In the Rockies today, a federal judge expresses concerns about the number of wolf deaths in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
U.S. District Court Donald Molloy ordered a May 29 hearing on environmental groups' request that federal protection be restored to wolves in those states while the groups pursue their lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to put the species back on the federal endangered species list.
Also in the news, Colorado may soon have the world's largest manufacturing facility for wind-turbine towers.
Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems opened a manufacturing plant for wind turbine blades in Windsor earlier this year, and now the company says it will open a plant to make towers for wind turbines in the state as well.
A Texas-based company announced plans for a tower plant in the state earlier this month.
Rockies today
Judge sets May 29 hearing in Montana on wolf lawsuit
U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy rejected the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's request that a hearing on a lawsuit filed by environmental groups requesting federal protection be reinstated for wolves in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming be delayed, and set the matter for hearing on May 29 in Missoula.
Billings Gazette (AP); May 9
Colorado picked as site for world's largest wind-turbine tower factory
An announcement posted on Vestas Wind Systems' web site said that the Danish company plans to build the world's largest wind-turbine tower factory in Colorado, and that it planned to have the facility up and running by the middle of 2010, although the company has not yet announced the location of the plant.
Denver Post; May 9
Western states' panel votes to ban disposal of foreign waste in Utah
The eight-member Northwest Compact on Low-level Radioactive Waste tweaked its contract with Utah-based EnergySolutions to make it evident that foreign nuclear waste would not be allowed at the company's Tooele County facility, and closed a loophole that allowed foreign waste processed at the company's Tennessee facility to be buried at the Utah site; EnergySolutions asked a judge on Monday to rule that the Northwest Compact has no authority over its Utah site.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 9
Calif. congressman says Utah mine disaster could have been avoided
The chairman of the congressional panel that investigated the Crandall Canyon mine disaster in Utah accused the operator of the mine of covering up a similar tunnel collapse just months before the August disaster, and said that had federal regulators known about the earlier incident, they may not have approved Murray Energy's retreat mining plan for the second tunnel.
New York Times; May 9
Court orders Montana DEQ to issue permit for 4th gravel pit
For the fourth time in two weeks, a district court judge has ordered the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to issue an open-cut mining permit for a gravel pit without performing an environmental assessment of the project.
Great Falls Tribune; May 9
Moody's declares Arizona is in a recession
Moody's Economy.com followed up its earlier report that Arizona was in a recession with a later declaration that Phoenix and Tucson were also in a recession.
Arizona Republic; May 9
Colorado programs take children into the wild
Getting children outside has become somewhat of a national obsession, with "Take Your Child to Nature" days, No Child Left Inside legislation and even a moniker for the problem: nature-deficit disorder; and in Colorado there are a number of events created to address the disorder, including Junior Ranger programs and a Teacher to Ranger to Teacher program that loans teachers to national parks for the summer.
Denver Post; May 9
Opinion
Guest column:
Clinton, Obama should make joint campaign appearances
The race to be the Democratic Party's presidential nominee has reached a critical point, and in order for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to engage each other's supporters, the candidates should spend the final month of the primary campaign making joint appearances. A column by Pat Williams, Senior Fellow of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West, of which Headwaters News is a project.
Pat Williams, Center for the Rocky Mountain West; May 9
Beyond the region
Oregon salmon fishermen go after other catch
After the federal government shut down salmon fishing along portions of the Oregon and California coast due to dwindling numbers of the fish, some fishermen along the Oregon coast are going after prawns, some are heading north to Alaska and others are getting out of the business altogether, and the small one-industry towns along the coast are casting about for another economic toehold.
New York Times; May 9
Weakening U.S. dollar sends oil prices to a record $126 a barrel
The price of light, sweet crude oil hit $126.20 a barrel early Friday morning.
Denver Rocky Mountain News (AP); May 9
President Bush promises to veto compromise Farm Bill
The White House's immediate reaction to the compromise Farm Bill hammered out by House and Senate negotiators was that President Bush would veto the $300 billion, five-year bill.
Washington Post; May 9
U.S. House passes housing aid bill
Congressional Democrats, with the help of 39 Republicans, passed legislation to help homeowners stave off foreclosure.
Washington Post; May 9
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