Will state Dems extend the same drive for O&G legislation?

Screen shot of a poll from the Denver Post at 1:30 pm on March 16, 2013

Former fracking ban opponent, Mayor Weitkunat, voiced the concerns of many Fort Collins residents when she switched her vote and made the following statement:

"We are responsible for the residents of Fort Collins and their well-being, Mayor Karen Weitkunat said before the meeting. "We're truly representing the people when we come forward with a decision, even though it may conflict with the state's. There's been reluctance by state legislators. If this is regulated by the state, why haven't they been talking about it? I don't take my responsibilities to the state or the federal government lightly. We are all under the same flag."

While patiently waiting for oil & gas (O&G) legislation, we have watched the Democratic legislature sweep through a slew of other bills, with little accommodation for those who resist them. Last year, the ASSET bill (granting in-state tuition to undocumented students that attend and graduate from Colorado high schools) wouldn't even pass with compromise language that set the tuition rate for undocumented students at higher than the in-state rate, but lower than the out-of-state rate -- it passed this year with no compromise. Last year's Civil Unions bill was killed even though it contained exclusions for religious institutions -- this year it soundly passed without those exclusions. And a slew of gun bills have furiously progressed through the legislature with little regard for organized opposition on the right. So where are the O&G bills?

Democrat legislators demonstrate they have the social capital and will to pass legislation that's important to them. As O&G legislation finally comes to the table, will they demonstrate they have the will to fight for public health and the environment? Or did they use up the social capital we extended them for other purposes?

References:

• Threat of Colorado lawsuit looms as fracking ban OK'd in Fort Collins, Denver Post, March 5, 2013
• Colorado Democrats to pitch expanded city, county control over fracking, Coloradoan, March 14, 2013
• Denver Post poll

Amazing Healthful Pancakes - A southeast original recipe

Click to enlarge.

This post is completely different than our usual subject matter, but thought it might be a good experiment. Are there any dads out there, looking for a new pancake variation to impress the family with on Sunday mornings?

Why not try this delicious and healthy, southeast original recipe? It was created by an experimental dad and it's a guaranteed hit!

The batch is slightly larger than many pancake recipes but it's perfect for a hungry family of four big appetites.

1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cup whole grain flour mix
   (1/2 whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 whole grain barley flour)
1/2 cup oat bran
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup egg whites
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons nut oil (or high-oleic safflower/sunflower oil)

1) Mix milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside, to curdle milk.

2) Mix dry ingredients together. Preheat griddle to 325-350 degrees.

4) Mix butter and egg whites with milk mixture, then combine with dry ingredients.

Lightly wipe griddle with nut oil (has higher smoke point than olive oil) and spoon batter onto grill. Serve hot.

Any other flour blend can be used but we find the combination of whole wheat pastry flour and whole grain barley flour will appeal to the "white bread taste buds" of the most stubborn whole-grain-haters. These are flat out delicious!

Stop Hickenlooper in his tracks: Uphold the Fort Collins fracking ban

Residents ready themselves for a successful bid to ban fracking at the March 5, 2013 City Council meeting.

Governor Hickenlooper has previously threatened to sue Fort Collins if they impose a fracking ban. Despite his threats, the Fort Collins City Council passed a fracking ban during the March 5, 2013 City Council meeting.

Responding to considerable public pressure and likely, her campaign for reelection, the city's mayor stated:

"'We are responsible for the residents of Fort Collins and their well-being,' Mayor Karen Weitkunat said before the meeting. 'We're truly representing the people when we come forward with a decision, even though it may conflict with the state's.'

"'There's been reluctance by state legislators. If this is regulated by the state, why haven't they been talking about it? I don't take my responsibilities to the state or the federal government lightly. We are all under the same flag.'"

We encourage all residents to contact Governor Hickenlooper and their state legislators now, asking them to support the council's right to protect its citizens.

Contact Information
All contact information can be found on our Facebook contacts tab. or you can simply email Governor Hickenlooper, State Senator John Kefalas, State Representative Joann Ginal and State Representative Randy Fischer.

References

• State could sue Fort Collins over fracking ban, NCBR, February 27, 2013
• Threat of Colorado lawsuit looms as fracking ban OK'd in Fort Collins, Denver Post, March 5, 2013

HB-1041: Towards more accessable records

If you've ever been involved in development issues and needed to get your hands on related documents, you may have noticed a stark difference between the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County. Requests made with the city will net you a quick response that typically included detailed documents via email. On the other hand, the same request made to Larimer County will generally receive the response, "you must come in during office hours to get that information," a restriction that makes access nearly impossible for busy people.

State Senator John Kefalas seeks to stop those who defy the intent of the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA). His bill will force governments to fulfill requests, without requiring in-person visits. We commend Senator Kefalas for his efforts.

However, it's disappointing to hear that a Republican effort to add fee limits to the bill was soundly defeated. There is a growing trend among local governments to charge exorbitant fees for open records requests. If unchecked, this direction may bar the gates of "open door" government.

It's unclear why the attempt to add fee limits failed. Nonetheless, expanding access through the removal of in-person restrictions is a decisive step in the right direction. So, ask your legislators to support this HB-1041. In addition, encourage them to immediately follow this up with a bill that addresses limits to open records request fees.

Update - March 8, 2013:
Gov. Hickenlooper signed into law.

References:

• HB13-1041 - Concerning Procedures Govering the Transmission of Public Records that are Copied In Response to a Request for Inspection of Such Records Under the "Colorado Open Requests Act"
• Colorado lawmakers poised to expand open records access, but won't address fees, The Republic, by Kristen Wyatt, February 25, 2013
• Transparency trouble, Boulder Weekly, by Jefferson Dodge and Steve Weishampel, February 14, 2013

Larimer County's Ozone Crisis

The American Lung Association gives Larimer County an "F"

According to the American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report card, Larimer County scores an "F" for ozone levels. The score comes along with the statement, ""If you live in Larimer County, the air you breathe may put your health at risk."

Ozone levels have been on the rise since 2010 and according the the Larimer' Community Health Assessment summary, there are no plans to address it.

According to the EPA:

"Ozone in the air we breathe can harm our health. Even relatively low levels of ozone can cause health effects.  People with lung disease, children, older adults, and people who are active outdoors may be particularly sensitive to ozone.

"Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and congestion. It can worsen bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Ground level ozone also can reduce lung function and inflame the linings of the lungs. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue."

This is an issue we need to address, before it gets out of hand. If this concerns you, contact your Larimer County Commissioners (bocc@co.larimer.co.us) and the Larimer County Board of Health (boh@co.larimer.co.us) and let them know you want a plan to address rising ozone levels in Larimer County.

Visit the EPA's website for more information related to the health effects of ground level ozone.

Fort Collins attempts literature ban at City Hall

City Council considered curtailing the distribution of literature at City Hall.

City Hall has always been a place for civic engagement. Engaged citizens often share ideas and literature in the lobby outside of the City Council Chambers and civility has rarely been an issue. Yet on February 5, 2012, an item came up on the agenda to curb this exchange between active citizens. The policy revision reads, "Public distribution of fliers or other literature other than to the City Council or City staff is not permitted in City Hall" -- which begs the question, why now?

Activists got a surprise when Scott Hall, CEO of the only oil & gas operator in Fort Collins, stood among many of his fracking opponents and expressed sincere appreciation for the civility of citizen participation at council meetings.(Scott's dialogue is 2:33-4 into the February 2, 2013 City Council video.) Scott's plea, along with the written and verbal pleas of other citizens resulted in the ultimate defeat of this resolution.

Be sure to view the full resolution.

Escape tiered rates by installing solar panels

You can get solar panels on you home for as little as no initial cost, to you.

If Fort Collins Utilities is forced to make expensive upgrades to increase their capacity, it will cost us all in significantly increased electrical rates. One strategy to deal with this was the tiered rate system (a system was not received well by many residents). Another strategy is to encourage individual homeowners to move to alternative energy sources such as solar and city rebates of up to $5,250 are now available at http://fcgov.com/solar-rebates. In addition, you can take advantage of federal tax incentives of up to 30% of the installation costs.

The systems can still require a substantial up-front investment. Some companies absorb the solar installation costs and recoup their investment by charging for solar electricity usage. With all the options available, it's worth checking out. :)