Snowmelt causing minor flooding

The US National Weather Service reports minor flooding is expected to continue through the weekend as creeks and streams run high due to primarily snowmelt. Localized heavy rainfall from thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening could exacerbate the flooding. A Flood Advisory will be in effect for the Blue River below Summit County until early Saturday afternoon, July 6th. In addition, a Flood Advisory will be in effect for the headwaters of the Colorado River, on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, through Monday morning, July 8th. 

Persons with interests along these rivers are urged to use caution. Avoid flooded areas and stay clear of river banks that could become unstable due high flows.

Lift Transit Summer Service

The Lift is now running “high season” summer service. This means the bus is operating half-hour service, 3pm-midnight, Thursdays through Sundays.

The Granby Regional Commuter Line is now operating year-round. Take the free bus between Granby, Fraser and Winter Park to attend the awesome summer events and festivals in our communities. Forget about finding parking, stressing about traffic or paying for gas – take the bus instead!

For more information on schedules, visit www.TheLiftWP.com – to schedule a pick-up at any stop not located on US 40, call dispatch at (970) 726-4163.

Fraser Public Works Updates

The contractor for the CR 72 Realignment project has been delayed due to unusually high ground water. Expected completion date for this project is fall 2019. 

The Hwy 40 Pedestrian Safety Improvements project is nearing completion. The town extends their thanks to residents and visitors for your patience during the work. The Town will accomplish the task of planting in the medians and in planting areas alongside the roadway in 2019 and 2020. 

The County Road 8 Bridge over the Fraser River Project is scheduled to begin on August 1. This project will necessitate detours during the bridge replacement. The bridge project is anticipated to be completed by early winter, weather permitting, but could extend into spring of 2020. Please proceed at or below posted speeds as you make your way through the detours. 

Volunteer Opportunity

Volunteers are needed for the upcoming Fraser Mountain Mural Festival. The Festival will be a platform for local, mountain, front range and national artists to compete for cash prizes, as well as generating creative energy and raising awareness for the proposed Fraser Center for the Creative Arts. One of the stations will be for kid’s artwork, so this promises to be fun for the whole family. 

Visit frasermountainmuralfestival.com for details on the event and to volunteer. 

The Heat is On!

Nearly 60 people in Colorado are arrested for impaired driving each day. To help reduce alcohol-related crashes and save lives in Colorado, CDOT and BACtrack have teamed for an unprecedented partnership to promote the use of smartphone breathalyzers. Alcohol affects everyone differently and your blood-alcohol content (BAC) can be affected by a variety of factors. A breathalyzer is the best way to get an accurate BAC reading. Even one or two drinks can put you over the DWAI or DUI limit. Don’t risk it; know your BAC is zero before you decide to drive.

Through the partnership, breathalyzers will be offered at a 50% discount for Colorado residents from July to September, or while supplies last. To purchase a BACTrack breathalyzer for 50% off, visit: bactrack.com.

CHLT acquires 82 acre parcel

Colorado Headwaters Land Trust (CHLT) announced in late May that they acquired a beautiful 82-acre conservation easement bordering the Arapaho National Forest, west of Kremmling. The project was paid for in large part by an Open Lands, Rivers, and Trails Fund (OLRT) grant by Grand County.

Roy N. Enter, the owner of the forested property, donated the easement to protect the scenic spaces and wildlife habitats of western Grand County. The property is also covered by a Colorado State Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, which classifies it as agricultural land and protects it against non-forest uses. It also borders several large ranches as well, further contributing to its conservation value of open space.

There is a variety of species of wildlife that roam throughout Grand County, and the less developed parts of the county, like the western side, is home to many of them, including black bear, elk, lynx, moose, mountain lion, mule deer, garter snake, and wild turkey. The Enter property is located between water sources, and is with both seasonal and year-round ranges for many of the migratory species.

“We are thrilled to kick off the summer of 2019 with the Enter Easement,” said Jeremy D. Krones, CHLT’s Executive Director. “We are very thankful to the Open Lands, Rivers, and Trails Advisory Committee and the Grand County Board of County Commissioners for providing such great support for this project, and to Mr. Enter for his conservation ethic and dedication to this county.”

BLM Colorado evaluating Oil & Gas Leasing Proposals

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public scoping comments on approximately 4,259 acres of public lands proposed for the upcoming December 2019 competitive oil and gas lease sale in Jackson, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. The public scoping period started July 2 and ends July 16, 2019.

Before beginning an environmental analysis, the BLM would like to hear from the public about issues that should be considered, including the habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse. Those parcels will comply with the recent Greater-Sage Grouse Resource Management Plan Amendment.

Maps, parcel lists, lease stipulations, instructions for submitting comments, and local contact information for the Kremmling, Little Snake, and White River field offices are available on the ePlanning website at go.usa.gov/xyguf.

Scoping comments will need to be received by July 16, 2019. The next opportunity for the public to provide comment will be a 30-day public review and comment period on draft environmental assessment documents. Comments may be submitted online at go.usa.gov/xyguf.

The State of Colorado receives 48 percent of proceeds from each lease sale, with the remainder going to the U.S. government. In 2018, BLM Colorado sold 103 parcels totaling 67,980 acres for a total of $5,750,756 including rentals and fees. In Fiscal Year 2018, oil and gas development on public lands managed by the BLM in Colorado contributed an estimated $6.9 billion to the economy. Statewide, approximately 30,600 jobs are tied to oil and gas development on BLM-managed public lands.