Save the date: PLAN Jeffco Board Meeting, January 22nd, 2015, 7PM – 9PM at Saint Anthony’s Hospital Auditorium C. All PLAN Jeffco Board meetings are open to the public; please RSVP to contactus@planjeffco.org if you plan to attend, in case there is a last-minute change of venue.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife is planning a “controlled burn” of 701 acres in the southern section of Rocky Flats. LeRoy Moore, PhD, a consultant with the Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center and Boulder resident who has followed Rocky Flats for 35 years, has raised the alarm.
We first heard of this plan via Judy Dennison’s “Golden Newsletter”. Judy re-published a letter that Dr. Moore had written for the Boulder Camera, the full text of which can be found at http://www.dailycamera.com/Opinion/ci_26988064/LeRoy-Moore:-Rocky-Flats-burn-a-bad-idea
Rocky Flats, which is now a National Wildlife Refuge, is managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife. During the 40 years (1952-1989) when Rocky Flats housed a nuclear weapons plant, there were documented episodes of plutonium release, on-site and off-site. The subsequent Superfund Cleanup “stabilized” Rocky Flats by sequestering plutonium particles in the soil.
The concerns of Dr. Moore and his colleagues is that, when the soil is disturbed, as it will be by a burn of this magnitude, it will release the plutonium into the air. Aerosolized plutonium is the most dangerous form this radioactive contaminant can assume, since it’s easily inhaled by unknowing victims. And plutonium doesn’t destabilize and loose its radioactivity very quickly. From http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/plutonium.html: “… the half–lives of plutonium isotopes tend to be relatively long: Pu-238 has a half–life of 87.7 years; Pu-239 has a half–life is 24,100 years, and Pu-240 has a half–life of 6,560 years. The decay process continues until a stable, non-radioactive element is formed.”
This week, both the Golden Transcript and the Westminster Window have picked up the news story and detailed it more completely. To read these articles, go to The Golden Transcript, http://goldentranscript.net/stories/Activists-speak-out-against-Flats-burn,175258 or The Westminster Window, http://westminsterwindow.com/stories/Activists-speak-out-against-Flats-burn,175258 . The articles quote Paula Elofsen-Gardin — a Rocky Flats activist and longtime researcher of Rocky Flats history, David Lucas — refuge manager for the Fish & Wildlife Service, Michelle Gabrioloff-Parish — resident of nearby Superior, CO, which is downwind of Rocky Flats, and Dr. Moore — former professor and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center.
Dr. Moore has created an online petition located at http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/cancel-the-prescribed?source=c.em.mt&r_by=364519. It requests that the Fish & Wildlife Service consider cancelling the prescribed burn (scheduled for sometime in April of 2015) because of the potential for plutonium release as a result of this burn.
by Michelle Poolet
U.S. Fish & Wildlife is planning a “controlled burn” of 701 acres in the southern section of Rocky Flats. LeRoy Moore, PhD, a consultant with the Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center and Boulder resident who has followed Rocky Flats for 35 years, has raised the alarm.
We first heard of this plan via Judy Dennison’s “Golden Newsletter”. Judy re-published a letter that Dr. Moore had written for the Boulder Camera, the full text of which can be found here: Rocky Flats burn a bad idea.
Rocky Flats, which is now a National Wildlife Refuge, is managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife. During the 40 years (1952-1989) when Rocky Flats housed a nuclear weapons plant, there were documented episodes of plutonium release, on-site and off-site. The subsequent Superfund Cleanup “stabilized” Rocky Flats by sequestering plutonium particles in the soil.
The concerns of Dr. Moore and his colleagues is that, when the soil is disturbed, as it will be by a burn of this magnitude, it will release the plutonium into the air. Aerosolized plutonium is the most dangerous form this radioactive contaminant can assume, since it’s easily inhaled by unknowing victims. And plutonium doesn’t destabilize and loose its radioactivity very quickly. From the EPA website: “… the half-lives of plutonium isotopes tend to be relatively long: Pu-238 has a half-life of 87.7 years; Pu-239 has a half-life is 24,100 years, and Pu-240 has a half-life of 6,560 years. The decay process continues until a stable, non-radioactive element is formed.”
This week, both the Golden Transcript and the Westminster Window have picked up the news story and detailed it more completely. To read these articles, go to The Golden Transcript, or The Westminster Window. The articles quote Paula Elofsen-Gardin — a Rocky Flats activist and longtime researcher of Rocky Flats history, David Lucas — refuge manager for the Fish & Wildlife Service, Michelle Gabrioloff-Parish — resident of nearby Superior, CO, which is downwind of Rocky Flats, and Dr. Moore — former professor and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center.
Dr. Moore has created an online petition located at: Cancel the “prescribed burn” at Rocky Flats. It requests that the Fish & Wildlife Service consider cancelling the prescribed burn (scheduled for sometime in April of 2015) because of the potential for plutonium release as a result of this burn.
by Tim Sandsmark, Lookout Region Supervisor, Jeffco Open Space
Apex Park fully reopened on Monday, Nov. 24 for the first time since the devastating floods of September 2013.
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Jeffco Open Space staff installed several bridges and abutments last week on lower Apex Trail, which was the only remaining area closed. To maximize efficiency and effectiveness, a helicopter was used to deliver the staff-built bridge decks to the park for final assembly and installation. Visitors can now access all 9.5 miles of trail at the popular 697-acre park.
With the full reopening, odd-day directional travel by mountain bikers will be reinstated on Apex, Argos and Enchanted Forest trails, as had been in effect prior to the flooding events.
The flood event severely damaged 3.8 miles – roughly 40 percent – of the trails at Apex Park, which was one of two Jeffco Open Space Parks closed in its entirety. Using a phased approach to recovery, staff and volunteers repaired washed-out segments of the Apex, Pick ‘N Sledge, Sluicebox, Enchanted Forest, Hardscrabble, Grubstake, Bonanza, Poco Calle and Argos trails.
Community support and staff dedication were vital to the recovery effort. Volunteers put in a total of 906 hours during 16 separate projects to reopen the Park for public enjoyment.
“We appreciate everybody’s patience and all the great support we’ve had from volunteers and trail users,” said Kim Frederick, Trail Services Supervisor for Jeffco Open Space. “We’re looking forward to completing flood recovery at other locations.”
Remaining repairs on the Mustang and Wrangler’s Run trails at White Ranch Park will continue during the winter as weather conditions allow. The projection to open those trails, as well as the Mesa Top Trail at North Table Mountain Park, is late spring or early summer 2015. Work is also ongoing on a formalized trailhead on the east side of Apex Park, which is slated to open in spring 2015.
For a bird’s eye view of bridge installation, see www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gp0CAeMoxA
MORE INFO:
Apex Park is scheduled to be closed starting at 5 p.m. Wed., Nov. 19 and continuing all day on Thurs., Nov. 20. The closure will allow for safe and efficient staging and delivery of materials for new bridges along several sections of heavily damaged lower Apex Trail. Also on Nov. 20, from 7 a.m. to noon, portions of trails in the southwest section of White Ranch Park—Sawmill, Mustang and Upper Belcher Hill—will be closed for staging and delivery of materials to repair trail damage along Mustang and Wrangler’s Run. See map. The historic floods of September 2013 caused severe damage at both Jeffco Open Space Parks.
Jeffco Open Space plans to reopen all Apex Trail by November 26. Closed trail sections at White Ranch Park will be reopened in 2015. Since September 2013, there have been months of planning, labor by staff and volunteers, and a required review of major trail repair plans in order to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood recovery funds. When Apex Trail reopens in its entirety, directional travel for mountain bikers—one-way travel on odd dates—will be reinstated.
Tim Sandsmark
Lookout Region Supervisor
Jeffco Open Space
720-497-7602 direct
303-916-6553 mobile
The long anticipated connection from Reynolds Park, which is near Conifer, to the Colorado Trail opened October 11. The 9.3 miles of natural surface trail is open hikers, bikers and equestrians. For details see the news release at the Jeffco Open Space site, http://jeffco.us/parks/news/2014/north-fork-trail-opens-saturday,-october-11-in-south-jeffco/
The Gunnison sage grouse, which lives only in western Colorado and southeastern Utah, has been declared threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This classification triggers the Endangered Species Act, which is something that Colorado leaders, who insist that state-led voluntary protection is sufficient to save the bird, have been fighting.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director Dan Ashe declared the grouse officially threatened, which triggers Endangered Species Act protection. Federal protection under the Act restricts development on grouse habitat. Listing grouse as threatened, rather than endangered, allows exceptions for accidental killing to reduce the liability of landowners.
Governor Hickenlooper insists that the State will sue the Federal Government, no matter how the grouse is listed.
At present it is estimated that there are fewer than 5,000 Gunnison sage grouse alive, surviving on roughly 7 percent of their original natural habitat.
To read the full story go to http://www.denverpost.com/environment/ci_26922049/gunnison-sage-grouse-get-federal-protection-prevent-extinction?source=bn_simplepie_widgets
Jeffco Open Space & Parks has recently earned National Agency Accreditation from CAPRA, the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. This accreditation is in recognition to JCOS’ commitment to excellence.
The accreditation process is a self-assessment which is then reviewed during a CAPRA on-site visitation, which was done last July. The CAPRA Commission rendered their decision on October 13, based on their assertion that JCOS met 143 of 144 established CAPRA standards. Jeffco Open Space and Parks is now CAPRA Accredited through 2018 when the agency must seek re-accreditation.
Read the full story at http://jeffco.us/parks/news/2014/jeffco-open-space-and-parks-receives-national-agency-accreditation/
by Tim Sandsmark, Lookout Region Supervisor, Jeffco Open Space
You may have noticed the flurry of activity happening at Apex Park. The large dirt mound from excavation and grading is now gone as work progresses on the new trailhead area. In addition, much work has occurred on the closed portion of the lower Apex Trail.
Trailhead Project
Jeffco Open Space and County Road and Bridge crews have been working steadily on completing the new restroom, walkways, grading of slopes for erosion control and construction of the new concrete trail extension. The current pace of activity is dependent on weather and barring other unforeseen circumstances.
Apex Park Trail Network
Most of Apex Park’s trails have been open since last winter, but a severely damaged section of the lower Apex Trail remains closed. State and local permits were obtained and final approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) occurred in October to make significant repairs. Efforts are progressing rapidly and require the installation of 3 bridges and a large culvert in the most heavily washed out areas. The bridges are being constructed off site and will be lifted into place by helicopter. Work is also taking place on trail erosion and maintenance efforts on the west section of Apex Trail.
Thanks to the efforts by our Open Space trails staff and many dedicated volunteers, we are still on track for the Apex Trail restoration efforts to be completed by November 26. Once the lower Apex Trail is reopened, the odd-day directional travel by mountain bike will be reinstated on Apex, Argos and Enchanted Forest Trails, as had been in effect prior to the flooding events.
Remaining activity will include repairs to the upper Apex Trail and the realignment of the damaged Pick N’ Sledge Trail which will continue into the Spring of 2015. Some limited trail detours or closures will occur for this remaining construction activity.
Volunteers & Trails staff working on bridge abutments and trail repair on the lower Apex Trail on October 29th at Apex Park (Jefferson County Open Space).
MORE INFO:
On the 22nd of October, Jeffco Open Space held a Community Meeting to discuss the proposed acquisition of 964 acres on the top of Douglas Mountain. This is the first page of the listening log — a summary of feedback from the audience. Click on the image to see a clearer copy; read the entire listening log here: http://jeffco.us/parks/documents/douglas-mountain-documents/jcos-listening-log-douglas-mountain-community-meeting-final/