The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council is a Public Lands Advocacy Organization located in south-central Colorado at the headwaters of the Rio Grande, surrounded by some of the wildest lands that are left in the lower 48 states. We provide public comment to provide landscape level protection (wildlife corridors, watersheds, biodiversity) on behalf of the American Public.
Community, Business & Industry
Ethnic/Racial Minorities
General population
Hispanic, Latino Heritage
People/Families of People with Health Conditions
Poor, Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent
SLVEC is working closely with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to perform water quality testing downstream of mine sites. We will analyze heavy metals that may be contained in household wells as a result and educate citizens regarding mitigation.
We aim to impact at least 30 households downstream from mine sites regarding health impacts and how to implement mitigation measures.
Environment
General population
A private company, Renewable Water Resources, is attempting to acquire water for the purpose of piping it out of the aquifer and transporting it to a reservoir that will supply the I-25 corridor (predominately Douglas County). We are very concerned about environmental and economic impacts to the San Luis Valley. We are working closely with the Water Conservation District.
Preventing the private company, Renewable Water Resources, from a trans basin water diversion.
Environment
We are working with Adams State University to develop place-based learning for K-12 teachers who are pursuing continuing education credits. Place-based learning uses citizen monitoring techniques to develop baseline around critical issues impacting the San Luis Valley, including air and water quality, solid waste management, and recycling.
We hope to involve 300 teachers who will teach these techniques in their classrooms.
Environment
Animals
General population
An enormous amount of federal policy is being rewritten at this time regarding public lands and the privatization of public assets. We vigilantly monitor these policy changes and follow up with public comment letters and other forms of engagement using the the National Environmental Policy Act.
Redirection of policy that compromises integrity of public lands.
Environment
Animals
General population
There are a number of management planning revisions in process. Immediately upcoming is the Bureau of Land Management areas surrounding San Luis Valley. There will be an Environmental Assessement conducted and SLVEC will be involved in that process.
We would like to encourage the development of a San Luis Valley Conservation Area to encompass lands that include areas of critical and environmental concern (ACECs) and riparian areas along the Rio Grande River that deserve long term protection. These lands are primarily in Conejos County.
Environment
General population
In 2014-2015 we mitigated illegal dumping in Conejos and Costilla Counties, cleaning up 13 active illegal dumps involving the public and public agencies, as well as mobilizing school children to be involved.
In 2015-2016 we targeted Alamosa and Saguache Counties, specifically the Saguache County Landfill, which has compliance issues with the state. We compared the costs of staying open to the costs of closing and becoming a transfer station. In Alamosa, a major clean-up involving the community was organized, which received major publicity.
In 2016-2017 we worked on a SLV regional recycling plan, involving a Task Force of major players, such as the recycling center director, waste haulers, landfill staff, etc. and stakeholders across the region; this involved contracting through LBA associates, a waste diversion expert who led us through several studies to determine what is being thrown away and what should be diverted. The project ends December 2017.
15 illegal dump clean-ups, better enforcement, development of a regional plan for Solid Waste Management and recycling.
Environment
General population
The Rio Grande National Forest is the first forest in Region 2 to go through this planning process, it will decide how the forest will be managed for the next 20 years. SLVEC has researched for the past two years and submitted 23 individual recommendations based on our ground-truthing and scientific research.
The Rio Grande National Forest is going to come out with a Conservation Alternative for the public to review based on our recommendations.
Environment
General population
Protecting Lynx habitat along the Continental Divide in southern Colorado and stopping unbridled development.
We won the lawsuit we filed in federal district court to continue to protect the Canadian Lynx.
Public, Society Benefit
General population
Developed a renewable energy plan for the San Luis Valley based on the power grid and the potential development of renewable energy resources to support the area and be able to also export on the transmission lines.
Over 120 megawatts of solar energy are already on-line.
