In the Rockies today, Montana's underground resources lead the news.
Revett Minerals has begun some preliminary work on a proposed copper and silver mine in the Cabinet Mountains in Montana, a project opposed by many who fear the affects of the mine on the area's wildlife and water.
The mine still has some legal challenges it must overcome before actual mining can begin, but company officials said they wouldn't be doing the preliminary work if they weren't confident the company would win those lawsuits.
Moving east to Montana's Rocky Mountain Front, where Congress ended energy leasing on federal lands in 2006, a new battle is brewing about energy leasing efforts by the state.
The same groups who successfully lobbied Congress for the legislation to end drilling on federal lands are now targeting leases on state lands.
About 8,400 acres of state lands are already under lease, with an additional 700 acres set to be auctioned next week, including a 520-acre parcel beneath the state's Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area.
Rockies today
Company begins to lay groundwork on controversial Montana mine
Revett Minerals Inc. has begun work on its Rock Creek Mine in Montana's Cabinet Mountains, although there are still some legal obstacles the silver and copper operation must clear before actual mining can begin.
Missoulian; June 5
Opponents of energy work on Montana Front now target state leases
In December of 2006, Congress approved a permanent ban on energy leases on federal lands along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front, and since that time millions of dollars have changed hands to buy back those leases from energy companies, but the state has continued to sell mineral leases on state lands, and now the groups that fought leasing on federal lands are revving up attempts to fight leases on state lands.
Billings Gazette (AP); June 5
Nevada group wants rule change on OHV vehicles
The sportsmen, conservationists, ranchers, law officers and others who have formed the Nevada Responsible Trails Alliance plan to make their case for a state registration program for all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and similar machines at a meeting Friday with the Nevada Legislative Committee on Public Lands in Elko.
Reno Gazette-Journal; June 5
Colorado company in the race to develop cellulosic ethanol
As criticism over the use of corn to produce ethanol increases, there are at least 30 cellulosic ethanol refineries in some sort of the planning and construction stage, including Colorado-based Range Fuels' cellulosic ethanol plant in Georgia designed to turn logging waste into ethanol using a thermochemical process.
Christian Science Monitor; June 5
Groups taken aback by Ottawa's approval of Alberta oilsands project
On May 14, environmental groups celebrated a federal court's removal of a key water license for Imperial Oil Ltd.'s $8-billion Kearl oilsands mine, a decision the groups saw as a win in their battle against the massive project, but the federal government gave cabinet approval for the mine just one day later, putting the project back on track.
Calgary Herald; June 5
United grounds Ted
United Airlines, the dominant carrier at Denver International Airport, announced Wednesday that it would end its low-cost, no-frills service in 2009, putting an end to Ted, and that it would cut more than a thousand job and 100 aircraft in an effort to address spiraling fuel costs.
Denver Post; June 5
Idaho congressman dissects misleading ads about CIEDRA changes
U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson's staff said the removal of two Sawtooth National Recreation Area land transfers--an eight-acre transfer to the City of Stanley and an 86-acre transfer to Custer County--was done to make Simpson's Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act more palatable to Democrats and did not change the overall concept of the legislation, contrary to information contained in advertisements run by the Idaho Recreation Council.
Challis Messenger; June 5
Federal judge limits snowmobiling season in Montana national forest
U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy issued a ruling last week that ends snowmobiling season on the Flathead National Forest on March 15 to protect grizzly bears emerging from hibernation, and found that the an amendment to the Montana forest's travel plan that allowed snowmobiling in some parts of the forest until May 31 was flawed.
Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; June 4
Opinion
Debate on Senate's climate change off to a stormy start
The U.S. Senate began its debate on sweeping climate change legislation with a complete reading of the 492-page bill, followed by lengthy discourse by Oklahoma Sen. James M. Inhofe who refused to yield the floor to an exasperated Sen. John Kerry from Massachusetts.
New York Times; June 5
Beyond the region
Oregon congressmen at loggerheads on federal aid for rural schools
The U.S. House debate on legislation renewing for four years federal aid to rural counties hit hard by declining timber harvests on national forests exploded into an angry fight between Oregon lawmakers, as Rep. Greg Walden and other Republicans took issue with Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio's decision to bring the legislation up for debate with a provision that the bill be funded by oil sources.
Portland Oregonian; June 5
Schwarzenegger declares drought disaster in California
California's governor declared a drought disaster in the state on Wednesday, and warned that the state may be forced to ration water to its cities and regions if conservation efforts didn't curtail water use enough.
New York Times; June 5
Private investors bet the farm on world's need for food
Some private investors are betting big that the world's need for food will increase, and one has purchased ethanol plants, huge swaths of Canadian farmland and Midwest grain bins capable of storing millions of bushels of grain.
New York Times; June 5
Report: U.S. economic downturn hits Latino immigrants hard
A report issued Wednesday by the Pew Hispanic Center said that the slump in the nation's construction industry hit Latino immigrants particularly hard, with unemployment hitting 7.5 percent for the first quarter of 2008.
New York Times; June 5
Farm Bill provision sweetens conservation-easement incentives
A provision of this year's Farm Bill raises the federal income tax deduction for landowners who put a conservation easement on their land from 30 percent to 50 percent, allows ranchers to deduct 100 percent of their income, and increases the number of years landowners can take the deduction from six to 16.
Jackson Hole Daily; June 5
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