In the Rockies today, the U.S. House takes action on uranium mining near the Grand Canyon and a federal judge lowers plaintiffs' expectations in the Indian trust management litigation.
Arizona Rep. Raul M. Grijalva invoked the little-used emergency declaration under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to enact a three-year suspension of uranium mining claims on lands adjacent to the Grand Canyon.
That process, used just four times in history, allows the vote of the House Natural Resources Committee to temporarily block mining work.
Interior Department officials said they're considering their next step, as a 1983 Justice Department opinion had found similar actions unconstitutional.
In the Cobell litigation, a class action lawsuit filed 12 years ago alleging the federal government mismanaged lands and monies held in trust for American Indians, the federal judge that presided over the two-week long trial said he'll reach a decision by August.
But U.S. District Judge James Robertson also said plaintiffs would probably not get the $47 billion they allege they are owed, nor would the federal government walk away owing just the $1 billion it says it's obligated to pay.
Rockies today
House panel puts uranium mining near Grand Canyon on hold
Using a rare procedure not invoked for 20 years, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee voted 20-2 to temporarily halt any new uranium leases on 1 million acres of land near the Grand Canyon for up to three years, although the resolution would not affect the more than 10,000 uranium mining claims already leased by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management on those agencies' lands near Grand Canyon National Park.
Washington Post (AP); June 26
Federal judge says Cobell case may be worth around $10 billion
At the end of the two-week trial over the federal government's management of assets held in trust for American Indians, U.S. District Judge James Robertson told plaintiffs that the final amount owed them would have to be based on estimates and that it was likely the amount would be less than $10 billion, not the $47 billion plaintiffs had alleged.
Seattle-Post Intelligencer (AP); June 26
Frontier Airlines' service cuts means hundreds of lost jobs in Colorado
Frontier Airlines announced it would reduce the number of daily flights between Denver and 22 cities this fall, pull out of some markets entirely, and end service to others on a seasonal basis, reductions that could mean the loss of 800 or more jobs at Denver International Airport and a number of empty gates at the Colorado airport.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; June 26
Nevada senator stalls foreclosure-relief bill
Nevada Sen. John Ensign said he blocked the massive mortgage relief bill to attach a $6 billion package of tax credits for renewable energy because renewable energy is becoming an important component of Nevada's economy, but stalling the foreclosure relief bill has an impact in his home state as well, as Nevada has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation.
Washington Post; June 26
U.S. House panel passes Utah land-swap bill
Legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, which would trade 40,000 acres of Utah state lands including parcels near the Kokopelli and Slickrock trails and Arches National Park, for about 40,000 acres of federal land in and around Uintah County received preliminary approval from a U.S. House committee Wednesday.
Salt Lake Tribune; June 26
Alberta issues new rules on oilsands tailings ponds
A new policy issued Thursday by Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board gives the board authority to shutdown oilsands operations if companies are not cleaning up toxic ponds of mine tailings as they promised.
Edmonton Journal; June 26
Remote camera in Montana records interplay between grizzlies, wolf
A remote camera in Glacier National Park in Montana captured a wolf and a grizzly bear with two cubs interacting.
Seattle-Post Intelligencer (AP); June 26
Opinion
Alberta should take U.S. mayors' oilsands resolution seriously
It may seem unfathomable to Albertans that the United States would refuse 10 percent of that nation's oil supply because it comes from oilsands, but when the U.S. Conference of Mayors proposed an embargo of oil from Alberta, the nation may listen and Alberta should spend some of its $4.7-billion surplus on "greening" up the oilsands process. A column by Don Martin.
Toronto National Post; June 26
Congress should take mining ban near Grand Canyon one step further
Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva's uncommon effort to put a three-year moratorium on new uranium mining claims in areas adjacent to the Grand Canyon should be followed up with congressional action to permanently protect this area's water, wildlife and landscape from mining, and while Congress is at it, lawmakers should reform the 1872 mining law as well.
Arizona Republic; June 26
Beyond the region
U.S. Supreme Court strikes down D.C.'s ban on hand guns
In what is the first U.S. Supreme Court's major decision on gun rights in history, the high court voted 5-4 to strike down Washington D.C.'s ban on handguns because it violated Second Amendment rights.
Tucson Citizen; June 26
U.S. high court cuts punitive damage award in Exxon Valdez case
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the $5 billion punitive damage award against Exxon Mobil for the Exxon Valdez tanker disaster that dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil into the Prince William Sound in Alaska in 1989 was excessive, and cut the award to $500 million, slightly less than the company paid out in compensatory damages.
New York Times; June 26
Former EPA official: White House didn't want to deal with climate change
Jason Burnett, who resigned from his associate deputy administrator post at the Environmental Protection Agency last month because the agency's efforts to respond to a 2007 Supreme Court order to address the issue of regulating vehicle emissions that contribute to global warming, said he sent an email to the White House in December of 2007 with a formal finding that action must be taken to address global warming; an email the White House subsequently asked be recalled.
Washington Post; June 26
Thousands of homes lie in paths of California wildfires
A wildfire is threatening 500 homes in Big Sur, and 27 lightning-sparked wildfires burning in California's Butte County were threatening 1,000 homes.
Los Angeles Times; June 26
Washington cherry grower builds tent city for migrant workers
Helen Reddout spent about $300,000 to build concrete pads and two buildings housing showers and kitchens to provide a tent city for migrant workers when they show up to pick cherries at her Yakima County orchard; the tent city is the first for that Washington state county but similar camps exist in three other counties.
Yakima Herald; June 26
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