ISSUE # 64 .... Ant Alert: Hydro Forum This Thursday!
September 14 Hydro Forum This Thursday,
June 16, 5:30pm
Paepcke Auditorium
PLEASE ATTEND! TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
This Thursday, June 16, please plan to attend a public forum on Hydro Power in Aspen, presented by The Western Rivers Institute with the generous support of the New-Land Foundation. It is being held at Paepcke Auditorium, beginning at 5:30pm. Admission is free.
The purpose of this forum is to begin a new dialog within the Aspen Community on just how a "gold standard" for hydropower in the 21st Century can be developed, or if that is even a realistic possibility with the proposed project.
This is the "hydro forum" I've written about, originally proposed by neighbors of the city's beleaguered hydro plant project on Castle Creek. The event has been expertly saved from a classic hijack by the City of Aspen by The Western Rivers Institute. When the neighbors, the environmentalists and The Red Ant agree on the same thing - this is worth hearing about!
Mayor Mick has stated that Aspen needs to set a new standard for hydroelectric development in the 21st century as an environmentally responsible part of a carbon-free renewable energy portfolio. What will that look like? What does Aspen need to do that goes beyond the established process? Why is Aspen building the only "old school-style" hydro plant in the US when other municipalities are tearing theirs out? What other strategies might also be employed that help achieve the goals of a carbon-free renewable energy supply?
Be there, learn the facts from the experts and join the conversation!! Tell your friends.
The agenda for the evening:
- · Welcome and Intro: Ken Neubecker, Director, The Western Rivers Institute
- · How We Got Here: Owen Olpin, moderator/facilitator
- · Session I: The New Direction and What That Means
o Dave Hornbacker, City of Aspen Water Dept: New direction and process
o Richard Roos-Collins: FERC and NEPA process, the role of the public
o Audience questions
- · Session II: Water Rights - What are they? Could a Front Range city take them?
o Cindy Covell: Water Attorney for City of Aspen
o Paul Noto: Aspen-based Water Attorney
o Audience questions
- · Session III: A New Standard for Hydropower (a panel)
o John Emerick, PhD: Hydropower and stream ecology
o Richard Roos-Collins: The public's role in the permitting process
o Matt Rice: American Rivers
o Mick Ireland
o Audience questions and discussion