In the Rockies today, federal agencies vow to team up to clean up uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation.
For years, federal efforts to clean up contamination on the Navajo Nation left behind after decades of uranium mining has been piecemeal, but now four federal agencies will coordinate those efforts.
The federal government announced a new five-year plan that allocates tens of millions of dollars for a coordinated effort between the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service to assess and address uranium contamination on the three-state reservation.
Navajo officials have taken a wait-and-see approach on the plan, saying that it lacks details on just what will be done to clean up the uranium waste and exactly who will pay for it.
Rockies today
Federal agencies will team up on uranium cleanup on Navajo Nation
The federal government announced a new plan to clean up uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation, with the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service working together on the project.
Arizona Republic; June 20
Tribes, USFWS ink deal on National Bison Range in Montana
An agreement signed Thursday by representatives of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will give the tribes a substantive role in managing the National Bison Range in Montana.
Missoulian; June 20
USFS, BLM to host 13 geothermal energy meetings in 12 states
The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management officials are gathering public comment on a newly released environmental impact statement on the development of geothermal resources in 11 Western states and Alaska, and will host 13 meetings in July to get public input on the plan.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (AP); June 20
Colorado to empanel grand jury on conservation easement program
Using information gathered by the Colorado Division of Real Estate on conservation easements, a grand jury will investigate a number of issues about the state's program created to protect land from development, including whether appraisers intentionally inflated land values.
Denver Post; June 20
N.M. wants coal-plant's technology part of EPA permitting process
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is required by law to review the maximum achievable control technology that will be used by the proposed Desert Rock Power Plant before the coal-fired plant can be built, but New Mexico officials asked the agency to consider the technology when it makes its decision on the plant's air-quality permit.
Santa Fe New Mexican (AP); June 20
Federal mortgage fraud sweep nets 36 Arizonans
A national mortgage-fraud investigation, known as Operation Malicious Mortgage, resulted in 406 indictments thus far, 36 of which involved Arizonans.
Arizona Republic; June 20
Opinion
Investigation of Colorado's conservation easement plan needed
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers' decision to empanel a grand jury to investigate questionable conservation easements deals is the right decision that will allow the state to find and close loopholes in the process that has thus far gobbled up $274 million of state money since 2000.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; June 20
Montana's Rocky Mountain Front must be protected
Kudos to Gov. Brian Schweitzer for listening to Montanans and imposing a six-month moratorium on energy leases on state lands along the Rocky Mountain Front, now the state and others interested in preserving this last, best slice of Montana need to work together to keep the Front wild.
Great Falls Tribune; June 20
There's nothing wrong with pay-to-play fees on federal lands
Yes, a fee to hike, camp or park on federal lands is a tax, but as long as the fee charged is reasonable and the money generated is used to maintain those lands, why shouldn't users pay a fee?
Grand Junction Sentinel; June 20
Guest column:
Greater Yellowstone Coalition formalizes work began centuries ago
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, a citizen-led group organized to protect Yellowstone National Park, celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this month, but the work done by the coalition was preceded by centuries of efforts put forth by a few notables and a legion of common folk. A guest column by Pat Williams, Senior Fellow at the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West, of which Headwaters News is a project.
Pat Williams, O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West; June 20
Beyond the region
Oregon senator proposes plan to save old-growth forests, trim fire risk
On Thursday, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden released an outline of legislation designed to protect old growth forests in the state, while still allowing logging to reduce wildfire risk and to break up tree plantations.
Portland Oregonian; June 20
Judge orders UW arsonist to serve six years in federal prison
Briana Waters, who was the first of 18 suspects indicted on charges of involvement in the Earth Liberation Front, was convicted earlier this year on two counts of arson for her role in the 2001 fire set at the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture, and on Thursday, Waters was ordered to serve a six-year prison term and to pay $6 million in restitution.
Seattle Times; June 20
Report: Most Oregon landowners opt to fast-track smaller developments
In a report to the Legislature last week, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development said that nearly two-thirds of the 6,600 landowners who had pursued property-rights claims under the sweeping Measure 37 that gave landowners waivers from land-use rules if those regulations decreased the value of their property, had decided instead to use the express option offered by Measure 49, which allows them to build one to three homes.
Portland Oregonian; June 20
Washington state cultivates small farmers
Across the nation, more people are getting into agriculture and in Washington state, those folks can get a boost from the beginning farmer and rancher program, backed by the state Housing Finance Commission, and get a little more know-how from classes offered by the Small Farms Program.
Yakima-Herald; June 20
In depth
Hewlett-Packard mum on restructuring's effect on Idaho workforce
Hewlett-Packard officials said the company's restructuring would have some impact on the 3,400 workers in Boise but did not specify just how great that impact would be.
Idaho Statesman; June 20
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New Mexico lures HP to open support center in Rio Rancho
New Mexico put together a package of tax incentives to convince Hewlett-Packard to open a customer service center in Rio Rancho that will bring 1,300 new jobs to the state by 2012.
Santa Fe New Mexican; June 20
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HP's decision to open 2 new call centers has Colorado workers wary
An estimate 2,000 Hewlett-Packard employees and contract workers staff the company's Colorado Springs customer support center, and now that HP is opening two new such centers -- one in New Mexico and one in Arkansas -- the Colorado workers are wondering if their jobs are secure.
Denver Post; June 20
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