The morning session kept the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) very busy. “The June 25 primary election is here,” announced Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon. She said 36,000 ballots will be in the mail Tuesday, June 4. On Wednesday, June 5, ballot drop-off locations will open at town halls in Carbondale, New Castle, Silt, Parachute, the county courthouse on 8th Street in Glenwood Springs and the Garfield County/Rifle Administration Building in Rifle. Early voting centers at the Glenwood Springs Community Center and the county fairgrounds in Rifle will be open from June 17 to 24. Four voting centers will be open on Election Day. Harmon directed voters who do not receive a ballot by June 12 to govote.com.
June 17 is the cut-off date for returning ballots by mail. For details, sample ballots, voter registration and more click here.
The BOCC approved two property tax abatements for a total of $27,750, the consent agenda and fairground fee waiver requests from two local church groups.
Public lands
Then it was on to a Good Neighbor Agreement modification between the county and the White River National Forest, and consideration of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to give the county cooperating agency status during the environmental review for the National Old-Growth Amendment (NOGA).
Based on a 2023 threat analysis of old-growth forests on USFS and Bureau of Land Management lands, the NOGA would amend 128 land management plans related to old-growth forests. But, some rural county governments in the West, including Garfield, are grumbling about being left out of the review process. Fred Jarman, county manager, provided background on the issue, including efforts by the American Stewards of Liberty (ASOL), a conservative public lands and property rights lobbying group, on behalf of western counties.
Jarman added that, normally, the USFS asks local counties to be cooperating agencies but, in this case, has not done so on a county-by-county basis. “The Forest Service seems to be flying at a very, very fast pace and is, in my opinion, leaving local government behind,” he said, encouraging the BOCC to sign the MOU.
Steve Kushner of 350 Colorado voiced concerns about ASOL’s long-term plans. “They’re mainly focused on delisting endangered species and they’re also doing some, what we would call these days, fear mongering about national parks where they want to retake the West,” he said.
Energy
Holy Cross Energy (HCE) president Bryan Hannegan offered a glowing report on the co-op’s strategies and successes, including a goal of 95-100% clean energy by 2030. “Our first stock in trade is to keep the lights on and the rates low,” he said. “After that, if we can make it cleaner, then great.” He said that HCE’s energy content was 50% carbon-free in 2023.
HCE has contracted for 150 megawatts (MW) of wind and 30 MW of solar from installations in eastern Colorado. In the HCE service area, energy sources include solar, storage and hydropower. Hannegan also mentioned new projects and a grant to boost wildfire readiness.
Commission Chair John Martin was the Debbie Downer of the discussion. “We’ll never reach 100%,” he said. “It’s important to recognize that we account for our carbon emissions, not only the power that’s being generated but also the resources that are being used to generate them.”
“The life cycle emissions on those resources are not zero,” Hannegan agreed. “But certainly, when we look at the life cycle emissions associated with our Comanche Three power plant shareholding, they are less.” He added that HCE is committed to recycling wind and solar materials.
Martin pointed out that the wind power industry is taking all the balsa wood out of the Amazon and that carbon-based fiberglass paint is used on the turbines. “So, good luck with the production,” he said. “If we would just have less use, we would be better off.”
Commissioners Jankovsky and Samson thanked Hannegan, congratulated HCE on its successes and, once again, touted natural gas and coal as necessary for China and India. Hannegan said that using solar and wind energy has saved millions of dollars that can now be invested in wildfire mitigation, cybersecurity and modernizing the grid. You can hear the entire conversation at the Garfield County website.
Eagles
Finally, ecologist Delia Malone and Aspen Glen resident Sibel Tekce presented results of a two-year study of Aspen Glen’s resident bald eagles and the Bald Eagle Buffer Zone (BEBZ).Three eaglets fledged this year in a nest further upstream from the original nest, which was blown down years ago; however, many eagles still use the BEBZ for foraging. Malone said the proximity of the foraging area to the nest plays a big role in successful rearing and fledging of the raptors.
The BEBZ continues to be a refuge for wildlife, including elk, deer and bears, said Tekce, adding that she saw elk near Hole 10 on the Aspen Glen golf course from January through March. “They’ve been using it more every year,” she said. “It’s their safe place.”
The afternoon session was canceled due to improper noticing for a public hearing.