In the Rockies today, wilderness bills in Congress are getting some traction these days.
The designation of 106,000 acres in Washington state to create the Wild Sky Wilderness was the first to make it through Congress this year, and in recent weeks the U.S. House has approved six bills.
Some say as many as a dozen bills designating millions of acres of federal lands as wilderness could make it through Congress this year, with another seven recently introduced.
The new momentum on wilderness designations is due in part to a response to the Bush administration's push to develop energy resources on public lands.
But, according to the Washington Post article, the most significant obstacle to new wilderness areas was California Congressman Richard Pombo who lost his re-election bid in 2006.
Bills currently before Congress would designate areas in Idaho, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico as wilderness.
Rockies today
Push on for Congress to get wilderness bills passed
In addition to the bill passed that designated 106,000 acres of land in Washington state as wilderness, the U.S. House has passed five other bills designating more than 500,000 acres of federal land across the nation as wilderness, and the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has approved another four bills and could pass more. Has a graphic showing current legislation that includes areas in Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
Washington Post; June 16
N.M. senators trade views on nation's energy crisis
The Albuquerque Journal asks New Mexico U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici to state their opinions on a wide range of energy issues, including what's causing the price of oil to continue upward, the United States' ability to become energy independent, and the role of ethanol in the nation's energy picture. You may have to view an ad to read this article.
Albuquerque Journal; June 16
Speculation abounds on Colorado's share of Roan Plateau energy funds
The Bureau of Land Management's decision to open up the roan Plateau to energy development laid to rest one area of speculation about such work, and now the question is how much it will cost to drill on the plateau and how much money Colorado will see from the work.
Denver Post; June 16
Wolf researchers say howlbox results in Idaho promising so far
Howlboxes, devices designed to monitor wolves remotely, have been placed in three locations in the Salmon River Mountains, which cross a rugged stretch of the Salmon-Challis National Forest in central Idaho, and researchers said that after a week in use, the devices have some challenges to overcome but that they've captured some good data as well.
Missoulian; June 16
New hearing keeps New Mexico mountain protected
The New Mexico Historic Preservation Office once again ruled that Mount Taylor, was a "traditional cultural property," of five tribes in the state, a decision that will give those tribes a voice on mining on the mountain. You may have to view an ad to read this article.
Albuquerque Journal; June 16
Errors in growth projections leave Arizona cities in a bind
The Arizona Department of Economic Security has developed growth projections for more than four decades using job and Social Security data, factored in which economic sectors were growing, added in a 1 to 2 percent vacancy rate for homes and other factors and came up with growth projections that were fairly accurate until about four or five years ago, and now with population estimates in question, so is revenue.
Arizona Republic; June 16
N.M. county hits federal limit on ozone pollution
Hotter temperatures usually bring higher ozone levels in areas around the nation, and New Mexico air-quality officials are concerned that the Desert Rock Power Plant, a proposed coal-fired plant on the Navajo Nation, will push San Juan County's ozone limits past the federal level allowed since ozone readings the past week in the county have hovered near the federal limits.
Farmington Daily Times; June 15
Opinion
Utah Supreme Court must restore balance between lawmakers, citizens
A 2002 Utah Supreme Court ruling said that the power of the people to legislate through initiative and referenda are equal to that of legislators' powers, a precedent that should torpedo the wrongheaded law wrought by SB53, which preclude voters from changing land-use ordinances and takes away their power to vote on such initiatives.
Salt Lake Tribune; June 16
Beyond the region
As Alaska river warms, disease catches salmon in its grip
Most of the salmon caught these days in Alaska's Yukon River are not fit for human consumption as they are infected with ich, or white spot disease, and scientists said the ich is linked to warmer water in the river caused by climate change.
Los Angeles Times; June 16
|
