4 Highlands Ranch Herald
April 21, 2022
EPA downgrades Colorado’s ozone problem to ‘severe’ Will force more cuts to pollution BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
@douglascountyco
Your voice will help us protect your home and our community Douglas County is updating its Community Wildfire Protection Plan – a document that defines how we can proactively protect life and property. The first step in updating this plan is your input, by completing a short survey. Visit douglas.co.us/cwpp-survey to complete the survey by April 26.
Building records now available online How often have you wondered where your home’s property line ends, and your neighbor’s begins? Do you need to schedule a building inspection and yet remembered to do it after business hours? To access publicly available records and documents visit https://apps.douglas.co.us/building/services
Need flood zone information? If you live in unincorporated Douglas County, Flood Insurance Rate Maps and zone information are available by request. Visit douglas.co.us and search for Flood Plain Information. A form may also be requested by calling 303-660-7490 or visiting Public Works, 100 Third St. in Castle Rock.
What’s happening with your County government? Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream visit douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.
Do you have... Mysterious insects? Trees in trouble? A need for gardening advice? CSU Extension is here for you. We provide answers and education. For more information call 720-733-6930 or visit https://douglas.extension.colostate.edu
Visit douglas.co.us
The EPA has downgraded Colorado’s North Front Range ozone problem to “severe” from “serious,” a long-expected move that requires state and local officials to take stronger runs at cutting the healthdamaging pollution. “The proposed reclassifications would require the State of Colorado to apply more stringent air quality measures to sources across the area,” an EPA release said, in announcing the proposed change after months of pressure from environmental advocates who said the
WILDFIRE FROM PAGE 1
Alexander spoke about the specific risks faced by Douglas County. “Wildfire is the number one natural hazard in Douglas County,” he said. “More than 80% of our residents in Douglas County live within some measure of wildland urban interface risk.” The county has seen a more than 60% increase in the 5-year average of fire occurrence since the period from 2006 to 2010, Alexander said. Alexander said they expect that increase to continue unless there is a drastic change in the climate or residents’ personal habits. “Current predictions for the year, for this coming summer and fire season into next winter are predicting warmer and drier than average local conditions,” said Mike Alexander with the Office of Emergency Management. “We are currently facing a fair amount of risk within the county.” The exclusive-use contract, which parks a 300-gallon-tank helicopter in the county to respond to wildfires, is for about $1 million. Three other contracts for call-whenneeded aerial support from April 13
deadlines to do so had already come and gone. “Under the ‘severe’ reclassification, these requirements include the use of reformulated gasoline in summer months and a reduction of the threshold requiring control measures on emissions sources from 50 tons per year to 25 tons per year,” the EPA said. In a previous interview that will be published on April 12, Colorado officials said the pending EPA downgrade will require hundreds of companies to get emission permits from a state system already critically backlogged. State health officials say their steep budget request is designed to clear the jam and improve the air. It will mean state permits will be SEE OZONE, P5
to Dec. 21 were approved for about $300,000 altogether. Alexander included that the median sale price of single-family homes in Douglas County was $706,000 in February this year. The commissioners unanimously approved the contract and spoke in support of the effort to mitigate wildfires. “When you think about the very r small investment that we make intop a aerial support, we are getting a remarkable return on investment,” o i Commissioner Abe Laydon said. m This is the largest-ever investment in wildfire aerial support in t the county’s history, according to a w h news release from the county. “There is no more effective way toa suppress a wildfire, save lives and t protect property than with the com- t bination of aerial resources work- m p ing in direct support of ground firefighters,” said Alexander, who has 22 years of experience fighting l C wildfires. a The county also provides resources to help residents mitigate j wildfire risk on their property by D E removing weeds and vegetation. n More information is available at douglas.co.us/wildfire-mitigation. W Residents can sign up for phone p n call emergency notifications by g visiting douglas.co.us/codered.
