Silt–In Silt, the Bureau of Land Management held the first of several public open houses last night on oil shale development. Federal officials are taking public comments for another month or so and are urging people to be specific with their remarks and keep emotions out of it. The BLM is focusing on limited research and development in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.
Rifle–The Garfield Re-2 School District is considering a four-day week next year as a way to save money. The board will discuss it during it’s meeting this afternoon at 4:30 at Kathryn Senor Elementary School in New Castle.
Glenwood Springs–Colorado Mountain College students are going to have to pay a little more next year for tuition, room and board. The CMC board of trustees voted to raise rates to make up for a projected 300 thousand loss in state funding.
Carbondale–The snowpack in the Roaring Fork Watershed continues to plummet. According to the latest numbers, the watershed is now at 71 percent of average for this time of year.
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) – The Aspen City Council has delayed an
election on a new hydroelectric plant until November.
Council members on Monday canceled an ordinance granting
land-use approvals necessary for the project.
Council members rejected a petition from residents who were trying
to force a vote in May on the Castle Creek hydro plant.
The city is seeking to build a 1.1 megawatt hydropower plant
that would take water from Maroon Creek and Castle Creek.
Opponents say the water diversion would hurt the creeks.
DENVER (AP) – Colorado regulators are questioning Xcel Energy’s
use of private jets while seeking a rate increase from customers.
The Minneapolis-based utility is seeking $1.1 million for use of
its two corporate jets as part of a $142 million electricity-rate
increase. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission staff says ratepayers
shouldn’t pick up the tab. The cost of operating one of the leased, eight-seat jets is more than $4,600 an hour. The company says it saves time and money by not using commercial flights.
