Today in Headwaters News' Western Perspective, we give readers a look at work being done on the Continental Divide Trail.
The Trail stretches 3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico through five Western states.
This year is the 40th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, the legislation that designated the better-known Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails. The Continental Divide Trail was designated ten years later.
Since 1995, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance has been working to complete the trail, which is about two-thirds complete.
Much of the work is being done by volunteers, providing an estimated $4 million worth of labor since 1995.
Volunteer season begins next month, and we invite readers to find out how they can contribute to the effort to build the trail by reading the column and visiting the Continental Trail Divide Alliance's web site.
Rockies today
Warmer climate brings spring earlier to the Rocky Mountain West
Scientists say climate change has been pushing signs of spring earlier and earlier in the American West over past decades, with salmon runs up the Columbia River occurring 11 days earlier than in 1939; yellow-bellied marmots are emerging from hibernation in Colorado a month earlier; and satellite images showing spring "green-up" north of the Mason-Dixon line occurring eight hours earlier each year.
Denver Post (AP); March 20
New study puts water, energy needs on collision course
In a new analysis published today in the British scientific journal Nature, Sandia National Laboratories scientists say that unless energy and water needs are addressed collectively, the nation will not have enough of either to satisfy demand, and that the need for water and energy officials to collaborate is especially high in water-scarce New Mexico. You may have to view an ad to read this article.
Albuquerque Journal; March 20
Idaho lawmakers, governor push for new, higher dams
Idaho lawmakers are pushing the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to study a long-proposed dam on the Weiser River, update studies on the Teton Dam, which burst in 1976, and consider raising the height of the Minidoka Dam on the Snake River to increase the capacity of that dam's reservoir.
Idaho Statesman; March 20
Researchers find Yellowstone Park wolf packs older, larger
The wolf packs in Yellowstone National Park generally have almost twice as many wolves as packs outside the park, and the packs tend to contain several age classes, while wolves outside the park, where human-caused deaths are a factor in pack configuration, packs tend to be smaller with less variety in age.
Jackson Hole News & Guide; March 19
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Reports of wolf pack in Utah has ranchers wary
Wolf sightings in Utah have been reported for years, but a recent sighting of five wolves in Daggett County prompted state wildlife personnel to begin monitoring the area around the Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Utah-Wyoming border.
Salt Lake Tribune; March 20
Arizona lawmaker says OHV use must be reined in to save desert
Arizona state Rep. Jerry Weiers says the increase of off-highway vehicle use in some areas of Arizona is putting lands at risk, and his House Bill 2573 would require all such vehicles be registered and part of the registration fee would be used to repair and restore trails. Editor's note: The article contains an aerial view of trails carved into the desert near Phoenix.
Arizona Republic; March 20
Effort to build Wyoming-Oregon pipeline across Utah continues
El Paso Ruby Holding Company has been holding meetings with landowners in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Oregon to build support and get rights-of-way for its $2-billion Ruby Pipeline project, a 680-mile, 42-inch-diameter, natural-gas pipeline that will run between Opal, Wyo., and terminate in Oregon at Malin.
Salt Lake Tribune; March 20
Opinion
If Desert Rock is to be built, at least build it with clean-coal technology
The Navajo Nation partner of Sithe Global Power's lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency to force the agency to move forward on the process to build the coal-fired Desert Rock Power Plant on Navajo land in New Mexico is no doubt prompted out of concern that a change in the White House may spell curtains for the project, but this project has been on the drawing board for five years -- and yet does not even consider using new cleaner technology.
Santa Fe New Mexican; March 20
Mapping OHV routes in Montana national forest a sensible step
The U.S. Forest Service's decision to map off-road vehicle routes in the Glacier View and Hungry Horse ranger districts of the Flathead National Forest in Montana will no doubt be a controversial process, but it's necessary, and both fans and opponents of off-highway vehicle use must be willing to compromise.
Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; March 20
Beyond the region
Energy company wants to build $5B-hydro plant in Alberta
TransCanada Corp. and ATCO Power Ltd. want to develop Alberta's last remaining major hydroelectric prospect on the Slave River in northern Alberta.
Calgary Herald; March 20
Rising dollar sinks gold prices
After hitting a record $1,033-per-ounce price on Monday, gold prices sunk to $945 an ounce on Wednesday, driven by the U.S. dollar's rise against the euro after the Federal Reserve cut the interest rate 0.75 percent.
Arizona Republic; March 20
States calculate graduation rates their own way under NCLB law
The federal No Child Left Behind law focuses on improvement of students' scores, and states were allowed to calculate graduation rates dozens of different ways, but that may change as Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings begins to tackle weaknesses in the federal law.
New York Times; March 20
Coal producers can't keep up with Asia's insatiable need for power
Coal mines in America are digging up their product as quickly as they can, but with worldwide demand up dramatically, they can't dig it up and ship it fast enough to meet the demand.
Washington Post; March 20
President, Congress at odds over fix for ailing housing market
Democratic House members are working on legislation to prevent hundreds of thousands of homes from foreclosure, but President Bush continues to resist such plans.
Washington Post; March 20
In depth
States become the battleground over coal-fired power
With the lack of federal action on greenhouse gas emissions, states are taking action, and in states dependent upon coal-fired power, the battles are becoming particularly heated.
New York Times; March 20
Business leaders gather in Montana, debate effect of carbon rules
At a Montana Chamber of Commerce event in Billings, national, state and local business leaders debated the effect carbon regulation would have on business in the state and the nation. Editor's Note: The debate on climate change, carbon regulation and the economy continues in comments to this story.
Billings Gazette; March 20
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