County signs on to Western‑leaders BLM letter, backs water‑resilience assessment and advances compost/biochar study

The Board authorized two forms of public engagement on resource and resilience matters and heard multiple staff updates.

Star Jameson, the county’s natural resources staffer, asked the BOCC to sign onto a regional Western‑leaders comment letter on a Bureau of Land Management oil and gas rule; commissioners instructed Star to sign the Western‑leaders letter. Star also asked for the chair’s signature on a support letter for a Southwest Conservation district application to a Department of the Interior/US Reclamation funding opportunity for domestic water‑supply drought resilience; a commissioner moved to authorize the chair’s signature and the motion passed unanimously.

Star reported stakeholder meetings for a compost and biochar feasibility study funded through state grant support, noting interest from towns, waste contractors and agricultural stakeholders. She said the immediate, lower-cost approach is to convert locally produced wood chips into compost via contracted tub grinders and to pilot-chip collection at existing transfer stations, while larger investments (air‑curtain burners or kilns) would raise staffing and maintenance concerns. She also outlined grant pursuits, including a CPW regional partnership application (~$40,562 requested for a facilitator) and a potential Natural Disaster Mitigation grant (awards up to $900,000) for roadside fuel‑reduction treatments and CWPP‑driven projects.

Star said she is coordinating with utilities and the BLM on vegetation priorities and will share the biochar feasibility report with the board. Commissioners asked staff to continue outreach, refine potential pilot locations and report back with cost estimates and proposed grant-match requirements.