Environmental News
Environmental News from Boulder, Colorado
2013 Hessie Trailhead Shuttle Program Meeting – May 21 in Nederland
May 15th
Come out and meet the summer rangers and learn about the 2013 Hessie Trailhead shuttle program − Tuesday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Nederland Community Library
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County will run a free shuttle service again on weekends and holidays from June 2 to Oct. 6 to carry passengers from Nederland Middle/Senior High School to the Hessie Trailhead, a popular entry point for accessing the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.
The Hessie Trailhead shuttle program began last summer to address the issue of increased parking and traffic congestion on the way to the trailhead. This year it will be extended to include peak “leaf peeping” weekends in the fall.
While the trailhead itself is managed by the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, the road that accesses the trailhead is managed and maintained by Boulder County. Parking near the trailhead and on nearby roads such as 4th of July Road is extremely limited, and Boulder County Parks & Open Space rangers are responsible for enforcing strict parking regulations in the area.
Rather than driving directly to the trailhead, visitors are encouraged to take the RTD ‘N’ bus to Nederland from Boulder or park at Nederland Middle/Senior High School and take the free shuttle instead.
An informational meeting to discuss updates to the shuttle program and to meet the rangers who will be in charge of parking enforcement this summer has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 21:
What: 2013 Hessie Shuttle Kickoff Meeting and Meet the Rangers Event
When: 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 21
Where: Nederland Community Library, 200 Hwy 72, Nederland (map)
It is not necessary to RSVP to the meeting, and family, friends and neighbors are all encouraged to attend.
Shuttle Service:
The shuttle service will begin Sunday, June 2 and will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays throughout the summer. The shuttle will also run on holidays over the summer including Independence Day (July 4) and Labor Day (Sept. 2). This year, the shuttle operation schedule has been extended until Sunday, Oct. 6 to accommodate the peak autumn leaf season.
Details:
- Park and catch the free shuttle at Nederland Middle/Senior High School (map)
- Take RTD’s ‘N’ route from Boulder and transfer to the shuttle at Nederland Middle/Senior High School
- Shuttle arrives every 15 minutes
- Leashed dogs are welcome on board on the shuttle
- Parking is for day use only; overnight users should make other arrangements
If you are unable to attend the meeting and would like more information or you would like to provide feedback, visit www.HessieTrailhead.com or contact Scott McCarey at smccarey@bouldercounty.org or 720-564-2665.
Boulder County’s moratorium on oil and gas drilling permits is scheduled to expire on June 10
May 4th
If we do nothing, Boulder County residents and our land, water and air will be threatened with exposure to the hundreds of toxic chemicals that are used in the hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” fluid to break apart rock and release “natural gas” (methane). The chemicals include known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors that, even in small amounts, when released in emissions or spills, can damage the human immune, respiratory, neurological and reproductive systems—with children, pregnant women and elders being the most vulnerable. In addition, methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and with 3-9% of methane reported to leak from fracking wellheads, it is contributing significantly to climate change.
TAKE ACTION: Contact the County Commissioners @ commissioners@bouldercounty.org to ask for a multi-year moratorium on fracking until we have results of neutral health impact research such as the National Science Foundation study due in 2018. Before issuing any oil and gas drilling permits, we need to first know the public safety impacts of hydraulic fracturing.
A multi-year moratorium based on the need for health impact studies on fracking would allow time for the results of medical and scientific studies now in the works to be finalized, including a 5-year $12 million study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) being coordinated by the University of Colorado at Boulder, an EPA study on “Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources,” and a multi-year study by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment with Colorado State University.
Your personal email will make a difference.
Thank you for your help!
Noxious weeds on the city’s “hit” list
May 2nd
As a result of a state mandate to eliminate “List A” noxious weed species from all public and private property in Colorado communities, the City of Boulder is proposing an update to its existing weed ordinance to require property owners to remove the weeds from all properties.
“List A” weed species, as provided in the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, are plants that have yet to be well established in Colorado but are either present in small populations or are invasive in nearby states. There are two species of “List A” weeds that are of most concern within Boulder’s city limits: myrtle spurge and Japanese knotweed. The city was awarded a grant through the Colorado Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Management Fund to assist in an educational plan.
“Early detection and eradication of these particular species can prevent them from becoming a major problem in Colorado,” said city Integrated Pest Management Coordinator Rella Abernathy. “Most of these plants are ‘escaped’ ornamental plants and many residents may not realize that they present a threat to the natural lands surrounding Boulder and are illegal to grow here.”
These noxious, invasive plants can negatively impact biodiversity, threaten endangered species, degrade native habitat, displace wildlife, increase soil erosion, damage streams and other wetlands and increase the risk and frequency of wildfires if allowed to spread. Boulder is in compliance with the Colorado Noxious Weed Act on city-owned properties but has not been enforcing the statue on private property.
The city will focus on education and outreach to notify the public of the requirements and to provide information for identification, environmentally-sound weed removal and suggested replacement plant options.
“A soft enforcement approach is being implemented with voluntary compliance being the goal and enforcement action being a last resort,” said Code Enforcement Supervisor Jennifer Riley. “However, ticketing is possible if property owners do not comply with repeated requests from officers to address illegal weeds.”
Education will begin with a “Purge Your Spurge” event on May 18 where residents are encouraged to pull their myrtle spurge and exchange it for free native plants. This event will occur as part of Boulder Community Day at the East Boulder Community Center, 5660 Sioux Drive, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other education efforts will include a webpage; fact sheets; media engagement; outreach to nurseries, landscapers and lawn care companies; and code enforcement officers who assist with education in the field.
“Identifying and removing noxious weeds from private property can take some effort, but it’s important to prevent these weeds from spreading to our neighbors’ yards and ultimately to natural areas,” said Abernathy. “Fortunately, only two of the weeds from the list are widespread within the Boulder city limits, myrtle spurge being the most common. We want to make sure people can easily identify the weeds, know how to remove them safely and know what native plants can be used to replace them.”
Myrtle spurge has been commonly used as a decorative plant. People should be aware that it contains a white sap that can cause skin irritation including blistering if touched. Those removing it should wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves and eye protection. Removing at least four inches of the root is recommended to prevent its return. It should be placed in a plastic bag and tightly fastened. DON’T compost noxious weeds as that will cause the weed to spread.
The city’s weed ordinance is expected to be modified through a City Manager rule change, which will be published in the Daily Camera on May 3, as well as on the city’s website. Public feedback will be accepted until May 20. The rule is anticipated to go into effect on June 1, 2013.
For more information or to provide feedback on the proposed City Manager’s rule, contact Rella Abernathy at 303-441-1901.
— CITY OF BOULDER NEWS RELEASE –
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