The Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Field Office is seeking public scoping comments on a quarry proposed by Mountain Valley Excavating, east of Colo. 69 in Fremont County. The proposed quarry would occupy approximately 10 acres of BLM managed lands, which would include the quarry, access road, and storage of stockpiled material.
The proposal is based on a request from MVE for a mineral materials contract, which would authorize the production of federal minerals to be used primarily as road base and other construction projects. The contract would provide access to 40,000 tons of Federal minerals (gravel) annually for up to 25 to 30 years based on demand and viability of the material from the site.
“This proposal will meet the needs for aggregate in local rural areas and municipalities,” said Royal Gorge Field Manager Keith Berger. “We appreciate the public’s help in providing scoping comments on the proposal.”
In Fiscal Year 2018, non-energy minerals on BLM lands in Colorado generated approximately $194 million in economic output and supported 650 jobs.
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the Environmental Assessment. Scoping comments will be most helpful if received by Sept. 16 and must be submitted through the BLM ePlanning site at https://go.usa.gov/xf5Tb or mailed to “Lyons Quarry Scoping Comments,” 3028 E Main St., Cañon City, CO 81212.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or any other personal identifying information in your comments, please be advised that your entire comment, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While individuals may request the BLM to withhold personal identifying information from public view, the BLM cannot guarantee it will be able to do so.
VFW Announces Kick-Off of Annual $30,000 Scholarship Competition
Commander Robert Kidd SR of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., State of Colorado, announced the kick-off of this year’s VFW’s Voice of Democracy Scholarship competition. Local high school students have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and a trip to Washington, D.C.
Students must write and record a three-to-five-minute essay on the selected theme using an audio CD or flash drive and present their recording, typed essay and completed entry form to their local VFW Post by Oct. 31. The 2020-2021 theme selected is “Is This the Country the Founders Envisioned?” Students begin by competing at the local Post level, then Post winners compete at the District level with the winner advancing to the state competition.
All state first-place winners receive a four-day trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to compete for their share of more than $150,000 in scholarships. The first-place winner receives a $30,000 college scholarship.
The National Association of Broadcasters started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. The competition was created to provide students grades 9-12 the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles.
Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards more than $2.1 million in educational scholarships every year.
Interested students and teachers should contact the Voice of Democracy Chairman at their local VFW Post or the State Chair at [email protected] more information.
For more information, visit www.vfw.org/VOD.
