Environmental News
Environmental News from Boulder, Colorado
EnergySmart hosting public input sessions
Jul 23rd
Boulder County, Colo. – The EnergySmart program is hosting a series of public input sessions for residents and business owners to provide feedback to EnergySmart staff, ask questions, and hear updates on the program to date.
The sessions are free and open to current and prospective EnergySmart customers, and anyone wanting more information about the program.
Snacks will be provided. RSVPs are appreciated but not required.
Schedule
- Boulder (RSVP)
Thursday, July 26, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St.
- Louisville (RSVP)
Tuesday, July 31, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Rex Restaurant, 817 Main St.
- Longmont (RSVP)
Wednesday, Aug. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids, 1555 S. Hover St.
Visit www.EnergySmartYes.com for more information.
City to lift some seasonal raptor closures early
Jul 20th
The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) department will lift the following raptor closures effective Monday, July 23: Third Flatiron, The Matron, Skunk Canyon, Bear Creek Spire, Flagstaff Mountain, Fern Canyon, and The Sphinx.
The following closures will remain in effect through Tuesday, July 31, to continue to protect nesting raptors: Back Porch and The Box, Mickey Mouse Wall, Kolb, and Coal Creek. OSMP will also be lifting seasonal closures established to protect ground-nesting birds on the originally scheduled date of Tuesday, July 31. However, the property known as Superior Associates—north of the Coalton Trail—will remain closed through Oct. 31 because of the presence of nesting burrowing owls.
This year marked another successful season for raptors nesting on OSMP. Below is a table detailing what OSMP staff and volunteers recorded this season:
| Species | Number of Nesting Attempts | Number of Successful Nesting Attempts | Number of Fledglings |
| Peregrine Falcon | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Prairie Falcon | 4 | 4 | 17 |
| Golden Eagle | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 2 | 3 |
This year was the most productive year for Peregrine Falcons since OSMP monitoring began in 1984. Volunteer raptor monitors are an integral part of the success of the monitoring program. Thank you to all the volunteer raptor monitors!
OSMP relies heavily on the public to respect the closures and the cooperation of visitors to these areas is greatly appreciated. OSMP would specifically like to highlight the cooperation among the Boulder climbing community with respect to these closures.
Mountain residents urged to review insurance policies
Jul 16th
Boulder County and Foothills United Way to host two free insurance workshops
Boulder County, Colo. – Recent fires all along the Front Range have served as catastrophic reminders of the need for foothills and mountain dwellers to make sure they are adequately insured before disaster strikes.
Now is a critical time for mountain residents to check their insurance policies and ensure their homes are adequately covered and to take some easy steps to prepare for any disaster.
Foothills United Way and Boulder County are holding two free educational workshops to help residents make sure they are properly insured and to learn how to be prepared for any natural disaster:
- Nederland – Monday, July 23, 7-8:30 p.m.
Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72
- Boulder – Tuesday, July 24, 6:30-8 p.m.
Commissioners’ Hearing Room, Boulder County Courthouse, third floor, 1325 Pearl St.
The workshops will cover several topics, including:
- Lessons learned from Fourmile Canyon Fire Survivors
- Tips from United Policyholders’ ‘Roadmap to Preparedness’ Program (www.uphelp.org)
- How to ensure your insurance policy accurately reflects the real cost of rebuilding in the mountains west of Boulder
- Practical ways your family can be prepared in the case of a natural disaster
Often, the cost to rebuild, especially in the mountains, exceeds the amount of coverage policyholders carry for their homes and other property. Adding to this problem is the homeowner’s lack of awareness that the policies they carry are inadequate.
“One of the hard lessons of the Fourmile Canyon Fire was that more than 60 percent of property owners were underinsured,” said Garry Sanfaçon, Boulder County’s Fourmile Fire Recovery Manager. “These workshops will give people the tools they need to make sure they are adequately covered.”
