News, July 16th

GARCO ASKS BLM TO EASE UP ON ROAN DRILLING RESTRICTIONS

GLENWOOD SPRINGS (AP) — Garfield County commissioners are seeking protection if any existing federal oil and gas leases on the Roan Plateau northwest of Rifle are canceled. The county is trying to protect itself from having to pay back millions of dollars of federal mineral lease funds, including money already invested in projects from Parachute to Carbondale.  The BLM is re-examining the Roan Plateau oil and gas resource plan following complaints from environmentalists.

SCALED BACK PITCO LIBRARY PLANS

ASPEN (AP) — Pitkin County Library officials are going before county commissioners with a reduced plan to improve the facility after voters rejected a bigger proposal last year. Library officials will ask permission from commissioners to use money from the library district’s $6 million capital reserve fund to pay for architectural fees for a scaled-back project.  The original plan to increase property taxes so the institution could use $5 million in bonds was rejected last year, along with a tax proposal that would have funded the operations of the larger library.

GOP  GOVERNORS MEETING IN ASPEN

Aspen—(AP) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker plans to join New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at a public forum next week in Aspen, followed by a private fundraiser in Denver. Walker is scheduled to appear July 25th at an event organized by the Aspen Institute. It’s billed as a conversation with Republican governors about what is working at the state level. Others scheduled to be in Aspen include Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory.  The following day Walker has scheduled a fundraiser at the Colorado Auto Dealers Association. He’ll be the keynote speaker as part of the Western Conservative Summit in Denver.

%d