County seeks more gas seep info

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- A geological consultant for Garfield County is questioning whether a natural gas seep in West Divide Creek south of Silt is originating from just one gas well, as state officials maintain, and if repairs to the well are adequate.

Geoffrey Thyne says the seep, discovered in 2004, isn't subsiding.

County commissioners voted Monday to urge the state to estimate how long the seep will last if it's coming from only one well, or identify other sources and address them.

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission staff members say they don't share Thyne's concerns but will consider the county's request.

The seep resulted in gas and benzene surfacing in the creek. The state blamed the problem on difficulties that EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) had sealing the outside of the well with cement. Officials said remedial cement work stopped the leak, but previously escaped gas is still surfacing.

EnCana spokesman Doug Hock said EnCana doesn't believe residual leakage from the 2004 incident is more than expected, or that there is an ongoing problem with area wells. But he said EnCana welcomes further study.

Chunk of ice crashes through roof

BRUSH, Colo. -- A basketball-sized chunk of ice crashed through the roof of a family's Colorado home after apparently falling from an airplane passing overhead.

Danelle Hagan and her 9-year-old daughter were at home in Brush on Saturday when they heard the kitchen ceiling come crashing down. They were not injured.

"I hear a huge, what sounded like an explosion. And I look over and my kitchen is basically in shambles," Hagan told KMGH-TV in Denver. "It was very terrifying."

The Federal Aviation Administration was sending investigators to the home to investigate whether the ice came from an airplane. The Hagans put some of the ice in their freezer.

FAA spokesman Mike Fergus said Wednesday the ice chunk appears to be "Rime ice," which can build up on the outside of a plane's fuselage when it flies through cold and wet air.

Fergus says that it doesn't appear the ice was "blue ice," which comes from an airplane's toilet.

Firm starts work on biofuel plant

DENVER -- A Colorado company that has developed a process to convert wood to fuel is starting construction of what will eventually be a commercial-scale production plant.

Lakewood-based ZeaChem Inc. is working with Hazen Research of Golden to build the first units of its biofuels refinery. ZeaChem President and CEO Jim Imbler says the company will transfer the modular units to Boardman, Ore., where it will eventually run a commercial refinery.

ZeaChem plans to start production at a demonstration facility in Oregon by the end of next year.

ZeaChem uses a bacteria to break down the cellulose in wood to make fuel. Imbler says the process, unlike traditional fermentation with yeast, produces little carbon dioxide.

The company raised $34 million earlier this year to help build a refinery.

Person in chicken suit creates stir

DURANGO, Colo. -- A person in a chicken costume ruffled the feathers of Durango's city council as they discussed rules for backyard fowl.

At a council meeting Tuesday, someone in a chicken costume wordlessly entered council chambers just as Mayor Leigh Meigs was discussing a recently-passed backyard hen ordinance.

The costumed chicken took a few turns, flapped its arms, then took a seat in the nearly empty gallery.

Several minutes later, the chicken left -- without being identified -- after laying an egg on the floor.

Council members told The Durango Herald they were perplexed by the costumed chicken but found the visit humorous. The council voted 3-2 earlier this month to make it easier to keep backyard chickens.