Clean-up begins on Summit County’s most toxic mine

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
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Cleanup work at one of Summit County’s most polluted landscapes will begin this month — more than a century after toxic metals were released from the Pennsylvania Mine site.

 

The mine operated from the late 1880s into the early 1930s. It produced more than $3 million in silver, lead and zinc. But the mine exposed a source of toxic heavy metals that drain into Peru Creek, choking fish from the stream and sending pollutants into the Snake River.

 

Today, Peru Creek is devoid of aquatic life. The Snake River, which the creek drains into, supports a limited number of species only in its lower reaches.

 

Individuals and groups have recognized the mine as a tainted site and have been trying to address the problem since the late 1980s. But until now, little has been done to terminate the source of the pollution.

 

“There have been several smaller mine cleanups in that basin with state and grant funding. But everyone has recognized that the major issue remains the Pennsylvania Mine,” said Brian Lorch, a county official overseeing open space and trails.

 

Part of the reason it’s taken so long to tackle the site is that no one has been able to take on the environmental liabilities that go along with the cleanup, Lorch said. Now, the EPA is taking the lead on the project, and several other regulatory agencies are on board.

 

Cleanup work at the mine portal is set to begin this month. The plan will be phased over several years and will address threats from the acidic discharge draining from the mine, as well as tailings and other waste found on the surface.

 

“This project is a big step forward to clean up a long-standing threat to the Snake River Watershed,” Paul Peronard stated in a press release.

 

Peronard is the EPA coordinator who will oversee the cleanup work. “From mid-May to August, heavy equipment will be operating at the mine portal,” he said. “We are asking the public to avoid using the immediate area due to safety concerns.”

 

During construction Peru Creek Road will remain open, but there may be some brief periods of road closures. Increased truck traffic is expected during the summer. Four-wheel-drive access to Cinnamon Creek will be open, but access to the mine will be closed. The Dillon Ranger District will have specific information on scheduled road closures.

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

A new age of deicers on Summit County roads

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://realestate.net

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Drivers may see less sand on the roads next winter, as the Colorado Department of Transportation shifts to a more effective and efficient alternative to magnesium chloride and granular products.

Apex, a new liquid deicer product, can manage slick winter roads at lower temperatures and in smaller quantities than other techniques, transportation officials say.

 

The switch comes after CDOT transferred Summit County into a new internal planning region, where maintenance officials plan to employ the use of Apex more frequently on local roads.

“Because lower temperatures are so prevalent in Summit County, it’s going to be (the better choice),” CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson said.

 

Magnesium chloride has historically been unpopular in Summit.

Several years ago, local residents began noticing dying trees along local streets and, aided by information from several studies, blamed the phenomenon on the use of mag chloride. At one point county officials asked the state transportation department to back off the use of the chemical.

A taskforce was also formed to investigate the issue and a lodgepole pine-beetle epidemic followed. Ultimately, the committee determined that magnesium chloride was no more harmful to the environment than its alternative, traction sand. Officials now say the science available in the past was incomplete and more recent research has shown that chemical deicers aren’t as harmful as once thought.

 

“In the end, the conclusions were that all this stuff is bad,” County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier said. “Whether sand or magnesium chloride, it just needs to be used judiciously. We don’t like any of that stuff, but we also don’t like accidents.”

 

Technology has changed as well, introducing products, like Apex, that have again changed the conversation about how to best manage slick roads in the High Country. For local officials, Summit County’s transfer into a new planning region presented an opportunity to readdress the issue of winter highway maintenance.

 

“Not only has the science changed about what’s good and what’s bad, but also the product has changed significantly,” assistant county manager Thad Noll said. “They can use just a fraction of what they used to use, it’s a lot better for the environment than sand and magnesium chloride and you don’t have the monstrous clean up that you have with sand.”

 

Liquid deicers and sand are damaging to vehicles. The deicer is corrosive to paint on cars and trucks, while granular products get kicked up by traffic and can cause windshield cracks and body damage.

Local officials have expressed frustration with the use of sand, saying it frequently accumulates along highways and gets washed into waterways.

 

“Our traction sand collection is out of control,” Noll said.

 

Summit County and its state highways were transferred earlier this year to the jurisdiction of CDOT’s Region 3 from Region 1, which included much of the Interstate 70 mountain corridor prior to a restructuring of the regional map. Local officials have expressed concerns about the move, which separates the management of Summit County roads from that of the Eisenhower Tunnel.

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

Tight funds strain plans for Blue River reclamation in Breckenridge

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://www.realestate-breckenridge.net

#Breckenridge, Colorado

The town of Breckenridge may back out of a possible partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers to reclaim a segment of the Blue River after the corps implemented a new policy that would put a bigger financial burden on the town.

The two entities have been in talks for several years to jointly fund the project — to return a northern section of the river to its pre-dredge mining glory — but when the corps announced the town would be responsible for half of the cost of a feasibility study, local officials indicated they might back away from the partnership.

“We are still trying to figure out what that really does to affect us and what are some of our options,” Breckenridge spokeswoman Kim Dykstra-DiLallo said. “Nothing’s been decided yet.”

The project would focus on one of several portions of the Blue River harmed by dredge mining. In some areas the water disappears, seeping through the damaged river bed. The restoration work has been on the town’s to-do list for decades, officials said, and represents the last and most complicated segment of the Blue River slated for reclamation.

Dykstra-DiLallo said the work is “one of our ways to conserve water as well as just beautify it through the town.”

The Army Corps of Engineers had what was referred to as a “loose” agreement with the town to pay for the majority of the restoration project with federal funds. But in past years, there has never even been enough money available to complete the feasibility study. The new policy, corps officials say, is intended to encourage local partners to get involved early on.

“Very little money has been available,” Army Corps of Engineers project manager James Baker said. “There has been an ongoing effort in Washington, by Congress and by the various administrations to try to get the local potential beneficiaries of these project involved early on a financial basis.”

But with the policy change, Breckenridge officials are talking about striking out on their own with the project instead.

Early estimates put the total cost of the restoration for the last section at approximately $7 million, a big bill for the town to foot alone. On projects like this one the corps would traditionally fund 75 percent of the cost, asking the local actor to contribute the remaining 25 percent. However, even if the town did pitch in for half of the feasibility study, it wouldn’t guarantee federal funding for the project itself.

Members of the Breckenridge Town Council said moving away from the corps could present an opportunity for a new conversation regarding reclamation.

Town officials will address the issue again at their next pre-meeting work session May 28.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

Shaking the rust at a Summit County range

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://www.realestate-breckenridge.net

#Breckenridge, Colorado

While this may not be based on any verifiable, quantitative scientific research, I’m fairly certain golf is the most humbling, expletive-inducing sport in the history of the world.

 

On some level, watching pro golfer Sergio Garcia plunk two balls into the same water hazard in rapid succession this weekend, at the PGA Tour Players Championship, was comforting. Even the pros hit it in the drink once in a while.

 

My trip to the driving range at The Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks, on the other hand, was not so assuring. If the 7-iron is the easiest club to hit, I might be in for a long season. At least I’m on track with my long-standing goal to be good at golf by age 65.

 

This story won’t go into detail about how many wicked slices I shanked to the right, the number of times I topped the ball to hit a worm burner, my fear of hitting a divot further than the ball, or the times I missed all together. I also won’t be sharing the thoughts that went through my mind when the guy next to me told his friend, “Man, I just hit 12 great shots in a row.”

 

Instead, this will be more constructive and cover some pointers from local course pros on how to avoid early season anguish. With that in mind here are a few tips to shake off the off-season rust.

First and perhaps foremost: “Don’t have high expectations,” says Breckenridge head golf pro Erroll Miller.

 

While we’re a society that teaches kids that everyone’s a winner. Let’s be honest, the PGA Tour won’t be calling, at least not most of us.  Both Miller and Mark Nickel, golf director of the Raven, recommend starting the season slow. So don’t take the driver out of the bag right away. Consider sticking to irons for the first time back at the range, specifically, a mid-range club like a 6 or 7-iron.

Nickel also recommends resisting the urge to be John Daily or Tiger Woods and go for big drives. Instead work on short game first and build gradually. So aim at a closer pin on the range. He says this helps golfers loosen up swing motion and find the rhythm of their swing so the swing will be better when reaching for the big boys in the golf bag.

 

Miller also suggests not hitting too many the first time out for the season. Just like skiing, muscles need to adjust to the motion again after a long off-season.

 

Working on your core muscles through activities like yoga, bicycling, or training with a weight ball leading up to or early in golf season is also important, say Nickel. Core muscles are essential to a full and balanced swing.

 

One of the biggest things he sees on the range, especially early in the season, is, “people over arm swinging.” That means they’re concentrating on using their arms to try to muscle through a swing. This often results in swinging harder through the swing rather than having a smooth consistent follow through. He urges remembering that a golf swing is a full-body motion. Golfers may have a tendency to forget about their legs and hips. Nickel compares it to a coil. Motion starts in the legs and hips and progresses up through the shoulders to the arms. It’s “what a lot of people don’t think about,” says Nickel. Legs and hips stay ahead of shoulders through the swing.

 

Now if you, like me, find yourself topping two or three balls in a row, pay attention to your stance. Coaches often say keep your head down on the ball. Nickel corrects that idea. It’s not just the head, but rather a tendency to raise up one’s whole body through the swing. It’s important to keep your stance consistent through your swing. Keep “head up, spine in line,” says Nickel.

 

If hitting a divot further than the ball is a major concern, he encourages practicing, “clipping the grass” with a swing.   Finally, Nickel reminds golfers not to over think. Focus on one aspect of the swing at a time.

 

Course pro Errol Miller also emphasizes three things that can throw off a swing the quickest. Balance, alignment to the ball and grip.  Hopefully these pointers will have some a little more prepared to hit the range than I was Monday. Remember golf is a game, it’s supposed to be fun.

Update Course Opening Schedule

 

Keystone River Course will open the front nine this Friday. Course pro Phillip Tobias expects the full 18 to be open as early as mid week next week, and likely by Friday, May 24 at the latest. “We want to open with a solid product for our customers,” says Tobias. The Keystone Ranch course should open all 18 on the 31st of the month.

 

The Breckenridge Golf Club plans to open it’s driving range this Friday, according to head golf pro Erroll Miller. He is hopeful all 27 holes will be open the following Friday, May 24. Miller anticipates that they will be able to open at least 18 holes on that Friday.

 

The Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks currently has the practice area and the front nine open. They hope to have the back nine open on Thursday, or Friday at the latest.

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

Summit County recpath opens ahead of schedule

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://www.realestate-breckenridge.net

#Breckenridge, Colorado

The spring thaw is giving way to a slew of outdoor activities in Summit County.

 

The paved Recreational Pathway System is plowed and ready for walkers and cyclists.

“The recent warm weather has helped us open the recpath ahead of schedule,” said Summit County open space and trails resource specialist Brad Eckert.

 

County officials expect crowded conditions on the path, especially on weekends. They ask those who use the path to be prepared to slow down, and to pull off the pathway when stopping.

 

Although the path is open, there are still wet and icy spots, as well as some sandy areas, Eckert said.

“Most backcountry trails are likely to be snow-packed or muddy for several weeks,” he said. “We hope that the early opening of the recpath will provide an alternative to avoid damaging trails during this time period when they are most fragile.”

 

People using the paved trails may come upon maintenance vehicles and should slow down when approaching them. The county will be doing work on a piece of the Dillon-Keystone Recpath, which stretches from the Dillon town limit to Swan Mountain Road. Workers will be refacing the decking on the bridge over the Snake River, removing and replacing asphalt and improving drainage on this portion of the trail system.

 

The Ten Mile Canyon recpath segment remains closed due to avalanche concerns.

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

Beetle-kill pellets find new purpose in absorbing oil and gas spills

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://www.realestate-breckenridge.net

#Breckenridge, Colorado

Mark Mathis was looking pretty smart in early 2008.

He was harvesting Colorado beetle-kill timber and converting the state’s flood of dead trees into pellets for affordable home heating. Then the price of oil collapsed — falling by more than $100 a barrel in a year — and suddenly, pellets were no longer the inexpensive option for heat. Mild winters further eroded pellet demand, and Mathis’ once-boundless plan withered along with the entire biomass and alternative-energy industries.

Five years later, Mathis’ Kremmling-based Confluence Energy is surging with a new mission.
“We are taking on kitty litter,” he said.

Mathis is doubling down on his plan to capitalize on environmental concerns, this time with a biodegradable beetle-kill product that cleans up oil, gas and solvent spills better and cheaper than the widely used clay-based products, such as cat litter. The company’s Eco-Sponge is becoming popular with oil and gas operations across the country, and strong sales — already passing the company’s heating pellets — have enabled Confluence to acquire its competitor, Rocky Mountain Pellets in Walden, doubling its capacity and making Confluence the largest pellet maker in the West.
Mathis’ Eco-Sponge aims to end the reign of clay-based absorbents in environmental cleanup work with its simplicity. Where those clay bits need to be removed once they absorb oil, gas or benzene spills, Eco-Sponge’s patented army of microorganisms consume the hydrocarbons and can be left on site as an inert material.

Mathis calls it “a composting process on steroids.”
“How often in life do you get to offer solutions for cleaning up an environmental mess like the pine beetle while making a renewable energy source and cleaning up another environmental issue? And make money doing it?” said Mathis over the din of the Walden plant’s maze of pellet-making machines.

The Eco-Sponge takes the pine-beetle business “to the next level,” Mathis said.
To read this article in its entirety, go to http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_23220378/beetle-kill-pellets-find-new-purpose-absorbing-oil?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

Summit County assessor explains property valuation process

Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://www.realestate-breckenridge.net

#Breckenridge, Colorado

The property value assessment process explained

The biannual assessment of property in Colorado has occurred. All counties in Colorado revalue all property this year. Notices were mailed May 1. The last day to appeal the value of your property is June 3.

 

 

The sales study period for this revaluation is July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012. Statute requires 18 months of sales be studied. In Summit County we use a full 24 months so that we have consistency between valuation periods.

 

 

With all properties, we are allowed to go back as much as 60 months. In a county like Summit where sales in the study period could be insufficient for a particular category of property, going back beyond the two years is sometimes necessary.

 

 

With commercial properties we must also analyze the cost and income approach, as well as the sales comparison method. We depend on our taxpayers to provide us with their rental income and expense information to accurately determine a value using the income approach.

 

 

Residential properties, by constitutional amendment, can only be valued with the sales comparison approach. Summit County has many unique properties. Unlike metro areas, there are few subdivisions with properties that are very similar. In many of our neighborhoods the properties vary widely in style, size, lot characteristics, view, river or stream amenity, golf course frontage, construction quality and design.

 

 

With this variation, sales comparables used for analysis for each home in a neighborhood could vary widely.

 

 

It is our goal for our taxpayers to understand this revaluation process. We welcome your call or visit here in the assessor’s office. Our phone number is (970) 453-3480. We are open for customer visits from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

 

 

Beverly Breakstone, Summit County Assessor

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News