SJNF releases management plan

After nearly 10 years in the making, the San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office released their final Land and Resource Management Plan for 2.4 million acres of public lands.

Highlights include new areas closed to motorized travel, many of which were already located in roadless areas. The plan also recommends about 55,000 acres for wilderness – all within Colorado Roadless Areas – and includes a framework for dealing with climate change. The acreage available for oil and gas does not significantly change, but the new plan does institute new stipulations for future drilling.

 The effort was undertaken in 2004 under Forest Chief Dale Bosworth to address four major threats to forest health: fire and fuels; invasive species; loss of working forests and rangelands; and damage from off-road vehicles and recreation. At the time, the forest was operating under a plan from 1983, which predated most oil and gas and ORVs.

“This has required a great deal of effort on the part of agency personnel, the public and others,” said Mark Stiles, San Juan National Forest Supervisor. “Through the years we held dozens of public meetings, received more than 50,000 comment letters, consulted with 26 tribes.”

Public Lands Coordinator for the San Juan Citizens Alliance Jimbo Buickerood was still sifting through the 2,000-page document as of press time. He said while it seemed to address a lot of current problems, he wondered about its applicability 20 years from now in the face of  such things as changing climate and early run-off. “I hoped it would be a little more visionary,” he said.

Stay tuned to the Telegraph for more in-depth analysis. In the meantime, check out the final EIS at:  www.fs.usda.gov/main/sanjuan/landmanagement/planning.

Warm up those vocal chords

Monday will be a busy day for local government officials as well as citizens wishing to get their two cents in on a bevy of hop topics. Public comment on everything from retail marijuana grow operations to accessory dwelling units to Oxbow Park and Preserve will be taken at a series of public meetings throughout the day on Mon., Sept. 30. A list of those meetings follow:

-County commissioners will discuss regulation and take public comment on regulation of retail marijuana cultivation facilities, 8:30 – 11 a.m., Sept. 30, Anasazi Room, La Plata County Courthouse. up for consideration will be whether or not to allow existing medical marijuana operators to convert operations to retail facilities.

-Parks and Rec and Natural Lands Preservation Advisory Boards discuss draft Oxbow Park Management Plan, 5:30 p.m., Sept. 30, Durango Rec Center.

To view a copy of the draft, go to:  www.durangogov.org

-City Planning Commission meeting/public hearing on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), 5:30 p.m., Sept. 30, City Council Chambers, 949 E. 2nd Ave. The meeting will discuss whether to lower the lot-size requirement for ADUs from 7,500 square feet to  5,000 square feet in the city’s historic neighborhoods. City Council will hold public hearings on the proposed change Oct. 15. For more information, go to: durangocodeupdate.com.

Got insurance? Guides here to help

Ladies and gentlemen, start your computers. In case you haven't heard, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) goes into effect next Tues., Oct. 1. That is the day Coloradoans will be able to begin "shopping" online for health insurance.

Otherwise known as Connect for Health Colorado, the online marketplace will allow individuals, families and businesses to compare health plans, get answers to questions, determine eligibility for tax credits and enroll in a health plan that meets their needs and budgets.

To help people navigate the cyber insurance jungle, La Plata Family Centers and San Juan Basin Health Department will be staffing "Health Coverage Guides," paid via a grant from Connect for Health Colorado.

Open enrollment for health insurance in Colorado goes from Oct. 1 - March 31, 2014. Plan coverage begins Jan. 1.

According to Connect for Health Colorado, the website will allow people to browse prices and health plans and get an estimate before filling out an application. People will also be able to compare health plan prices from multiple carriers side-by-side. Plans can be selected based on preferred provider, deductible or premium amount.

The site can help people determine if they or family members are eligible for Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus and direct them to new federal financial assistance, based on income, to reduce insurance costs.

Health Coverage Guides will be available for questions, in person, over the phone or online:

-La Plata Family Centers, 129 East 32nd St., Durango; Berenice Lozano (Spanish speaking) and Eileen Mathy, 385-4747

-La Plata Family Centers, 357 N. Mountain View Drive, Bayfield; Eileen Mathy, 749-4553

-La Plata County Human Services, 1060 E. 2nd Ave., Durango (also serving Silverton); Angie Dinger, 382-6122

- San Juan Basin Health Department, 281 Sawyer Drive, Durango; Kevin O’Connor, 335-2021

For more info, go to www.colorado.gov/PEAK or  www.connectforhealthco.com/