May / June 1999

The April 6th Colorado Springs City election has resulted in a City Council that should be more willing and able to tackle the environmental problems that the City and the region face. The Pikes Peak Group endorsed two at-large candidates for City Council, Richard Skorman and Ted Eastburn. Both candidates won, with Ted Eastburn being the top vote-getter in the race. Ted Eastburn is a relative newcomer to City politics, who as a private citizen has long been active in various environmental endeavors. Richard Skorman is a long-time activist in various city causes, and was instrumental in both the Trails and Open Space Campaign and the acquisition of the Stratton Property, a valuable addition to the City's open space. Both agree that growth and the problems that it creates will be major issues over the next few years, and that growth is a problem that City Council must actively address. Both favor acquisition of parkland and open space and the development of environmentally sound plans to deal with the regional transportation problem. A third winner, Joanne Colt, based her campaign on the issue of public transit, urging development of an expanded system that would help relieve the pressure that private automobiles place on our transportation infrastructure. Rounding out the field is Lionel Rivera, the only incumbent Council member to win reelection. Mr. Rivera won endorsements from across the political spectrum because of his in-depth understanding of City operations and his flexible and creative approach to finding solutions to City problems. In addition, Marylou Makepeace, an environmental moderate, was reelected as Mayor of Colorado Springs. We hope that she will lead the new City Council in addressing the problems that our own growth and prosperity have imposed upon us.

Highway Suit Settled!

A long-time environmental dispute with the City was resolved by the settlement of the Sierra Club's Pikes Peak lawsuit. In February 1999, the State of Colorado ordered the City to comply with conditions contained in a Section 401 permit issued by the Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Health. The permit states that the City must implement, within 10 years, a plan to remediate the erosion and sedimentation problems caused by the Highway. By requiring the City to apply for 401 certification, and by obtaining conditions that adequately protect the environment on Pikes Peak, the Sierra Club has achieved the goals of our Clean Water suit. In our settlement with the City, we have further defined the standards that the City's erosion and sedimentation control measures must meet and have provided a review mechanism to ensure that any proposed changes from the existing Drexel Barrell remediation plan will be environmentally effective. In addition, the City has agreed to contribute $300,000 to remediate Highway-caused damage to adjoining wetlands, including Severy Creek, recently discovered to be the home of a population of native Greenback cutthroat trout. The Sierra Club looks forward to working with the City to bring about the rapid and effective remediation of the Pikes Peak problem.

This is a reprint from the Timberlines (May 1999).

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Pikes Peak Regional Group, Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Club
131 Williams Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80905-1413 - Phone: (719) 592-0963
Last updated May 13, 1999.