Another Month in the Valley
By Thomas Wills – Editor and Co-Publisher
Fall, my very favorite time of the year in the Valley. Cool enough to work outside, with the smell of lush maturity everywhere. Shades of browns, ochers, yellows, orange, and sepias start to take over the landscape. Snow on the tops of nearby mountains. Firewood being stacked in backyards. Apples.
Besides enjoying cooler weather and late fall harvests, those in the Valley concerned with the possible future impacts of natural gas development may be very busy responding to the possible swap of SGI leases in the Thompson Divide area for about 30,000 acres of USFS leases located directly north of Paonia. Adding to this issue is the possible release of the long delayed BLM resource management plan (RMP) for the region that is now tentatively estimated by BLM sources to be released in November.
My first attempt at looking at present and future local impacts of climate change in the September issue brought a few good comments, and some very misinformed ones. The good – One: while pine beetle infestations may be a serious problem in the greater region, and clearly due to rising average winter temperatures, locally most of our higher conifers are spruce and fir and so far have not seen such impacts. Two: Sudden aspen decline (SAD) was probably (according to studies) was caused by drought stress, and saying that the drought was “caused” by climate change is not correct. So far, all scientists can say is that there is a high probability that rising average global temperatures due to increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses add intensity/longevity to existing drought cycles.
Thanks for the comments. I will continue to collect information on the issue and write more. It is a fascinating and important subject. In the meantime a good source of what science says on regional climate is available in the periodically updated National Climate Assessment (NCA).
August 25 - It turned out that Jane did not get her partial hip replacement operation as scheduled due to getting the flu. It will be rescheduled for next month.
August 26 – The September Herald is off to the printer and the rain has returned. Mostly a light sprinkle off and on through the day.
The Hotchkiss Planning Commission met in the evening with the main discussion being about updating the Town’s mobile home regulations. One proposed addition would set up a procedure for how the Town would deal with non-conforming, older mobile homes and updating the allowable age of mobile homes that are moved into the Town. A tricky balancing act.
August 27 – A fairly steady, soaking rain overnight. Hotchkiss Town Council held a special meeting in the evening to set a ballot item that would allow the Town to partner with private or public entities in getting high speed internet into the Town. Delta County Economic Development is encouraging the County and municipalities to join in having a vote to opt out of Colorado SB 05-152, which precludes public entities from providing or partnering to provide internet and other telecommunications services without a vote.
August 28 – Sunny and humid again. First day of the two-day Celebrate the Fork event at the Fairgrounds. Way to go Dave Mitchell and helpers!
August 29 – The North Fork Creative Coalition’s Celebrate the Fork event continued at the Fairgrounds in Hotchkiss with a day of music.
August 30 – A heavy soaking rain fell in the afternoon adding to an already extraordinarily wet year for the Valley.
September 1 – Warm and humid. The CHC meeting at Memorial Hall on the proposed SGI lease swap was interesting, not only for clarifying a lot of information but for exposing a split in the environmental community among those who oppose the swap 100% and those who are supportive of the CHC negotiated position taken by the Delta County Commissioners that proposes that, in exchange for support of the swap, some additional adjacent forest lands and BLM Valley floor lands nearer to Paonia be protected from future gas development.
September 2 – The Crawford Town Council joined all of the other municipalities in Delta County in placing a question regarding an opt-out of Colorado Senate Bill 2005-152 on the November ballot. A sprinkle of rain fell in the late afternoon.
September 5-6 – Clearing and mostly sunny. I made local-local pizzas on Sunday with almost everything locally sourced. Peppers, tomatoes, Egyptian onions, basil and wheat.
September 7 – Quite a thunder and lightning show over the valley in the early morning hours with some light rain. The tomatoes are ripening enough so that I can pick a few each day, but with some dozen and a half plants, in a good year I would be awash in tomatoes. The green peppers are doing better (not having to ripen) but were also slow to develop.
September 8 - Paonia Town Council first regular meeting of the month. The North Fork Airport, 2104 audit, and a new draft Town fee schedule were hot topics. More thunder and light rain in the morning.
September 10 – Hotchkiss Town Council regular meeting in the evening and municipal court in the afternoon. The sunchokes (the tall sunflower-looking plants) in the planters near the bookstore are finally blooming, adding a splash of bright yellow to the scene.
September 11 – A long day. Up at 4 a.m. to clean the Hotchkiss Methodist Church, then took Jane to an appointment with Dr. Meilner in Paonia and then to work at the used bookstore/newspaper office. The doctor’s office is one of those community places like the post office or the library where you meet lots of neighbors long enough to have a conversation. Among the people today: Gill and Donna Saunders and family and the friendly, laid back, Don Ochs. Prayers for Dr. Tim that things will ramp down a little for him soon, and thanks for his tremendous service to us and the community.
Warm and sunny.
September 12 – More summer-like weather.
September 14 – Heavy rain in the morning.
September 15 – Rain off and on. The Kuntz Chicken Ranch review by the local Leroux Creek Area Planning Committee, that I am back being a member of, was mostly uneventful. Dr. Susan Raymond did have some concerns and the new County attorney submitted an interesting opinion on what right-to-farm means.
September 16 – More rain in the morning.
September 18 – Paonia Homecoming. Received a letter from William Mikus of Crawford disagreeing with the facts presented in last month’s Climate Change Basics article. Mr. Mikus provided an opinion column from Backwoods Home Magazine (March/April 2015) and 2009 poster from the Heartland Institute (a leading climate science denier organization) from 2009 with a reference to the now infamous and discredited list of 34,000 “scientists” collected by Heartland who doubt that the excess CO2 is mainly due to human activity. Mr. Milkus’ letter and my full response and supporting links to the factual information will be posted on the website.
The Colorado Grand made a double stop in the North Fork today. First eating lunch at the Fairgrounds hosted by the Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce and then off to eat desert at the Paonia Town Park, hosted by the Paonia Chamber. Thanks, Colorado Grand!
Business Rumours and Other News
Anticipation is building for the (sort of) expected November (or January) release of the new, updated BLM regional Resource Management Plan. Citizens for a Healthy Community (CHC), focused on mitigating impacts of possible future natural gas development, held a series of informational meetings in anticipation of the event. The winter season looks to have the promise of a lot of discussion on the issue, especially as to how the BLM document treats the North Fork Alternative Plan that would essentially preclude gas development from public lands in the lower/central Valley close to irrigation infrastructure and farms.
Reminder: make sure to become a member of the North Fork Ambulance Association if you are not already paid up for the coming year. Consider this the minimum you do for this amazing volunteer organization as a responsible member of the greater North Fork community. Help more if you can. Volunteer or contribute extra funding. Love thy neighbor.
Kudos to Rain Klepper, Chris Tschinkel and the rest of the board and crew at North Fork Mosquito Abatement District. Despite the extra wet summer NFMAD was able to keep mosquito counts down to a very tolerable level in most of the valley. There was no West Nile in the Valley in 2016. In comparison, that was not the case in Delta or other areas of the State. NFMAD now has pre-treatments of planned big outdoor events such as Cherry Days, Pickin’in the Park and the Delta County Fair down to a science. The new NFMAD continues to set the standard in non-controversial, effective, low chemical use, science and testing based mosquito control. Board Members include: Chair – Rain Klepper (health care professional), Glenn Austin (organic orchardist/farmer), Elizabeth Durrance (farmer – retired airline pilot) Zach Hotchkiss (rancher) and Calvin Campbell (rancher).
Tags: Another Month in the Valley, Colorado, Crawford, Hotchkiss, Paonia, Thomas Wills