Beetle-kill biomass gains momentum as ‘green energy’ funding grows

Funding sources to turn millions of acres of dead and dying lodgepole pines into biomass-generated heat and electricity are seemingly coming out of the woodwork.

With the governor’s Energy Office pushing state grants and aggressive renewable-energy programs — coupled with the potential for millions in federal stimulus dollars — the beetle-kill biomass dreams of ski towns like Vail and Avon no longer look like a kooky environmentalist’s pipe dream.

Beetle-kill bills move out of committee as economics move more to the forefront

Lawmakers are increasingly banking on bugs, providing tax incentives to businesses dealing with the Colorado’s massive mountain pine beetle outbreak and at the same time trying to mitigate the epidemic’s potentially devastating economic impacts.

Udall revives bill that would battle the beetle with bikes and bands

Sen. Mark Udall Monday revived a bill he first floated in the U.S. House last summer that some critics say could open up a recreational Pandora’s Box at the nation’s ski areas.

With new fire season upon us, FEMA ponies up for 2007 Malo Vega blaze

FEMA coughed up more than $1.6 million in federal disaster relief funds Thursday to compensate the Colorado State Forest Service for fighting the 13,000-acre Malo Vega Fire in Costilla County in June 2007.

Beetle-kill wildfire bill moves on as Scanlan, Gibbs lobby feds

The biggest no-brainer piece of legislation the state’s 67th General Assembly will like see this session, the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (or SB 1), easily passed out of the House on Wednesday, even as its co-sponsor, Rep. Christine Scanlan (D-Dillon) headed to Washington seeking federal funds to combat the beetle-kill epidemic.

Tree IVs Inject Controversy Into Battle Over Beetle Kill

A tree injection technique being touted by a Massachusetts firm as a potential silver bullet in the battle against the mountain pine bark beetle has sparked debate among the product’s proponents and Forest Service and ski resort officials over its…

Recent Wildfires Underscore Urgency of Dealing with Pine Beetle Epidemic

Even as winter weather rolled back into Colorado Thursday and squelched three wildfires that Tuesday scorched thousands of acres, killed three firefighters and destroyed scores of buildings, fire officials in the mountains warned against complacency – especially in light of…