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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Nature & Science

  • Colorado Attorney General’s office secures 2,000 jobs, statewide 5G network deployment under agreements with Dish, T-Mobile

    Colorado Attorney General’s office secures 2,000 jobs, statewide 5G network deployment under agreements with Dish, T-Mobile

    DENVER — Dish Network will locate its new wireless headquarters with at least 2,000 full-time employees in Colorado and T-Mobile will significantly build out a statewide 5G network, particularly in rural areas, under agreements the Colorado Attorney General’s office announced today. The companies agree to pay up to a total of $100 million if they fail to meet these commitments.

    Because of the substantial benefits that Coloradans will gain from these commitments, the Attorney General’s Office will end its participation in a multistate lawsuit it joined in June to halt the T-Mobile and Sprint merger. The U.S. Justice Department recently approved the $26.5 billion merger, in which Dish agreed to acquire the companies’ prepaid businesses and get access to T-Mobile’s network for $5 billion, making it the fourth largest nationwide wireless carrier.

    “The State of Colorado joined a multistate lawsuit to block the T-Mobile-Sprint merger because of concerns about how the merger would affect Coloradans. The agreements we are announcing today address those concerns by guaranteeing jobs in Colorado, a statewide buildout of a fast 5G network that will especially benefit rural communities, and low-cost mobile plans,” said Chief Deputy Attorney General Natalie Hanlon Leh. “Our announcement today ensures Coloradans will benefit from Dish’s success as a nationwide wireless competitor. 

    Under an agreement with Dish, the company will locate and maintain its wireless headquarters at its Riverfront facility in Littleton for at least seven years. The company will also employ a minimum of 2,000 full-time employees working primarily on wireless at Dish facilities in Colorado including Riverfront, and their Inverness and Meridian facilities in Englewood. In addition, Colorado will be among the first ten states where Dish plans to deploy 5G broadband services by 2023. Dish faces up to $20 million in penalties if it does not meet its commitments to the state.

    In a separate agreement with T-Mobile, Coloradans will benefit from improved 5G coverage in the state, especially in rural areas. The New T-Mobile has agreed to the following commitments:

    Statewide Network Build Commitment:

    • Within three years of the closing date of the merger, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 68 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 76 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.
    • Within six years of the closing date, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 92 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 93 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.

    Rural Network Build Commitment

    • Within three years of the closing date, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 60 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 63 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.
    • Within six years of the closing date, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 74 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 84 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps. 

    Low-Price Mobile Plan Commitment

    • For at least five years following the closing date, New T-Mobile will offer new low-priced plans in the state that are available to all customers and provides:
      • Unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data for $15 or less per month; and
      • Unlimited talk, text, and 5GB of data for $25 or less per month.

     

    T-Mobile faces up to $80 million in penalties if it fails to meet its commitments to the state.

     

    Hanlon Leh, Solicitor General Eric Olson, and attorneys from the Colorado Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Section negotiated the agreements with Dish and T-Mobile. Attorney General Phil Weiser recused himself from the matter.

     

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  • Human noise culprit of masking iconic national park sounds

    Human noise culprit of masking iconic national park sounds

    U.S. national parks are full of natural sounds. In Rocky Mountain National Park, visitors might hear the bugle of elks. At Yellowstone National Park, wolves howl in the distance. Iconic sounds like these are often associated with specific parks, creating unique soundscapes and enriching visitor experiences.

    However, when you add human-made noise, these natural sounds are at risk.

    “Anthropogenic” noise – sound caused by human activity – has the unintended impact of masking natural sounds important to both visitors and wildlife. Noise is increasingly prevalent in natural spaces. Not only does this take away from visitors’ experiences, but it also has significant ecological consequences. Many animals’ survival depends on listening for approaching predators, and successful breeding for some species hinges on listening for the song of a potential mate.

    With these ecological consequences in mind, a team of scientists from Colorado State University and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) characterized the predominant human noise sources in 66 U.S. national parks in an effort to help parks better manage the noise problem. The study, “Anthropogenic noise in U.S. national parks – sources and spatial extent,” was published Oct. 2 in the Ecological Society of America’s journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

    Human-made noise loud but localized in large parks

    The researchers found that national park lands are largely bastions of natural sounds. While the team found anthropogenic noise causes a 10-fold or greater increase in natural background sound levels in over a third of parks in the study, the acreage impacted by such levels represents less than two percent of the total NPS lands.

    The team found that even though trains and recreational watercraft are by far the loudest sources of noise, the greatest noise-causing culprits are vehicles and aircraft.

    National Park Service lands quietest U.S. areas

    Rachel Buxton, lead author of the study, said the team was encouraged by how quiet, for the most part, national parks areas are. Wilderness areas and natural resource parks were found to have fewer noise events and are quieter than other park types across North America, such as cultural parks or recreation areas.

    While NPS lands remain among the quietest protected areas in the U.S., noise made by people or machines is increasingly common and is heard in 37% of recordings collected from NPS lands across the country.

    “When we visit a park to experience nature, hearing cars and planes can be annoying,” said Buxton, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology in CSU’s Warner College of Natural Resources. “What many people don’t realize is that these noises disrupt the calming effect of being in nature, with significant effects on our wellbeing and the wellbeing of wildlife.”

    She is now a postdoctoral fellow at Carleton University in Ontario.

    Analysis of nearly 47,000 hours of audio clips

    The study relied on unprecedented audio data collection and analysis, the result of over a decade of collaboration between CSU and the NPS. Dozens of CSU students, trained to identify and measure different types of sounds, processed 46,789 hours of audio clips from 251 sites in 66 parks.

    The research team then identified how frequent noise events were, what type of noise is most commonly heard, and their respective noise levels, or the loudness of the noises. The sounds were compared with measured noise levels across the continent, giving a more complete picture of where noise was highest and the most common sources.

    Scientists found that it is more than just our vehicles making noise; another common source is simply human voices. In the context of visitor conversation, and speaking with and learning from park rangers, voices are intrinsic to park values and visitor experience. Yet, even when appropriate to the setting, these sounds affect wildlife. The designation of “quiet zones” can markedly improve noise levels, as successfully demonstrated in Muir Woods National Monument’s Cathedral Grove.

    Insights on better managing noise for park service leaders, staff

    The U.S. National Park Service was established over a century ago to conserve natural and cultural resources for future generations, which includes the iconic sounds found in nature.

    “The Grand Canyon is grand because of its striking vistas, but also because of the sound of the river flowing through the canyon, wind rustling the leaves, and birds singing,” Buxton said. “Managing noise is essential for protecting our experiences in national parks, which are the country’s treasures.”

    To fulfill this mission, NPS actively pursues innovations that will improve park sound environments and will showcase and improve sensory environments for people and ecosystems.

    Researchers said the study findings can help parks understand the range of options available for managing noise from the most frequent noise culprits: cars and planes. To mitigate vehicle noise, parks can incorporate shuttle systems, establish speed limits, allow for electric vehicles, and use quiet pavement materials on roads. Aircraft noise, which can be heard from great distances at quiet sites, can be reduced by routing or scheduling flights to avoid sensitive areas.

    “Numerous noise mitigation strategies have been successfully developed and implemented, so we already have the knowledge needed to address many of these issues,” said George Wittemyer, an associate professor at CSU and senior author of the study. “Our work provides information to facilitate such efforts in respect to protected areas where natural sounds are integral.”

    The researchers said they are hopeful that as more noise research becomes public, people will consider sound as a valuable component of the natural environment, one that is currently at risk of being overwhelmed. “Protecting these important natural acoustic resources as development and land conversion progresses is critical if we want to preserve the character of parks,” Buxton added.

     

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  • Colorado State University’s record-breaking research enterprise is at $398.5 million

    Colorado State University’s spending on research activities hit a record $398.5 million for fiscal year 2019, a 6.3% increase over the previous year.

    Spending on research, which has grown by nearly $100 million in the last decade, signals a bright future for the university’s research environment. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, CSU posted increases in all areas of sponsored project awards, including federal and industry funding.

    “With our total expenditures closing in on $400 million this year, it’s clear that our research enterprise has never been stronger,” said Vice President for Research Alan Rudolph. “In an era of shrinking federal funding and increased competition for that funding, the fact that our federal expenditures have continued to increase speaks to the quality, breadth and depth of our faculty.”

    Federal awards

    About 70 percent of CSU’s research dollars come in the form of grants awarded by federal funding agencies. The remainder originate from other sources, including state and local governments, private foundations, nonprofits and industry partners.

    Federal expenditures totaled $284.3 million in fiscal year 2019, compared with $268.7 million in the previous year. Non-federal sources totaled $56.6 million this year, compared with $53 million in 2018.

    As in previous years, the largest share of expenditures from federal sources came from the Department of Defense, for a total of $92.3 million, or 23 percent of CSU’s total federal research funding. Other federal sources include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    Breadth of awards

    CSU’s steadily growing research enterprise is fueled by faculty who compete for and are awarded grants and contracts. One such notable award earlier this year came to the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, which secured a $128 million funding renewal from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. CIRA, operating at CSU since 1980, is one of 16 such cooperative institutes at U.S. research universities. CIRA supports a broad spectrum of NOAA research, including forecast model improvements, hurricane track and intensity forecasting, real-time satellite tools for the National Weather Service, and forecaster training on use of satellite observations.

    Of note this year was the signing of an agreement with Zoetis, a premier animal health company, to establish a research lab at CSU for exploring livestock immune systems.

    “Our impressive growth in industry sponsorship and collaboration is sure to accelerate further, as a result of this landmark agreement with Zoetis,” Rudolph said. “This historic R&D incubator lab will pave the way for new alternatives to antibiotics in food-producing animals and innovations to improve animal health.”

    The university also recently announced a partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) for developing a vaccine candidate against Rift Valley Fever. The coalition will provide up to $9.5 million for manufacturing and preclinical studies, in collaboration with CSU faculty. This will be the first time CSU researchers are involved in both the production of a vaccine and the sponsor of its use in humans.

    In fiscal year 2019, CSU researchers requested a total of $1.3 billion in funding from various sources, representing a 27.7% increase over the previous year. Proposal submissions are one of many metrics university officials use to gauge the health of the research climate.

    Commercialization records

    This research climate is also closely tied to the work of CSU Ventures, the university’s technology and intellectual property licensing office. CSU Ventures brings technologies and ideas, the majority of which originate in CSU research laboratories, to industry and the marketplace.

    In fiscal year 2019, CSU Ventures supported a record 261 inventors, who disclosed a record 127 new inventions. Licenses to CSU intellectual property also reached an all-time high, with 52 licenses signed in 2019. Licensing income for the university totaled $3.8 million, including the sale of the Rapid InterLibrary Loan (RapidILL) service to ExLibris. The RapidILL service was developed by CSU Libraries staff and provides efficient peer-to-peer sharing and document delivery for libraries worldwide.

    The university also saw the establishment of six startup companies and the issuance of 47 patents.

    The six new startup companies, and their faculty leads, are:

    • AST UPAS, John Volckens
    • AST On-Target, Chuck Henry
    • Cypris, Garret Miyake
    • New Iridium, Garret Miyake
    • S3NSE Technologies, Tom Sale
    • YoungHeart, Sue James

     

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  • USDA and the City and County of Denver Partner to Publish a Soil Survey of Denver County

    USDA and the City and County of Denver Partner to Publish a Soil Survey of Denver County

    DENVER, CO — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is conducting a field inventory of soil resources within Denver County. NRCS’s Fort Morgan Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) Soil Survey Office in conjunction with the City and County of Denver will lead three soil survey teams collecting field data in Denver County for approximately one year beginning October 2019.

    “This is an exciting time in soil data collection,” said Andy Steinert, MLRA Soil Survey Leader. “In the past, urban areas were low priority as conservation efforts were focused on cropland and rangelands. Today we have more knowledge and a better understanding of urban soils, how they function and our ability to identify and map them”.

    To gather information for a soil survey, soil scientists traverse the land on foot to examine the soil in detail. They dig between five to seven feet by hand-shoveling or by hand-auguring. They then place the excavated soil on a tarp, and begin to study the layers, also called horizons. They record various properties of the soil, such as soil texture, organic matter, color, pH, etc. This information is then uploaded into a national soils database where it is merged with spatial data which is then used to create digital maps.

    “The Denver County Soil Survey project is an important one because it supports the national conservation goal of completing soils mapping nationwide,” Steinert goes on to say. The digital maps illustrate soil types and locations while the database provides additional information, including chemical, physical, and engineering properties, along with suitability’s and limitations of the soil. In the end, soil surveys are extremely useful planning tools that can be used in design decisions for gardens, home construction, erosion control, park management sites, flood risk management, ecosystem and waterway restorations, water conservation plans, and recreational use planning.

    Upon completion, the Denver County soil survey will be published online to the Web Soil Survey (WSS). WSS is updated annually, it is free to the public and can be accessed at https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/. The NRCS is asking interested property owners in the Denver County area for access to open spaces, parks, golf courses, cemeteries, community/urban gardens, lawns and yards. Folks should know that we practice a leave no trace etiquette, aiming to keep the area looking like it did before we were there. We may not get to every request, but a larger selection from which to choose will lead to a more accurate soil survey.

    For more information about soil surveys in urban areas please visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/use/urban/. Interested property owners in the Denver County area should contact Andy Steinert at or 970-867-8568 x3359. You may also write to:

    USDA NRCS

    Fort Morgan MLRA Soil Survey Office

    200 West Railroad Ave.

    Fort Morgan, CO 80701

    Attn: Andy Steinert, MLRA Soil Survey Leader

     

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  • Colorado Climate Strikers to Protest Fracking in Broomfield

    Colorado Climate Strikers to Protest Fracking in Broomfield

    DENVER– Climate strikers will protest neighborhood fracking in Broomfield on Sunday during the final event of the Colorado Climate Strike Week of Action. Participants will offer an alternative future for the use of open space and public lands, proposing a zero-carbon community garden be put in place of oil and gas development. 

    Supporting the demands from Friday’s Youth Climate Strike, protestors are calling on to Gov. Jared Polis to implement a ban on fracking, including a halt to all leasing and permitting for fossil fuel extraction, processing, and infrastructure projects immediately. 

    Additionally, strikers are demanding the COGCC implement an immediate moratorium until protective rules are in place based on assessments of cumulative impacts to health and safety, air quality, local toxic exposures, and the climate crisis are completed; with a plan to end phase-out fracking no later than 2024.

    The event will take place across from the Livingston pad, where hundreds of Broomfield community members are being forced pooled by Extraction Oil and Gas. Local community members are asking the COGCC to deny the permits at both the Livingston and Acme pads as well as end fracking on public open space land. 

    When:  Sunday, September 29, 4:00-7:00 p.m. 

    Where:   Anthem Community Park at Siena Reservoir

    15663 Sheridan Pkwy, Broomfield, CO

    What: 

    • Live music by Tierro with Bridget Law (of Elephant Revival)
    • Face painting and other activities for kids
    • Food & Drinks
    • Propose a community garden to absorb carbon and create a positive alternative vision for our future
    • Sign petitions calling for no new fossil fuel infrastructure, including stopping permits for fracking, and a rapid transition to 100% renewable energy

    Learn More: Click here

    Quote Deck: 

    “Neighborhood fracking is plaguing Colorado communities. From dozens of explosions, polluted air, and devastating health impacts – it is time we put an end to fracking in Colorado,” said Micah Parkin of 350 Colorado. 

    Nick Tuta of Sunrise Movement Boulder/Denver said: “Our planet is in a climate crisis, driven by fossil fuels. In a time when we need to be slamming on the brakes, each new permit fracking permit is pushing the gas pedal harder and harder. For our government to care more about industry profits than the health and safety of our community and of our plant is unconscionable.” 

     

    Sophia Chivers, a student at Niwot Highschool said: “It is absolutely unacceptable that a climate aware government continues to put the profits of fossil fuel companies over the health, safety, and welfare of their people.” 

    “As long as Colorado continues to extract oil and gas, we are contributing to climate chaos,” said Julia Williams of 350 Colorado. 

    The Colorado Climate Strike Week of Action is Supported by: 

    11th Hour Calling

    350 Colorado

    500 Women Scientists

    Aspen Snowmass

    Be the Change USA

    Boulder CAN

    Boulder.Earth

    Boundless in Motion and Boulder Ecodharma Sangha

    Catholic Network US

    Center for Biological Diversity

    Clean Energy Action

    Climate Courage, LLC

    Climate Reality Project

    Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate

    Colorado Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival

    Colorado Renewable Energy Society

    Colorado Rising

    Denver Metro Sierra Club

    Earth Focus Group

    Earth Guardians – Boulder & CO Climate Strikes

    EarthLinks, Inc.

    Eco-Justice Ministries

    Environment Colorado

    Erie Protectors

    Extinction Rebellion Boulder County

    Extinction Rebellion Denver

    Extinction Rebellion Fort Collins

    Food & Water Watch

    Fort Collins Sustainability Group

    Global Greengrants Fund Inc

    Greenfaith

    Greenpeace

    Indivisible Denver

    International Indigenous Youth Council – Denver

    Keep Colorado Green

    Lookout Alliance

    Moms Clean Air Force

    Mothers Out Front- Colorado

    North American Climate, Conservation and Environment (NACCE)

    Patagonia – Denver & Boulder Stores

    Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission

    Protect Our Winters

    Renewables Now Loveland

    Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center

    Sunrise – Boulder/Denver

    Sunrise – Colorado Springs

    The Climate Mobilization

    The Wilderness Society

    Wall of Women Colorado

    What the Frack? Arapahoe

    Wind & Solar Denver

    Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Greeley Chapter

    Womxn’s March Denver

    & More 

     

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  • Wyoming forensics lab plays a major role in prosecuting wildlife violations in Colorado

    Wyoming forensics lab plays a major role in prosecuting wildlife violations in Colorado

    LARAMIE, Wyo. — Late August when Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers wanted confirmation if they had captured the offending mountain lion involved in an attack on an eight-year-old boy in Park County, the agency turned to its friends at the Wyoming Game and Fish Wildlife Forensic & Fish Health Laboratory in Laramie.

    DNA samples submitted to the forensics lab proved without a doubt that they had the offending mountain lion.

    “The mountain lion that was guilty in the case had goat and human DNA on its paws,” said Wyoming’s Wildlife Forensic Program Manager Tasha Bauman. “Our numbers on this one were really very high for the likelihood ratio of a match, it was less than one-in-27 billion that its genotype would be reproducible.”

    CPW is contracted with the Wyoming Forensic Lab to conduct its forensic analyses. Colorado is one of 12 states that Wyoming does forensic work for, which soon will bump up to 14, as Utah and Kansas are in the process of formalizing contracts with the lab as well. 

    The forensic lab is used as a tool in investigations over poaching cases and for positive identification in wildlife attacks on humans. 

    CPW’s current contract is a five-year deal with Wyoming, running from 2017 through 2021. From June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019, CPW sent 14 law enforcement cases up north that resulted in 99 forensic samples and 3,086 analytical tests being run off of those. 

    Wyoming is in the process of gaining its international accreditation issued by the International Organization for Standardization. 

    As it currently stands, there are only four wildlife facilities in the world that have the international accreditation known as ISO 17205 – the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensic Laboratory in Ashland, Ore., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Forensic Lab in San Marcos, one at the University of California, Davis and the fourth is the UK Wildlife DNA Forensics Laboratory located in Scotland. 

    Just last summer, Wyoming opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Laramie.

    “We already follow the Society for Wildlife Forensic Science standards and guidelines and we follow the ISO 17205 guidelines, so we are working at that standard already, just don’t have the official accreditation,” Bauman said. “We are working towards accreditation with this new building. We were not able to meet the requirements of accreditation previously with our lab that used to be on the University of Wyoming campus.

    “[This lab] was set up in the manner where we can run everything through in a timely matter, but keep everything separated by space,” she added. “Forensics requires all your tests to be separated by time and or space, with space being ideal, so we set it up for that. We also set it up so we can store everything long-term. The lab space is amazing.”

    There are only 28 certified wildlife forensic scientists world-wide, and two of them operate out of the Wyoming facility. Bauman is one of the two, and she works closely with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, not just on the cases CPW sends to the lab, but she also holds an annual training with wildlife officers on the proper steps to follow when submitting samples for forensic analysis.

    “Colorado has been on as long as I think we have been open,” Bauman said. “Colorado generally sends the most cases into the forensic lab out of all the states we have contracts with. They are very receptive to our trainings and their wildlife officers do a very good job of sending in forensically useful samples.”

    The Wyoming lab sees 70-80 cases a year from all the states they are contracted with and of those 5-10 are from wildlife attacks on humans. 

    “I have worked 74 bear and mountain lion attack cases in my career,” said Bauman, who is in her 12th year with Wyoming Game and Fish. “I’ve worked approximately 800 total wildlife cases from all the states we work for and the bulk of those come from Wyoming, Montana and Colorado.”

    The tests the laboratory run are a crucial component in investigations. Serious violations of wildlife laws can be successfully prosecuted off of its results.

    “The testing we run is not really subjective,” Bauman said. “It is ‘yes this is a match, or no it is not.’ “

    Most cases the Wyoming lab works on come directly from wildlife law enforcement officers from the states it contracts with. When the lab is ready to do the sub-sampling, they identify the most forensically-useful sample for testing. 

    “We will run it through species identification using protein analysis,” Bauman said. “We will test for specific proteins to determine what species it is. If it is a sample that is not protein heavy, like a bone sample or a sample that is producing weird results on our protein test, we’ll run it through DNA sequencing. 

    “Once we have all of our species figured out, we’ll extract the DNA and then we can set up sex ID and microsattelite matching, where we can match two items together, like a gut pile in the field to the meat in a freezer, or to the head on somebodies wall.”

    The Wyoming lab can process forensic analysis on 13 species of wildlife – elk, moose, mule deer, whitetail deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, black bears, pronghorn, bobcats, mountain lions, grizzly bears, turkey and sage grouse.

    They keep regional database samples on the various species to help with case work.

    “For our database samples when we run DNA matching cases we have to have a statistic likelihood ratio to say how likely the animal we tested is to be reproduced in the wild,” Bauman said. “We look at our regional database, look at the different alleles in those databases for each one of those animals and then we run some math to say an animal is less than one in a hundred billion to be reproduced in that population. It just gives a statistical weight to the match that we have made.”

    Illegal poaching activities may require special efforts to detect, deter and prosecute. CPW also employs forensics services from other agencies. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation conducts bullet examination and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has forensic capabilities as well – the Federal lab specializing in endangered or federally protected species.

    Colorado has seen 49,994 wildlife violation citations issued in the last 10 years (2009-18). Having a tool like the Wyoming Forensics Lab at its disposal to help prosecute the most serious of offenses plays a big part in helping protect and conserve Colorado’s wildlife resource.

     

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  • Dog off leash area at Cherry Creek State Park to temporarily close for maintenance, Oct. 14-17

    Dog off leash area at Cherry Creek State Park to temporarily close for maintenance, Oct. 14-17

    AURORA, Colo. — The heavily used dog off leash area at Cherry Creek State Park – a popular spot for dog owners that sees over one million visitors of the two- and four-legged kind a year – will be temporarily closing Oct. 14-17 so park staff can conduct needed maintenance work. 

    This is the first time the dog off leash area will be closed for a short period of time, but park staff feel it is necessary to do to sustain what is one of the most popular attractions at any of Colorado’s 41 state parks. 

    “We are reinvesting into the dog off leash area to give users the experience they want,” said Park Manager Jason Trujillo. “It has gotten to the point it is so busy down there we can’t get any work done without interrupting experiences of visitors and this maintenance work cannot be conducted safely while the area is open.”

    Last year the dog off leash area surpassed one million visitors by the week of Thanksgiving and if you break it down to visitors by hour, looking roughly at a 12-hour time frame as hours of operation, the area sees 228 people an hour.

    “It is hard to have a sustainable resource when it is so heavily used,” Trujillo said. “The work we are doing will be a balance of resource protection and preservation. We appreciate the patience of our users for the brief period the dog off leash area will close.”

    One of the most noticeable improvements users will see, and see it right away, is a new entrance and exit bullpen. As it sits now, dogs and their owners enter and exit at the same location, which creates congestion and the possibility for confrontations between tired dogs leaving the park and the energetic dogs entering.

    With separate entrance and exit locations, that traffic will be diminished and it will also help disperse the amount of dog urine excreted upon entry in a concentrated area, thus lessening the dog urine aroma. Pea gravel will also be installed to allow urine to be soaked into the ground versus the cement that paves the ground in the current entrance/exit bullpen.

    Other work that will take place includes erosion control improvements in the northwest corner of the park, vegetation sustainability management (seeding and weed management), trail improvements and the main parking lot will be relined to create a one-way traffic flow. 

    The trail work will consist of park staff adding road base and then a layer of crusher fine gravel to elevate the trail and assist with erosion control concerns. 

    In the northwest corner where the erosion work will be taking place, that is part of a multi-phase project. This will assist trails over drainages so they do not get washed out during significant rain events and it will allow vegetation to improve. 

    Native grasses will be seeded in areas to re-establish native vegetation and park staff will be spraying noxious weeds so that visitors will continue to have access to all areas of the DOLA while protecting native grasses and vegetation.

    Park staff will be looking at this type of major maintenance work twice a year – once in the fall and once in the spring. If anyone wishes to volunteer to help with this project, they can contact the park by calling 303-766-6562.

     

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  • CPW Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program application period begins Oct. 1, 2019

    CPW Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program application period begins Oct. 1, 2019

    DENVER — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is announcing the application period for Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

    Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants are offered by CPW to support wildlife rehabilitation efforts across the state. Grant amounts are for a minimum of $1,000 and are awarded with the goal of maximizing wildlife rehabilitation efforts in Colorado. All applications must be submitted by Nov. 4, 2019.

    Eight grants were awarded in the first year of the program in 2018. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $3,000 and supported a flight cage renovation, new wildlife recovery enclosures, an intensive care unit, food, medical supplies and other rehabilitation center needs.  

    Click here for a list of Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants awarded in 2018.

    To be eligible for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants, applicants must meet the following criteria:

    • Applicants must be a wildlife rehabilitator currently licensed by CPW
    • In general, grant funds can only be used for species authorized under the applicable wildlife rehabilitation license
    • Per the authorizing statute, the minimum grant award is $1,000. Please note, the total funding estimate for 2019 is $19,000.

    This grant program was created through House Bill 17-1250. This update to Colorado law replaced the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Cash Fund with the Colorado Nongame Conservation and Wildlife Restoration Cash Fund. Funding for Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants is primarily from the nongame tax check-off program, along with fines from nongame wildlife-based offenses and interest income. For the first $250,000 raised annually through the nongame check-off, 10 percent is allocated to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant program, which aims to provide funding specifically for wildlife rehabilitation centers.

    .A board established by HB 17-1250 reviews applications and sets funding recommendations. The board is comprised of seven members, each appointed by the CPW Director, who serve staggered three-year terms. Board members serve at the pleasure of the Director, and serve until a successor is appointed, but no longer than six years.

    To facilitate wildlife rehabilitation in Colorado, CPW will expend funds in accordance with the recommendations of the Board. Regular operational expenses and capital improvements are both eligible for funding. Rehabilitation of both game and nongame species is eligible; exotic species are not. Awardees must execute a contract with CPW to receive a grant, and work done under the grant must be performed or managed by the grantee. Matching funds are not required, and applicants do not have to be a 501(c)(3) organization.

    After funding decisions have been made, CPW will make information on grant recipients, award amounts and grant annual reports available on its website. For more information on the grant program and application materials, please visit the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants page.

     

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  • Bennet, Hoeven Introduce Bipartisan Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and John Hoeven (R-ND) announced that they have introduced the Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act, legislation to fix a deceptive labeling issue that is negatively impacting the U.S. bison industry. The legislation would provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the authority to prohibit water buffalo products from being marketed as “buffalo.”

    “Misleading labeling does a disservice to bison ranchers, who have worked hard to create a growing market for bison,” said Bennet. “By requiring that water buffalo products be labeled accurately, our legislation will go a long way in addressing this misleading practice, provide transparency for American consumers, and safeguard the U.S. bison industry.”  

    “This legislation prevents the deceptive marketing of water buffalo as buffalo,” said Hoeven. “Our bill provides clarification to consumers by giving FDA the authority necessary to ensure proper labeling of water buffalo and establishing that buffalo is a common name for bison.”

    “Rocky Mountain Farmers Union’s member-developed grassroots policy states consumers have the right to know what is in their food, whether for human or pet consumption. We support uniform federal labeling standards for food, and oppose misleading, inaccurate, and vague label language. Agricultural products should be labeled accurately, as their purpose is to both educate and inform the consumer, give producers marketing advantages, and add value to products. Labeling water buffalo as “buffalo” is inaccurate and intentionally misleads consumers. We firmly stand with our friends at the National Bison Association in support of the Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act and look forward to its swift passage,” said Dr. Dale McCall, President of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.

    “Colorado Farm Bureau is always in support of transparency in labeling for the consumer and grower’s benefit. It is important that food items are distinguishable for what they are. Fair and honest labels make things clear and concise and do not create winners and losers or vilify any product. Colorado Farm Bureau is grateful to Senator Bennet and Senate sponsors for providing clarity in this process,” said Chad Vorthmann, Executive Vice President of Colorado Farm Bureau.

    “Senators Hoeven and Bennet are once again standing shoulder to shoulder with the American bison ranchers who have worked hard for the past two decades to build a relationship with our customers that is founded in the quality of the meat produced from this magnificent animal. The legislation they introduced today will protect that relationship by prohibiting the sale of water buffalo products that are labeled only as ‘buffalo’. That’s a win for ranchers and their customers,” said Dave Carter, Executive Director of National Bison Association.

    Last year, the senators led a letter to the FDA highlighting concerns with the growing number of imported water buffalo meat and pet food ingredients on the market being deceptively labeled as “buffalo.” In response, FDA indicated that it does not currently have a specific regulation regarding the marketing of either water buffalo or bison, but the agency agreed that water buffalo should be labeled as “water buffalo” and bison should be labeled as “bison” or “buffalo.”

    The legislation is supported by Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, Intertribal Buffalo Council, National Bison Association, National Farmers Union, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, R-CALF USA, Colorado Farm Bureau, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, and the North Dakota Farmers Union.

     

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  • Gardner Applauds Final Repeal of WOTUS Rule

    Gardner Applauds Final Repeal of WOTUS Rule

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers finalized a rule to repeal the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

    “Today is a victory for Colorado’s farmers, cattlemen, ranchers, and small business owners,” said Senator Gardner. “This burdensome regulation from the Obama Administration would have been harmful to Colorado’s economy and especially our agriculture community. Today’s announcement is welcome news and finally prevents an unconstitutional takeover of Colorado’s rivers, streams, and local waterways.”

    “The final repeal of the 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule is an important landmark to the farm families of Colorado, as it paves the way for new clearer, concise rules to be put in place,” said Don Shawcroft, President of the Colorado Farm Bureau. “Water is one of our most valuable resources and this decision shows it is possible to have both clean water and sensible rules.”

    “This announcement from EPA is a huge burden lifted off the backs of America’s cattle producers,” said Colin Woodall, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “The overly burdensome 2015 WOTUS rule would have been one of the largest government land grabs in history, and would have allowed EPA the ability to tell cattlemen and women what they could or could not do on their own land. Cattle producers are a part of the solution when it comes to clean water, so we are thankful this nightmare is over. We look forward to working with EPA to finalize a replacement rule which respects private property rights.”

    Gardner has been a consistent opponent of the WOTUS rule. He denounced the final WOTUS Rule when it was revealed in May of 2015 and applauded the decision by Federal Judge Ralph Erickson to halt the rule’s implementation in 13 states. In September of 2015, he signed on as a cosponsor of the resolution of disapproval authored by Senator Ernst (R-IA), which later passed the Senate with Gardner’s support.

    When the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals halted implementation of WOTUS nationwide in October of 2015, Gardner called it “a victory for agriculture, rural communities, and all Coloradans.” In November of 2015, he voted in favor of the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, which would have forced the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to re-write the WOTUS rule with much stronger state and agricultural protections as well as more input from local communities.

    In January of 2016, Gardner voted to override the President’s veto of legislation that would repeal WOTUS, and in April of 2016 he voted in favor of an amendment to the Senate Energy and Water Development appropriations bill that prevents the Army Corps of Engineers from using funding to enforce the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation. 

     

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