In Brief: Grants boost Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers; Aspen to charge for EV charge; Frisch-Boebert tied in poll

Aspen High freshmen host Highlands closing day fundraiser

The Aspen High School freshman class (2026) is hosting a fundraiser on closing day at Aspen Highlands on Sunday.

Highlands visitors can park at Aspen High School for $15. Parking opens at 8 a.m. and is open until the lot is full. Cash only.

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers boosted with grants

Local stewardship non-profit Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) was recently awarded a portion of the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant Program’s $1 million second review cycle. The Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant program is funded through the Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Program from the Economic Development Administration using American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

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Since launching the RFOV professional trail crew program in 2022, public land manager
partners have expressed increased interest in RFOV services, citing their own limited capacity
to address the backlog of maintenance and stewardship work driven by our growing population
and increased outdoor recreation usage, RFOV officials said.

This grant enables it to expand the professional trail crew to five people and work with additional land manager partners. The potential economic impact of this work includes supporting tourism beyond snow sports, workforce development in the outdoor industry, and creating a pipeline for future employment, officials said.

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The second recent grant comes from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission State Trails
Grant specifically for wilderness stewardship on parts of the 25.7-mile Four-Pass Loop, one of
Colorado’s most visited backpacking routes in the striking Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.
The CPW Commission is part of the Department of Natural Resources.

Aspen to begin EV charging fee

Beginning May 1, the city of Aspen will begin charging a fee for the use of their Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Users of Level 2 charging stations will be subject to a $0.25/ kWh charge. 

According to data from the Department of Motor Vehicles, the average number of EV registrations in Pitkin County has risen almost 30% each year since 2010. The costs associated with owning and installing EV charging infrastructure to accommodate these EVs are increasing. Cities and towns across the country are introducing policies to offset these costs, including increased electricity usage involved with EV charging. 

The update to the city of Aspen charging policy requires EV drivers to pay for a resource that they have previously received for free and is still a more inexpensive option compared to gasoline prices, according to city officials.   

Currently, there are three DCFC fast-charging stations in Aspen and six Level 2 charging stations. The DCFC fast-charging stations are currently subject to a $0.45/ kWh demand charge. The fast-charging stations are located near Aspen City Hall, in the Rio Grande Parking Garage, and across from the Rubey Park Transit Center. The Level 2 charging stations are currently located in the Rio Grande Parking Garage, Spring Street, and on Main and First Streets with more being added every year. Those charging stations operate on city of Aspen Electric, which is 100%-renewable energy.

The city of Aspen set targets for community greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 63% by 2030 and 100% (zero carbon) by 2050. As part of the plan to reach these goals, the city plans to install approximately 40 EV charging station plugs by 2026.

There are currently 450 EVs on the road in Pitkin County, which represents 2.37% of the market share and the numbers are increasing, officials said. Drivers will use the ChargePoint app or the kiosk near the charging station to pay for charging. 

For more information, visit aspen.gov/919/Electric-Vehicles.

Poll shows Frisch, Boebert in a tie

A new Rocky Mountaineer poll released today and conducted by Global Strategy Group shows U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Silt, tied with Western Slope businessman Adam Frisch. Frisch launched his campaign in February following a narrow defeat of 546 votes in 2022 in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. 

“While my campaign is pleased to see this new poll showing a tie with Boebert, we’re not surprised,” Frisch said. “In 2022, a coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated voters rejected Boebert’s extremism with their vote, putting country over party, and made this race the closest congressional contest in the country. We know we can defeat Rep. Boebert in 2024 because voters in this district are ready for Boebert’s circus to stop and to have a representative who focuses on the issues that matter to their families, their businesses, and their communities.”  

The poll found that she is tied with him 45%-45%, even though the district tilts toward Republicans on the generic ballot by 11 points. The poll also found that voters in the district believe Boebert isn’t focused on the issues that are important to them, like inflation and the economy, and is too focused on promoting herself and getting attention on social media. According to the poll, she’s viewed unfavorably by 50% of the district’s constituents.

Since launching his 2024 campaign in mid-February, Frisch has raised $1.7 million in the first 45 days of the campaign.  

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