The Roundup | Rights on the line: Pay, water and community

A canceled party didn’t stop local community from planting roots

“Latino Conservation Week” saw families planting trees and rafting, though this year’s event was scaled back and did not include the White River National Forest’s official participation amid federal DEI rollbacks. In addition, safety concerns over increasing immigration enforcement led organizers to hold smaller gatherings instead of the usual large community party. But Wilderness Workshop’s Defiende Nuestra Tierra program still took advantage of the week to press for bilingual outreach and inclusive access to public lands. Advocates committed to maintaining engagement, highlighting the need to address cultural, linguistic, and financial barriers to ensure Latino participation in managing and enjoying these public spaces.

Shoshone water rights at the center of statewide debate

Debate over the Colorado River Water Conservation District’s plan to purchase the Shoshone hydropower plant’s senior water rights for the benefit of the environment has intensified. At a hearing last week before the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), Front Range water providers and Western Slope water interests were at odds over who should have the authority to manage the water right, which can limit the amount that the Front Range can siphon off the Colorado River’s headwaters and impact reservoir operations west of the Continental Divide. The River District seeks co-management of the authority to place or relax a call with the CWCB, which is the only state entity allowed to hold instream-flow rights and traditionally has the sole discretion to administer an instream-flow call. But due to the unprecedented nature of the $99 million purchase of the right, the River District wants a seat at the table for those discussions. However, the Front Range utilities that provide water to millions are concerned that such an arrangement would decrease their supply. Both sides see existential risk to their positions and after two days of testimony in Durango, the CWCB postponed its decision until November, granting time for further negotiation as board members asked both sides to try and find common ground. The outcome will have a significant impact on who controls one of Colorado’s most significant water rights, as well as the future of collaboration across the state’s great water divide.

J-1 visa worker awarded backpay

A former J-1 visa worker has received about $17,000 after Colorado labor officials determined that Aspen Meadows Resort failed to pay tips and deducted wages in violation of state law during her 2024 summer employment. Kristina Velichkovikj’s successful complaint follows earlier reporting that won an Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Journalism that international students at the Meadows had raised concerns over pay disparities and unequal access to tips compared with local employees. In response to those issues, the resort pledged in 2024 to provide pay parity for returning J-1 workers and adjust training and wage structures for newcomers. While Aspen Meadows maintained they followed the law and noted that they seek to continually improve their J-1 program, the state’s ruling and subsequent payout underscore ongoing challenges faced by temporary foreign workers in Aspen and highlight how scrutiny of labor practices has led to both legal enforcement and policy changes.

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