Public Counsel of the Rockies

“Other Income $4000”

“| Donee's Name: Snowmas Capital Creek Caucus | Donee's Address: PO Box 507 Snowmass, CO 81654 | Cash Amount Given: $17000”

“| Donee's Name: Aspen Community Foundation | Donee's Address: 100 E. Hallam Aspen, CO 81611 | Cash Amount Given: $55000”

“Office Expenses $4243”

“Information Technology $11”

“Travel $1034”

“Depreciation $2055”

“Fundraising expenses $6197”

“Educational Testing Reasearch $5000”

“Telephone $854”

“Outside Services $693”

“Dues & Subscriptions $185”

“Sustainable Hydropower:Public Counsel attempted to avoid litigation between Castle Creek Homeowners and the City of Aspen over dewatering impacts on Castle and Maroon Creeks of a proposed hydroelectric power plant. In 2011 Public Counsel raised public awareness the issues, enlisted the involvement and funding of the Healthy Rivers and streams program and funded and furnished professional mediators for a community mediation and supported a public community forum at the Aspen Institute. In 2012, Public Counsel funded an independent economic analysis of public costs of the proposed hydro project and also developed a new quantitative, "Friends of the Rivers and renewables". Also, this new initiative, organized: (A) "the roaring fork watershed gaging initiative" to improve real time monitoring of both water flows and water quality; (B) A series of educational "FORR: dialogues presenting experts working at the intersection of water and energy"; and (C) a hydroelectric collaborative to offer municipalities and water districts a stakeholder process for evaluating hydroelectric opportunities in the watershed. This project is pending as the proposed project may continue to be pursued.”

“CBM Water Depletion Project:Subjecting Gas industry to Colorado Water Law and protecting senior groundwater rights from illegal draw-down and depletion. In 2005, initiated a "test" case in Colorado Water Court to address enormous water depletion impacts to farmers, ranchers, municipalities, irrigation districts and other senior water rights holders resulting from coal bed methane (CBM) production. In 2007, the Water Court ruled in favor of the rancher plaintiffs on all statutory and constitutional grounds, ending decades old exemption of oil and gas production from the prior appropriation doctrine and ordering the State Engineer to require well permits and Water Court augmentation plans to project senior vested water rights. A similar test case was initiated in Wyoming in 2008. IN early 2009, the Colorado Supreme Court affirmed, leading to implementing legislation, rule making and significant statewide activities to protect senior water rights. In 2010 and 2011 Public Counsel continued implementation of new legislation and rule making with additional water court lawsuits to protect senior water rights and with outreach and educational activities to help rural landowners protect their senior water rights. In 2013 and 2014, the public education and outreach phase of this project was launched with the creation of a "Landowners' Guide to Oil and Gas Development in Colorado" and a series of community gatherings to answer questions and make referrals to Technical and professional assistants.”

“Protecting Groundwater at Rulison Nuclear Frac'ing Site:Public Counsel attorneys continue to monitor and oppose applications for permits to drill for natural gas within 1/2 mile of the 1969 nuclear blast site near Rulison, Colorado and continue to pursue the appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court in order to protect the court of appeals ruling granting our rancher and organizational client's rights to a hearing before the Colorado oil and gas commission before such permits are issued. In addition, public counsel initiated efforts to explore a mineral lease exchange with the involved energy companies and royalty holders which, if successful, would facilitate congressional withdrawal of the Rulison site permanently from gas drilling activity within a safe zone around "Ground Zero". This project is pending as the proposed project may continue to be pursued.”

“Smart water Program:In 2012, Public Counsel began to develop a "Collective Impact" strategy through which to bring together all river health and water efficiency and conservation agencies, organizations and individuals. This initiative began in 2013 to plan a convening role to increase strategic collaboration and joint funding to pursue as well as measure and evaluate the metrics of river restoration and protection strategies. In 2014, Public Counsel provided a $17,000 grant to the Snowmass-Capital Creek Caucus (a 501(c)(3)organizaton) to support continuing consulting work by water engineers, lawyers and hydrologists to protect healthy stream flows in Snowmass Creek. Additionally, in 2014 Public Counsel provided a $55,000 grant to the Aspen Community Foundation to support the technical assistance used in river gaging, monitoring and restoration projects on Snowmass Creek and the Crystal and Roaring Fork Rivers all in the Roaring Fork Watershed.”