“It’s a perverse incentive to facilitate wolves killing livestock and for more wolves to be killed. The livestock industry, having failed with a big-money campaign to defeat [2020’s Proposition 114], has worked to subvert it through a wolf plan that includes the absence of a requirement for preventative measures.”
Category: Environment
Aspen Journalism’s “Connie Harvey Environment Desk” is named in honor of the longtime Aspen environmentalist.
Posted inEnvironment
Perceptions vary as Colorado prepares for wolf reintroduction
Twelve of the state’s 64 counties voted in favor of bringing wolves to the state. Only five of those are on the Western Slope, home of the proposed wolf-release sites and the lion’s share of ranchers, hunters and outfitters who spoke up at CPW meetings.
Posted inEnvironment
Plan to donate Castle Creek land for school, hospital housing project faces hurdles
“We’re no different from anyone else in our valley looking for quality employees,” the superintendent said, “and it’s the first question asked on every single application whether it’s a mechanic, a teacher, a bus driver or a school principal.”
Posted inEnvironment
Pitkin County public health turns focus to climate
When Carly Senst, the epidemiologist for Pitkin County, heard in late August that the county probably had its first-ever case of West Nile virus, she wasn’t exactly surprised. “It was more like, ‘Yep, all right, it’s happening,’” she said.
Posted inEnvironment
D.C. Circuit Court hits the brakes on Uinta Basin Railway, but oil transport through Colorado is still on the table
“When federal agencies are the on/off switches for climate impacts, air pollution impacts, surface impacts of wildlife habitat, they can’t say, as the [STB] did here, ‘Oh, no, not our problem. We don’t control who develops oil in the Uinta Basin. We don’t know where the oil is going. We’re just approving the railway,’” Zukoski said. “The court saw through that.”
Posted inEnvironment
SkiCo-funded methane-capture project no longer generates electricity
Aspen Skiing Co. had provided most of the capital investment for the system, which was generating 3 megawatts of baseload power. But things didn’t turn out exactly as Caskey and the rest of the project partners had hoped,
Posted inEnvironment
As Boomerang property languishes, city investigates
While the Hunt team has been responsive to minor Boomerang fixes in the past, “It has gotten to the point where it is more extensive than a short list, or a punch list,” city planning director Amy Simon said at a June 28 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission. “We’re concerned.”
Posted inEnvironment
Air taxis and drop-and-go’s: In the mix that makes up 80% of ASE operations
On-demand and chartered private flights known as air taxis have gained popularity since the pandemic at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE), surpassing operations from commercial carriers at an airfield where general aviation and air taxis make up 80% of the flights. Also, general aviation operations in 2021 reached their highest level since 2008.
Posted inEnvironment
Pandora’s expansion proceeding on track with logging, lift construction
To facilitate the new terrain expansion that will add 153 acres to the ski area, Pitkin County and the U.S. Forest Service approved clearing up to 106 acres of trees for gladed and traditional ski runs. This will require cutting an estimated 4,226 tons of timber over three years.
Posted inEnvironment
Downtown Aspen assets on the line in Souki lender dispute
The assets owned by Ajax Holdings, which is controlled by the Souki family and affiliates, also are on the line. The lenders have hired Dallas-based commercial property firm CBRE to solicit bidders and administer a public auction set for the end of the month, according to court records.