ADVISORS, SUPPORTERS & PARTNERS
Those who have supported our efforts and are integral to our sucesses
• Brown Foundation
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• United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Service
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• Sangre de Christo National Heritage Area
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• Colorado Creative Industries
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• Kenney Foundation
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• The Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Program
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• Many Individuals, Families, and Businesses
A hearty Thank You to these amazing organizations!!
Various local, regional, and national non-profit environmental and
conservation organizations are instrumental in supporting our efforts to protect the Upper Rio Grande region. We cannot do this work alone. Many thanks to:
Back Country Horseman of Colorado
Center for Biological Diversity
Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate
Colorado Communities for Climate Action
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Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
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Energy and Conservation Law: Travis Stills, Attorney
Friends of the Wildlife Refuges
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New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
New Mexico Wildlife Federation
Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project
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Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance (SRCA)
The Wilderness Society
Western Environmental Law Center
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COUNTY GOVERNMENTS
Alamosa County, Colorado
Conejos County, Colorado
Costilla County, Colorado
Mineral County, Colorado
Rio Grande County, Colorado
Saguache County, Colorado
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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Adams State University
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PUBLIC LAND & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES
Bureau of Land Management (federal)
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (state)
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (federal)
Rio Grande National Forest (federal)
US Fish and Wildlife Service (federal)
SLV Wildlife Refuges (federal)
WATER DISTRICTS
San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
Rio Grande Water Conservation District
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Working Group Members
This vital work would not continue without the support of our working group members. They are the backbone of this critical environmental policy work. SLVEC volunteer working group members focus on issues such as:
Energy Development on Public Lands surrounding the SLV
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Challenging exploratory Oil and Gas Development
2006-2007 – Flat Top Mesa-protecting Areas of Critical and
Environmental Concern (ACEC’s) on BLM lands, nomination of parcels
dropped due to Conejos County residents challenge of due process.
2007-2010 – Baca National Wildlife Refuge – Went through Federal
District Court, Judge decided any future O & G development proposal
would have to go through another NEPA Environmental Assessment.
2008-2009 – 144,000 acres of potential oil and gas leases in Rio Grande
National Forest, between South Fork and Del Norte were deferred due
to IBLA (Interior Board of Land Appeal) case and local public outcry.
2010-2015 – San Francisco Creek Working Group – SLVEC challenge BLM
Oil and Gas leasing Record of Decision (ROD) in Federal District Court,
the leases were dropped by Dan A. Hughes of Texas, due to expiration.
2016-present-Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve-protesting
13 leases bordering east side of National Park boundary, in Huerfano
County, tabled due to Navajo Nation consultation.
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Support for distributive scale Solar Development
2009-2015 – San Luis Valley Solar Master Planning Process
The San Luis Valley Solar working group developed a sensitive SLV
Resources map and list of recommendations for distributed solar
throughout the SLV, using the existing grid and substations. SLVEC
also commented on BLM’s four solar energy zones and recommended
upgrade of Xcel power lines over Poncha Pass.
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Wildlife Connectivity and watersheds
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2000-present – Village at Wolf Creek, large scale development
challenged in Federal District Court by Friends of Wolf Creek, for
the protection of wildlife connectivity between Wilderness and
Roadless Areas and Rio Grande late season flow river water
delivery to San Luis Valley and New Mexico.
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2000-present – Travel Management Planning on Public Lands, to
minimize fragmentation (roads and trails development) and
protection of traditional uses, wildlife corridors and watersheds.
Allies include Back Country Horsemen, Trout Unlimited and Quiet
Use Coalition.
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Environmental Health (US - EPA)
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2006-2009 – Protection of Water Quality and drinking water in
household wells, over 800 households participated in free well testing,
results were mapped and analyzed.
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2010-2012 – EPA Community Action for a Renewed Environment
(CARE) - Environmental Health Risk Assessment within the SLV, 13
communities prioritized their concerns: air and water quality; solid
waste management and recycling top 3.
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2012-2014 – EPA Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) - Public Outreach to inform
about asthma and asthma triggers, radon gas, dust storms, smoke and
providing preventative measures and mitigation ideas; 2,500
households were contacted and provided presentations and IN-Door
Air Quality Assessment Tool information. Partners included National
Jewish Health, Adams State University Nursing School (Curriculum was
developed), County Public Health Home Health Care Providers, SLV
Early Childhood Educators, Head Start, and La Llave Family Resource Center
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2014-present – USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture) and CO Dept. of Public Health and Environment - Solid Waste Management and Recycling-
SLV Solid Waste Diversion and Recycling Task Force developed a ten-
year plan (2017-2027), approved by the state, for waste diversion and
recycling within the San Luis Valley Region.