Eagle County ‘moving away’ from taking oil and gas drilling waste

Eagle County’s solid waste and recycling director this week clarified through a spokeswoman that he is not currently considering accepting pit liners from any oil and gas companies in Colorado and that such a decision would have to be made by the Eagle County commissioners. In response to a Colorado Independent story last week, Eagle County solid waste and recycling director Ken Whitehead also pointed out his department has recommended no longer accepting any type of so-called E&P (exploration and production) waste from oil and gas companies.

Colorado River deal seeks cooperation over litigation between competing water users

As first reported last week by Colorado Independent contributor Allen Best of Mountain Town News, a sweeping water accord called the “Colorado River Cooperative Agreement” was announced today in Grand County by political leaders from Grand, Summit and Eagle counties, along with officials from Denver Water, the Colorado River District, the ski industry and other major stakeholders.

Mountain real estate crash breaks records set during 1980s energy bust

VAIL — Last year saw a new record number of foreclosures in Vail, Beaver Creek and surrounding Eagle County, but it also saw a significant increase in home sales over 2009, which may wind up being the low mark in a mountain real estate crash unlike anything since the 1980s. Counties throughout the high country — from Pitkin (Aspen) to Routt (Steamboat) to San Miguel (Telluride) – all set new records for the number of foreclosures, according to the Denver Post, surpassing dubious marks all established in the 1980s.

Marijuana is lifting spirits — and budgets — in mountain towns

That smoke wafting down from the mountains west of Boulder may not all be from forest fires. According to a New York Times article today, mountain communities long known for their tolerance of the illegal weed are now becoming…

Fannie and Freddie freeze innovative home alt energy programs

Innovative homeowner alternative energy financing mechanisms approved by voters last November in Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison counties have been put on hold due to changes at the newly risk-adverse federal mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

According to the…

Local politicians, conservationists praise Polis draft wilderness plan

Local politicians and statewide environmental groups today hailed a draft wilderness proposal being circulated by U.S. Rep. Jared Polis called the Eagle and Summit County Wilderness Preservation Act.

Vail official questions constitutionality of ban on marijuana dispensaries

VAIL – Vail Town Council member Margaret Rogers, an attorney, told the Colorado Independent Monday she doesn’t expect a new Colorado law allowing local governments to ban medical marijuana dispensaries to survive legal challenges.

House Speaker hopeful Scanlan battles teacher-bill fallout and tea party wave

State Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, a rising star on the Colorado political scene, says any talk of her becoming the next Speaker of the House is pointless if Democrats can’t hold onto their current 37-27 House majority in November.

‘Kobe DA’ Hurlbert reportedly petitioning onto Senate District 16 ballot

Mark Hurlbert, who will forever be known as the “Kobe DA” for his unsuccessful prosecution of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant on sexual assault charges in Eagle County in 2003, had a really bad weekend.

The 5th Judicial District Republican…

McInnis money trail leads to 1990s mountain resort, real estate deals

During his first few years in Congress representing the sprawling 3rd Congressional District on Colorado’s Western Slope, Republican Scott McInnis was a strong voice for the state’s ski industry, advocating for the interests of the nation’s most popular destination resorts…