Headlines – May 24, 2023

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Chevron’s $7.6B purchase of PDC Energy creates the biggest Oil and Gas company in Colorado

Chevron Corporation will soon become the largest oil company in the state of Colorado. That’s according to a report from the colorado sun, which says Chevron plans to acquire PDC Energy in a 7.6 billion dollar deal.

Chevron, which is the second largest US company, is gaining almost 275,000 acres of Colorado soil with the acquisition. Their Weld County acquisition also included a gain of an estimated billion barrels of oil.

According to Chevron CEO Mike Wirth, “PDC’s attractive and complementary assets strengthen Chevron’s position in key U.S. production basins.” The deal is being sanctioned by both companies, but both companies must have approval from their shareholder boards before their final decisions.

Kerr-McGee Oil was the largest oil company in Colorado before this new Chevron acquisition. The output of 52 million barrels of oil annually produced by PDC and Kerr McGee combined is expected to be outmatched within the coming year after the acquisition.

Early Western Snowmelt could cause water scarcity as flooding persists in Colorado rivers

Warm temperatures in recent days have brought major snowmelt drainage problems to Western Colorado and the Front Range. The snowmelt has caused significant swells in the Colorado River and its offshoots.

The Department of Transportation is monitoring for sinkholes, mudslides, and rockfalls all through the western half of the state.

Across the Northeastern and Southwestern parts of Colorado, communities have prepped for flooding while the entirety of the state has been recovering from drought. State water management has simultaneously noticed that the timing for which snowmelt hydrates Colorado has been getting later through the years.

Experts fear that due to a warming planet, this snow melt may be becoming scarcer as time goes on. According to Noah Molotch, associate professor of geography and fellow at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at CU Boulder, “The snowpack is eroding and disappearing before our eyes. That’s going to present challenges in terms of managing the infrastructure that’s allowed the Western United States to flourish over the last 100 years.”

Arapahoe County Donates 10K to Denver to Aid Migrant Influx

Arapahoe County commissioners have approved a 10,000[dollar] donation assisting Denver with the influx of migrants arriving in the city. Over 4000 migrants have arrived in the city from Central and Latin America throughout the winter.

In response to the influx of migrants arriving in Denver, the city reactivated its Emergency Operation Center. Since December, the city has spent nearly $16 million in aiding the migrants.

Arapahoe County is donating the 10000 [dollars] to the Newcomers Fund, created by the nonprofit Rose Community Foundation, to aid the city of Denver in the burden of assisting the migrants.

New Executive Director appointed for Boulder County Public Health Department

The Boulder County Board of Public Health has appointed Dr. Alexandra Bombas Nolen as their new Executive Director.

According to a press release from BCPH, Nolen has provided staff and partners with excellent leadership through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and Marshall Fire recovery. Her leadership will continue to prioritize BCPH’s vision through her tenure as executive director of the Board.

Dr. Nolen has been serving as deputy director for the board since 2020 and has been working in the public health sector for more than 25 years. Her most notable accomplishments include being the secretarial assistant manager for the World Health Organization’s Social Determinants sector and becoming the Executive Director of the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Upcoming CU Boulder Construction includes Significant Updates and new Campus Buildings.

CU Boulder will begin construction on two new buildings slated for completion in fall 2025. The projects include a newly renovated main campus building, as well as a new residence hall for incoming students. The upcoming CU construction prioritizes energy efficiency while maximizing a new space expansion. Both the newly renovated “Hellems” building, which houses at least one course for 80% of students, and the new residence hall will be completed by December 2025.

With the new dormitory north of the current “Bear Creek” hall comes further renovations to older buildings such as Farrand, Cheyenne Arapaho, and Libby halls. The final slated occupancy will be taking place in 2026.

Smoky Skies will Diminish Wednesday

The smoky skies caused by wildfires in Canada will diminish on Wednesday. Pam Johnson reports

Denver’s air quality is the 17th worst in the world. That’s slightly better than last Friday when it was the 4th worst in the world. The smoke trapped over the region is blowing in from wildfires in Canada. Multiple states have sent firefighters to help fight.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, concentrations of wildfire smoke will continue to decrease gradually during the day on Wednesday. According to 9News, the westerly wind should cause levels of smoke to diminish through the end of the week.

People with unusual sensitivity to poor air quality should continue to avoid heavy or prolonged exertion through Wednesday afternoon.