Current Environment Issues:

• 10/23/08 The Company Patagonia is asking for help to stop the damming of Chilean Patagonia. A government environmental study is undergoing review in Chile for HidroAysén, a massive hydroelectric project that would build five dams on two of Patagonia's wild and pristine rivers, the Baker and the Pascua. The Baker River is the largest remaining wild river in Chile and runs right along the edge of the proposed 650,000-acre Patagonia National Park that we are helping to create. Damming the Baker would flood portions of this new park and hobble tourism that has just begun to bring new sources of income to the area's small, traditional communities. Less destructive alternative energy sources are available. International Rivers is leading the fight in the U.S. against HidroAysén. As part of a multi-pronged campaign, it is asking its supporters to send an email to The Home Depot asking that the company stop doing business with two large Chilean manufacturers of wood products, both of whom are heavily involved in the dams project. International Rivers' Web site: http://www.internationalrivers.org/patagonia

• 11/20/04 The trail user/Fee Demo program passed into law criminalizing use of our national wild lands for those who do not have a user pass. Preliminary estimates of the cost for the new annual pass to federal lands are $80-$100 individual agency and day use passes may be available, and these fees have not been determined yet. Being caught without a pass will be a class B misdemeanor if this law does not get repealed before September of 2005. If caught without a permit on your car your are presumed guilty with a fine of up to $5,000 and imprisonment of up to 6 months. For more information see the press release by the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition.

Information Resources:

Rutchblock Quick Reference Printable reference card for this method of avalanche safety evaluation.