Save the Baldies

Cost

$5,142,357 and counting

Part I. Financial

Summary of expended and projected costs of a Middle Bald Mountain radio facility through the first year of operation, based on information provided by Larimer County and county contractors.

South Bald Mountain is further from power sources and lies within a designated roadless area, so a facility on that summit would likely involve additional expenses.

amount	reference	description
$226,357	Larimer County Special Work Session* on 3/17/08	Total NEPA-related expenses paid by county through 3/17/08.
$3,180,000	North Forty News 3/1/2008 Larimer County Special Work Session* on 3/17/08	Estimate for buried power line** to summit.
$44,500	Larimer County Admin Matters* meeting on 4/8/08	Amount requested to cover additional work by NEPA contractor
$72,500	Larimer County Admin Matters* meeting on 4/8/08	Amount requested to cover additional work by National Forest Service.
$500,000	Larimer County Special Work Session* on 3/17/08	Estimated difference in annual maintenance cost of county radio system .
$1,100,000	Larimer County Admin Matters* meeting on 10/1/08	Estimate for construction of tower facility.
$19,000	Pericle Communications Coloradoan article 10/5/09	Paid to contractor for Middle Bald and South Bald testing
unknown		Environmental Impact Statement. Not currently budgeted.
$5,142,357	total

*Audio of Larimer County Admin Matters meetings and Work Sessions is available by request through the Board of County Commissioners.

**In 2007, the National Forest Service indicated that its preferred power solution, is 15 miles of buried power line along the north slopes of Middle Bald Mountain to the summit. See also Part II.

Part II. Environmental

Larimer County plans to destroy a pristine alpine summit and acres of surrounding forets for its radio facility project. Below is a summary of the primary environmental costs associated with the proposal.

description	cost	summary
Power Line	severe	Forest Service preferred option: 15 miles of buried power line at over $3 million with heavy tundra damage. County preferred option: Cheaper above-ground power lines directly up the east slopes above Red Feather Lakes, requiring up to 200 feet of timber cut on either side as well as heavy tundra damage.
Road	severe	A service road would be cut through acres of pristine tundra habitat to the summit.
Summit Destruction	severe	The county and later commercial facilities with their towers, buildings, and generators would permanently transform these unique alpine summits from wild land to industrial lots.
Roadless Area Violation	severe	South Bald Mountain lies within the Green Ridge - East designated roadless area. Roadless areas are currently protected under federal law. If a radio facility was somehow approved on South Bald mountain, it would be a precedent-setting threat to the very few remaining wild areas in our state.
Viewspace Disturbance	severe	Middle Bald and South Bald Mountain are signature landmarks for the local community and are designated as protected viewspace in the county-endorsed Red Feather Lakes Plan.
$5 Million Reduction in other County Services	unknown	How will public safety in our county be affected if these funds are approved? Could they be spent better?
Diesel Generator Containment	unknown	The county facility would include a diesel generator and fuel storage tank. A spill caused by the severe conditions or vandalism would introduce a hazardous substance in fragile tundra and the headwaters of creeks supplying Red Feather Lakes and the Poudre Canyon.
Maintenance and Safety	unknown	Both summits see severe wind and cold through most of the year (In fact, testing was delayed by damage caused by the relatively mild weather of early fall). How will the county maintain a facility above 11000 feet, miles from the nearest year-round road? Is it wise to send personnel into such an environment on a regular basis, in the name of safety?

Mummy Range Institute P.O. Box 520, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado 80545