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Industry asked to prove fracking safety But how safe is fracking? Drillers use scores of chemicals to aid in the escape of gas. That has led to concerns about whether the chemicals could be leaking out of the geological formations deep underground. Drilling engineers, geologists and industry all allege that claims of contamination have been proven false, even after hundreds of thousands of “fracks.” However, much of the public is not persuaded. “Public perception is a huge, huge challenge that we are engaged in,” said Tisha Conoly Schuller, chief executive of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, in an appearance in Aspen last week. “On every level, we are learning that public perception matters.” A the association’s annual conference in Denver recently, drillers heard from speaker after speaker that regulation will be crucial if drillers hope to win acceptance for their ability to exploit the vast stores of natural gas found in shale and other unconventional formations. Boosters of natural gas believe that the resource can be exploited successfully, reducing the amount of coal that is burned. They also argue that natural gas can be used for transportation, limiting how much oil is imported. “It’s gonna give the United States an opportunity to sit at the big table for energy,” said T. Boone Pickens, who also spoke at the Aspen event, which was covered by the Aspen Daily News. “For the last 20 years we have had no seat at the big table. When OPEC met, they met and we sat in the hall … Now you can sit at the table and say, ‘Look, we have a resource that can compete with your oil.’” But the onus is still on the industry, said Wes Wilson, a whistle blower from the Environmental Protection Agency. Appearing at a showing of the movie “Gasland” in Jackson, he said legislators should consider performance-based drilling. That, according to the Jackson Hole News&Guide, means that companies would be allowed to continue drilling only if they prove they can do it safely and cleanly. Natural gas drilling has been planned both south of Jackson and west of Aspen. In Breckenridge, elevation 9,600 feet, several parties are working together to create a community garden. “The Breckenridge community has said it’s important to them,” said Kim DiLallo-Dykstra, spokeswoman for the town government. Nine miles away at Frisco, a celebration of local farms is being held this week, reports the Summit Daily News. The community already has a garden with 40 outdoor plots, where lettuce, peas, broccoli and other cool-weather crops are grown. A greenhouse provides a suitable climate for zucchini, basil, tomatoes and other vegetables that demand warmer temperatures than are ordinarily found at 9,000 feet. Also at about 9,000 feet in elevation, the Devil’s Thumb Ranch, located near Winter Park, has a strong focus on regional food sourcing. Evan Treadwill, the new executive chef, most recently was in California, where he started his career during the first regional “farm to table” movement 20 years ago. Finding local meats is somewhat easier than other foods, he tells the Sky-Hi News. That said, leafy-green spinach found a few miles away at Granby meets part of the bill. And from Ketchum, Idaho, comes news about a business model in which a variety of producers deliver goods to the Ketchum-Sun Valley area. The model creates a critical mass, explains the Idaho Mountain Sun, for producers of local, or at least regional, produce, meat and other products. “This way, you can get this super-healthy, super-fresh and super-local food in front of more people,” said Lynea Newcomer, general manager of Idaho’s Bounty. But while she does concede at least a slight mark-up of costs, she does not believe the mark-up to be 30 percent that was reported in the Sun. Mindful of the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as well as other shootings of public officials, the Granby board has decided that henceforth guns cannot be carried in plain sight at the town hall. The Sky-Hi News reports that trustees had considered extending the ban to town-owned parks, trails and open spaces. However, given that wild animals do exist in the region, they concluded that open display of guns should be allowed to continue. Colorado law allows people to carry weapons, provided they have a permit. However, Granby could have chosen to ban guns altogether in select locations. As is, carrying a concealed weapon will still be allowed. The individual who dropped the gun precipitating the new law in Granby told the newspaper later that he had not intended for the gun to be intimidating. “It was just an unfortunate encounter with gravity,” he said. The organization arranges for flights from various cities to Montrose, located 65 miles away, the nearest airport capable of handling large airplanes. Two-thirds of the budget comes from a 2 percent tax on restaurants and lodging. A few years ago, the organization had $5 million in reserves. But revenues collected by the air organization have remained flat at $2.3 million, while payments to airlines – which insisted upon minimum revenue guarantees – and for marketing have gone up. The Daily Planet reports expected expenditures of $3.6 million in 2011. Rising fuel costs are cited as the single biggest reason for increasing payments to airlines. Last year, that would have yielded $1.5 million. For his part, White will design a 22-foot half-pipe at Northstar, a California ski area that is among the half-dozen owned by Vail Resorts. The Denver Post notes that White has developed a rigorous and highly selective process for choosing partners. “Yeah, we found that out,” said Rob Katz, chief executive of the ski company. In linking arms with Vail, the 24-year-old White is bidding adieu to Park City Mountain Resort, his long-time sponsor. The elevation was 3,567 meters, or 11,700 feet. But that wasn’t the hard part, said Steve Holeczi. “It’s not so much the altitude, but there’s strong winds up high, and for (pilot Lance Cooper) to be able to pinpoint the location and put me on a very narrow ridge is not easy.” – Allen Best |