Calling all cyclists

There are TWO KEY meetings on the Jefferson toll road, however, BOTH MEETINGS ARE ON THE SAME DAY, WEDNESDAY, JULY 20. Because of this date conflict, it will be important to turn out more people and have more voices heard. You may also submit comments in writing, but the comment period is very limited, please ACT NOW! Instructions are below. Please forward this email to your friends and neighbors. Thanks, Rob

July 20
Meeting #1 – Golden’s Proposal for a Bike Path, US Fish & Wildlife
Meeting #2 – Soil Disturbance at Rocky Flats, Dept. of Energy (see below)

Meeting #1 – Golden’s Proposal for a Bike Path, US Fish & Wildlife
If you support Golden’s proposal to build a bike path, come to this meeting - US Fish & Wildlife Meeting, July 20, 2011, 5PM-8PM, Westminster City Park Recreation Center, 10455 Sheridan Blvd. Westminster, CO 80031

Golden’s Proposal: The City of Golden has submitted a bid to purchase a corridor of land, presently owned by the U.S. Department of the Interior as part of the Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge, along Indiana Avenue. http://cityofgolden.net/News.asp?NewsID=867

CINQ’s position to USFW – (Please feel free to use these points in your comments)
We urge government officials to accept Golden’s proposal to build a bike path. This plan will have less impact on the Refuge, protecting important habitat and wildlife. Golden’s plan also offers the federal government more revenue than the competing proposal. A bike path also supports a more sustainable community by lessening carbon emissions, limiting noise, slowing sprawl and limiting water use. A bike path also serves as alternative transportation, which is needed in our community. Biking promotes recreation and health. Please support Golden’s Bike Path.

Cyclist- Special Message
From Margot Zallon, Plan Jeffco - Perhaps, you are unaware of the opportunity presented to our community by the proposed environmental assessment process for the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in northern Jefferson County. This process is to review competing proposals for the use of a transportation corridor on the east side of the Refuge. The City of Golden has proposed acquiring the right-of-way for use as a regional bicycle corridor just west of Indiana Street to provide better north-south bike connectivity instead of a toll highway corridor (see the attached maps). In short, such a corridor could ultimately provide access for a bike way between Boulder County and Jefferson County. If you would think this a good notion, and would use such a corridor, please attend the US Fish and Wildlife Open House on July 20, 2011. In addition, please use the email contacts for US Fish and Wildlife, provided immediately below, to make your opinion known. They will not be taking public comment at the meeting so sending an email is the only way FWS will know your views. Most importantly, please spread the word on this important issue to your fellow cyclists.
Greetings Golden Biking Community,
From Rob Medina, CINQ - I am writing regarding a very important issue surrounding the proposal TOLL ROAD north of Golden. The City of Golden has submitted a competing bid to buy the land on the Rocky Flats Refuge, and build a BIKE PATH rather than a toll road. The primary location of Golden’s proposed bike path would be on the east edge of Rocky Flats. More info: http://cityofgolden.net/News.asp?NewsID=867 If Golden is successful, this could mean miles of added bike lanes and bike access. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE CYCLING COMMUNITY GET INVOLVED TO SUPPORT THIS IDEA AND DEMONSTRATE A NEED FOR THIS BIKE PATH to officials with U.S. Fish & Wildlife, who control Rocky Flats. Please come to this meeting. People may also respond via email to the USFW contacts below. I have been asked by city officials to reach out to people in the community like you - your help is appreciated. Please forward this email to your customers, business associates, friends and neighbors. Thanks, Rob

NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region, 134 Union Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado 80228
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Host Public Meeting Regarding the Potential Expansion of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Public Scoping Comments will be accepted until July 29, 2011 Pursuant to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act of 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to make available a parcel of land up to 300' wide from the existing Indiana Street right-of-way on the eastern border of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge for the sole purpose of transportation improvements. The Service has received proposals that include proposed exchanges of the transportation corridor for property known as Section 16 on the southwest corner of the existing Refuge. The Service has also received a request to transfer the 300' wide parcel in fee for transportation purposes. The Service also proposes to expand the western edge of the approved acquisition boundary of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Expanding the refuge boundary would allow the future acquisition of environmentally important land, including critical habitat for the Preble's meadow jumping mouse. The land within the proposed boundary also includes xeric tall grass prairie, a globally rare vegetation type, and would provide an important corridor between the Refuge and existing regional open space to the west.
The Service wants to hear from the community and will hold a meeting about the proposed boundary expansion and a potential land exchange at the Westminster City Park Recreation Center on Wednesday July 20, 2011. The meeting will be in an open house format, so you will be able to meet with Service personnel, learn about the proposal, and provide input. The meeting will be a forum for sharing ideas and concerns regarding the potential expansion of the Refuge. The Service also encourages the public to comment through letters, emails, or phone calls to the contacts listed below. Comments and information received will help determine the appropriate level of environmental review required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to expand the refuge boundary. NEPA requires federal agencies to integrate environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the effects of their proposed actions on the quality of the human environment. Whether you are an individual or a group representative, please do not hesitate to call, write, or request information on upcoming meetings with Service staff to discuss the proposal and your perspective. The service will accept public scoping comments until July 29, 2011. There will be an opportunity to comment on the resulting NEPA document in late summer/early fall of 2011.
Open House, July 20, 2011, 5PM-8PM, Westminster City Park Recreation Center, 10455 Sheridan Blvd. Westminster, CO 80031
Mike Dixon, Division of Refuge Planning, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486, DFC, Denver, CO 80225
RockFlatsEA@fws.gov 303-236-8132
Bruce Hastings, Deputy Refuge Manager, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, 6550 Gateway Road, Building 129, Commerce City, CO 80022
RockyFlatsEA@fws.gov 303-289-0533
Meeting #2 – Soil Disturbance at Rocky Flats, Dept.of Energy
If you are concerned with Plutonium at Rocky Flats, come to this meeting. The DOE is considering allowing soil disturbance BELOW 3 FEET WITHOUT FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. This change would be dangerous and irresponsible. The Jefferson Parkway would need to dig down deeper than 3 feet, which is the motivation to make this change. Digging anywhere at Rocky Flats could release contaminated dust into the air, endangering public health.

Public comment sought on Rocky Flats proposal — Public comment is being sought on proposed changes to the soil disturbance requirements at the former Rocky Flats site. The changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy would allow soil disturbance below 3 feet without further public comment. The City of Westminster believes that this soil should not be disturbed without significant public input and comment. A public meeting on the proposed changes will be held on Wednesday, July 20, at 6 p.m. at the DOE Legacy Management Westminster office, 11025 Dover St., Suite 1000. Comments on this proposed action are being received until Tuesday, Aug. 2, and can be emailed to: rfinfo@lm.doe.gov with ‘Rocky Flats Site Proposed Plan Comments” in the subject line

From LeRoy Moore, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center - Your help is needed to STOP construction of the Jefferson Parkway and City of Golden Bikeway, both proposed for a strip of land at Rocky Flats that is contaminated with plutonium. Urge DOE to make no land available for either project until it does an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS must determine the quantity of plutonium in soil in the area of any intended construction and the extent to which construction of either project could stir up clouds of plutonium-laden dust potentially harmful to construction workers, nearby residents and others. For more details, go to: Rocky Flats Nuclear Guardianship, http://www.rockyflatsnuclearguardianship.org/facebook/your-help-needed/

CINQ’s position to USFW – (Please feel free to use these points in your comments)
We have serious concerns about possible Plutonium contamination at Rocky Flats based on several credible studies (see www.GoTheBetterWay.org) While government contends that Rocky Flats is “clean”, it may not be. It is more than possible that the government’s past standards were/are inappropriate, and conclusions regarding risk are backed by poor science. The DOE needs to re-examine the risk by adopt more modern scientific methods to determine risk. DOE should reject a proposal to allow soil disturbance below 3 feet without further public comment. We also demand that the DOE conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to protect public health. Rocky Flats is a time bomb waiting to explode if soil is disturbed. Why risk public health?


Rob Medina
info@gothebetterway.org
www.GoTheBetterWay.org
720.261.2058
CINQ - Citizens Involved in the Northwest Quadrant
PO Box 715 Golden CO 80402