ROCC Accomplishments
- ROCC partnered with Red Mountain Club and other local groups to form the coalition "Keep OURay Alpine Wild" which campaigned to protect the high alpine zone (above 9480 feet) in Ouray County from potentially rampant development on almost a thousand mining claims. Keep OURay Alpine Wild organized large numbers of citizens to testify at workshops and hearings. This resulted in the Ouray Board of County Commissioners voting unanimously to adopt a strong code that keeps residential density low and as unobtrusive as possible below tree line and prohibits it entirely in the tundra above tree line. The results of this campaign will protect our historic mining heritage, the beauty and ecosystems of our high alpine terrain, the Uncompahgre watershed and our tourist economy.
- Received State of Colorado Governor’s Award for Outstanding Efforts in Smart Growth and Development in 1998 for ROCC's series of growth forums
- Actively involved in creation of responsible federal lands management policies
- Worked on the creation of Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area
- Supported public acquisition of mining properties and preservation of historic structures
- Fought to preserve ranching-friendly zoning
- Ridgway's curb-side residential & commercial recycling program began in 2003 after a ROCC educational campaign was successful in placing and passing a ballot initiative. In 2015, ROCC members began a recycling/composting program for the summer Ridgway Concert Series, educating concert goers about recycling / composting and helping them sort their waste into appropriate barrels. The Town's Mayor promotes the program and provides additional education before the start of each concert. The program has continued successfully for three summers with bags of recyclable / compostable waste out-numbering bags of waste destined for the land-fill by 6 to 1.
- Spearheaded a movement that promotes the expansion of the Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area
- Helped preserve the Dallas trail for non-motorized use by coordinating a coalition of involved parties in revisions to the Forest Service management plan
- Partnered in the creation of a watershed plan for the Uncompahgre River Basin and helped organize the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership (UWP)
- Spearheaded the Ouray County Dark Sky Ordinance to reduce light pollution
- Promoted Colorado's new air pollution rules for the oil and gas industry
- ROCC launched an ultimately successful two-year campaign resulting in Ouray County approving oil and gas regulations for its Land Use Code in early 2007.
