Correction: Last week’s article,“‘This administration is burning the rule book,’” stated that there are seven parcels on the Roan Plateau subject to a prospective natural gas lease sale slated for December. There are five parcels within the Roan Plateau Management Area (RPMA) and two with stipulations outside the RPMA.
Thank you, Near New
Many thanks to Near New for its donation of cutlery to Mountain Valley Greenhouse (MVG).
The dozens of forks, spoons and knives are used each lunchtime by the MVG gardeners who work in the supported-employment program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disorders.
It’s important that the gardeners and staff use recycled cutlery because the ethos at MVG is one of green gardening that creates a sustainable, harmonious relationship with the local ecosystem.
The greenhouse utilizes solar heating and worm beds to develop soil and natural fertilizer.
The composting piles are enriched by food and plant waste given to the flock of chickens, Gladys Knight and the Pips, which evolves into more fertilizer.
It is a commitment to chemical-free gardening practices in and out of the soil that truly makes MVG green!
Sara Sims
Glenwood Springs
Disaster relief
Is your emergency go-bag ready? It should be.
As of July 2, 15 wildfires were burning across Colorado. Fortunately, FEMA is coordinating federal resources to provide financial aid and recovery assistance.
Unfortunately, after the 2025 Elk and Lee fires, FEMA denied Governor Jared Polis’ request for disaster relief. The governor appealed the decision and Rep. Jeff Hurd, whose district includes both fire areas, urged the Trump administration to issue disaster declarations. The administration issued a final denial in April 2026, leaving Colorado and local governments to shoulder the recovery costs.
In response, Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper introduced the Disaster Declaration Transparency Act of 2026, which would create a fast-track congressional process to override a president’s denial of federal disaster relief. A spokesperson for the representative said Hurd will continue advocating for disaster assistance and relief but has not said whether he will co-sponsor the specific legislation.
Please contact Rep. Hurd and urge him to co-sponsor the Disaster Declaration Transparency Act. Disaster assistance and relief should not depend on the whim of any one president.
And while you’re at it, prepare your own household. Pack that emergency go-bag and sign up for your county’s emergency notification system. Wildfires are a fact of life in Colorado. We should all be ready — and our federal government should be, too.
Nancy Peterson
Carbondale
BikeThere!
On behalf of Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) and Garfield Clean Energy (GCE), we wanted to thank everyone who made this year’s BikeThere! event a success.
Over 400 people from Parachute to Aspen came together on June 24 and joined the BikeThere! movement, a regional celebration of Colorado Bike to Work Day.
Given the common lengthy commutes in our region, it’s not always possible for people to ride their bike to work, but many of us can still choose to bike for a trip to the grocery store, library, bike shop and more. That’s exactly what folks in Parachute/Battlement Mesa, Rifle, Silt, New Castle, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt and Aspen did this year for BikeThere!
And if you didn’t have time to participate on June 24, you can still sign up and log your walking, biking, taking the bus and carpooling trips on Two Rivers Connect, now through July 24, during the Way to Roll summer campaign. Find out more at cleanenergyeconomy.net/tworiversconnect/
A special thanks to all the station hosts who made it possible to have 18 stations from Parachute to Aspen and all the prize sponsors. Your time and involvement made sure everyone had plenty of good reasons to BikeThere!
Thanks to our partners: Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), City of Glenwood Springs and City of Aspen. We also want to thank our sponsors: Colorado Department of Transportation, Alpine Bank, Grand River Health, Watershed Environmental Giving Circle and Aspen One. BikeThere! wouldn’t be successful without the help and support from so many throughout our community.
Dova Castañeda Zilly
CLEER and GCE
Inhumane, dangerous
M-44 cyanide bombs are back, and we must act quickly.
M-44s, more descriptively called “cyanide bombs,” are inhumane, spring-loaded traps that are designed to spray sodium cyanide into the faces of unsuspecting wildlife lured by the sweet, scented bait.
After reintroduction by the current administration, a government agency with little oversight has partnered with private businesses to scatter deadly poison bombs across our public lands. A federal program called Wildlife Services, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has been slaughtering wildlife deemed “undesirable” by agribusiness.
These traps are designed to indiscriminately kill predators — horribly, cruelly, releasing the toxic chemical cyanide.
They had been banned because of the deadly impact they have on wildlife, children and pets.
They’re even more dangerous now because of the volume of people and pets that venture out into wildlife areas and public land.
The bait used on these bombs attracts any animal that will eat meat.
Birds: Raptors, including our national bird the bald eagle, golden eagles, turkey vultures and many other birds are attracted to the scent of meat.
Mammals: All omnivores and carnivores, including bears, foxes, bobcats and endangered wildlife.
Pets: Dogs, cats and any other animal that pulls on the baited trigger can suffer torturous poisoning followed by a slow, agonizing death or severe injury.
Children and adults: Any that may be curious or try to save a pet.
Contact your county commissioners now and ask that they immediately prohibit this practice on our public lands. It involves a simple search that could yield profound and life-saving results.
Contact Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd and request that they vote down this legislation that was recently reintroduced.
Mary Harris, Chair
Roaring Fork Audubon