Author Archives: admin

Sad day for Colorado – HB 1275 dies in committee

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State Representative Joann Ginal (D-Fort Collins)

Joann Ginal’s bill, HB 13—1275, which would have required the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to commission a study to identify health impacts of oil and gas activity, died in committee, on a 5-6 vote.  All 5 Republicans plus Rep. Dave Young (D-Greeley) voted against it.  The bill was heavily lobbied against by Governor Hickenlooper’s appointee to the CDPHE, Chris Urbina, who stayed for the whole 3.5-hour committee meeting and testified along with his staff.  In addition, Dr. Urbina had been lobbying Rep. Young prior to the hearing.

Sierra Club and 350.org Arrange Busing from Denver to Keystone XL Hearing in Nebraska

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The Sierra Club and 350.org are coordinating bus transportation from Denver/Boulder to the only public hearing regarding the Keystone XL pipeline, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 18th, in Grand Island, Nebraska. Given the long distance of the hearing from large cities, it’s likely the location was chosen to suppress participation in the hearing and discourage public input. TransCanada, the company that plans to build the pipeline, is hoping that it’ll be a small gathering – that nobody will make a fuss. They’re hoping that it’s too far away from major cities, hoping that we’ve gotten bored, hoping that we’re not paying attention. We need to prove them wrong. Please sign up here to attend the public hearing:

RSVP first on this signup page, and if you’re on Facebook you can RSVP there too!

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Support HB 1275 – in Committee this Thursday

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State Representative Joann Ginal (D-Fort Collins)

Please Support HB 13—1275  A Report on the Health Impacts of Oil and Gas Operations Near the Front Range. This bill would require Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to commission a study of epidemiological data to identify possible health impacts related to oil and gas activity.

This bill will be heard on Thursday, ~10:00 am, April 11, 2011 at the State Capitol, 200 E. Colfax, Denver, CO.

 

 

 

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Water Speculators, Developers and the Plot to Destroy Chatfield Reservoir

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The Park Killers

by PHILLIP DOE

The other night I went to a killing.  It was all very matter of fact.  Five judges sat at the front of the room listening to people testify for or against the killing of public recreation and wildlife at Chatfield Reservoir.  An urban recreation and wildlife center, Chatfield receives over 1.5 million visitor days a year.  It is Colorado’s premiere state park, helping to underwrite more remote and less visited parks.  Too, it is a bird sanctuary, home to at least one endangered species, and a place without equal in the state because of its proximity to Denver.  You can get there by simply pedaling your bike, many do. Continue reading →

Health Coop Bill (SCR13-002) Passes Out of Committee

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After hours of informative and emotionally moving testimony in support of the Colorado Health Care Cooperative, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed SCR13-002, Sen. Irene Aguilar’s bill. The bill passed 4-3 on party lines.

Also passed was Sen. Aguilar’s SJR13-021 bill to create an interim committee to study ways to create a comprehensive health care system for all Coloradans. We’re excited about this also.  SJR13-021 was introduced last week to meet the deadline for interim committee bill submissions. Most people are not even aware of the bill. Below is basic information. The bill and additional information can be found on our website. Continue reading →

Denver Welcome Party for the National Conference for Media Reform

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Join ArgusFest along with local and national media reform activists, authors, and journalists at the Denver Welcome party for the National Conference for Media Reform. Thursday, April 4, Argusfest will host the U.S. Premiere of  the documentary Shadows of Liberty, which looks at how the corporate media misleads the American people. The film will be followed by a discussion with Amy Goodman and Jean-Philippe Tremblay. Then at 9 PM we will have live music featuring Jonny 5 (from the Flobots), Laura Goldhamer, DJ RIPM, and DJ Cavem. National anti-poverty organizer and the 2012 Green Party Vice-Presidential nominee Cheri Honkala will also be joining us to say a few words about the state of our media. It’s going to be a great night with a lot of great people.

 When: Thursday, April 4    7:00 PM – FILM       9:00PM – MUSIC

Where: Mercury Cafe,  2199 California St., Denver

$10-$20 suggested donation

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Senate Committee to hear SCR13-002 – Colorado Health Care Cooperative

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The Senate Health and Human Services Committee (HHS) will hear SCR13-002 “Colorado Health Care Cooperative,” which would send the Cooperative to the voters for approval as a Constitutional Amendment in Nov. 2013.

When: Thursday, April 4, 1:30pm
Where: Old Supreme Court Chambers, 2nd Floor, Capitol Building, 200 E Colfax

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Support Longmont – Support House Bill 1269

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Please come to the State Capitol
Thursday, March 28, at 10:30 AM.
We need you to help pass legislation
that will make a difference!

We need to show strong support for House Bill 1269.  You may speak if you wish, but you don’t have to. We can speak just as loudly and strongly by filling the hearing room with Coloradans, and especially people from Longmont, who are dissatisfied with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s existing mandate and want change. Continue reading →

Representative Ginal’s Bill Assesses the Health Impacts of Oil & Gas Operations

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Representative Joann Ginal

State Representative Joann Ginal (HD52),  who is a biologist and holds a Ph.D. in endocrinology, has introduced HB13-1275, which set up studies of oil and gas operations – air and water emissions, and their  impacts on human health, for specified counties along the Front Range.  Rep Ginal’s bill requires that the state form a committee of legislators, along with health and bioscience experts, who would:

  • Assign epidemiological health studies to a scientific group, priority given to experience with oil and gas impacts on health and association with university  (seems to best describe the Colorado School of Public Health )
  • Collect epidemiological data for Larimer, Weld, Boulder and Arapahoe Counties, with health surveys that would assess health impacts  (collecting control group data,  compare baseline (pre operations) to post operations, and hopefully compare areas of heavy operations to comparable Colorado populations that do no yet have oil and gas operations underway)
  • Determine if health impacts are found which are disruptive to normal home and business activities or cause extreme discomfort or health problems. If so, the oversight committee would be able to immediately call for cease and desist of such emissions at well sites where so documented
  • Publish all collected data, including online reports
  • Report the results by March 2014 Continue reading →