of 2014, reported ventional oil and gas wells as from hydraulidrill for oil five miles north of Del Norte and on the Florida Department of Environcally fractured shale gas wells. “This discovery raises new concerns about started the process back in 2013. The com- mental Protection (DEP) recently finalthe environmental and human health impacts pany complied with Rio Grande County’s izing a stipulated agreement with Collier of oil and gas wastewater in areas where it special use conditions, casing to 4,800 feet, County, clearing the way for the county to is discharged or leaked directly into the en- 200 feet below the Conejos Formation base join DEP in its lawsuit against the Dan A. vironment,” said Avner Vengosh, professor and drilling beyond to approximately 9,250 Hughes Co., a Beeville, TX-based oil and gas company. of geochemistry and water quality at Duke’s feet to protect the aquifer from pollution. The article in Coastal Breeze News went on Initial core samples were promising, but Nicholas School of the Environment. Given that oil companies are either not in the end, there was not enough oil coming to say the lawsuit filed in July, 2014 requests required to disclose what chemicals they to the surface after the expensive process the court’s enforcement of the requirements use during fracking, or use the “proprietary was carried out to make it feasible, even under a consent order between DEP and the ingredients” clause to protect them from when oil prices were at some of the highest Dan A. Hughes Co. and seeks monetary pendoing so, nobody knows for sure what is be- recorded in history. The well was abandoned alties in excess of $100,000 as a result of the ing put into the ground in many areas of the and reclaimed following current governing company violating the terms of the consent order and other regulations. country. The oil companies have even gone guidelines. The Dan A. Hughes Co. holds the drilling Given the many reported and unreported so far as to claim the fracking fluid would be safe for human consumption in some of oil spills that have come to light in the past permit in the San Francisco Creek area, five few years, more and more evidence is mount- miles south of Del Norte that has yet to begin their press releases. The Denver Post reported on action by the ing about how fracking is dangerous to the operations.
“Use Our Water and Other Natural Resources Wisely” San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District Proud supporters of the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project
589-2230
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Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Government/Environment Progress
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Forest Service plan revision presses on BY LYNDSIE FERRELL
SAN LUIS VALLEY—Rio Grande National Forest (RGNF) Public Affairs Specialist Mike Blakeman and Acting RGNF Supervisor Adam Mendonca were pleased to report a strong start to the first stage of the RGNF forest plan revision process. The Forest Service announced last October their plans to begin a revision process for the plan. A public engagement organization was hired by Forest Service officials to help encourage public engagement. MindMixer is a web-based organization that helps open dialogue between the public and other entities, in this case the Forest Service. A website was created to maximize public interactions with government officials and other residents. The website is set up as a reward-based dialogue. People who participate are awarded points that can be used to purchase things provided by the organization. The idea is to provide incentives to participants and initiate dialogue that is collected and will be used in the revision process. The MindMixer website has reached close to 300 members. “We’ve had a strong start and I think it will get busier as we move forward,� said Mendonca. The first stage in the revision process is solely for the purpose of collecting information from the public. “Locals have the best unique input available,� said Blakeman. The local branch of Forest Service officials know public input is essential to the assessment process as they move forward with the fouryear revision process. Though there have not been any recent public meetings the Forest Service has been very busy. Officials have weekly meetings to discuss future steps in the revision process. “If you miss even one meeting, you can be sure you’ll miss a lot,� said Mendonca. Blakeman also reported that forest officials have been meeting with specific special interest groups in co-hosted meetings. Forest officials who attend these meetings record notes that are later posted on the MindMixer website in order to keep the public informed. As the revision process moves forward,
Photo by Lyndsie Ferrell
Rio Grande National Forest will begin hosting more public meetings in March. The revision process has had a strong start and hopes are that it will continue to gain speed and support as it moves forward. the Forest Service will continue with every effort to include the public in the process. The RGNF is the first in the district to begin the revision process. With aid from other agencies and forest representatives across the nation, these officials will be establishing and defining directives for other forests to follow.
Did you know? According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, wasted food is a significant contributor to climate change. Wasted food that rots in landfills releases methane, a greenhouse gas that the EPA notes is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. That’s a considerable threat, especially when considering that wasted food totaled 35 million tons in the United States alone in 2012. But wasted food is not only hurting the planet, but many people’s bottom lines as well, as the EPA points out that the average family of four loses $1,600 a year from wasted food they toss out. That wasted food could be composted to benefit the environment, but the vast majority of it ends up in landfills. Men and women who want to reduce their food waste and the harmful effects that waste has on the environment can buy less food, donate food they would otherwise discard to area food banks or compost leftover food in an effort to enrich their property’s soil and decrease their carbon footprints. TF152890
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Officials invite everyone, even those that do not participate in the website program, to stop by the office in Monte Vista or email them directly with any questions, concerns or conversational input for future meetings. Anyone wishing to express an opinion, concern or idea is also encouraged to sign up
and create a profile on the MindMixer website. National Forest Foundation Director Marcus Selig, Blakeman and Peak Facilitation representative Heather Bergman are available through the site for questions or comments. To participate go to riograndeplanning.mindmixer.com
The Colorado LEAP program is a federally funded state-supervised, countyadministered system and is designed to assist with your winter heating costs. The LEAP Program eligibility period runs from November 1, 2014 through April 30, 2015. Eligibility Requirements, you may be eligible for LEAP assistance if: 1. You are a U.S. Citizen and a resident of Colorado 2. You pay heating fuel costs directly to an energy provider or pay the cost of heating your dwelling with your rent, or in addition to rent in a non-subsidized dwelling 3. Your gross monthly household income is within the guidelines set annually (see below). “Householdâ€? means the people who UHVLGH ZLWK \RX ZLWKLQ \RXU GZHOOLQJ DW ZKLFK \RX UHVLGH DQG DSSO\ IRU DVVLVWDQFH DQG IRU ZKRP \RX DV DSSOLFDQW DUH Ă€QDQFLDOO\ responsible for. The maximum gross monthly income is based on 150% of the federal poverty level as listed in the table below.
Household Size
Monthy Gross Income 150% of the Poverty Level
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Each additional person
$1,459 $1,967 $2,474 $2,982 $3,489 $3,997 $4,504 $5,012 $508
LEAP is designed to help eligible households with winter home heating costs. LEAP is not intended to pay the entire cost of home heating. For questions, inquiries, broken heater/furnace issues, contact HEAT HELP. 1-866-432-8435
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Government/Environment Progress
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Photo by Lyndsie Ferrell
Colorado Recycling is one of the newest metal recycling centers in the Valley. Located in Monte Vista, it offers services to local residents that were otherwise unavailable in the area.
Recycling see changes in the Valley
BY LYNDSIE FERRELL
SAN LUIS VALLEY— The west end of the San Luis Valley has undergone several changes in the recycling industry over the past year. From free drop-off points to overpriced recipients, the industry was on the verge of near extinction. While almost all of the area’s recycling facilities now charge patrons to dispose of their recyclables, a few still cling to the idea of providing free services to the public. Recycle Creede is one of the last facilities that still offers free recycling services. The new managers have implemented a system by which they organize, sort and dispose
of the area’s recyclables. They are a small facility and can only handle so much from the local community; however, plans are to offer free curbside pickup for the residents within city limits and hope to help with the surrounding county in the near future. The facility does not offer streamline recycling and request that recyclables be cleaned and sorted in order to help with processing. Further east, a free drop-off point sits on the corner of Highway 160 and Penasco Street in Del Norte. This drop-off area is very small and can only handle so much as well. The bins are labeled according to glass, plastic and cardboard. Please be re-
spectful when using the facility and sort the recyclables accordingly. During the last year the bins were removed due to an overflow of random garbage that was being placed in the area, but have now returned in hopes of encouraging the locals to recycle. There are two recycling facilities near Monte Vista. The city dump accepts recyclable material for a small fee assessed when entering the dump. Crew members will come out and measure the length and height of the load and base prices on the measurements. The fee is minimal for those who choose to use this avenue of recycling. Waste Management will also
pick up recyclables and provide bins for material through their trash service for an additional fee. Colorado Recycling on the east side of Monte Vista is one of the newest recycling facilities in the Valley. Having opened three years ago, it offers metal recycling, and small aluminum materials are accepted for free and can come with a cash incentive. The center compensates patrons for their contributions to the center, which in turn takes the materials to a larger facility to be processed. A list of reimbursement prices is available at the center, which can change according to metal prices nationwide.
Recycling a boon to Colorado’s economy
Spring beauty
Photo by Lyndsie Ferrell
The Rio Grande above South Fork broke out of its icy confines and flows freely during a snow storm in early spring.
DENVER— Recycling, reuse and remanufacturing have positive economic impacts on the state’s economy, according to a study commissioned by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The study found the following benefits from the waste diversion industry: · It sustains more than 85,000 jobs. · State and local tax revenues generated from waste diversion activities amount to nearly $1.3 billion per year. · The industry accounts for approximately 5 percent of Colorado’s overall economic output. · For every job created within the waste diversion industry, one additional job is created elsewhere in the labor market. “This study reveals that investing in infrastructure that helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills is a win-win situation for the economy and the environment,” said Eric Heyboer, Recycling Grant Program administrator at the department. ENVIRON International, the consulting firm hired to complete the study, used the economic input-output modeling system IMPLAN, or Impact Analysis for Planning, as the basis of its analysis. The firm also conducted a survey of businesses, nonprofits and local governments directly associated with the industry. Read the entire report, Economic Study of Recycling in Colorado, on the department’s website, https://www.colorado.gov/cdphe/ recycling-grants-and-rebates.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Government/Environment Progress
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Mail-in elections still open to abuse BY TERESA L. BENNS
SAN LUIS VALLEY — In May 2013, all of Colorado’s Democratic state representatives and senators voted as a bloc for 126page House Bill 1303. During hearings on the bill, drafted without input from its opponents, then Sec. of State Scott Gessler and State Republican Party Chair Ryan Call voiced fears that 1303 would create the potential for election fraud. This bill, rushed through the legislature in 19 days, now limits voting to return by mail, or return of a mail ballot to the county clerk’s office. It has all but eliminated polling place voting. Because 30 percent of voters will not vote these ballots, those anxious to promote various political agendas are free to complete and send in these ballots. There are reports that even with the secrecy sleeve and required signature, some mail-ballot voters have been coerced into signing their envelopes after voting a certain way or signing the envelopes and leaving the ballot blank. Others have simply been asked to hand ballots over. The bill has allowed temporary move-in voters to cast their ballots with the promise they have every intention of moving into the precinct in which the vote is cast. Recall election laws had to be completely rewritten to accommodate the bill and still present problems for candidates and voters alike, as the ongoing Center School Board recall election demonstrates. Denver Post editorial page editor Vincent Carroll, prior to last year’s election, decried the law as conducive to fraud and its same day registration allowance as “dismayingly lax.” He specifically expressed alarm that so many of the ballots sent out will not be voted and could easily fall prey to the criminal element, a la ACORN-style abuse. In fact the 2014 election did not even have to rely on criminal types to take advantage of unvoted ballots. Townhall.com reported that, “Liberal activists working for Democrats in Colorado don’t seem to think illegally filling out mail-in ballots that do not belong to them is a problem… “James O’Keefe and Project Veritas just caught multiple people encouraging voter fraud by fi lling out discarded ballots and sending them in to be counted in the upcoming midterm elections. Work Progress Director Meredith Hicks, who has dedicated a number of resources to Democrat Mark Udall’s U.S. Senate campaign, was caught on video by O’Keefe justifying the illegal use of discarded and blank ballots.” A Pueblo man was visited by the sheriff’s office after posting on Facebook that he would pay for unvoted ballots, but later told authorities the offer was a joke and he was actually opposed to mail-in ballots. The visit to his home turned up no unvoted ballots. These are exactly the types of abuse envisioned by State Rep. Frank McNulty (Highlands Ranch), who last fall warned Coloradoans of what they could expect from mail-in elections in a guest editorial. Much of what he wrote is summarized above. He urged Colorado voters to lobby for common-sense changes to the law when the legislature reconvened this January, changes that would incorporate amendments proposed in the initial debate of the bill. During that initial debate on the passage of 1303, Saguache County residents, mostly from Center, braved a snowstorm to testify at the hearing. Center town trustee Julio Paez crystallized the dangers inherent in the bill in his testimony. “The most recent example that I can give you [of the results of mail ballot voting] is the recall election that happened in Center March 19 of this year. Before Election Day, when mail ballots were sent out, there was a lot of unethical activity going on in Center. Various individuals in my community who have been involved and active in local politics for decades, people in positions of power, people with the power to fire other people, people with the authority to kick someone out of their home, people with power to retaliate
against children of voting parents, engaged in unethical and possible illegal activity. They paid many unwelcome visits to voters at their home to unduly influence them. They did the same thing to their employees. And they also did the same thing to people who reside in public housing or rentals. “In 2008, I witnessed several instances of voter manipulation and intimidation. I felt a great sense of hopelessness due to the fact that I didn’t have anybody to turn to. Who oversees these things? I quickly found out there is no law enforcement, especially when
it comes to municipal elections. Neither local nor state law enforcement will get involved. They all said the same thing: ‘This is a local issue. We can’t get involved.’ “This bill does not take into consideration these dangers that I’ve spoken about. It doesn’t take into consideration that people in rural areas and people who are not financially secure are the most vulnerable to voter intimidation, threats and fraud. Once everyone gets a mail ballot in their mailbox, in some communities like mine, the bad guys will be there to intimidate them. They don’t get to say,
‘I don’t get a mail ballot. I go to the polls.’ Attorney Ben Schler from the Secretary of State’s Office recently met with Center residents concerning the upcoming Center School Board recall election and discussed the difficulties still existing with the recall laws. Following the meeting, some Center residents confided that the types of abuse described by Paez above continue in Center. While some interpret mail-in ballots as a great step forward in voter convenience, citizens such as Paez are not convinced it spells progress.
Photo by Teresa Benns
A voter drops off his mail-in ballot with Saguache County Clerk and Recorder Carla Gomez at the Saguache County Courthouse.
Did you know? Plastic bottles are routinely recycled into other plastic items and new bottles, but they can be turned into much more. When you were sipping water from that bottle, you probably never thought of the possibilities of wearing that very plastic. However, fabric innovators are turning disposed plastic into durable garments. When compared with producing virgin materials, recycling plastic products helps save up to 70 percent on energy costs. Recycled bottles can be broken down
into pellets of pure recycled plastic that is virtually indistinguishable from virgin plastic. Then the pellets are turned into yarn, which can be woven as-is or mixed with other yarns to produce polyester clothing. According to Waste 2 Wear, a recycled clothing company, anywhere from 12 to 20 bottles can be saved per garment and transformed into anything from robes to shirts to uniforms. Recycled clothing presents yet another way to turn trash into treasure. TF14A616
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Government/Environment Progress
Expansion of judges in 12th Judicial District passes house COLORADO— A bill sponsored by Rep. Edward Vigil, D-Alamosa, to increase the number of the judges in the 12th Judicial District from three to four unanimously passed the House Wednesday, Feb. 4. “The citizens of the San Luis Valley deserve to have their cases heard and settled in court sooner rather than later,” Rep. Vigil said. “Increasing the number of judges will reduce backlog and ensure that justice is not delayed in the 12th Judicial District.” The 12th Judicial District includes Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. HB15-1034 now heads to the Senate.
Rep. Edward Vigil, D-Alamosa Courtesy photo
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Land swap crucial to Village’s future BY SYLVIA LOVATO SAN LUIS VALLEY—Since the Rio Grande National Forest supervisor has approved a crucial land swap, Billy Joe “Red” McCombs, co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, and his business partners are one step closer to their goal. Legally, the core organization is LeavellMcCombs Joint Venture, founded in the 1980s to build a huge tourist-second homes development above the Wolf Creek Ski Area. They still have hurdles to clear, including continued protests and even litigation from many entities, including individuals, who question the plan to build such a mammoth development in Mineral County, which boasts slightly more than 712 residents and spans the mountain, with the county seat in tiny Creede, a long drive from the development. The proposed Village would include 1,200 hotel rooms, 130 lots for houses and 1,660 condos, plus covered parking and 220,000 square feet of retail space, though developers are quick to explain that it won’t be built all at once, but will grow in phases, depending upon purchaser demand.
It had been planned in Alberta Park, a 288-acre inholding near the base of one of Wolf Creek’s ski lifts, and the Forest Service approved the developers’ plans to build two access roads into the inholding. However, the United States Forest Service (USFS) failed to adequately assess the impact of the resort on the ski area, nearby communities and the fragile high-mountain ecosystem, which brought widespread criticism, causing the USFS to backtrack and begin more analysis. In 2009, the developers missed a key deadline and the Forest Service tabled review of the Village’s access road altogether. Two years later, the USFS announced that it would conduct a new environmental review of the developers’ latest proposal, a land swap trading out the inholding for a similarly sized parcel on the highway, thus putting the access issue to rest. Even if the USFS turned down the trade, prevailing law requires access to any inholdings. Construction of Phase 1 (about 500 housing units and a hotel) could begin by 2016, according to the developers’ website.
Apply for Underfunded Courthouse Facility grants
SAN LUIS VALLEY— The new Colorado Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund Commission has opened the application period for the first round of grants to help eligible counties cover costs of courthouse repair, remodeling or construction projects. Forty-three counties are eligible for the first round of grants under criteria set in statute including all six counties in the San Luis Valley. Seventeen of those counties are considered high priority counties because they met all the statutory criteria. Those include the Valley counties of Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache. Applications, rules and other information on the Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund, including a map and list of eli-
gible counties, may be found at http:// www. courts. state.co.us/Administration/ Unit. cfm?Unit=undfunct. Grant applications must be received by 5 p.m. March 2. Pursuant to statute, counties are responsible for building and maintaining courtrooms and other court facilities; the Judicial Department is responsible for furnishing the courthouses. The 2014 General Assembly created the grant program to help counties with the most limited fi nancial resources ensure access to safe courthouses that allow for the efficient and effective administration of justice. “We are grateful to the General Assembly for providing some additional resources to counties where courthouses are lacking in modern and effective security, access and other
features,” said Colorado Chief Justice Nancy E. Rice. “Courts need to be available to all residents, and this will help ensure the broadest possible access to justice.” Funding for the grants comes from appropriations made by the General Assembly. For the first round of grants, $650,000 is available. The Judicial Department has requested $3 million for the grant fund for 2016. To be eligible for grants, counties must meet at least two of four criteria set in statute: counties whose total population is below the median among all Colorado counties; counties in which per capita income is below the state median; counties in which property tax revenues are below the state median; and counties in which the population living below the federal poverty
line is above the state median. Counties that meet all four criteria will be given the highest priority for grants. Funds from the grants may be used to pay for master planning services for a courthouse project, matching or leveraging additional grant funds or to address emergency needs due to the imminent closure of a courthouse. Grant funds may not be used to pay for furniture, fixtures or equipment, and cannot be used as the sole source of funding for new construction unless the need stems from the imminent closure of a courthouse. Completed applications should be sent by 5 p.m. March 2 to Marty Galvin, c/o State Court Administrator’s Office, 1300 Broadway, Suite 1200, Denver 80203. Applications will not be accepted by fax or e-mail.
How schools can maintain eco-friendly environments Parents and educators alike want to create healthy learning environments for kids in schools. A healthy school environment promotes healthy students, and such students are in a good position to do well in school. Recognizing the importance of environmental health programs at schools, the United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a comprehensive strategy to develop healthy school environments for children. That strategy encourages faculty, staff, parents, and students to work together to maintain their school environments, which the EPA feels can lower rates of absenteeism, improve student health and academic performance, improve teacher retention and job satisfaction, and save schools money through energy and water conservation and efficiency. The following are just a few of the many suggestions the EPA has made to encourage healthy school environments. More information is available at www.epa.gov. • Practice effective cleaning and maintenance. Cleaning products are essential to a healthy school environment, but only if schools choose the right products. Certain products contain chemicals that can cause health issues affecting the eyes, nose and throat and trigger headaches or asthma attacks. When choosing cleaning products, schools should rely on products with little or no volatile organic compound, or VOC, emissions as well as products that are biodegradable, boast neutral pH levels and contain no known carcinogens. When cleaning school buildings, do so when buildings are unoccupied, and remove dust from hard, impermeable surfaces with a water-dampened cloth. Paint chips should
be wiped up with a wet sponge or rag, and parents can encourage schools to use only vacuums with high-effi ciency particulate air filters. • Prevent mold and moisture. Moisture stimulates mold growth and provides a nurturing environment for mites, roaches and rodents. Mold and moisture in a school can contribute to respiratory ailments, so school officials should make sure schools are routinely inspected for moisture problems, such as leaky plumbing or leaks in the roof. Moisture-generating appliances, such as dryers, should be vented to the outside of the building, where gutters, downspouts, scuppers, and storm drains should be maintained. Downspouts should drain away from the building to prevent moisture issues and the possible formation of mold inside the school. • Reduce environmental contaminant hazards. Chemical and environmental contaminant hazards pose a threat to anyone, but especially so to children, whose bodies are still developing. School officials can take steps to reduce exposure to harmful gases like radon, a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that occurs naturally in soil. Radon can enter schools through cracks or other openings in buildings’ foundations, which should be inspected routinely. Another potential hazard schools should be on the lookout for is aging plumbing systems and leaky pipes. Many students and school staff drink a substantial amount of water at school, where water supplies can be contaminated by poor plumbing systems. Even if a school’s water supply is not contaminated, a leaky plumbing system can contribute to
Courtesy photo
mold growth spurred on by water loss from leaky pipes. • Ensure adequate ventilation. Poor ventilation in a school can lead to poor indoor air quality, which has been linked to a host of health problems, including coughing, eye irritation, headaches, and allergic reactions. Inadequate ventilation and filtration systems also contribute to airborne mold, infectious diseases and carbon monoxide poisoning. Schools should have their ventilation systems routinely inspected to ensure they are functioning at full capacity and should
implement a regular schedule for inspecting and changing filters. In addition, ensure that ducts and the interior of air-handling units or unit ventilators are clean, and make sure books, papers and other items do not block ventilators. Keeping a school environment healthy requires a team effort that includes administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students. But working together to promote positive school environments can make a dramatic difference in student and teacher health and performance. TF152906
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Government/Environment Progress
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Winter hasn’t lost its hold, yet…
The infamous cliffs of Creede stretch out above the town as January gives way to February sunshine. Photo by Lyndsie Ferrell
Conservation stewardship deadline approaching
WASHINGTON, D.C.— USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently announced the opening of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for new enrollments in 2015. Farmers, ranchers and foresters interested in participating in the program can submit applications to NRCS through Feb. 27 to be considered in the 2015 round of ranking applications and awarding contracts. “The CSP is a continuous sign-up program that has periodic cut-off dates for ranking applications. Feb. 27 is the deadline for the coming year,” said Traci Bruckner, senior policy associate for Agriculture and Conservation at the Center for Rural Affairs. “Applications can be filed at your local NRCS office. We know this is a very short timeline but producers just have to file a simple application by the February 27 deadline.” As part of the CSP application process, applicants will work with NRCS field personnel to complete a resource inventory of their land, which will help determine the conservation performance for existing and new conservation activities. The applicant’s conservation performance will be used to determine eligibility, ranking and payments. Contracts are awarded to those offering the highest level of environmental benefits, with NRCS working down through the list of eligible applicants until acreage allocated to the particular state runs out. In addition, producers who received a CSP contract in 2011 have the opportunity to renew their contract for another five-year period. Renewal applications must be received by March 31, 2015 to ensure a seamless transition into their next contract without a lapse in payments. Renewal contracts do not compete with new applicants.
According to Bruckner, the Conservation Stewardship Program is a voluntary stewardship incentives program, administered by NRCS, designed to reward farmers, ranchers and foresters for maintaining existing conservation, as well as for the adoption of additional conservation measures that provide multiple environmental benefits that run beyond the farm or ranch. This program pays producers for clean water, better soil management, improved habitat, energy efficiency, and other natural resource benefits. Since the program began in 2009, nearly 70 million acres of farm and ranch land have been enrolled in the program. Bruckner encouraged potential applicants to call the Center’s Farm Bill Helpline to learn more about the application process and help uncover and overcome barriers encountered during that process by calling 402-687-2100 or emailing her at tracib@ cfra.org. “The Center for Rural Affairs has a long history of assisting family farmers and ranchers access farm bill programs,” continued Bruckner. “The Center’s Farm Bill helpline provides a direct connection to Center staff with knowledge about program rules to help you understand if a particular program will fit your needs.” Resources are available to help producers consider the CSP and make their applications. In addition to contacting the Center’s Farm Bill Helpline for additional assistance in navigating the application process, application materials and information are available through the Center for Rural Affairs website, USDA’s website, your local NRCS office, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
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Government/Environment Progress
Courtesy photo
Storing files digitally instead of in bulky file cabinets can reduce waste around the office.
How to reduce waste around the office
Reducing waste is one of the easiest and most effective ways to embrace an ecofriendly lifestyle. While men and women can quickly find ways to reduce waste at home, such efforts may require more teamwork at the office, where fellow employees may need some encouragement before they take your efforts to reduce waste seriously. But while you might need to play the role of master motivator to get your colleagues to cut back on waste, such efforts need not be so difficult, thanks in part to the many easy ways to cut back on waste in an office environment. • Encourage higher-ups to institute a recycling policy. If you are not the head honcho at work, speak to your boss and encourage him or her to institute an office-wide recycling policy. Office paper can be recycled, as can beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries. • Store digital records. Gone are the days when offices needed ample space to store large fi ling cabinets containing important documents. Nowadays companies can put that space to better use or downsize to smaller offices thanks to digital storage. Documents no longer need to be printed out and stored in filing cabinets, when it’s far easier to simply store them as digital files backed up on a hard drive or cloud storage. This reduces your office’s paper usage and can even cut back on its energy consumption because rooms no longer must be climate-controlled and illuminated to store old documents. • Use paper more wisely. Sometimes office directives or memos must be printed, but such notices that will only circulate internally need not be printed to appear like documents that will be shared with clients or other companies. When circulating internal
memos, first ensure they cannot be emailed. If they can, opt for emailing instead of printing out copies to be left on employees’ desks. If memos or directives must be distributed via printouts, ask that writers of such memos use smaller fonts and print on both sides of a sheet of paper. The smaller font ultimately means less paper consumption, as does printing on both sides of each sheet of paper. • Dispose of electronics properly. Energy and resources are needed to manufacture new products, but offices can help conserve energy and preserve those resources by donating or recycling eligible electronics. Regulations may now be in place that dictate how certain electronics should be disposed of. Ensure your offi ce is following these guidelines. Failing to do so may be criminal, and it’s certainly harmful to the environment. And before discarding any older electronics, first determine if they can be donated or recycled. • Start an employee carpooling program. You and your fellow employees likely drive to work, and everyone driving their own cars to work wastes a considerable amount of fuel, while all of those cars on the road can be harmful to air quality. Speak with fellow employees who live near you about starting a carpooling program. Such arrangements save each member of the carpool money on fuel, and if your community has commuter lanes for cars that include two or more people, then you might shave a substantial amount of time off your daily commutes as well. Going green at the office is a great way to benefit the environment on a much grander scale than you might be able to in your private life. Speak with your bosses and coworkers about taking steps to reduce the collective carbon footprint of your office. TF152901
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
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