Reported by CEN Staff

U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced yesterday the release of more than $20 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that will fund over 100 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Projects in Colorado and more than 650 across the country. The funding will spur renewable energy development on public lands, restore landscapes and habitat  and create jobs in Colorado.

The Colorado BLM’s share is part of the $305 million authorized  to the land-management agency nationwide under the ARRA.

“Through these economic recovery investments, we are also making a down payment on restoring and protecting the stunning landscapes that BLM manages on behalf of the American people,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, whose department oversees BLM.

“We will conserve habitat, restore watersheds, clean up abandoned mine sites and wells, and build a legacy of stewardship of which we can be proud,” added Salazar, a former U.S. senator from Colorado.

Not every project  being funded involves energy, of course, but because the upgrades and improvements will impact our state’s natural resources in a wide variety of ways, and benefit citizens, we are itemizing the full project list.

Colorado Capital Improvements - $5,972,000

Anasazi Heritage Center Roof Replacement with photo voltaic system
Black Ridge WSA - B South Road Trailhead Improvements
Cactus Park Trailheads. Replace and construct a new restroom and parking.
Craig Hot Shot Photovoltaic
Five Points Restroom Replacement
GJAC Solar Phase II. additional Solar Collection to the on-going GJAC Project
Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Safety & Critical Resource Protection
Install Solar Power panels to provide power to Low Gap
Little Snake Wells Solar Conversion: convert non functioning wells using windmill or gas generator
Montrose FO PV System
North Sand Hills SRMA Resource Protection - Delineate camp areas and roads to protect cultural sites
Park Center Well Replacement. Drilling and casing a replacement water well
Photo Voltaic. Install Photovoltaics on Covered parking at Anasazi Heritage Center
Portable solar power units for campground hosts
Solar Retrofit Roan Cabin - Photo Voltaic Install with propane generator back-up.
Whitewater solar install photovoltaic system and service to two buildings
Zapata Falls Campground Construction

Deferred Maintenance - $4,406.000

Accessibility improvements at Anazai Heritige Center
Book Cliff Shooting Range Repair - Improve shooting Range safety and improve access
Commissioning GJAC HVAC
Cuchuras Rec Site. Remediate Health and Safety deficiencies. Add parking for resource protection.
East Cross Mountain Rd
Fourmile Roads and Trails Implementation. Repair 12 Miles of Road, construct/Maintain 10 of trails
Gunnison Gorge NCA Chukar Road improvements of primary access to NCA and WSA
Gunnison Recreation Site Improvements - 7 Sites
HVAC Control System. Replace HVAC Controls to improve Energy efficiency
Intern House furnace. Replace inefficient furnace and crawl space at the AHC
King Mountain Cabin Energy Conservation. Replace old unsafe administration cabin
Kremmling Bunkhouse Replacement - replace very unsafe employee bunkhouse.
Little Bookcliffs Wild Horse Range Access Rehabilitation. Repair access route
Montrose Building Energy Conservation. Stabilize cracking masonary Buildings and insulate/sheath
Montrose Complex Exterior Maintenance. Add security fencing/Gates, repair parking and sidewalks.
Mud Springs Campground Reconstruction - Replace campground facilties
Replace all the shop windows with energy efficient windows
West Creek Recreation Site - construct accessible parking spaces, improve access roads
Wilson and Zapata Communication Sites Repair. Replace both buildings, provide security fencing

Habitat Restoration - $2,996,000

Canyons of the Ancients Habitat Improvements
Canyons of the Ancients Invasive Weeds Treatment
Dolores Habitat Restoration - Landscape level restoration for Gunnison Sagegrouse, Desert Big Horn
Dominguez Escalante Visitor and Management Improvements
Gunnison Gorge NCA River Restoration - treat noxious weeds and plant cottonwood trees and other
HR Abeyta Mesa Reforestation
HR Abram’s Creek Fish Barrier Removal
HR Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and Dolores River Tamarisk Control
HR Delores Field Office Native Seed Increase
HR Dolores River Invasive Species Control and Restoration
HR Escalante Watershed Restoration
HR Glenwood Springs Wilderness Weed Control
HR Gunnison Gorge Sage Grouse Habitat Restoration
HR Gunnison Sage Grouse Habitat Improvement
HR Gunnison Sage Grouse Habitat Improvements
HR McGnnis Canyon Bighorn Sheep Habitat Restoration
HR Native Fish Enhancement Project
HR Peach Valley Tamarisk Removal & Riparian Restoration
HR Rio Grande Riparian Enhancement Project
HR Simpson Wetland and Riparian Water Supply Project
HR South San Luis Lake Wetland Restoration ? PHASE I
HR Uncompahgre Partnership Habitat Restoration Project
HR Upper Crossing Archological Inventory
HRB North Park Stewardship Agreement Biomass: All of the mechanical fuels projects and timber sales
HRB Skunk Creek Pine
HRB Uncompaghre Ponderosa
Vegetation Enhancement in the Little Snake Field Office

Remediation of Abandoned Mines - $1,138,000

Abandoned Mine Lands Grand Junction Field Office Mine Closure and Reclamation
AMl Project Coordinator -  monitor closures, inventory projects, coordinate NEPA and contracts
Box Canyon Mine closure
Club Mesa mine closure project
Crystal Hill mine closure project
Dawson Mountain mine closure project
Eveline Mine Remediation Project
Field Validation AML Sites
Grape Creek mine closure project
Jelly Roll mine closure project
Kankakee mine closure project
Long Park mine closure project
Montrose Cty Uranium mine closure project
Sillsville mine closure project
War Eagle mine closure project
Whale Hill mine closure project

Renewable Energy Authorizations and Permits  - $3,840,000

Contract for estimated 225,000 pages of patents to be scanned and placed on-line for public use.
Contract work for georeferencing plats (use plats and mtp)
Cultural clearance in area with potential for commercial solar energy facility. 3200 acres.
Ecological Assessments Mojave Desert CA
Hire additional person in Notations to assist with backlog
Hire contractors for conducting Visual Resource Management (VRM) Inventories and Analyses
Lands Status Renewable Energy Information Updates to Facilitate Public and Industry Applications
Programmatic EIS for the San Luis Valley Federal Renewable Energy Zone.
Renewable Energy Case Records Verification and Updates to Provide Application Status
Renewable Energy Training
T&E clearance in area with potential for commercial solar energy facility. 3200 acres.
Visual Resource Management Technical Support

Roads and Bridges Maintenance and Construction - $695,000

Alpine Gulch bridge repair
Cebolla Creek Bridge Replacement of Railroad Car Bridge
Missouri Creek Road repair, rebuild reshape and improve drainage features BLM Road #1062

Sheep Creek Emergency Road Repair

Trail Maintenance and Construction - $1,148,000
Arkansas River Travel Plan - Signing, mapping, rehab of linear disturbances
GGNCA Travel Implementation - Sign, map, rehab of linear disturbances, obliterate illegal routes
Hartman Rock Rec Area - Signing, mapping, rehab of linear disturbances
McInnis Canyons Travel Management - hire and outfit the Western Colorado Youth Corps and/or others
Roan Plateu Plan - Travel Management Implementation
Sand Wash OHV Area - Class III cultural survey of 2400 acres within off highway vehicle use area
Trail Condition Assessments
Transportation Planning and Route Designation