Thursday:
Thursday evening, Senator Schwartz will attend a meeting to discuss geothermal development in the county.   The Bureau of Land Management and Department of Natural Resources (BLM-DNR) public meeting on geothermal issues is scheduled for 7:30-10:00 PM, Thursday 14 January at the Buena Vista Community Center.

Complete schedule:

7:30 p.m.  Introductions

7:40 p.m.  Overview of Geothermal Resources in Colorado and Geothermal Technologies Matt Sares, Colorado Geological Survey

8:00 p.m.  Geothermal Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Leasing of Geothermal Resources on Public Lands    Kermit Witherbee, BLM

8:20 p.m.          State Agency Roles and Responsibilities and Geothermal Permitting        Kevin Rein, Colorado Division of Water Resources

8:40 p.m.  Questions and Answers

9:25 p.m.  Open House with Informational Tables (for one-on-one discussion)

This is an excellent opportunity for all concerned citizens to become better informed on an issue that may significantly impact Chaffee County.

CCFS and Transition Initiative are sponsoring Sierra Club presentations on “Cool Cities” in Chaffee County. The first presentation, titled “Solving Global Warming One City at a Time”, will be this coming Wednesday, January 13^th 6:30pm at the Salida Library. Jenny Kedward, Chairperson of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Club, will explain the Cool Cities program and how Salida and surrounding towns can develop a plan for an energy-progressive future.

A similar presentation is being planned in the near future for the Buena Vista area of the County. If possible citizens from all parts of the County are encouraged to attend. This is a great opportunity for Chaffee County and its cities!  Local action with State and National resources.

The Youth Tour is an opportunity for high school students to learn about our government in a week of educational and fun events. Students from all over the United States, sponsored by their local rural electric cooperatives, converge to tour the exciting sites around the D.C. area as well as meet with industry and government officials. Over 1,400 students attended the event in 2009. The Youth Tour gives students a hands-on look at the history surrounding our government as well as a chance to see it in action. A full day is spent on Capitol Hill meeting with the Colorado congressional delegation, even eating lunch in the cafeteria with congressional staffers. In addition, the students are introduced to issues faced by rural electric cooperatives on a state as well as national level.

The trip is an all-expenses paid trip and has proven to be very educational and beneficial to every student who has participated. Those applying must submit an essay of at least 300 words regarding a topic related to the electric utility industry along with the application form. The winners are selected based on their essays and the information they provide on the application form. “Sangre De Cristo Electric is proud to have such a fine young adult represent us at the 2010 Youth Tour” said CEO Paul Erickson. “We believe the Youth Tour is a wonderful way for young people to learn about the electric utility industry and our government. Its part of our commitment to the communities we serve.”

The Youth Tour is open to all area high school juniors whose parents are members of Sangre De Cristo Electric. The contest takes place each November to early December of each year. Application packets are mailed to the guidance counselors at all local high schools, available at our headquarters in Buena Vista, or available for download from our website HUwww.MyElectric.CoopUH. For more information contact the Member Services at (719) 395-4589 or (800) 933-3823 or nyberg@myelectric.coop.

DENVER—    It’s a new year, and a number of new laws spearheaded by Democratic legislators and signed by Gov. Ritter go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010.  One of them is an important piece of legislation from Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass).

On January 1, 2010 HB 1119 Rural Substance Abuse Grants (Rep. Ed Vigil, Sen. Gail Schwartz) will go into effect.  This bill provides assistance to both adults and youth struggling with alcohol and substance abuse related problems in rural Colorado. Services include providing safe and alternative activities for youth, as well as prevention and treatment services. These new programs will provide assistance to rural communities in their efforts to manage and prevent substance abuse. The bill was supported by a number of state health programs.

“I want to let the people in Senate District 5 know that your needs are represented and your voices heard at the capitol,” said Sen. Schwartz. “Last session we passed several dynamic bills to support citizens living in rural parts of the state.”

“With HB 1119, Rep. Vigil and I created a rural substance abuse program to help rural communities in their efforts to manage, treat, and prevent drug and alcohol addictions. I firmly believe that everyone in Colorado should have access to quality care and services regardless of where they live. This bill will promote a healthy Colorado and I am proud to see it go into effect.”

With 2010 now upon us, I find myself waxing nostalgic, neither in a positive manner nor with a very optimistic outlook I’m afraid.  No dear reader, I find myself looking back through our recent history with an air of pessimism.  I just can’t seem to get past the fact that we have been in this recession since 2007!

The Obama administration can’t seem to get past that fact either. Top economic advisor Larry Summers stated that the recession was over and that the Federal Government needed to increase (yes, increase) the amount of spending being done to aid turning around the unemployment issue nationwide.

On the same day, top economic aide Christina Romer stated we were still in a recession and that we would remain in a recession until the unemployment problem turned around.  Apparently, even our leaders are befuddled and unsure of what to do.  Other than the obvious: blame former President Bush for all of our woes.

Granted, this mess we are in did begin under the not so watchful eyes of the Bush administration. They were the ones responsible for the banking bailouts and did initiate the financial “saving” of both General Motors and Chrysler.  I would be remiss, however, if I did not point out at this time that the Obama administration loves to take credit for the positives of TARP.  Unfortunately for them, history shows that most of the “positive” actions were taken prior to the Democrats taking control of the executive office.

With the country in a financial tailspin and the Obama administration unsure of the reality of the recession, it seems the only thing that the Anointed One and his chosen few can agree on is the fact that the recession ending and the unemployment rate are inextricably tied to each other.  With this in mind, I would like to take a moment of your time and examine the Presidents’ policies and how they are helping or hurting the economy.

Right now, as I write this article, the US Congress is pushing hard and fast to pass Mr. Harry Reid’s health care reform bill.  If passed, this bill will not become active until 2013. The tax increases needed to pay for this boondoggle will be enforced immediately though. This, simply put, is how the Democrats have massaged the numbers to try and convince you that this bill is “deficit neutral.”  The depth of their lies and the efficiency with which they hide the truth is not why I am writing this article though.

Remember, the White House has admitted that the recession can’t end until the unemployment rate drops back down? Well, consider this, if health care is to pass, insurance premiums paid by employers will skyrocket.  Small business, those responsible for the majority of jobs in this country, will be forced to pay more money out for every employee brought in, decreasing profits.  Whether you are an employee or an employer, the prospect of making less is not attractive at all.

At the same time that our “trusted” leaders in Washington are attempting to cram health care down our collective throats, Mr. Obama is also working to pass the “Cap and Tax (oops, Trade)” bill.  This bill, in the Presidents’ own words, would cause energy costs to increase significantly. Again, let’s consider the small business owners perspective on this issue.  If passed, the cost of doing business would go through the roof! This would hamstring the businesses responsible for driving our economy forward.  Again, these cost increases would cut into the profitability of America.

How do companies insure their profits, profits which they use to feed and clothe their children? Why they hire fewer of us of course!  With unemployment hovering around 10% nationwide, those of us fortunate enough to have a job are more than happy to work harder and longer.

Until these two pieces of legislation are put down like the feral dogs they are, our economy will not be allowed to do what it naturally does on its own and that is to spring back.  This recession will continue, and the Anointed One will continue to point the finger at others. Remember Mr. Obama, when you point one finger at others, there are four more pointing right back at you!

There is a large gap between scholarly and public history. Consequently, the progressive and radical nature of many scholarly publications is rarely utilized in reorienting our conceptions of primarily white-, wealthy-centered histories. Such popularly classist, racist, sexist, and speciest historical conceptions apply to both local and global pasts, and are in large part fueled by the media most accessible to the public: widely circulated newspapers and magazines, the world wide web, and television. Often, and for a number of reasons, reviews or commentary on scholarly histories are not present in these mediums, and so there is little motivation for people to seek them out, whether in bookstores, or preferably, libraries.

The reality that “the vast majority of published materials rarely make it into reviewing media,” certainly should not be—or remain—the truth.[1] It is critical that mainstream reviewing media cover all aspects of the alternative press, particularly well-researched works. The exclusion of such material “makes it difficult for alternative publications to become part of current social discourse,” leaving the masses with less information to contemplate, discuss, and develop further.[2] Scholarly works effectively challenge our current notions of history, and therefore the ways in which we use our diverse roots and pasts to shape our identities and perceive our positions/roles in our own historical epochs. The purpose of this article is to direct Ark Valley Voice readers to alternative publications—both new and old—focusing on the history of your home state and region: Colorado and the American West. The links listed below will direct you to works which are particularly accessible, readable, and narrative-driven, exposing you to extremely interesting, valuable, and enlightening arguments and stories. This is meant to be a pathway to books and ideas you may not be aware of, or are not frequently confronted with.

Knowing who shaped our surroundings, and how and why they did so, builds a powerful connection to the natural and built environments we interact with on a daily basis. But attempting to learn about the past without recognizing the powerful presence and perspectives of historically marginalized peoples makes a holistic understanding of our local pasts impossible. Thus, many of the books found through the sources below will include the stories of often overlooked or underappreciated, but deeply significant, beings and their surrounding environments, many of which may include some of your own ancestors and the lands you live on today. Consequently, reading these works will hopefully facilitate the creation of unique, individual senses of place, and subsequently, more informed, thoughtful, critical, and egalitarian worldviews.

All of this is highly connected to the betterment of our current global predicaments. Constructing a meaningful sense of place translates into respect for that place and its inhabitants. This reading material is meant to produce or at least spark conscientious interactions between people and places on a local scale. Whether that scale be confined to your own homes and towns, the Arkansas River Valley, the state of Colorado, or the greater American West makes no difference, for this is the scale with the greatest potential to fuel more expansive environmental, political, and social progress.

Aside from the valuable information available at your local historical societies and public libraries, books that will deepen your understanding of Colorado and Western history can be found on the following websites:

http://www.coloradohistory.org/publications/rev_cntr.htm

(The Colorado Historical Society Book Review Center website directs you to state-related book reviews, new book notices, and most importantly, topically oriented bibliographies for interests ranging from the Colorado fur trade to African Americans in Colorado and Western history. Navigate through the rest of CHS’s website to find out about historic sites, programs, and events around the state.)

http://www.upcolorado.com/

(The University Press of Colorado website allows you to browse by various Colorado- and Western-related book series, or by individual subjects of interest. Most titles published by a public university such as the University of Colorado will be relevant to state and regional history, geography, anthropology, etc.)

http://www.centerwest.org/

(Since its inception in 1989, and its reorganization in 1995, the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado at Boulder has been committed to providing essential information of various subject matter to Coloradans and Westerners in order to create “forums for the respectful exchange of ideas and perspectives in the pursuit of solutions to the region’s difficulties.” Look through the Center’s news, publications, projects, and events to expand your state and regional education.)

http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/SeriesPage.asp?series=122

(Yale University Press publishes the Lamar Series in Western History, which is composed of “scholarly books of general public interest that enhance the understanding of human affairs in the American West and contribute to a wider understanding of why the West matters in the political, social, and cultural life of America.” Books found on this website will relate more closely to Western regional history, though some will focus more exclusively on Colorado. This series will be of particular interest to anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of American Indian histories.)

[2] Oliphant, 102.

ALAMOSA— Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) will “Flip the Switch” at ceremony to celebrate the activation of SunEdison’s new solar power plant which will power the Alamosa High School and the San Luis Valley Medical Center.  Sen. Schwartz will be the featured speaker at the event which will bring affordable energy to schools and medical facilities in her district.

“As environmentally responsible companies like SunEdison help develop the solar industry Colorado, we all benefit,” said Senator Gail Schwartz.  ”I’m excited to see these two innovative projects unveiled in the San Luis Valley partnering with schools and hospitals to save energy.  The money they save goes where it’s really needed: into the classrooms and patient care.”

This solar plant is the largest in the United States is expected to produce 1.5 kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy annually and will provide energy for the school and medical center. The facilities combined will produce 2.3 megawatt hours of energy.  SunEdison estimates the plant will reduce carbon emissions by over 44 million pounds over a 20 year span. The facility was constructed with no upfront cost to the school district, and they will pay only for the electricity used.

Sen. Schwartz has been a constant advocate for the expansion of the clean energy industry in Colorado. She has worked to create incentives for businesses to come to the state, and her work continues to stimulate local economies and create jobs in Colorado.

Each month an evening program will be offered which is open to the public. For registered Sense of Place participants, the monthly seminars will be followed by an exploration fieldtrip to examine first-hand the natural wonders of our area.

January’s topic is the “Polka Dot” Forest with a lecture by Susan J. Tweit, renowned author and naturalist, and a hike with Tweit into the Arkansas Hills. February focuses on Clouds and Weather with a presentation by meteorologist Dr. Stanley L. Barnes and a stargazing fieldtrip led by local astronomer Jim Konowitz. In March, we’ll explore the Geothermal Phenomenon from a geologic point of view with a presentation by Dr. Fred Henderson and a hike in the Ruby Mountain area with Mark Krivanek, geologist, gemologist and master faceter.

The cost for the three-month study programs includes all three evening lectures and three fieldtrips and is $45 for GARNA members, $55 for non-members. Registration deadline is January 11 and there is a cap on registrations for this popular program. Please call GARNA at 719-539-5106 for more information or register online at www.garna.org/seminars.

For starters lets get some terminology down.  The term grid tied refers to an energy system that is connected to the utility grid.  These systems do not rely on battery storage.  Off grid refers to energy systems that are independent from the utility grid and these systems rely on storage of some kind.  With both types of systems the primary principle is the same.  Light strikes a solar module and produces electrical current but where that current goes and how it is utilized is the major difference between the two types of systems.

Off grid solar electric systems are often more complex and in most cases more expensive than their grid tied counterparts.  Also, they must be designed to meet 100% of the electrical demand because there is not a utility grid to pick up the slack.  Off grid systems rely on storage of the energy produced so it is available at night and during times of less than adequate sunlight.  These systems are sometimes referred to as battery based systems due to the fact that storage batteries are the key piece of equipment all the other components interact with.

Solar modules are just component of equipment that makes up an off grid energy system.  Charge controllers, inverters, battery banks, system monitors and an assortment of breakers, fuses and disconnects are required.

The solar energy generated from the solar modules is sent through the charge controller and right into the battery bank.   When a load such as a light or appliance is turned on, electrical current from the battery bank is drawn through the inverter to the breaker panel, which then distributes energy to whichever circuit demands it.  The breaker panel in an off grid home receives its power from batteries through the inverter. Because batteries are the key to off grid systems, proper maintenance of the battery bank is essential. Protection from weathering elements is a must. Also, when installing a battery bank ensuring an equal charge and discharge, encourages years of battery life.

With off the grid systems sizing is extremely important and great care must be taken to ensure that the system adequately meets the applications energy demands. Unlike the infinite amount of power available to a traditional home connected to the utility grid, an off grid home’s amount of power is limited by the size of the battery bank, the size of the solar array and the energy conservation of its occupants.  Because of this, energy efficiency is of utmost importance. Regardless of the type of energy you choose to implement, the most important step one should make when going off the grid is to minimize their energy usage.  For every dollar spent on efficiency, the average homeowner is saving 3 to 5 times that amount off the cost of their renewable energy system.  Efficiency really does make a huge impact.

Off grid systems are primarily used in remote areas when bringing in electrical lines is too expensive or impossible.  These systems are also popular in developing countries where the utility grid is unreliable or non-existent. Off grid systems require care and attention to the little things, which is all part and parcel of the off grid life itself. Off grid PV allows for greater flexibility for those that require electricity in locations where “needs” are those you suffice yourself.

Originally from from South Florida, Aaron Mandelkorn now lives and works in Salida, Colorado. His business, Renewable Energy Outfitters, provides clean energy systems and consultation to residents of Chaffee County and beyond. Specializing in remote power systems, he has extensive knowledge in solar, wind and micro-hydro system technologies. He can be reached at reosolar@gmail.com.

Gobble Gobble. That’s right, Thanksgiving is coming up soon.  It’s a day of family, feasting, and one giant ham for all to enjoy.  That is of course, if you decide not to light your house on fire.

Thanksgiving Day has more residential structure fires than any other day of the year.  Can you guess the common cause?  Cooking!  Over 40% of Thanksgiving home fires originate around the stove and oven.  Any other day would see 25% of the fires originating from cooking.   The problem is that reducing the amount of fires in the kitchen is VERY EASY, yet they are so prevalent.  In order to reduce cooking fires you do not need to spend any money on special safety equipment, nor do you need to attend a technical kitchen safety class.  You just need to use a bit of common sense.

For example:

-          Attend your cooking.  If the stove is ON, then you need to be in the kitchen, not greeting people at the door.

-          Cooking is a messy job, so roll up your shirt sleeves and take off your jacket.  It doesn’t take much for loose clothing to catch on fire.

-          Keep the stovetop clear.  Pot holders and dishrags should never be placed on or near the stove.

-          Remind the kids to stay away from the stove.

-          Keep all handles turned in, so the children can’t reach them.

With that being said, lets move on to one of the biggest and most dangerous Thanksgiving cooking trends.  The Fried Turkey.  A Thanksgiving staple in the Deep South, the fried turkey has been growing in popularity in our mountain valley for the past 10 years.  And for good reason, a fried turkey is a tasty bird, but please heed a few warnings.

-          The turkey fryers are often very unstable, so keep it on flat ground, upgrade your old 3 legged stand to one with 4 legs, and if you insist on drinking beer while frying, sit in a chair. This is not an area for stumbling around.

-          Keep children and pets away.  Even when you are finished frying, the oil will remain hot for hours.

-          For the love of God, DO NOT fry your turkey in the house, in the garage, or on your deck.  I have to say this, because it continues to be a problem.  Keep this potential fireball away from anything combustible.  You live in the mountains and should be able to handle a bit of cold nasty weather, so there is absolutely no reason to fry that bird inside.

-          Do not over fill the pot with oil, do not over heat the oil, and do not fry a turkey that is not completely thawed.  All of these will make the hot oil over flow and ignite.

-          Keep the propane tank as far away from the oil as the hose will allow.

-          Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher near by, and know when to dial 9-1-1 if anything gets beyond your control.

-          And of course, spend a few minutes reading the instructions, then follow them.

We firefighters of the Chaffee County Fire Protection District will gladly leave our family on Thanksgiving Day, to come help those of you in need.  For your sake, for our sake, please be safe.  “We are there, because we care.”

The funding will allow Colorado to expand on broadband mapping efforts initiated by Senate Bill 08-215, which was sponsored by Sen. Gail Schwartz and Rep. Jim Riesberg.

“Access to broadband Internet is critical for continued progress and prosperity of Colorado families and businesses,” Sen. Schwartz said. “There are unserved and underserved communities all around Colorado with schools, healthcare providers and businesses that need access to 21st century connectivity. This is a significant step to assuring opportunity for all citizens across the state.”

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded grant funding today to six states, including Colorado.

“Reliable, affordable Internet service brings opportunities in education, business, health care and jobs to our state,” Gov. Ritter said. “Improving our broadband access is imperative to remaining competitive in today’s global economy. These funds will pave the way for growth in new geographic areas and keep Colorado a leader in the digital economy of today and tomorrow.”

Colorado received an award of approximately $1.6 million for broadband data collection and mapping activities over a two-year period and almost $500,000 for broadband planning activities over a five-year period.

NTIA received applications representing all 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia. Fifteen grants have already been announced under this program, and the agency will continue to announce awards over the coming weeks.

For more information about the NTIA, visit www.ntia.doc.gov.