Searching for the soul of America: Report highlights challenges to National Landscape Conservation System, recommends actions to address those challenges
Aug. 20, 2009
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Keeping Safe: On Montana's Blackfeet Reservation, the Po'ka Ranch looks beyond bars and walls to help troubled youth.
June 18, 2009
University of New Mexico Law Professor Denise D. Fort reviews Robert Glennon'sUnquenchable: America's water crisis and
what to do about it
Sept. 10, 2009
Sept. 30-Oct. 2: The University of Montana School of Law's Redefining Wilderness: Landscape, Law & Policy
Oct. 12-13: NewWest.net's 4th annual
Real Estate and Development in the
Northern Rockies
Judge orders grizzly bears back onto endangered species list
In a ruling issued Monday, grizzly bears in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were put back under federal protection, with U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy indicating there was a "disconnect" between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to delist the bears and the science relied upon to make that decision and the judge also cited the decline in whitebark pine, an important food source for the bruins, as a reason for reinstating federal protection.
Jackson Hole Daily; 09/22/2009
Federal judge rules biotech beets need environmental impact review
A federal district court judge in San Francisco ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture should have completed an environmental impact statement before approving genetically engineered sugar beets for cultivation; a similar ruling on genetically engineered alfalfa two years ago essentially ended the planting of that crop.
New York Times; 09/23/2009
Light-rail project in Phoenix outshines predictions
The 20-mile stretch of light-rail passenger service that central Phoenix to Mesa and Tempe has been heavily criticized as a billion-dollar boondoggle, but nearly 10 months after it began running, rider numbers are higher than predicted and downtown Phoenix is a bright spot in an economically pummeled city.
New York Times; 09/20/2009
U.S. BuRec finds too little water for Wyo.-Colo. pipeline
The preliminary findings of a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation evaluation of developer Aaron Million's proposal to ship 250,000 acre feet of water a year from Wyoming's Green River basin to cities on Colorado's Front Range found that the basin's annual water availability fell about 85,000 acre feet short of what Million is proposing.
Deseret News (AP); 09/21/2009
Wyoming DEQ dumps coalbed methane discharge water rules
After a team from New Mexico found that Wyoming's proposed rules on water discharged during coalbed methane operations were scientifically flawed, the Department of Environmental Quality voted to scrap the rules.
Casper Star-Tribune; 09/25/2009
Wyoming lawsuit over conservation easement draws national attention
Wyoming sued Johnson County over the decision by its county commission in 2002 to extinguish a conservation easement, a decision the state and other interested parties said puts the land-protection option in peril both in Wyoming and across the nation.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); 09/25/2009
The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday that the Navajo Nation and several New Mexico pueblos would get $82 million in federal stimulus funds to build or renovate detention facilities on tribal lands and pay for programs designed to combat domestic violence and to keep kids out of trouble.
RezNetNews.org (AP); 09/22/2009
Interior Dept. pushes decision on Montana tribe's recognition back again
The Little Shell Tribe has been seeking federal recognition since 1978, and the Interior Department informed the tribe Tuesday that it would not make a decision on the request until Oct. 26.
Great Falls Tribune; 09/23/2009
Two Montana tribes each get $12M to build new jails
The Chippewa Cree Tribe and the Fort Peck Tribes in Montana will each get $12 million in federal stimulus money from the U.S. Department of Justice to build new jails.
Great Falls Tribune; 09/24/2009
The fight for arctic grayling forges on in Montana's Big Hole River
The 156-mile stretch of the Big Hole River in Montana is the last stronghold of fluvial (river-dwelling) Arctic grayling in the lower 48 states, and federal and local governments are working with private landowners via the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances program to preserve the river and keep the grayling population healthy, but not all agree that the program is enough to do so. An indepth look at the fish and the issues on the Big Hole River.
NewWest.net; 09/24/2009
U.N. scientists tour Montana national park
A panel of scientists from the United Nations is in Montana this week to assess the threat posed by proposed mining activities in British Columbia to Glacier National Park, which was listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1995 along with adjacent Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta.
Missoulian; 09/22/2009
USFWS lays out broad strategies, goals to address climate change
On Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its Strategic Plan for Climate Change that set forth three basic goals: reducing the effect of climate changes on wildlife; developing methods to reduce carbon emissions, and creating partnerships to develop local solutions to address climate change.
Salt Lake Tribune; 09/24/2009
Idaho's climate grows warmer, drier
Idaho's climate is changing, and farmers are finding growing seasons are longer allowing them to expand crops, but the temperatures are also higher and streams are drying up sooner.
Idaho Statesman; 09/23/2009
New round of plaintiffs sue to stop snowmaking at Arizona resort
After tribes lost their lawsuit to prevent snowmaking using reclaimed wastewater at Arizona's Snowbowl resort that was premised on the tribes' religious practices, a new round of plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service, alleging that the agency did not adequately assess the environmental effects of the snowmaking.
Arizona Daily Sun; 09/22/2009
B.C. Forests Minister: Protected lands won't be opened to logging
In an interview Tuesday, British Columbia Forests Minister Pat Bell said the Canadian province would not allow protected lands to be opened up for logging as a means to address the effect pine-bark beetles have had on the province's timber supply.
Vancouver Sun; 09/23/2009
Commission says national parks need more funding, larger perspective
A 28-member commission convened by the National Parks Conservation Association a year ago released its report on Thursday that said the greatest challenge to the nation's parks is a lack of adequate funding and that parks should be managed to protect ecosystems that reach beyond their borders.
Jackson Hole Daily; 09/25/2009
With numbers in hand, Alberta must protect grizzly bears
In 2002, when the Alberta government's Endangered Species Conservation Committee believed there were about 1,000 grizzly bears, that panel advised the provincial government to protect the species, and now that a five-year DNA study has indicated there are only about 581 big bruins in the province, there is no doubt the species deserves federal protection.
Calgary Herald; 09/20/2009
B.C. mining industry needs single regulatory body
The mining industry in British Columbia is beginning to shine again, with gold, copper and zinc prices all improving and the B.C. government's announcement that a harmonized sales tax would be in place next year, but for the industry to really improve, the province needs to put a single regulatory body, much like the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission, in charge of permitting new mines.
Vancouver Sun; 09/22/2009
House bill goes too far on energy lease changes
West Virginia U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall's bill that eliminates the controversial royalty-in-kind payment program on federal oil and natural gas leases would also create another whole layer of federal bureaucracy to oversee oil and gas leases, an unneeded level of scrutiny that will only make oil and gas leasing more costly.
Grand Junction Sentinel; 09/22/2009
Backers of restoring Amtrak's Pioneer Route have a tough road
The feasibility study of restoring Amtrak service along the Pioneer Route that stretched from Denver to Portland with stops in Salt Lake City, Pocatello and Boise came in with a much higher price tag than estimated, and supporters of restoring the route will have to make some strong arguments that the benefits will outweigh the monumental costs.
Idaho Statesman; 09/23/2009
Wyoming lawmakers angered by redirection of fire funds to D.C. parks
The U.S. Forest Service rerouted $2.8 million in federal stimulus funds for "Wildland Fire Management" to Washington Parks & People, a D.C.-based nonprofit, which will get $2.7 million of the money to restore urban parks, and $90,000 will fund "a green summer job corps" to employ 100 teens.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); 09/24/2009
Six Western states make Tax Foundation's best-for-biz list
The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, released its report that evaluated states on their "business tax climate," with Wyoming ranked second, Alaska third, Nevada fourth, Montana sixth, Washington ninth and Utah tenth.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; 09/23/2009
Utah governor would like tougher rules on out-of-state gun permits
During his monthly news conference on Thursday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said he was concerned about the number of concealed carry permits issued to out-of-state gun owners and said he would like to see stronger regulations on such permits.
Salt Lake Tribune; 09/25/2009
Utah senator has 51 ways to make health-care bill better
Utah U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch has dozens of amendments he believes will make the health-care bill before the Senate better, and he'll present those as the Senate Finance Committee begins its deliberations of the legislation today.
Salt Lake Tribune; 09/22/2009
- Wyoming senator to introduce 20 amendments to health care bill
Wyoming U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi will introduce 20 amendments to the health care legislation currently under debate before the U.S. Senate, including one that would maintain the current cap on flexible spending accounts, which allows employees to set aside certain amounts annually for medical bills tax free.
Casper Star-Tribune; 09/23/2009
- Idaho senator offers 4 amendments to health care legislation
U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced four amendments to health care legislation currently under debate in the Senate, including one that would limit the amount states would have to pay in higher Medicaid costs.
Idaho Statesman; 09/23/2009
Wyoming panel works on carbon-sequestration framework
Wyoming legislators passed a package of laws designed to address ownership of pore space and other aspects of underground carbon sequestration, and now the carbon sequestration task force is working on other legislation designed to regulate commercial-scale carbon sequestration.
Casper Star-Tribune; 09/21/2009
Colorado lawmakers confront deepening budget deficit
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter said his office would have another round of budget cuts ready by mid-October to address the announced $240-million budget deficit.
Denver Post; 09/22/2009
Idaho task force digs for new ways to pay for parks, police
After the Idaho Legislature and Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter cobbled together a funding package to address the state's crumbling road system that included shifting $21 million in fuel tax revenue from the Idaho State Police and Department of Parks and Recreation to the Idaho Transportation Department beginning next year, a task force was appointed to find new ways to replace that parks and police money.
Idaho Statesman; 09/23/2009
Utilities pitch new paths for Wyoming-Idaho transmission line
After local landowners and local governments opposed the original route of the proposed Gateway West transmission-line project, Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power submitted new possible routes for the $2 billion, 1,150-mile line that will originate in Glenrock, Wyo., and stretch across southern Wyoming and southern Idaho to a substation near Murphy, Idaho, and then onto other Western states.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); 09/20/2009
Canadian company Montana, Wyoming transmission-line projects
TransCanada plans an auction in Las Vegas in October to sell transmission line capacity on two proposed transmission projects, one that would stretch from southeast Wyoming to the Eldorado Valley near Las Vegas, and the other from southwest Montana to the Eldorado Valley, and company officials said most of the interest in the transmission line projects has come from wind developers.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); 09/24/2009
Green energy developers put off by Montana PSC inaction
Developers of small, renewable energy projects said the inability of the Montana Public Service Commission to put consistent standards in place and set timely rates is forcing developers to look elsewhere for sites for their projects.
Helena Independent Record; 09/21/2009
Wyoming wind, natural gas combine to provide consistent energy
Pairing wind turbines with natural gas will provide Wyoming with a consistent flow of electricity that is low in carbon emissions, and quite possibly cheaper than coal over time.
Casper Star-Tribune; 09/24/2009
Natural gas prices keep drillers on hold in Colorado
Natural gas prices are at about $3.25 per million British Thermal Units (BTU), and for Colorado drillers to again start up their rigs, the price must climb to $4.50 or $5 to $6 BTUs -- depending upon which company CEO you ask.
Grand Junction Sentinel; 09/22/2009
Micron leaps into race to make low-cost, energy-efficient lights
Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter announced Thursday that the state would provide $5 million in federal stimulus funds to Boise-based Micron Technology for work on developing a new way to make a key component of light-emitting diodes, commonly known as LEds.
Idaho Statesman; 09/25/2009
Company pulls the plug on proposed Mojave Desert solar plant
BrightSource Energy Inc. announced that it would find a new location for its 5,130-acre solar power plant other than a valley in the Mojave Desert that had been donated to the Interior Department by the Wildlands Conservancy during the Clinton administration, with promises from that administration that it would be protected in perpetuity, but was opened up for solar development by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
New York Times; 09/21/2009
Concerns raised about wind farms' effect on migratory birds
A 5,400-turbine wind farm in California's San Joaquin Valley has been killing thousands of migratory birds annually for years, and so far none of the mitigating efforts have worked to reduce the deaths, and unlike ExxonMobil and PacifiCorp utility of Oregon, both of whom have paid hefty fines for killing migratory birds in Wyoming and other states, the operators of the Altamont Pass facility, have not been fined.
USAToday; 09/22/2009
Canadian wind power companies urge subsidies for a few more years
At Canada's largest wind-power conference Monday in Toronto, industry executives urged the government provide subsidies for another five years until the industry can stand on its own.
Toronto Globe and Mail; 09/22/2009
Wind industry presses U.S. for climate-change legislation
At a news conference Thursday in Washington, D.C., wind industry leaders said if the United States doesn't pass climate legislation, the push for wind energy will fizzle out in that nation and China and Europe will gain market share.
Salt Lake Tribune (AP); 09/25/2009
State AG says Washington Dept. of Ecology can limit wells
The Washington state Attorney General issued an opinion that the Department of Ecology has the authority to limit water withdrawals, such as it did when it imposed a temporary moratorium on new wells in upper Kittitas County.
Yakima Herald-Republic (AP); 09/23/2009
West Virginia coal plant poised to sequester CO2
Within the next few days, the Mountaineer coal-fired power plant built in 1980 in West Virginia will begin capturing and pumping carbon dioxide emissions deep underground.
New York Times; 09/22/2009
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