ICYMI: Hickenlooper Tours Northwest Colorado on Wildfire Recovery, Drought, and Quarry Expansion Fight

In case you missed it, last week U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper traveled across Northwest Colorado to address the West's historic drought and a wildfire season already breaking records for size and damage. On Monday, he joined Governor Polis, Senator Bennet, and first responders in Fruita for an update on the Snyder Fire-Colorado's fifth-largest wildfire-and to honor the three firefighters who tragically lost their lives, as well as the two others who were injured.

On Thursday, he hosted a discussion overlooking the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs on the Western drought emergency and its toll on agriculture and our economy.

On Friday, he met with ranchers impacted by last summer's Lee and Elk fires who were denied FEMA aid after the Trump administration put politics ahead of disaster relief. He then toured three projects he helped support - the 1st street revitalization project in Parachute, Rifle's Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting, and Silt's water treatment facility - before joining Glenwood Springs officials and community leaders to oppose the proposed limestone quarry expansion above town.

Check out what they're saying:

The Daily Sentinel: Officials recognize sacrifice of firefighters killed in Mesa County at Monday press conference

At a Monday press conference in Fruita, Director of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Brian Fennessy recognized the service and sacrifice of the three firefighters that were killed responding to the Knowles Fire in western Mesa County Saturday.

Fennessy spoke alongside Governor Jared Polis, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, as well as other federal, state and local officials, and called the loss of the firefighters "heartbreaking."

…Hickenlopper later released a statement on the five firefighters.

"Our hearts are with the families of those lost, with those who were injured, and with everyone still on the front lines," Hickenlooper said. "Colorado is facing another difficult wildfire season and our firefighters are doing everything they can to protect our communities. It's time for every level of government to match their service with solutions that make everyone safer."

Colorado Sun: Chief of new Wildland Fire Service confident in "unified response" to wildfire threat despite deaths of 3 firefighters

Despite losing three firefighters in the beginning of what is promising to be a very active fire year, Brian Fennessy, director of the newly created U.S. Department of Interior's Wildland Fire Service, said he has confidence in the new agency. He said he anticipates it will result in a more robust ability to attack fires with unified resources.

…Polis was joined by U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, who also expressed their gratitude to the fallen firefighters.

KJCT News 8: Colorado leaders gather in Fruita to address growing wildfire crisis

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis joined U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with state and federal fire personnel, June 29 in Fruita to provide the latest information on fire suppression efforts in western Colorado and across the state.

The briefing came as wildfires continued to spread, threatening communities including Glade Park, Ouray, Leadville, and Beulah.

…Senator Hickenlooper noted that snowpack has provided little protection against fire conditions this season. "The snowpack's effect in creating conditions that aren't hospitable to wildfires is almost nil, almost nothing,"he said.

Western Slope Now: Officials mourn firefighters, Fruita Snyder Mesa Fire

Gov. Jared Polis, U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with fire officials and other leaders, gathered Monday in Fruita to discuss the Snyder Mesa Fire and to reflect on the deaths of three wildland firefighters.

…Hickenlooper added, "Our hearts are with the families of those lost, with those who were injured, and with everyone still on the front lines. Colorado is facing another difficult wildfire season, and our firefighters are doing everything they can to protect our communities. It's time for every level of government to match their service with solutions that make everyone safer."

Steamboat Radio: Senator Hickenlooper Talks Water with Local Leaders

United States Senator John Hickenlooper was in Routt County Thursday to meet with local leaders and officials to hear about issues with water, such as the drought emergency across the West, and how it affects things like ranching, outdoor recreation and wildfire mitigation

"As difficult as democracies are, they're based on getting people together and letting everyone tell you what you need to know. This afternoon, the people of Routt County are free with their thoughts and happy to share and I can walk away from here with all kinds of arguments I can take back to Washington and fight to get more money."

Post Independent: Hickenlooper, Glenwood officials speak out against proposed RMI Quarry expansion

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper joined Glenwood Springs city councilors, Garfield County commissioners and members of the Citizens Alliance on Transfer Trail on Friday to speak out against Rocky Mountain Industrials' (RMI) latest quarry expansion proposal.

…After listening to short speeches from Glenwood Springs Mayor Marco Dehm, Glenwood Springs Mayor Pro-Tem Erin Zalinksi, Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky, and Glenwood Springs Citizens' Alliance President Jeff Peterson, Sen. Hickenlooper said the nonpartisan support shown in the Glenwood Springs community will translate into higher levels of state and federal government.

"A lot of these people working for Western states and smaller communities really don't like the idea of some corporation coming in and strong-arming the community and overwhelming the state," he said on Friday.

…The initial proposal would allow RMI to mine 447 acres of public land and extract up to 5 million tons of material per year. To transport that material, RMI would have to send more than 500 trucks up and down Transfer Trail every day and have an idling train ready to move material to the Front Range.

…"You can't overturn a whole community. I can't even conceive of all that pollution, even just from 100 trucks daily. They'll put human roadblocks to keep that from happening," he said.

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