Mine Drainage Act Passes
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On September 29, the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel Remediation Act of 2009 (H.R. 3123) passed in the U.S. House.
The bill had been introduced by 5th Dist. Congressman Lamborn along with a companion bill by Senator Mark Udall.
The bill assigns responsibility for the problematic tunnel to the Bureau of Reclamation who will be in charge of fixing and maintaining the tunnel which has deteriorated over the past 50 years, and caused much alarm in Leadville in 2008 when it began to leak, prompting the Lake County Commissioners to declare a state of emergency.
The tunnel was built decades earlier to drain water from underground mines in the area.
The bill went through its own legislative wrangling after Democrats in the House originally took it off the schedule and demanded a roll-call vote in response to Lamborn’s “no” vote against a bill they had put forward several weeks earlier.
Sage-grouse slows Geothermal Exploration
GUNNISON – A proposal to explore geothermal resources on 1,280 acres of State land near Waunita Hot Springs in Gunnison County has been stalled after the State Land Board declined approval of the lease application due to concerns about the Gunnison Sage-grouse.
Flint Geothermal had hoped to study the feasibility of generating geothermal electricity from the location but is now hesitating while concerns over the Sage-grouse are being evaluated.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be making a ruling by June 30 of next year as to whether to include the Sage-grouse to the Endangered Species List.
Opening of Climax Mine Still Uncertain
LEADVILLE – Although equipment is still being delivered to the facility, there are no plans to reopen the Climax Mine near Leadville in the near future, according to The Leadville Herald Democrat, who contacted mine owners to gauge their plans.
According to mine owners Freeport McMoRan, the current economic conditions and demand for molybdenum are the main factors in the decision and that molybdenum demand is dependant on the world steel market which is also tied to stronger world economic recovery.
Ski Train to Run Again
DENVER – The Ski Train between Denver and Winter Park will be on line after all when the Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC said it wanted to take over the service.
The former owner, Phil Anschutz’s firm sold its Ski Train railcars to a Canadian railroad company after deciding to end the 69-year tradition.
The Union Pacific Railroad gave permission to Iowa Pacific, which will contract with Amtrak to run the trains on its behalf during the upcoming ski season.
Leadville Herald-Democrat turns 130
LEADVILLE – The Herald-Democrat newspaper celebrated its 130th birthday Oct. 21. It is among the 13 oldest newspapers in Colorado.
The weekly paper is owned by Arkansas Valley Publishing in Salida.
Lamborn goes to Honduras
5th District Rep. Doug Lamborn found himself having to defend a recent visit to a Honduran leader, interim President Roberto Micheletti, whom the Obama administration considers illegitimate, after a coup that ousted the elected President Manuel Zelaya.
Lamborn traveled with a contingent of other Republican lawmakers in late September to meet with Micheletti in the belief that Zelaya would have become an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whom Republicans consider a socialist agitator and a danger to the region.
Lamborn claims it was not a coup that ousted Zelaya because he supposedly broke the law by seeking a second term.
Democrats blasted the visit as unhelpful as regards the current administration’s policies toward Latin America. The U.S. and the European Union have currently suspended all aid to Honduras.
Fat Baby, Skinny Toddler Turned Down for Health Insurance in Colorado
Insurance companies made national news in October after denying health coverage to a four-month-old Grand Junction baby on a pre-existing condition – obesity – and a two-year-old Erie girl for being too skinny.
Alex Lange was born with a normal weight of eight and 1/4 pounds but doubled in size within four months with a strictly breast-milk diet, according to his parents, Bernie and Kelli Lang of Grand Junction.
The insurance company, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, considered Alex a financial risk and refused to insure him, but after the story made national headlines, a spokesperson for the company said they had “changed our policy and corrected our underwriting guidelines,” providing insurance for the chubby infant.
Meanwhile, insurance for two-year-old Aislin Bates of Erie was rejected by United Healthcare’s Golden Rule subsidiary who considered the toddler too risky due to her low weight – 22 pounds.
Aislin’s parents, Robert and Rachel Bates, received a letter from Golden Rule stating, “We are unable to provide coverage for Aislin because her height and weight do not meet our company standards.”
The Bates’ decided to take their story national and ended up on NBC’s “Today” show, where they told their story to millions of viewers. Within several days United Health had a change of heart after “additional review’’ of Aislin’s medical records and offered to cover the child.
Giant Hot Dog Stand in Battle with Bears
BAILEY – The iconic Coney Island hot dog stand, which was relocated from Aspen Park to Bailey several years back, has been under assault by ravenous black bears who’ve been raiding its dumpsters on a regular basis all summer.
The Colorado DOW claims to being doing all they can to stop the marauding snackers – even providing the restaurant owners with pepper-spray booby traps – but they have turned out to be ineffective.
The restaurant is hoping some bear-proof bins they have on order will help solve the problem.
Vehicle Carrying Inmates gets Stuck on Pass
ASPEN – A vehicle owned by Court Services Inc., which was transporting inmates over Independence Pass slid off the road and had to be assisted by sheriff’s deputies.
Two of the inmates were taken to Leadville and another man, Francesco Anthony Saputo, an Aspen arrestee, was driven to Aspen where only the previous day his family members had been picketing outside the Pitkin County Courthouse. They were protesting about safety issues with the company contracted to transport Saputo from California on an extradition warrant – Court Services Inc..
Solar Energy Leases Now Legal
DENVER – Colorado legislators have approved a law which would allow loans for solar equipment to be made to a third party.
The Sun-Run company of San Francisco will soon begin offering leases in Colorado to homeowners and businesses which would include a one-time installation fee and monthly bills for usage.
Hiking Fees for Boulder?
BOULDER – The City of Boulder is considering charging non-county residents a fee to use its trails.
City councilors say many visitors come to hike the trails but do not spend enough money in the community to help pay for open space. They hope to make up for this discrepancy by forcing non-residents to buy a trail pass.
Pot Snob Wanted
DENVER – The Denver alternative newspaper, Westward has received 120 applicants for a new position it wants to fill – marijuana reviewer.
The publication is seeking a critic for its new “Mile Highs and Lows” column. The only catch? The new hire has to have a medical ailment which allows them to legally enter a dispensary to buy and use marijuana. Many of the applicants have offered to work for free.
Notable Quotes:
“Colorado will become the first state to lower the minimum wage. They plan to lower it from $7.28 to $7.25. As a compromise, workers will be able to leave work nine seconds earlier.” – Jimmy Fallon, Late Night
“So, when you’re out on the slopes or on the cross country trail and some old codger in his eighties is skiing up a storm, give him a wave – he might be one of us.” – Dick Wellington, one of the original members of the Western State ski team. Gunnison Country Times, Oct. 8, 2009
“There were no does today and the buck was angry.” – Ervin Stohl, brother-in-law of a woman who was attacked by a buck mule deer in Florissant. The Mountain Mail, Oct. 14, 2009
“The bedbugs are not only our problem but a problem for the whole community.” – Sunrise Manor resident Tina Henze regarding a bedbug infestation at the facility. Chaffee County Times, Oct. 8, 2009
