FEATURE:
Today KVNF's Marty Durlin brings us to the Hands Off protests that organizers say millions of people around the country turned out for. Some 1500 people participated in the Montrose event and there were 2500 in Grand Junction. Paonia attracted 150.
LOCAL News:
The Bureau of Land Management is taking another look at the air quality and climate impacts of two major drilling projects proposed about 15 miles northeast of Paonia. The agency is now accepting public comment on updated environmental assessments for the Bull Mountain project and a separate five-pad project — together totaling up to 226 wells.
The Bull Mountain plan, led by SG Interests, would drill up to 201 wells targeting both federal and private minerals. A second plan by SG Interests and Gunnison Energy includes 25 wells from five additional pads. According to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Though both projects were approved years ago, a federal judge ruled in 2019 that BLM hadn’t fully analyzed the climate impacts from burning the oil and gas produced. That ruling followed a lawsuit by Paonia-based Citizens for a Healthy Community.
BLM’s new assessment estimates the combined federal wells could contribute up to 4% of greenhouse gas emissions from all federally managed oil and gas in Colorado. The original Bull Mountain study predicted more than 600 jobs and $115 million in economic benefits over the life of the project.
Public comments are due by April 14. Maps and more information are at eplanning.blm.gov, or call 970-876-9000.
BLM says it wants to ensure oil and gas is developed in a “responsible” way.
You can get that full story at GJSentinel.com
LOCAL NEWS:
Boating season is officially underway in Colorado's southwest region. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has opened the boat ramp at Ridgway State Park as of April 1st, with Aquatic Nuisance Species inspections available daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Navajo State Park's ramp opened March 1st, while Crawford's opens April 7th and Paonia's on May 19th - though Paonia will be closed to motorized boats on Tuesdays for wakeless days.
At Sweitzer Lake, cr ews are nearly finished with dam repairs and will begin refilling the reservoir April 15th, with the ramp expected to open by mid-May once water levels rise nine feet.
CPW reminds boaters that all vessels must be registered, carry proper life jackets for each passenger, and have an ANS stamp. Rangers emphasize the importance of cleaning, draining and drying boats to prevent invasive species.
