Atmos Energy Crews Team-Up to Restore Natural Gas Service to Hundreds in Durango

Press Release

Media Contact:

Darwin Winfield

970–518-5339

Atmos Energy Crews Team-Up to Restore Natural Gas Service to Hundreds in Durango

DURANGO, Colo (Sept. 27, 2016) –Atmos Energy crews from across the state will be scattered throughout Durango tonight as they work to restore natural gas service to nearly 800 businesses and residences.

“We are asking our customers to please be patient as we work through the night to restore their natural gas service,” said Darwin Winfield, Atmos Energy Manager of Public Affairs.

The affected customers are located South on E. 5th Street to the North at W. 21st Street. Then from the West on Camino Del Rio to E. 4th Avenue. The restoration process began at approximately 4 p.m. and may last well into the night.

“As part of normal operating procedures during an outage, a trained technician must first turn the gas off at each home and business so that we can safely purge the air from the line and then restore service. This process could take several hours.”

Atmos Energy is asking customers to please have someone 18 years or older at home in order to perform the restoration of natural gas services.

The outage occurred around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday when a contractor accidentally hit a natural gas line located in an alley between 4^th and 5^th Avenues. The gas line has been repaired.

Winfield says if you smell gas inside your home, please leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and the Atmos Energy emergency line at 1-866-322-8667.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is one of the country's largest natural-gas-only distributors, serving more than 3 million natural gas distribution customers in about 1,400 communities in eight states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas and also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.  Atmos Energy can also be accessed through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Atmos Energy Works to Restore Natural Gas Service in Durango

RELEASE PRESS

Media Contact:

Darwin Winfield

970–518-5339

Atmos Energy Works to Restore Natural Gas Service in Durango

DURANGO, Colo (September 27, 2016) – Atmos Energy is working to restore natural gas service to several hundred customers following a natural gas outage just after 12:45 p.m. Tuesday. Atmos Energy will have trained technicians going door-to-door to relight natural gas appliances to businesses and residential customers throughout the evening.

"If you do not have natural gas service after returning home from work today, please call our customer service center at 1-888-286-6700," said Darwin Winfield, Manager of Public Affairs.

The cause of the outage has been pinpointed to an ally located between 4^th and 5^th Avenues where a contractor crew accidentally hit a natural gas line.

Winfield says if you smell gas, please leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and the Atmos Energy emergency line at 1-866-322-8667.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is one of the country's largest natural-gas-only distributors, serving more than 3 million natural gas distribution customers in about 1,400 communities in eight states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas and also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.  Atmos Energy can also be accessed through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST - AERIAL IGNITIONS TO BEGIN ON PARGIN PRESCRIBED BURN

BAYFIELD – Plans are for aerial ignition of the interior of the Pargin Prescribed Burn to begin as soon as tomorrow, Thursday, September 15^th in the HD Mountains south of U.S. Highway 160 between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs. A helicopter will be used for three days to ignite a total of 4,500 acres, depending on weather and fuel conditions. Aerial ignitions will not continue past Sunday, September 18^th.  Ignitions will cease by 2 p.m. each day of the operation. Up to 100 U.S. Forest Service firefighters will patrol and monitor the 19-mile perimeter of the burn area. No National Forest road or trail closures are expected.

A well-defined smoke column is expected to be very visible from Arboles, Ignacio, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs and Durango, and from along the U.S. Highway 160 corridor. Daytime smoke may also spread northeast into the upper Piedra Drainage or north into Hinsdale County.  The smoke column resulting from aerial ignitions will be more visible from surrounding areas than what was seen during the ground operations last week.  Nighttime smoke is expected to settle in the Beaver Creek and Sauls Creek areas, and along the Piedra River from Chimney Rock to Arboles. Visibility between Yellow Jacket Pass and the Piedra River along US 160 will also be impacted, and electronic signs are posted on the highway to notify travelers. Smoke will linger into mornings in these areas but should lift by mid-day. 

The goal is to use prescribed fire in this area to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire, improve forest health and big-game habitat, and provide conditions for regular follow-up burns to be conducted efficiently and safely. The USFS works closely with the State of Colorado to plan prescribed burns and to monitor and manage the impacts of resulting smoke.

For more information, contact the Columbine District Office at 970 884-2512, or go online at: http://fs.usda.gov/sanjuan. 

Daily updates will also be posted at: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov and on Twitter @SanJuanNF. 

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, go to: www.colorado.gov/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health

CDOT - Travelers to Encounter Lane Changes at US 160 Wildlife Underpass Construction Site Between Durango and Bayfield

LA PLATA COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announces that Crossfire, LLC is nearing completion of the Dry Creek wildlife crossing on US Highway 160 (US 160), approximately three miles west of Bayfield (MP 97 – 98).  Over the next few weeks, the project will implement three lane changes.  These lanes changes may result in significant travel delays of 10 – 20 minutes.

1. All traffic (eastbound and westbound) will be moved to the north side of the US 160, returning to the original alignment.  Currently scheduled for the week of Sept. 12.
2. Approximately two weeks later, eastbound only traffic will be moved to the south side of US 160, to the newly constructed roadway, to remain permanent. Currently scheduled for the week of Sept. 26.
3. Soon after, final restriping operations will take place on the north side of the original two-lane highway, shifting traffic to one-lane westbound, which will remain permanent.  Currently scheduled for the week of Oct. 3.

Please note the scheduled dates may change due to possible weather postponements. Work continues to take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day. Motorists are cautioned to be aware of workers, heavy equipment and speed limit reduction of 40 mph.

This two year project constructs a large mammal underpass designed with a pre-cast concrete arch structure which spans 37 feet wide and 13 feet high. The project will be completed in October of 2016.

PROJECT INFORMATION:  For more information or to ask questions, please contact the contractor’s public information manager: Debbi Michal, Crossfire LLC, (970) 828-2897.

CDOT - US 550 RED MOUNTAIN PASS CRIB WALL REPAIRS COMPLETE

OURAY & SAN JUAN COUNTIES – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and contractor Rock & Company are pleased to announce completion of crib wall work on US Highway 550 (US 550) Red Mountain Pass. This two-season project, which began summer of 2015, improved the safety and integrity of the highway by reinforcing or replacing several under-highway downhill retaining walls.  This stretch of US 550 receives an average annual daily traffic count of more than 2000 vehicles a day.  The total cost of this project (from design through construction) was $5.9 million.

The project repaired or replaced retaining walls at three locations on US 550:

• Site 1 MM 79.5 to MM 79.4 – Approx. 9 miles north of Silverton just south of Red Mt. Pass summit

Rock excavation and blasting for roadway widening, realignment and drainage improvement, culvert installation, replacement of three retaining walls, new guardrail installation and roadway reconstruction.  

• Site 2 MM 88.5 to 88.6 – Approx. 4 miles south of Ouray near the snow shed

Excavation, culvert installation, replacement of three retaining walls, minor paving.

• Site 3 MM 89.5 to MM 89.7 – Approx. 3 miles south of Ouray near the Ruby Walls

Excavation and roadway stabilization which included installation of a concrete “cap” or slab over the crib wall, retaining wall repair, drainage improvements and paving.

Scott Davis, Vice President of Rock and Company said, “The success of this project is a result of a strong relationship between CDOT, consultant project engineer (Yeh & Associates), and prime contractor Rock & Company. The project faced challenges including inclement weather, heavy traffic, limited space, high elevation, and high slopes. The work was technically difficult. Ultimately, it was the ability to quickly make decisions as a team that resulted in delivering this tricky project on time and within budget. We are very pleased with the added safety improvements and wider roadway.”

OTHER ROAD & PROJECT INFORMATION: For CDOT project information, sign up for free messages to your email or phone by going to www.codot.gov and choosing the envelop icon at the bottom of the webpage. Or for road information visit cotrip.org, call 511, or see our lane closure reports at www.codot.gov/projects. Follow us on Twitter @coloradodot and on Facebook.

San Juan National Forest - FIREFIGHTERS BEGIN BLACK-LINING PERIMETER OF PARGIN PRESCRIBED BURN

BAYFIELD – U.S. Forest Service firefighting crews will begin black-lining the perimeter of the Pargin Prescribed Burn this morning in the HD Mountains south of U.S. Highway 160. Prescribed burning operations will be conducted for one to two weeks, with exact timing dependent on weather and fuel conditions. The goal is to treat 6,000 acres of National Forest lands with prescribed fire to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire, improve forest health and big-game habitat, and provide conditions for regular follow-up burns to be conducted efficiently and safely. Starting today, ground crews will use hand torches to create a buffer around the 20-mile perimeter of the burn area, with no more than 400 acres ignited per day.  Next week, aerial ignitions will use a helicopter to ignite up to 4,500 acres per day of the interior of the burn area. No National Forest road or trail closures are expected.

A smoke column will be visible from Arboles, Ignacio, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs and Durango, and from the U.S. Highway 160 corridor. Daytime smoke may also spread northeast into the upper Piedra Drainage or north into Hinsdale County. Nighttime smoke is expected to settle in the Beaver Creek and Sauls Creek areas, and along the Piedra River from Chimney Rock to Arboles. Visibility between Yellow Jacket Pass and the Piedra River. Electronic signs are posted along Highway 160 to notify travelers of the possibility of limited visibility. Smoke will linger into mornings in these areas but should lift by mid-day. 

Since 2013, the Columbine Ranger District has treated 5,000 acres in this general area through prescribed fire. The USFS works closely with the State of Colorado to plan prescribed burns and to monitor and manage the impacts of resulting smoke. For more information, contact the Columbine District Office at 970 884-2512, or go online at:  http://fs.usda.gov/sanjuan. 

Updates will also be posted at: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5007/ and on Twitter @SanJuanNF. 

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, go to: www.colorado.gov/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health

Fire Restrictions Lifted

Upon the recommendation the local fire chiefs, the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners lifted the Stage I fire restrictions in La Plata County, which includes all private lands in the county south of US Highway 160. This excludes private lands in the towns of Bayfield, Ignacio, Durango as well as federal and Tribal lands

Although the fire restrictions have been lifted, residents must obtain a burn permit from their local fire department for all fires other than agricultural or recreational (defined below). To receive a permit, contact:

•        Durango Fire Protection District (for properties in the Animas Valley corridor from the north county line to New Mexico), complete a permit at www.durangofirerescue.org/prevention.html or call 382-6023.

•        Upper Pine Fire Protection District (for properties east of Bayfield north to Vallecito), call 884-9508;

•        Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Protection District (for properties in west La Plata County near Hesperus to the state line on Highway 140), call 238-0115; or

•        Los Pinos Fire Protection District (for properties in southeastern La Plata County and surrounding Ignacio), call 563-9501.

Immediately prior to any burn, residents should notify dispatch at 385-2900, or 563-4401 in the Ignacio area. 

Permits are not required for agricultural burns on land designated as agricultural by the Assessor's Office. No permit is required for recreational fires, defined as "an outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill or barbeque pit and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes."  A 25-foot setback from structures is required for recreational fires.

Commissioners originally enacted fire restrictions on July 1 to mitigate high fire danger in La Plata County due to a lack of precipitation and extremely dry conditions. 

Although the fire restrictions have been lifted, residents are still urged to exercise caution when burning.

http://co.laplata.co.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=1323753&pageId=4924025