Latest news with #JaredPolis
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers take action after billionaire's massive property change causes major issues: 'Destructive obscene displays'
Lawmakers take action after billionaire's massive property change causes major issues: 'Destructive obscene displays' A ranch owner may have to take down a disruptive fence around their property, according to The Colorado Sun. Texas oil heir William Harrison erected roughly 20 miles of 8-foot-high fencing to keep unwelcome visitors from fishing, driving ATVs, dumping trash, and collecting antlers on his San Luis Valley property. He also has a herd of bison he needs to contain. Harrison purchased the ranch in 2017, when it was listed for $105 million. Environmental advocates have argued that the fence has disrupted migration patterns for local wildlife and produced greater soil erosion. Such barriers can even be lethal if they block retreat routes during a wildfire. Following a 2023 injunction on further fence construction by Harrison, Colorado Governor Jared Polis recently signed into law a new requirement for fencing construction in the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant area. An application to the local government is now required if the fence is more than 5 feet high, if the fence is more than a mile long and encloses a property, or if the fence is half a mile long but not enclosed. Human-made barriers can isolate wildlife from food sources and mating opportunities. Roads are typically the biggest culprit in this kind of habitat fragmentation, but solutions are available. Canadian elk and grizzly bears have been able to cross over a road thanks to a custom naturalized bridge. A similar bridge is under construction in Arizona. Meanwhile, a tunnel under a Vermont road has been able to reduce amphibian mortality in the area by 80%. When it comes to fences, there are a range of design options that can make them more wildlife-friendly, including low clearance and visual cues on top wires. Environmentalists maintain the new Colorado law is a win for local ecosystems in the face of wealthy landowners. "This will enable other counties to protect themselves from the destructive, obscene displays of wealth that the ultra-wealthy who are purchasing large mountain tracts in Colorado can engage in to separate themselves in their private sanctuaries from the regular people," said activist Joseph Quintana, per The Colorado Sun. Should the ultra-wealthy pay a tax to help offset their environmental impact? Absolutely Depends how they're taxed Only corporations should pay those No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
6 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Polis asks public to back his $29M bridge in last-ditch plea
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is looking for a Hail Mary as opposition mounts to his pet project, a $29 million pedestrian walkway that critics call a bridge to nowhere. Why it matters: The Democrat posted a public survey Tuesday in what amounts to a last-ditch effort to justify the project, designed to commemorate Colorado's 150th anniversary of statehood. Driving the news: The survey comes eight months after he announced the ornate, winding bridge across Lincoln Street from the state Capitol, and he vowed to accept the public's collective verdict. The results "will lead to the outcome of the celebration," the survey states. It asks four questions and gives respondents the opportunity vote for "a major 150th anniversary project" in Denver, "several smaller-scale projects" elsewhere in the state or no project at all. The fine print: The survey is live through midnight July 21. Yes, but: The survey is far from scientific and it's easy to manipulate, making the outcome dubious, at best. Catch up quick: An advisory committee gave an initial nod in favor of the bridge project, but in public testimony, critics called it "ugly" and "useless." The next step is a legislative committee, where all its members are opposed. Even if the initiative survives the committee's vote, the bridge needs the approval of the Denver City Council and state Legislature, high political hurdles. Follow the money: Polis is soliciting big-dollar donations to cover the price tag, but the governor's office has acknowledged they are using federal pandemic relief dollars to get the design process started. The state also will cover the unknown costs of maintaining the structure if it's built. The other side: The governor's office touts the project as a grand monument to Colorado that will highlight local artists. Other touted benefits include easier pedestrian access across Lincoln Street to Memorial Park and revitalizing an area often frequented by people experiencing homelessness.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Deer Creek Fire over 14,000 acres, has damaged 13 structures; expected to move northeast through Colorado
A large wildfire that sparked in southeastern Utah last week and crossed into southwestern Colorado this week has damaged over a dozen structures, and now fire officials believe winds will push that fire deeper into Colorado on Wednesday. The Deer Creek Fire was mapped at 14,760 acres and is still 7% contained, Utah Fire Info, a task force comprising state and federal agencies, said Wednesday morning. That means it's grown by over 1,000 acres overnight, while containment had not grown since Tuesday morning. "Last night, strong winds caused an increase in fire activity that pushed the fire further into Colorado. No additional evacuations have occurred, and firefighters will have a presence in Paradox assessing the fire's location and taking suppression actions," Utah Fire Info wrote on Facebook Wednesday morning. "Today, afternoon thunderstorms are again expected out of the west/southwest, with wind gusts up to 60mph possible. Fire crews continue to assess the western edge of the fire and work to cool any hot spots as the fire moves northeast." The buildings damaged by the fire include 11 private structures, a USDA Forest Service structure, and a communications site, according to Utah Fire Info. The Deer Creek Fire is the largest of several wildfires in southwestern Colorado that have thrown huge clouds of smoke into the air and prompted a disaster declaration from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, air quality alerts, and evacuations in and around Montrose County. Over 400 people are now involved in the effort to extinguish the fire, and crews are using helicopters, fixed-wing airtankers, dozers, and other ground equipment. Further north, the Wright Draw Fire, at 448 acres, and the nearby Turner Gulch Fire, at almost 14,000 acres, north of Gateway, Colorado, are also largely uncontained. To the east, the Sowbelly Fire is at 2,274 acres, but crews have seen gains in containment efforts, which are at 13% as of Wednesday morning. And the South Rim Fire, near the southern end of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, is at 4,160 acres. No containment figures for that fire were immediately available.
CBS News
7 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Do you want an $18 million bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday? Take Gov. Jared Polis's survey
Gov. Jared Polis wants to hear from you. He's conducting a survey to find out how Coloradans want to celebrate the state's 150th birthday next year. It comes after his idea for an $18 million pedestrian bridge from the Colorado State Capitol to Veterans' Memorial Park sparked an uproar. The governor admits he didn't expect such a visceral reaction when he released renderings of the Colorado 150 Walkway in May. "One thing I was excited about is there was so much passion. But how do you measure that?" he said. He isn't convinced the people who've voiced opposition to the bridge represent where most Coloradans are at so, he's decided to get a bead on public sentiment with a survey. "Rather than just sort of stick our finger in the wind, let's try to get some data behind this," he said. The survey -- at -- not only asks whether Coloradans want the walkway but whether they want it scaled back and, if they don't want it, what they want instead. There's also a question about whether people are more excited to celebrate Colorado's 150th anniversary or the nation's 250th anniversary, which both happen next summer. "We're the kid with the Christmas birthday, right," the governor said. "Our birthday is Christmas. Like, Colorado is the only state where our big anniversaries are on our country's big anniversaries." He says, whatever the survey results are, he will honor them. "We can quickly pivot to something else," he said. "What would be a nightmare to me is if (the survey) comes back and it's like 50.2% to 49.8%." "And then what?" CBS Colorado Your Political Reporter Shaun Boyd asked. "And then we're kind of where we are and we have to make our best judgement on where to go." But he says ultimately, it's not about what he wants. "I happen to be the guy in the seat who helps to orchestrate this birthday event. And yes, President Trump gets to be the guy in the White House who orchestrates our 250th. So whether you like me, whether you like Trump is irrelevant. It's about our birthday, and we want to make sure we observe that appropriately." The survey will be open until midnight Monday. There has been some confusion around the cost of the walkway. The governor says it's $18 million, not $28 million. The other $10 million, he says, is for improvements to the park that will take place over several years. Polis says $8 million of the $18 million will come from the state and he plans to raise the other $10 million.
CBS News
7 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Colorado governor wants public input on proposed pedestrian bridge outside the Colorado State Capitol Building
Gov. Jared Polis wants Coloradans' opinions about a proposed new pedestrian bridge outside the Colorado State Capitol. The proposed walkway from the Capitol across Lincoln Street and into Veterans Park is expected to cost up to ($18 or) $28 million. Polis launched a statewide survey about the plans at "Now is the time where we have to figure out is this going to happen or not," Polis told CBS News Colorado's Shaun Boyd. "So, what do people want? Do they want to see a celebrate 150th with a 150 walkway? Do they want small projects in other parts the state? Or do they want nothing at all?" People on social media have criticized the bridge since the Capitol Building Advisory Committee agreed in an 8-4 vote to refer the project to the legislature's Capitol Development Committee. One person on Instagram wrote, "Like putting a bumper sticker on a Ferrari."
