As a member of The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, plus a volunteer for them at their Barr Lake State Park banding station, I have just one thing to say:
BIRDS ARE *NOT* MORE ADAPTABLE THAN SOME PEOPLE GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR. Billions of birds have been lost because they are NOT adapting. Susan Rosine Brighton, Adams County On Thu, Dec 9, 2021, 4:40 PM SeEttaM <[email protected]> wrote: > Wow, I had to reread what I wrote but I cannot fathom how it was > misconstrued to include recommended that "...we harass the process of > bringing in a greater supply of electricity...." and effectively costing > taxpayers more money! Really, this is I what I asked, "..I hope many > will take a look and intervene as needed to try to protect the birds we > still have. " > > > While I don't know what to think about that I do disagree with Mr. > Reeser's statement, "Birds are more adaptable than some people give them > credit for." I'm not sure how many Colorado birders are aware of the very > real of extinction of Lesser Prairie Chickens from southeast Colorado which > has been identified as in part due to gas and oil activity: "The lesser > prairie-chicken population, which once numbered in the hundreds of > thousands, has dwindled across its historical range by an estimated 90%, > “due largely to habitat loss and fragmentation,” USFWS said, with oil and > gas activity contributing to the decline". > Some of the issues with gas and oil activity that have caused the decline > of these Lesser Prairie Chickens are similar to what expansion of electric > utility lines would bring. I don't consider the risk of expiration of this > species to be a "small price to pay." > > I certainly hope that more level headed consideration be given to this > issue. I am a strong supporter of accountability and that I believe that > utilizing companies need to be held accountable for their actions that > might cause serious damage to vital bird habitat. And that will only happen > when those of us who are serious about bird conservation intervene (fyi, > before I get misconstrued again that does not imply that this project has > to be stopped or that the company should be harassed.) > > Just an addition piece of info, other interests such as the cultural > advocates are intervening to avoid this project being harmful to their > interests in Eastern Colorado. > > SeEtta Moss > Canon City > > > > > > On Thu, Dec 9, 2021, 9:09 AM Rick Reeser <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Cobirders: In response to the post about Xcel expanding their power >> network, I have several responses: >> >> 1. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. You can’t be a >> consumer of significantly more electricity (in contrast to using fossil >> fuels for cars, furnace, etc.) without supporting the electrical supply >> chain. The electrical supply chain comes with some sacrifices, just like >> oil drilling comes with some negatives. >> >> 2. If we harass the process of bringing in a greater supply of >> electricity, it comes with adding a significant cost to the end product. >> Remember, Xcel has to pass onto us the economic costs of this $2 billion >> project. Do we want it more than that? >> >> 3. Birds are far more adaptable than some people give them credit >> for. It’s like when I fill my feeders. The birds leave for a short time, >> but they will be back where food can be found. Yes, construction is a >> short-term annoyance, but the long-term benefit makes it worth it. And, the >> actual loss of habitat is likely to be quite small. >> >> 4. The addition of more power lines in remote areas that are not >> known for their tourism potential seems like a small sacrifice to pay for >> getting the electricity we need. California has had numerous fires and >> power outages due to demanding too high of electrical consumption before >> having the infrastructure to support it. Some of their fires were started >> by aging electrical systems and their power outages- that were almost daily >> when I was there this past year- were quite disruptive. We need the >> electrical infrastructure to move forward to prevent these types of things >> from happening. >> >> 5. Will these power stations and lines actually kill lots of birds >> or make them move permanently far away. I doubt it. Our cars kill lots of >> birds, but we don’t propose eliminating cars because of that- we drive with >> greater caution instead. >> >> >> >> We need to work with Xcel on this project to minimize the harm to the >> habitat, not work against them. Offering to work with someone is far more >> effective than working against them. >> >> Rick Reeser >> >> Milliken >> >> On Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 11:00:55 AM UTC-7 SeEtta wrote: >> >>> I just found mapping by Excel of their 'Colorado Power Pathway' of new >>> substations and giant transmission lines that are proposed to cut through >>> eastern Colorado including in or near some very important bird habitat >>> including Chico Basin. Are any conservation groups or birding groups that >>> concern themselves with protecting vital bird habitat monitoring this? As >>> the conservation chair for Arkansas Valley Audubon Society I am now going >>> to try to send comments on their incursions into areas that we service buy >>> there is a lot of Eastern Colorado that will is north of our area that will >>> be impacted by that this major expansion by Excel. Given all the negative >>> impacts on the birds we all love to watch I hope many will take a look and >>> intervene as needed to try to protect the birds we still have. Here is >>> the maps and basic info I have found: >>> https://www.coloradospowerpathway.com/project-description/ >>> >>> SeEtta Moss >>> Canon City >>> >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/f5ca2054-ead5-4d22-8e0c-ed6b9aeb0ddbn%40googlegroups.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/f5ca2054-ead5-4d22-8e0c-ed6b9aeb0ddbn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en > * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include > bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate > * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAUvckpRdOQqTvfJ3v9b%2B0k58x6rqhqcxcZkELccFWPD%3DM13XA%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAUvckpRdOQqTvfJ3v9b%2B0k58x6rqhqcxcZkELccFWPD%3DM13XA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CACPnx8Ug5VA9H9YSNez39RygqFwoBm0NWwMMCzLhKAgCTiMxtQ%40mail.gmail.com.
