- This week Colorado Public Radio is reporting on the Niobrara oil formation — a strech of deep oil-rich rock spanning the Front Range. An oil company has set its sights on the last big undeveloped parcel in Colorado Springs, aiming to tap the Niobrara field.
- The State levied a massive penalty against the Suncor Refinery in Commerce City yesterday. $2.2 million for, in part, not properly maintaining filters that keep a toxic chemical — benzene — from going into the air.
- Firefighters are finally making progress on the wildfire burning southwest of Denver. Officials announced the fire is now 15% contained. More than 500 firefighters, from all over the country, are on the ground. And aircraft are dropping loads of water and retardant.
- Hundreds of people marched on the state capitol yesterday in honor of Trayvon Martin, the black Florida teen killed by a private citizen who said he was acting in self defense. But Colorado Public Radio’s Ben Markus reports organizers used the occasion to protest allegations of abuse by Denver Police officers.
- For about a century, entrepreneurs have tried to squeeze oil from rock on Colorado’s Western Slope. It’s often said that there’s enough oil shale out there to dwarf Saudi Arabia’s reserves. But no one’s ever been able to make any real money extracting it. That COULD be changing.
- Link to the BLM plan: Click Here With Colorado Public Radio, I’m Mike Lamp. The future of development on the Western Slope has pitted familiar foes against each other — environmentalists versus the oil and gas industry.
- Today’s the deadline for 23 medical marijuana dispensaries to close their doors or relocate. The order came from the Justice Department, targeting shops near schools. While school administrators have applauded the move, dispensary owners are crying foul. Colorado Public Radio’s Ben Markus reports. Reporter Ben Markus: Businessman Andy Telsey loved the dispensary business.
- Why do we chicken out? That’s a simple way of describing research that’s going on at CU Boulder. Think of a time in your life when you agreed to do something– maybe speak in front of a large crowd or ask someone out– only to renege later.
- Colorado’s Republican presidential caucuses are only a few days away, but the state hasn’t exactly been deluged by candidate visits or campaign advertising. Colorado Public Radio’s Ben Markus explains why this battleground state isn’t getting more attention.
- It might seem like science fiction: commercial space flights shuttling people across the globe in two hours. But that scenario is on it’s way to becoming reality. And those flights could eventually take off from a small, little-known facility near DIA called Front Range Airport. It’s seeking so-called spaceport status from the feds.
- Rick Santorum surprised the political establishment by handily winning Colorado’s GOP Presidential caucuses last night. In fact, the former Senator swept all of Tuesday’s contests, winning in Missouri and Minnesota as well. The victories gave some much needed momentum to Santorum’s once fading campaign. Colorado Public Radio’s Ben Markus has this report.
- Nationwide, private non-profits conserved a whopping 10 million acres of land over the last five years. Most of the conserved land was in the West, with states like Colorado leading the way. How could this happen during one of the worst recessions in American history?
- When you hear the word “avalanche,” you most likely think of snow cascading down a mountain. Well, there are also ice avalanches. Though generally more rare, they do occur in Colorado and the west. But scientists are concerned that global warming could mean more and bigger ice avalanches.
- Tomorrow is the official start of the 106th National Western Stock Show. Despite massive crowds year after year its future in Denver is in jeopardy. And city officials are now focused on finding a solution. CPR’s Ben Markus has more.
- The federal government is close to deciding the fate of one of the state’s largest water projects. Growing cities on the northern front range want to take more water from the Colorado River. But environmentalists argue the project could permanently damage the river. Colorado Public Radio’s Ben Markus reports.
- The housing crisis has stalled home building. But apartment construction has come back to life. There’s now a huge pool of people forced to rent because of the recession. CPR’s Ben Markus reports that apartment construction is booming in response.
