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ENLARGE
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — For decades, Glenwood Springs was the place you went to from Aspen and Vail for deals. Everything from hamburgers to gasoline was cheaper.
Burgers may still be cheaper, but in the last year gasoline at Glenwood Springs actually became more expensive than at stations in the Vail area. Glenwood Springs is having a boom of its own, mostly because of the natural gas drilling to the west.
The epicenter for that drilling is about 30 miles west in Rifle. Not long ago it was home base for many of the construction and service workers for Aspen. But the oil-and-gas sector is growing rapidly, offering wages that are at least comparable and often better than those in the resorts.
Scott Condon of The Aspen Times reports that the workforce in Garfield County — which includes Glenwood Springs, Rifle, and several other communities — grew 7 percent last year. Eagle County — which includes Vail — is still bigger, but grew 4 percent. Pitkin County was static.
These numbers are somewhat deceiving, notes Condon, as people don’t always live in the same places they work. But these numbers do jibe with the more anecdotal observation that Garfield County is growing out of its position as a stepchild to the neighboring resort-based counties.
The natural-gas boom is still expanding, with an increase of 38 percent last year for drilling permits. More than two-thirds of all property taxes now come from the oil-and-gas sector.
Labor Department statistics show that the number of people employed in construction — such as cutting roads and scraping well pads — increased 12 percent last year in Garfield County. Those more directly involved in gas extraction grew more modestly.
Wages have also been rapidly increasing. In Garfield County, the average weekly gross pay increased 9 percent, and down-valley in Mesa County (Grand Junction), average pay increased 11 percent.
Those wages are still less than in Pitkin County, but now more than those in Eagle County. Plus, for a lot of workers, the commutes are shorter, meaning saved time and gasoline.
Well-known wolf killed on TransCanada Highway
BANFF, Alberta — A five-year-old female wolf, the alpha of the pack that loped in the Banff and Canmore area, has been killed in traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Although the highway has wildlife overpasses, with fencing along the highway to prevent wildlife from crossing, the fence had a hole in it.
Parks Canada says 38 wolves have been killed on the roads and railways in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks since 1998, and another 12 have been killed just outside the boundaries of Banff.
The killing of the wolf was more personal than most, because it had been friendly to people, or at least curious. For that reason, the wolf was well-photographed and also well-known otherwise. Its photograph was pasted on the side of a public bus in Banff.
The wolf, named Delinda, was described by one long-time wolf watcher as “very extraordinary, very focused and very gentle and supportive,” reports the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Little holes in buildings add up to a lot of heat loss
WHISTLER, B.C. — British Columbia has adopted new requirements for buildings that require more insulation. The upgraded requirements were adopted to further the province’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 33 percent below 2007 levels by the year 2020.
Writing in Whistler’s Pique Newsmagazine, Kevin Damaskie notes that existing housing often has small gaps here and there that collectively amount to one big hole. Through caulking and other techniques, the gaps can be filled and energy saved.
Clean energy group gets some legs underneath it
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — A new group called Clean Energy Economy for the Region has been allocated has been granted $2 million from the state and $200,000 by Garfield County to seed both energy efficiency and renewable-energy projects.
The group is working the area from Carbondale to Parachute, all within Garfield County. A model is the solar collectors located on the Carbondale Recreation Center, reports the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.
Burgers may still be cheaper, but in the last year gasoline at Glenwood Springs actually became more expensive than at stations in the Vail area. Glenwood Springs is having a boom of its own, mostly because of the natural gas drilling to the west.
The epicenter for that drilling is about 30 miles west in Rifle. Not long ago it was home base for many of the construction and service workers for Aspen. But the oil-and-gas sector is growing rapidly, offering wages that are at least comparable and often better than those in the resorts.
Scott Condon of The Aspen Times reports that the workforce in Garfield County — which includes Glenwood Springs, Rifle, and several other communities — grew 7 percent last year. Eagle County — which includes Vail — is still bigger, but grew 4 percent. Pitkin County was static.
These numbers are somewhat deceiving, notes Condon, as people don’t always live in the same places they work. But these numbers do jibe with the more anecdotal observation that Garfield County is growing out of its position as a stepchild to the neighboring resort-based counties.
The natural-gas boom is still expanding, with an increase of 38 percent last year for drilling permits. More than two-thirds of all property taxes now come from the oil-and-gas sector.
Labor Department statistics show that the number of people employed in construction — such as cutting roads and scraping well pads — increased 12 percent last year in Garfield County. Those more directly involved in gas extraction grew more modestly.
Wages have also been rapidly increasing. In Garfield County, the average weekly gross pay increased 9 percent, and down-valley in Mesa County (Grand Junction), average pay increased 11 percent.
Those wages are still less than in Pitkin County, but now more than those in Eagle County. Plus, for a lot of workers, the commutes are shorter, meaning saved time and gasoline.
Well-known wolf killed on TransCanada Highway
BANFF, Alberta — A five-year-old female wolf, the alpha of the pack that loped in the Banff and Canmore area, has been killed in traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Although the highway has wildlife overpasses, with fencing along the highway to prevent wildlife from crossing, the fence had a hole in it.
Parks Canada says 38 wolves have been killed on the roads and railways in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks since 1998, and another 12 have been killed just outside the boundaries of Banff.
The killing of the wolf was more personal than most, because it had been friendly to people, or at least curious. For that reason, the wolf was well-photographed and also well-known otherwise. Its photograph was pasted on the side of a public bus in Banff.
The wolf, named Delinda, was described by one long-time wolf watcher as “very extraordinary, very focused and very gentle and supportive,” reports the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Little holes in buildings add up to a lot of heat loss
WHISTLER, B.C. — British Columbia has adopted new requirements for buildings that require more insulation. The upgraded requirements were adopted to further the province’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 33 percent below 2007 levels by the year 2020.
Writing in Whistler’s Pique Newsmagazine, Kevin Damaskie notes that existing housing often has small gaps here and there that collectively amount to one big hole. Through caulking and other techniques, the gaps can be filled and energy saved.
Clean energy group gets some legs underneath it
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — A new group called Clean Energy Economy for the Region has been allocated has been granted $2 million from the state and $200,000 by Garfield County to seed both energy efficiency and renewable-energy projects.
The group is working the area from Carbondale to Parachute, all within Garfield County. A model is the solar collectors located on the Carbondale Recreation Center, reports the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.
