Crews cleaning up after Colorado oil spill

FORT COLLINS – Environmental officials and work crews prepared this weekend to remove oil-stained soil from an area where 7,500 gallons of crude leaked from a flood-damaged storage tank into a northern Colorado river.

Todd Hartman, a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, said Noble Energy crews and officials with the EPA were cleaning the site and draining a storage tank on the Poudre River near Windsor. He said oil has affected some standing water and vegetation near the site, but because waters have receded, the threat of any remaining oil entering the river is “very low.”

Crews used absorbent material to soak up some oil, while a vacuum truck removed tainted water from a low-lying area near the damaged tank.

Last-ditch effort for sage grouse

RENO, Nev. – The Obama administration is launching an effort to accelerate protection of sage grouse along the California-Nevada line with $31 million in spending through 2024 to help ranchers and others improve habitat in what one top official says may be the best, last chance to keep the bistate population off the list of threatened species.

“This is the last train out of the station,” Jason Weller, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, said.

While the effort targets grouse habitat in California and Nevada, officials said they hope it will spread in years to come to the overall habitat of the greater sage grouse in 11 western states.

Church to celebrate 50th anniversary

Christ the King Lutheran Church will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29.

The church has grown from 59 charter members to more than 500 members. The church is at 495 Florida Road.

Anniversary events include:

June 28: Open house, 3-6 p.m.; “Mile of Lutherans hike on the Animas River Trail, 2-3 p.m.; Anniversary Choir rehearsal, 2-4 p.m.; ice cream social, 3 p.m.; barbecue supper, 4:30-6 p.m.

June 29: Anniversary Choir rehearsal, 9 a.m.; worship service and introduction of special guests, 10 a.m.; potluck picnic with special music by Joyful Noise, 11:30 a.m.

Four former pastors and their spouses will attend.

Colorado tax receipts continue to increase

DENVER – Colorado is projected to collect higher-than-expected tax revenue for the fiscal year that ends this month, and state economists are also estimating a slight increase in tax receipts next year.

The continued increases in tax revenue during the past couple of years means state officials may soon be faced with constitutionality required refunds to people under Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Economists from the governor’s office say the state will finish the fiscal year with $96.4 million more in tax revenue than was estimated in March. For the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, the state is expected to collect $127.6 million more than was projected in March.

The current fiscal year tax revenue total was expected to be about $9 billion.

Associated Press