Developing a Renewable Energy Grid for the Future : A clean energy future is fundamental to our country’s environment, economy, public health, and national security. This future requires rapid and extensive development of energy efficiency measures, distributed generation* like rooftop solar panels, and large amounts of large-scale renewable energy generation. Moving that renewable energy from high quality and cost-effective, Continue reading →

Xcel Proposes More Wind-powered Energy : Thanks to federal tax credits on wind power, breathing might get a little bit easier for folks in Colorado. Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest energy provider, recently announced their proposal to add 548 megawatts of wind power to their renewable energy portfolio between now and 2016. This means that, if approved, Continue reading →

BLM Considers Increase to Oil Shale Royalty Rates : The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering an increase in oil shale royalty rates. This rate increase would help protect families, communities, air, water, wildlife and the environment from speculative and potentially hazardous extraction of oil shale on public lands. Current royalty rates start at 5 percent and gradually Continue reading →

Time for a Modern Electric Transmission Grid : Today, President Barack Obama issued a memo highlighting the importance of modernizing our nation’s electric transmission grid. The grid is responsible for carrying energy from power sources to our homes and businesses. A modernized grid will encourage growth in the renewable energy sector, which will help lower greenhouse gas emissions Continue reading →

Streamflows Low on Western Rivers

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Joanna Nasar — No Comments ↓

Comb Ridge is a 90-mile swale of rock. One of the original Mormon pioneering groups, the Hole in the Rock Expedition, hit Comb Ridge (after ~6 months of a treacherous expedition that was supposed to be 6 weeks). They couldn’t get over it, so traveled down to the San Juan, forded the river (upstream), and their mules hauled their gear up San Juan Hill (the gentler-sloping side of Comb Ridge). The scrapes and slides from the mule’s hooves are still visible on the sandstone today. They stopped the expedition shortly after San Juan Hill, just a short distance from their planned final destination near Montezuma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Expedition

Memorial Day weekend just passed, and for most people, that meant it was time to fire up the barbecue and to pitch a tent. For white water rafters and boaters it meant it was time to take the first float trip of the season. In normal years, many western rivers’ Continue reading →

ICYMI Monday

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Joanna Nasar — No Comments ↓

(In Case You Missed It) is a weekly feature at Western Views that runs every Monday. The goal of ICYMI Monday is to catch you up on some of the most important stories about conservation and the environment that you might have missed last week. Let’s get to it: Colorado Continue reading →

GREAT NEWS: WRA Honored with Regional Leadership Award

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Joanna Nasar — No Comments ↓

This week, Western Resource Advocates was honored to receive the Western Regional Leadership Award from Wind Powering America, a branch of the National Renewable Energy Lab. This award recognizes Western Resource Advocates for our “bold leadership in supporting renewable energy development and articulating the water/energy nexus in the Western states.” Continue reading →