Hickenlooper’s Fix our Forests Act undermines key environmental protections (Letters)

Don t overlook the consequences of logging On Oct the so-called Fix our Forests Act introduced by Sen John Hickenlooper passed out of committee and will soon be voted on by the full Senate As a fresh graduate of CU Boulder I m concerned about the devastating effects this bill would have on population lands and the lack of critical media coverage surrounding it and logging across Colorado Under the guise of wildfire protection Fix our Forests expands the amount of logging on populace land Unlike home hardening logging does nothing to protect communities from wildfire and lets regime agencies ramp up cutting in citizens forests It would undermine the National Environmental Agenda Act NEPA and the Endangered Species Act by eliminating environmental assessments and would take away the citizens s ability to challenge projects Who is this bill for The science surrounding the efficacy of forest thinning for reducing high-severity wildfire is dubious at best with chosen experts claiming it might increase the size and severity of wildfires I struggle to understand how limiting regulations and reducing region input would somehow increase safety I don t think it s a coincidence that this bill is being passed after the White House issued an executive order for immediate expansion of timber production and rolled back the Roadless Rule I applaud Sen Michael Bennet for voting no on this bill but it still may become law It s crucial that media outlets overview in a balanced way on the consequences that such logging in the name of wildfire will have on our forests and communities Colin Norman Boulder Action Center plans Don t block the work of angels Re Lawsuit to stop Lakewood s Action Center s progress is misguided Nov news story I was disheartened upon reading the article about the Action Center s plans to repurpose Emory Elementary The limited perspective was on naysayers who called the deal unethical and complain the Action Center would receive a sweetheart deal the neighborhood did not know about these plans I attended a City of Lakewood Ward meeting where the Action Center provided posters gave you an opportunity to speak to likely medical providers and other partners who would occupy the space and listen to Action Center CEO Pam Brier This is no secret At that same meeting I witnessed Anita Springsteen shouting at City Council members and at CEO Brier I could not believe the lack of respect for these general servants At the City Council meeting on Oct public members including clergy and people of faith spoke passionately about their assistance for this transaction Did the reporter attend It also did not appear that the reporter read the populace comments on Lakewood Speaks the city s online inhabitants forum that demonstrated overwhelming group aid One of the comments from an Action Center flyer that describes The Commons at Emory project states Let s promote a caring district where everyone knows they matter Yes let s promote a caring group that centers on stories about visionaries like the Action Center leadership who want to build a collaborative system of care for individuals and families in Jefferson County Let us not raise the profile of those who cannot see beyond themselves and want to block the work of angels Pauline Nunez Lakewood Recycling inefficiency Residents on my block have a front-row seat to city inefficiency For several weeks one side of the street has not had recycling pickup After we were jilted last week on our regular pickup day we left our carts in the street Numerous residents have contacted the city to request pickup The preceding day a truck came emptied one cart and left A row of seven or eight carts down the block waiting for operation was ignored Residents called and in the current era the truck returned and emptied one more cart but no others We have been narrated that each resident has to review their unemptied cart and the city will send a truck to make a pickup for that address only continuing to disregard not only the other carts but our requests to empty all the carts Why are we paying for a truck and driver to make multiple trips to the same block for the same purpose This is beyond stupid Nancy B Weil Denver Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns editorials and more To send a letter to the editor about this article submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail