Grand Mesa penstemon (Penstemon mensarum) is a tall, dark-blue-flowered plant in the Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family) that is known only from the vicinity of Grand Mesa in Gunnison, Delta, Mesa, and Pitkin counties, Colorado. This distinctive species is not known from anywhere else in the world, and is considered to be imperiled at a global and state level. One of the biggest conservation issues for this imperiled plant species is the lack of awareness of its existence and status. Avoiding or minimizing impacts to this species during road maintenance activities will effectively help to conserve its habitat and is unlikely to confer substantial impacts on road maintenance goals and projects.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) initiated this US 24 PEL Study to examine existing transportation conditions and anticipated problem areas along the US 24 corridor in El Paso County between Powers Boulevard and the Town of Ramah. The study identified and screened a reasonable range of potential transportation improvements to develop an implementation plan for projects to meet the operational, safety, and capacity needs along the corridor. The study was conducted following Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) PEL guidance regarding the integration of transportation planning and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, which encourages the use of planning studies to provide information for incorporation into future NEPA documents.
Section 106 Determinations of Effects I-70 East DEIS Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The intent of the EIS is to identify highway improvements along I-70 in the Denver metropolitan area between I-25 and Tower Road and to assess their potential effects on the human and natural environment.
The State of Colorado is rapidly emerging as a leader in the electric vehicle (EV) market. According to the ZEV Sales Dashboard, as of August 2017 there were 11,238 EVs in Colorado. Over the first eight months of 2017, EV sales were up 73% over the same period in 2016. Battery electric vehicles (BEV) comprised 70% of total EV sales with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) making up the remainder. With increased adoption, the State of Colorado stands to reap significant air quality benefits. Under the Colorado EV Market Implementation Study's high growth rate projection, by 2030 Colorado could have close to one million EVs on the road.7 By achieving this growth rate, Colorado could experience an annual reduction of ozone forming pollutants estimated at 800 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 800 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOC), and up to 3 million tons of GHG.
Brandegee wild buckwheat (Eriogonum brandegeei) is a mat-forming plant in the Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) that is known only from the Arkansas Valley in Fremont and Chaffee counties, Colorado, and is considered to be imperiled at a global and state level. One of the biggest conservation issues for this imperiled plant species is the lack of awareness of its existence and status. Avoiding or minimizing impacts to this species during road maintenance activities will effectively help to conserve its habitat and is unlikely to confer substantial impacts on road maintenance goals and projects.
Bell's twinpod (Physaria bellii) is a small, yellow-flowered plant in the Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) that is known only from the Front Range in Boulder and Larimer counties, Colorado, and is considered to be imperiled at a global and state level. One of the biggest conservation issues for this imperiled plant species is the lack of awareness of its existence and status. Avoiding or minimizing impacts to this species during road maintenance activities will effectively help to conserve its habitat and is unlikely to confer substantial impacts on road maintenance goals and projects.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) initiated a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study to develop a range of improvements to reduce congestion and improve operations and safety at the I-70 and Kipling Street interchange. A thorough and inclusive technical and public process helped to identify and screen a wide range of improvement alternatives.
A PEL Study to provide an understanding of the existing conditions at the Interstate 70 (I-70) and Kipling Street (State Highway 391) interchange while considering future surrounding development and community plans. This Environmental Scan Report identifies environmental resources and environmentally sensitive areas; this is mostly comprised of readily available data and field survey information. The purpose of this scan report is to identify resources early in the planning process to avoid fatal flaws and to consider sensitive carry them through project development, design and construction.
