Highway 133
There’s been a lot of development along the Highway 133 corridor through town over the last decade. Has it become more attractive, uglier, safer or more dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists? Is it keeping with goal number one in the Town’s newly adopted comprehensive plan, to “actively preserve and protect Carbondale’s small-town character?” Do you think Highway 133 is friendly to people of all ages and abilities?
The Carbondale Age-Friendly Community Initiative wants to know your opinions about this. We want to talk with you about what you think and what experiences you’ve had on the renewed Highway 133. We would also love for you to complete a survey on the subject. After we finish collecting the information, we’re going to summarize and collate it. Then, we’re going to advocate for policies, regulations and projects based on what you tell us.
Look for us from 5 to 8pm on First Friday (May 5) alongside the Bike, Pedestrian and Trails Commission, and at other town events this spring and summer. We will also post relevant links to our social media pages.
Ron Kokish, CAFCI
Justice Clarence Thomas
The Supreme Court has a serious ethics problem, and the latest revelations about Clarence Thomas should be alarming to every American.
For 20 years, Thomas has accepted high-end, luxury, all-expense-paid vacations around the world from Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow. And, he never disclosed any of it to the public. What’s more, he also sold three properties to the billionaire and never reported it on his financial disclosures. The vacations are blatantly unethical, and not reporting the real estate sales is potentially illegal.
Supreme Court decisions impact every facet of American life. Because of this, justices must be held to the highest ethical standards. When Americans see news like this about Clarence Thomas — or any other justice — the Court demonstrates that it cannot hold itself accountable and it doesn’t take its responsibilities seriously.
A Court with no legitimacy only hurts the American people. It’s time for Congress to pass a Supreme Court code of ethics to bring legitimacy back to the court.
Barbara O’Connor, Carbondale
‘Stop! In the name of love’
“Stop! In the name of love, before you break my heart,” is just what I’m thinking when I see this Valley build, build, build. “Think it over, think it over.”
Does this Valley really need thousands upon thousands of more people? Everywhere you look there are new houses and new apartments. The prices to buy and to rent keep going up. People said there are not enough so we should build more, and the prices will come down. How’s that working out?
Why is this happening? Easy answer: this is a nice place to live, with beautiful surroundings and lots to do. Clean air. Good schools.
But hey, this is a narrow valley. The traffic gets worse by the day. Air quality is showing problems now and then. We are facing serious water shortages. Much of what we need and use here has to be brought in by truck, and those supply lines are going to suffer from climate change problems — like fires and rock slides. Local amenities like skiing and hiking are getting used much more. Reservations are a thing. Working people are having to move farther away and with that comes more commuting.
All of the new living spaces lead to an increase in population. More people require more services. Services from daycare, to health care, to a myriad of other basic needs must be expanded. Still more growth.
“I’ve tried so hard, hard to be patient; hoping you’ll stop this infatuation.” Well, we all know what this song is getting to: communication. We really need to talk, before too many of us get that broken heart.
Patrick Hunter, Carbondale
Holy Cross
At the risk of being canceled by my friends in the solar business, I’ll say I generally support Holy Cross Energy’s (HCE) new rate proposal. For new solar photovoltaic (PV) owners, it encourages energy storage and self-consumption, which are needed to further reduce fossil-based, greenhouse gas polluting backup generation. Existing solar owners get a break, and all customers are encouraged to electrify heating and vehicles. When I was a solar thermal installer in the ‘80s we had to install storage; we could not send hot water back into the grid. I installed an off-grid solar system for a buddy in 1995 and we had to put in primitive batteries.
In another article, Colorado Solar and Storage Association Chief Executive Officer Mike Kruger was quoted saying, “Holy Cross is solving a problem that’s a decade off.” The “problem” being over-generation by renewables at certain times. Based on recent hourly Colorado generation and consumption, that problem is here. Just last week, the Energy Information Administration’s hourly grid monitor for Public Service Company (PSCo)/Xcel showed renewable generation at 70-80% of consumption during much of Thursday and Friday. PSCo/Xcel had to sell off 15% to neighboring utilities because it could not further turn down its boiler-based coal and gas generators.
This was never the case 15 years ago when the net-metering law was enacted. There are also many periods when only 20% is from wind and solar, and a few dark calm hours with almost none. In other locations with similar solar or wind shares, their electric rates are changing, often more dramatically than what HCE is proposing.
We need to adapt to this new reality, and HCE’s new rates encourage that. I just had my southwest roof filled with PV panels. But, to minimize fossil fuel backup from the grid, perhaps I should have installed fewer panels and some batteries, which were offered by my solar installer. To make up for my oversight, I just geeked out by scheduling the car charger, water heater and a space heater during off-peak hours and periods with high solar or wind production. Given the number of apps to be coordinated, a teenager might have been helpful. Supposedly climate-concerned teens feel powerless about emission reductions. Here’s a job for them. Homes without solar or electric vehicles can participate. First, turn off the roof and gutter heaters.
“Concerns” about resources for renewables, in particular for batteries, are being exaggerated right now. Lithium mines, cobalt, nickel and energy inputs should be considered. However, substitutions are available or are just over the horizon. Lithium-ferrous (iron) batteries have been taking market share for years, eliminating cobalt and nickel. Heat storage, iron and zinc chemistry and flow batteries are being deployed. Twenty giant factories are under construction for sodium-ion batteries and the first cars using them are rolling off the lines in China. The best source of that sodium: the trona mines of southern Wyoming.
Fred W. Porter, Carbondale
Holy Cross 2.0
Pertaining to Holy Cross Energy’s rate restructuring, higher electrical distribution expenses have been more than offset by rising electricity revenues for the period 2019 to 2021 (per IRS form 990). Two of the biggest expense increases have been executive compensation which has gone from $3.8 million in 2019 to $4.8 million in 2021.
Also, investment management expenses have gone from unreported in 2019 to $6.7 million in 2021. To justify a rate restructuring increase based on rising executive compensation and an exponential investment management fee increase, hardly seems justified to a population that is just struggling to stay living in Holy Cross’ service area. It may be at some point down the road that a small upward adjustment in the electrical distribution charge can be justified, but that point has not yet arrived.
Mike Meehan, Eagle County
Down with development
Finally, some smart folks in Rifle have stood up to the dirt pushers of development in our fair valleys. Rifle said no to annexing a piece of Garfield County for yet another subdivision.
The old song says, “Paved paradise to put up a parking lot.” But we haven’t been satisfied with only cement carpets, no, we cover up our skies with tall ticky-tacky tenements to be. Heck, developers have even hidden views of Mt. Sopris from the center of Carbondale.
Nancy Reagan’s “just say no” solution to drugs didn’t work too well, but it’s the perfect answer for devious developers’ dubious dreams.
Bruno Kirchenwitz, Rifle