Las Animas County News

Representatives of Las Animas County traveled to Denver to testify before the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) about the possible effect of the commission's new rules on the use of water taken from the ground during coalbed methane (CBM) gas extraction.

Commissioner Ken Torres and Interim County Attorney Dixie Land addressed the commission regarding the draft rules' 900 series.

The 900 series of the draft rules deal with the management of the waste byproducts of the drilling process. The water taken from the ground during CBM extraction falls under its jurisdiction. The draft rules define the jurisdictional scope of the 900 series by stating, "The rules and regulations of this series establish the permitting, construction, operating and closure requirements for pits, methods of E&P waste management, procedures for spill/release response and reporting, and sampling and analysis for remediation activities."

The Army plans to look elsewhere to acquire most of the additional land it wants for training purposes.

LAS ANIMAS County has asked for the same kind of drought relief recently announced for other counties in Southeastern Colorado, a region beset by hot, windy and dry weather conditions.

Sen. Ken Salazar stopped by the Las Animas County Courthouse July 2 to discuss the 2008 Farm Bill and take questions from his constituents.

Perhaps preaching to the choir, Salazar informed the crowd at the courthouse how important agriculture was to Colorado's economy. More than 100,000 jobs and $16 billion were said to come from agriculture in Colorado, with the state ranking 10th nationwide in cattle and calf production.

Noting that the July 4 weekend was fast approaching, Salazar introduced his talk by stating the importance of "food security" to national security. "I wanted to make sure that we were also celebrating the food security we have here in this country," he said. "And the 2008 Farm Bill, in my view, is very much a step in making sure we maintain that security."

From The Trinidad Times Independent : "Las Animas County is petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a declaration of drought disaster in the county, seeking assistance from the department's ...

A Las Animas County man has been arrested on suspicion of cruelty to animals and 31 horses have been removed from his care.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) and the Colorado Petroleum Association (CPA) released a joint statement last week decrying the anticipated economic effect of proposed regulation for Colorado's oil and gas industry.

The June 16 statement, focusing on the Piceance and San Juan-La Plata Basins, claimed that the economies of energy producing regions would be drastically impacted, as would the state as a whole.

The statement claimed that the proposed regulatory changes would lead to three-month drilling shutdowns in the aforementioned basins. The supposed shutdowns would be part of protective measures designed to lessen the industry's impact on sensitive wildlife areas.

The Las Animas County Board of Commissioners was advised last week on possible strategies for improving the Perry Stokes Airport. PT Consulting, LLC advised the county on upgrade and repairs needed for the airport, along with suggestions for a successful fixed base operator (FBO).

The June 17 presentation to the board was made by PT Consulting Representative Mary Ann Romero, who until last year was the county's Special Projects Manager. Romero read to the council a letter from the consulting firm's director, Pete Schrepfer.

Jill Hanauer, a Democratic consultant from Denver, articulates better than most people what it means to be a Westerner.

A week of hearings on proposed changes to Colorado's oil and gas regulations got off to a rollicking start Monday with opponents warning of economic damage if the rules are adopted and supporters predicting ...

With a weeklong series of hearings on new oil and gas regulations looming, backers of stronger rules are urging state officials not to back off their proposals while industry officials are warning of economic ...

The fire has scorched more than 40,000 acres. A wildland fire in southeastern Colorado has grown to 45,800 acres and firefighters now have it 55 percent contained.

The Bridger Fire at Fort Carson's Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, according to authorities, is 90% contained as of Thursday afternoon.

Still illuminating Trinidad's sky by night and lending a touch of antiquated class by day, the decades-old signs found around the city contribute to its charm.

A presentation on historical signage throughout Las Animas County and northern New Mexico is scheduled for Thursday, June 19, at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room at Trinidad State Junior College. The Trinidad Historical Society is hosting a program on the signs, both neon and painted, found in the area around the 1950s.

The program is to be presented by Jim and Laurie Moss, the son and daughter-in-law of one of Trinidad's more prolific sign-makers of the period, Gene Moss, owner of a Trinidad sign company in the 1950s. Jim and Laurie became interested in the area's historic signage during a visit to Trinidad in the fall of 2006.

Firefighters on Saturday eked out 10 percent containment on a 42,000-acre fire mostly on Army land near La Junta in southeastern Colorado.

Light winds were again expected to help firefighters battling a 42,000-acre wildfire on Saturday.

The 8,300-acre fire on the Army grounds threatens no homes or livestock. Article Last Updated: 06/12/2008 02:03:04 AM MDT Air tankers and helicopters were forced to turn back from the hazardous smoke of an ...

A wildfire in southeastern Colorado has burned about 3,000 acres. About 50 firefighters from Fort Carson and the U.S. Forestry Service are battling the fire at the Pion Canyon Maneuver Site, about 150 miles ...

"This is one of the great stories that we love here at the Division of Wildlife," said spokesman Tyler Baskfield.

A five-county coalition led by La Plata County has sued over a state oil-and-gas rule that the counties believe illegally usurps their authority.