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Montezuma County Officials to Review Draft Bill for Lower Dolores River National Conservation Area

Montezuma County Officials to Review Draft Bill for Lower Dolores River National Conservation Area

Montezuma County officials are preparing to review draft legislation for a proposed National Conservation Area (NCA) in the Lower Dolores River Canyon. The workshop, scheduled for September 16, will discuss the anticipated release of the NCA draft bill from U.S. Senator Michael Bennet's office. The proposed special land designation would encompass Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Dolores and San Miguel counties, downstream of McPhee Reservoir. While the specific details of the plan and the area's boundaries have not yet been publicly released, the workshop will involve Dolores and San Miguel county commissioners, representatives from Senator Bennet's office, and various advocacy groups. Montezuma County Commissioner Jim Candelaria emphasized the county's interest in reviewing the bill's language due to its proximity to the proposed NCA and its potential impact on their water source, McPhee Reservoir. The bill has not yet been introduced in Congress, and once it is, it will be available for broader p...
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Colorado Representatives Push for Expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation for Rocky Flats and Cotter Mill Victims

Colorado Representatives Push for Expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation for Rocky Flats and Cotter Mill Victims

Colorado Representatives Brittany Pettersen and Joe Neguse are advocating for an expansion of the 1990 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. This proposed expansion aims to recognize the Cotter uranium mill near Cañon City and the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant northwest of Denver as Manhattan Project waste sites. Such a designation would enable individuals residing in 57 specific zip codes near these sites, who have developed certain illnesses, to apply for medical expense reimbursement and a separate payment of $150,000. Additionally, the bill seeks to classify Colorado as a 'downwinder' state due to nuclear weapons testing in Nevada during the 1950s and 1960s. This would make Coloradans who lived in the state during that period and developed illnesses like leukemia and breast cancer eligible for restitution. Representative Pettersen initiated this legislation after hearing from constituents whose family members were ill or had passed away without qualifying for existing compensation.
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Rep. Gabe Evans' Bipartisan Bill Aims to Protect Communities from Data Center Electric Grid Upgrade Costs

Rep. Gabe Evans' Bipartisan Bill Aims to Protect Communities from Data Center Electric Grid Upgrade Costs

Rep. Gabe Evans, representing Colorado’s 8th district, has introduced the bipartisan "Ratepayer Protection Act." This legislation seeks to prevent local communities from bearing the financial burden of electric grid upgrades necessitated by the construction of new data centers. The bill has successfully passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee with unanimous support, indicating broad agreement on its objectives. The core intent of the act is to mandate that large-load electricity consumers, such as data centers, provide financial assurances to cover the infrastructure improvements required to meet their substantial electricity demands. This measure is designed to ensure that the costs associated with expanding and upgrading the electrical grid are not passed on to existing ratepayers, but rather are borne by the entities driving the increased demand. The bill's progression through the committee stage suggests it is moving towards a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Colorado Town of La Veta Faces Severe Water Shortage as Cucharas River Dries Up

Colorado Town of La Veta Faces Severe Water Shortage as Cucharas River Dries Up

The small town of La Veta, Colorado, with approximately 850 residents, is facing a critical water supply crisis as the Cucharas River, its primary water source, has completely dried up. This situation has prompted the town to implement stage four water use restrictions, which ban all outdoor water use. Huerfano County, where La Veta is located, is experiencing its second-most severe drought year in 132 years, with conditions ranging from extreme to exceptional. Neighboring counties, particularly in the San Luis Valley, are also reporting similar severe drought conditions. The Wahatoya and Daigre reservoirs, which serve downstream users, have been significantly drawn down, leaving behind cracked lakebeds and impacting local wildlife. Wells in the area are also going dry, and creek beds have turned to dust.
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Federal Judge Orders EPA to Reverse Reclassification of California Clean Air Act Waivers Amidst Congressional Debate

Federal Judge Orders EPA to Reverse Reclassification of California Clean Air Act Waivers Amidst Congressional Debate

A federal judge has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must reverse its reclassification of two Clean Air Act waivers granted to California, which the EPA had previously designated as 'rules' instead of 'orders.' This decision follows an earlier ruling where the same judge granted California a preliminary injunction regarding four other waivers. The reclassification by the EPA had made these waivers subject to potential overturn by Congress under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Despite the judicial orders, Congress is proceeding with scheduled votes this week on resolutions to rescind these waivers. House Democrats, including Rep. Joe Neguse, have criticized these congressional actions, arguing that the waivers are not subject to the CRA and that the resolutions are unlikely to pass the Senate.
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Lakewood, CO Offers Kayak and Stand-Up Paddleboard Rentals at Big Soda Lake

Lakewood, CO Offers Kayak and Stand-Up Paddleboard Rentals at Big Soda Lake

Lakewood, CO Offers Kayak and Stand-Up Paddleboard Rentals at Big Soda Lake
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Protect College Sports Act gets renewed push and fresh opposition as college football returns

Protect College Sports Act gets renewed push and fresh opposition as college football returns

Proponents of the Protect College Sports Act are pushing to pass the legislation through the Senate before the chamber breaks in the coming weeks
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Colorado Farmers Explore Black-Eyed Peas as Climate-Friendly Crop Amidst Growing Water Concerns

Colorado Farmers Explore Black-Eyed Peas as Climate-Friendly Crop Amidst Growing Water Concerns

Colorado farmers are increasingly considering black-eyed peas as a lucrative and climate-friendly crop, particularly as the state faces a drier and hotter future. This initiative is driven by the need for less water-intensive agriculture in response to climate change and dwindling water supplies. The Colorado Sun highlighted the potential of black-eyed peas, which are legumes native to sub-Saharan West Africa, as a viable option for farmers. Despite their historical presence in early Colorado, black-eyed peas have received mixed reviews over time. However, culinary experts, including 'Soul Food Scholar' Adrian Miller, are promoting diverse and interesting ways to prepare them, drawing from global recipes. This effort aims to create a stronger market for the crop and encourage both farmers to grow them and consumers to incorporate them into their diets.
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Wildfire Defense System Expands Across Western U.S.

Wildfire Defense System Expands Across Western U.S.

Frontline Wildfire Defense is expanding its wildfire defense system across the western United States, focusing on states like California, Colorado, Washington, Wyoming, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho. The company, founded in 2017, specializes in wildfire mitigation through innovative technology, including exterior sprinklers and remote monitoring systems. Their system has proven effective, with 96% of homes equipped with it surviving the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. As wildfires become more frequent and intense, Frontline aims to provide tools and strategies to help communities live safely with fire. The company is also hiring a Legal Operations Coordinator to manage compliance, permitting, and licensing processes across multiple states. [Source time: not specified]
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Colorado Offers Diverse Tax Credits to Stimulate Economic Development and Employment

Colorado Offers Diverse Tax Credits to Stimulate Economic Development and Employment

Colorado Offers Diverse Tax Credits to Stimulate Economic Development and Employment
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Rep. Brittany Pettersen Leads Bipartisan Bill to Expand Nuclear Radiation Compensation for Coloradans

Rep. Brittany Pettersen Leads Bipartisan Bill to Expand Nuclear Radiation Compensation for Coloradans

Representative Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat representing Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, is spearheading the bipartisan Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2026. This proposed legislation aims to broaden eligibility for federal compensation for individuals who have suffered illnesses due to exposure to nuclear radiation. The bill specifically seeks to recognize the Cotter uranium mill near Cañon City and the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant as Manhattan Project waste sites. This designation would allow residents in 57 zip codes surrounding these sites, who have developed specific illnesses, to apply for medical expense reimbursement and a $150,000 payment. Additionally, the bill would classify Colorado as a 'downwinder' state, making residents who lived in the state during the 1950s and 1960s nuclear weapons testing in Nevada eligible for restitution if they developed certain cancers. Rep. Pettersen initiated this legislation after hearing numerous accounts from constitu...
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Senator Jacky Rosen and Colleagues Oppose Interior Department's Wilderness Policy Review

Senator Jacky Rosen and Colleagues Oppose Interior Department's Wilderness Policy Review

U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) has joined Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and eight other colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The letter expresses strong opposition to the Interior Department's ongoing wilderness management policy review. The senators argue that this review could jeopardize the wilderness character of public lands and potentially disqualify them for future congressional designation, thereby undermining Congress's role in wilderness management. They contend that the review is a tactic by the current administration to weaken protections for nearly 200 million acres of public land. The lawmakers highlighted that it is unusual for the Interior Department to seek public comment on its agencies' general operating procedures for land management planning. They also noted that this review is part of broader efforts by the administration to reduce protections for national monuments and cultural resource areas, sell public lands in the West, an...