A Win for Solar and People Power!
On October 14th, the Colorado Springs City Council voted down a proposal to change their net metering formula for solar customers. The proposal would have meant that solar customers would be paying up to $600 more for electricity a year.
Sierra Club, along with our partners at Solar United Neighbors, held an early morning breakfast event in Acacia Park with dozens of solar supporters before the city council meeting. Then they headed over to City Hall and packed the hearing room, ready to testify to defend existing solar customers from the rate hike and to keep new solar customers incentivized to do the right thing. And it worked, the city council voted down the proposal. For now. We will continue to fight against this rate increase and to hold Colorado Springs Utilities to their climate promises.
CSU is also asking for an extension on the closing date for the Ray Nixon Coal plant until 2038. This is unacceptable and would be in violation of both the Colorado Haze plan and our Greenhouse Gas Reduction plan. Please keep an eye out for our petition to both the State Government and the Colorado Springs City Council. Together, we can move our state to a clean, healthy, viable future.
End of the Year Events!
The Pikes Peak Group is holding two interesting and fun events this autumn and we hope you can join us!
First, we are holding a "Writing for Good" party Wednesday, November 12th from 5:30-7:30. What's a "Writing for Good" party you might ask? The Chapter hosts around 10 in-person get-togethers a year to prepare written materials for our fundraising efforts or to thank our donors. At this event, we'll be preparing for the Chapter's annual Year-End Appeal fundraiser by writing short notes to insert into around 300 fundraising letters. The letters and notes will then be stuffed and addressed at a Denver area event in December. Click here for more info and RSVP here.
Second, we are having a Volunteer and Member Appreciation party on December 9th from 5:30-7:30 at Goat Patch Brewery (2727 North Cascade Ave.)
This will be a fun social event to thank everyone who has contributed to our mission this past year and to get to know each other a little better. Your first drink is on us! There will also be a food truck in case you would like to eat a full dinner. Hope to see you there! Click here to register.
November News
Conservation Report
By Jim Lockhart
For updates on the group’s campaign and issues, please click here!
Wildlife Report
By Judy Shulman
Two exciting updates from our Wildlife Chair this month.
In late September Colorado Wild held a two-day Livestock and Wolves Coexistence workshop in Basalt.
Colorado College Prairie Dog/ Raptor Study, where students studied five ranches in SW Colorado.
Click here for the full report.
No Kings, Part 2 Protest
On Saturday, October, the Pikes Peak Group joined thousands of others at the No Kings 2 Rally at America the Beautiful Park. We shared information about what’s happening in our community, talked with a LOT of people, and then marched to the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum. It was a great day for democracy - thanks to the volunteers who made the day happen!
Colorado Springs Wants to Hear From You!
The City of Colorado Springs wants to hear from you about recycling, composting, and trash services. The City is conducting a survey to better understand what services you currently use and what you want to see in your community. Your feedback will help shape the future of waste diversion in Colorado Springs. The survey will close on November 21.
Click here to take the survey.