There is only one.
One Western Colorado investigative reporter that is respected and trusted to factually report on one of his specialties; the environment.
Bob Berwyn. Up and over on the locals favorite Summit County Citizens Voice.
The others in the area and state often border on disgraceful to their industry work product of tabloid and flamer style 'eco-pen terrorism' 'journalism'. Which of course, completely destroys any hope they may have of getting their point across or voices heard.
John Colson, based with Swift Communications on the Post Independent and Aspen Times, has been so pressured by the general public; he has recently improved 100 times over. Yet still, is greeted with skepticism and is a third or fourth time removed choice before even read. Colson also writes a once per week opinion column. Up on the Aspen Times. Calls it 'Hit and Run'. Each week (with the exception of this past week (first one in 7 months of weekly columns)) he subjects readership of the Times to scathing verbal assaults, premised on his first amendment right to demean, abuse and denigrate anyone with an equal right to the first amendment. Nobody likes a bully and his genre is not the spin of commentary and satire. Rather, he calls himself a professional journalist and often comes very, very close to demanding respect. With an open claim of professional credentials posted at the bottom of each column; to say that it is 'difficult' for readership to buy into Colson's points is often an understatement. Each week, readership diligently searches for anything at all to back John Colson up on that claim. With the growing number of complaints from readership publicly displayed in open letters and commentary, there seems to be a very long way to go for John. He's a good writer. Most hope he makes it up the Everest he's climbing.
Troy Hooper and David O. Williams off the Real sites and the Colorado Independent sit at the top of the leader board and took Colson's #1 spot. Brilliant writers and respected in all other areas of output; their environmental work and often their political output greatly diminish their respectability with consumers. Nobody likes a bully and their genre is not the spin of commentary and satire. Rather, they are supposed to be professional journalists.
Why this brutally honest, scathing in tone and succinct wording from 'SandBox Nanny' this morning? On a piece of high caliber journalism?
Because there are days when she gets so fed up with 'professionals' in positions of trust in public eyes....who do everything they possibly can to destroy our precious gifts that we have in our environment. Colorado is one of the most blessed by nature spots on the planet. To stay that way, she needs all the help she can get from all sides of any issue she faces. Every single time you people pick up your pens and perform like high school students in a creative writing class you not only completely destroy any hope of being fully respected by readership; you add still yet another layer of cover-up on top of all things Colorado. Wading through your dross and multiple layers of deception before they can even get to the heart of an environmental issue; investigative reporters such as yourselves force the industries, the legislators, law enforcement, elected officials and the public at-large to sometimes waste years simply getting to the point. Shame on you.
A very special thank you goes out to Bob Berwyn for this factual and unbiased report on the fracking news out of Wyoming. You are appreciated.
Bob Berwyn:
SUMMIT COUNTY —After a two-year investigation in Wyoming, the EPA this week released
a draft report that links polluted groundwater in the town of Pavilion with nearby gas drilling and related fracking operations.
The EPA teamed up with gas field owner
Encana to assess groundwater quality in the area and to identify potential sources of contamination.
The EPA’s analysis of samples taken fromdeep monitoring wells in the aquifer indicates detection of synthetic chemicals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids.
Benzene concentrations are well above
Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels were also detected.
Given the area’s complex geology and the proximity of drinking water wells to ground water contamination, the EPA is concerned about the movement of contaminants within the aquifer and the safety of drinking water wells over time...."
(Read more? Click title. Comment to discuss)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."