Steve Kuschner, organizer for 350 Roaring Fork, spoke up during the morning public comment period at Monday’s Garfield County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting, drawing attention to a letter, which would otherwise not have been discussed publicly due to its placement on the consent agenda.
The letter is an invitation from the BOCC to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to be guest speakers at Garfield County’s 2026 Energy and Environment Symposium next April, focusing on energy security, public lands and rural economic resilience.
It cites a 2016 U.S. Department of the Interior geologic survey that put Garfield County’s “undiscovered and technically recoverable” shale natural gas deposits at 66 trillion cubic feet, shale oil at 74 million barrels and natural gas liquids at 45 million barrels, all in the Piceance Basin. The letter also highlights the county’s midstream pipelines and a commitment to liquid natural gas exports. It presents extraction of the county’s fossil fuel resources as a way to stabilize the rural economy.
Kuschner urged the BOCC to move away from depending on non-renewable energy extraction to bolster the local economy, to understand that natural gas contributes to greenhouse gases, to invest in renewable technologies and prioritize conservation of public lands.
“The reliance on federally-managed lands for expanded fossil fuel extraction risks disrupting ecosystems, wildlife habitats and water resources, which are vital to environmental health and biodiversity,” he explained.
Kuschner requested a community forum around the time of next year’s energy symposium. Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky reminded Kuschner that the public comment period was not a time for decisions from the board.
“There are differences of opinion to your opinions here on this board,” he added. “I would refer you to the Department of Energy’s latest study or paper on greenhouse gases and climate change. And I’ll just leave it at that.” He suggested that Kuschner contact the Garfield Clean Energy Collaborative.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Mike Samson said he respects Mr. Kuschner’s comments but that energy development is crucial to the nation’s independence. “There is no reason in the world that I can think of that this nation should not be energy independent totally,” he said, “and should be supplying energy to the rest of the world.”
Kimberly Leisinger of Silt spoke next about the difficulties she has with public transportation, urging the BOCC to continue to support RFTA’s downvalley bus system. She stated that she has a disability that sometimes prohibits her from driving and that the RFTA bus schedule makes it hard to get to and from medical appointments. Jankovsky directed her to The Traveler, a transportation service for county residents living with a disability.
The first item on the agenda was the annual presentation by Linda Morcom of the Captain Richard Sopris Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to proclaim the week of Sept. 17 to 24 as Constitution Week. Samson read the short proclamation aloud, which commemorates the 236th anniversary of the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.
Four action items remained on the agenda, including filling a vacant position at Community Corrections, approving two letters of support and a review of county health insurance coverage and cost options. The BOCC chose an option recommended by the county finance department and former human resources manager Diane Hayes that will increase county costs by 2.5%.
County budget meetings for the next fiscal year begin on Tuesday, Oct. 7 and run on consecutive Tuesdays for three weeks.