The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved the agency’s strategic plan at its meeting on November 19, 2015. CWF had made extensive comments in April in advance of a plan draft and again in September as to the draft plan.
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/About/StrategicPlan/2015CPWStrategicPlan-11-19-15.pdf
The federal omnibus spending bill did not contain any provision that would adversely impact the conservaation plan for the greater sage grouse. Good news!
The federal omnibus spending bill did not contain any provision that would adversely impact the conservaation plan for the greater sage grouse. Good news!
Colorado State University and Colorado Parks & Wildlife have published a study that examined mule deer response to energy development on winter range in the Piceance Basin in northwest Colorado. They report that “Energy development drove considerable alternations to deer habitat selection patterns, with the most substantial impacts manifested as avoidance of well pads with active drilling to a distance of at least 800 m. … In aggregate, these reposnses equate to alteration of behavior by human development in over 50% of the critical winter range in our study area during the day and over 25% at night.”
Here is the link to the study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.13037/full
Colorado State University and Colorado Parks & Wildlife have published a study that examined mule deer response to energy development on winter range in the Piceance Basin in northwest Colorado. They report that “Energy development drove considerable alternations to deer habitat selection patterns, with the most substantial impacts manifested as avoidance of well pads with active drilling to a distance of at least 800 m. … In aggregate, these reposnses equate to alteration of behavior by human development in over 50% of the critical winter range in our study area during the day and over 25% at night.”
Here is the link to the study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.13037/full
On May 28, 2015 the BLM released its plans for the public lands it manages in 10 western states to help conserve the greater sage grouse.
BLM has begun the master leasing planning process for South Park on June 1. This is a part of the overall resource management planning process for the surface acreas and mineral interests it manages in eastern Colorado. Public comment period begins June 1 and closes July 31. See BLM webpage: www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do
To see the Notice of Intent issued June 1, click here:
In advance of June 1, BLM hosted 7 public “envisioning meetings to discuss key management priorities for the resource management plan revision and the master leasing plan. BLM’s announcement further states,” Meetings wil be facilitated, teach you about the planning process, and include targeted questions to inspire brainstorming. Attendees wil strategize on how to meet competing needs and then share ideas with the BLM.”
Here is the meeting schedule for its scoping open houses during the public comment period:
Greeley:
Scoping Open House: June 16 5:30-7:30 pm
LocationL Greeley Recreation Center, 651 10th Avenue
Golden:
Scoping Open House: June 15 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Denver Marriott West, 1717 Denver West Blvd.
Fairplay:
Scoping Open House: June 24 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Fairplay Community Center, 880 Bogue Street (fairgrounds)
Salida:
Scoping Open House: June 23 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Salida High School, 26 Jones Avenue
Leadville:
Scoping Open House: June 25 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: National Mining Museum, 117 East 10th Street
Walsenburg:
Scoping Open House: June 30 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Huerfano County Community Center, 1038 Russell
Canon City:
Scoping Open House: June 29 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: June 3 – Washington Elementary School, 606 N. 9th Street
June 29 – The Abbey, Benedict Rm, 2951 E. Hwy 50 ( E. Frontage Road)
BLM has begun the master leasing planning process for South Park on June 1. This is a part of the overall resource management planning process for the surface acreas and mineral interests it manages in eastern Colorado. Public comment period begins June 1 and closes July 31. See BLM webpage: www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do
To see the Notice of Intent issued June 1, click here:
In advance of June 1, BLM hosted 7 public “envisioning meetings to discuss key management priorities for the resource management plan revision and the master leasing plan. BLM’s announcement further states,” Meetings wil be facilitated, teach you about the planning process, and include targeted questions to inspire brainstorming. Attendees wil strategize on how to meet competing needs and then share ideas with the BLM.”
Here is the meeting schedule for its scoping open houses during the public comment period:
Greeley:
Scoping Open House: June 16 5:30-7:30 pm
LocationL Greeley Recreation Center, 651 10th Avenue
Golden:
Scoping Open House: June 15 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Denver Marriott West, 1717 Denver West Blvd.
Fairplay:
Scoping Open House: June 24 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Fairplay Community Center, 880 Bogue Street (fairgrounds)
Salida:
Scoping Open House: June 23 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Salida High School, 26 Jones Avenue
Leadville:
Scoping Open House: June 25 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: National Mining Museum, 117 East 10th Street
Walsenburg:
Scoping Open House: June 30 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Huerfano County Community Center, 1038 Russell
Canon City:
Scoping Open House: June 29 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: June 3 – Washington Elementary School, 606 N. 9th Street
June 29 – The Abbey, Benedict Rm, 2951 E. Hwy 50 ( E. Frontage Road)
On May 28, 2015 the BLM released its plans for the public lands it manages in 10 western states to help conserve the greater sage grouse.
15-1225 was signed by Governor Hickenlooper on May 13 at the Rifle-Garfield County Regional Airport. The bill had passed the Senate on April 23 to the Governor’s desk.
1225 had been introduced in the Colorado House by Representatives KC Becker and Rankin and in the Senate by Roberts and Donovan on February 18, 2015. Its purpose is to provide grants from the Department of Local Affairs currently existing grants funds and technical assistance to local governments as they participate as a “cooperating agency” in BLM and US Forest Service planning processes for the federal public lands they manage in Colorado.
The bill was heard in the House Local Government Committee February 26 and passed 11-0 to the Appropriations Committee. It was amended before the vote to enable local governments to access Dept. of Local Affairs grants (from severance taxes) without a deduction in PILT payments. The bill passed on 2nd reading on March 9 and 3rd reading on March 10. The bill then moved to the Senate. It passed the Local Affairs Committee on March 24 unanimously, passed the Appropriations Committee and full Senate on third reading on April 23.
In testimony before the House Local Government Committee, CWF noted that a shining example of the role that local government can play in federal agencies’ planning processes – and actually in advance preparation – is Park County. What this County is doing in preparation for the BLM’s master leasing planning process can become a model for collaborative processes. This is much more productive way to work with federal land management agencies than Senate Bill 15-232 which would form a commission to study how to transfer such lands to the state “if” approved by Congress.
Here is the link to the bill: