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In the Rockies today, the focus is on federal legislation and policies.
First up, a federal court has put the U.S. Department of Agriculture's plan to open up Conservation Reserve Program lands for grazing and haying on hold until a full hearing on the "Critical Feed Use Program" can be held.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act which creates a federal fund for fighting catastrophic wildfires and sent the bill over to the Senate for action.
A bill sponsored by Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and Montana Sen. Jon Tester didn't get quite the welcome the FLAME Act did, with federal officials disagreeing that federal matching funds are needed for state programs designed to compensate ranchers for livestock lost to wolves.
And in our In-depth section, we offer a roundup of stories on new Census estimates released today that found, not surprisingly, that Arizona and Nevada cities are among the nation's fastest growing, and that regions of Colorado and Wyoming where energy development is booming are also growing.
Rockies today
Report: Energy production threatens hunting opportunities
A study commissioned by the Interior Department, performed by experts hand-picked by Interior Secretary Gale Norton before she left that office in 2006, found considerable fault with the Bush administration's policies on wildlife management and energy development.
Jackson Hole News & Guide; July 10
U.S. House sends catastrophic wildfire funding bill to the Senate
On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act, which creates a special federal fund for fighting catastrophic wildfires; the bill now moves on to the Senate for action.
Idaho Statesman; July 10
Federal court halts USDA's plan to open CRP lands for grazing, haying
U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed by the National Wildlife Federation and six affiliates challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Critical Feed Use Program" that would have opened up 24 million acres of agricultural lands in the federal Conservation Reserve Program to grazing and haying; Coughenour's order puts the feed program on ice until after a full hearing is held and he issues a final decision.
Seattle Times; July 10
Bush administration opposes bill to compensate ranchers for wolf kills
Legislation sponsored by Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso would provide matching federal funds to state programs designed to compensate livestock producers for animals killed by wolves, but at a hearing Wednesday on the bill, Interior officials said the federal government should not be responsible for such payments.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); July 10
USFS, Montana groups disagree on effect of logging decision
The ruling by an 11-justice panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on timber sales issued last week was hailed by U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey as a "landmark case," but the head of one of the environmental groups that brought the lawsuit said the decision didn't settle anything, and the supervisor of one national forest in Montana said it's too early to tell just what the decision means.
Missoulian; July 10
Nevada water engineer approves SNWA's pipeline plan
Tracy Taylor, the Nevada state engineer, approved Southern Nevada Water Authority's plan to pump 18,355 acre feet of groundwater annually from the Snake Valley aquifer that lies along the Nevada-Utah border, and that the two Utah counties that had requested a chance to testify on the project had missed their opportunity to be included by not protesting in 1989 when the project was first proposed.
Salt Lake Tribune; July 10
USFWS designates more of Idaho river as critical habitat for sturgeon
A genetically distinct species of the white sturgeon is found only in parts of northern Idaho, northwest Montana and southeast British Columbia, and on Wednesday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added another 7.1 miles of the Kootenai River to 11.2 river miles previously designated as critical habitat for the sturgeon in 2001.
Idaho Statesman (AP); July 10
Protection of Colorado nat'l park in Senate package of wilderness bills
Just before Congress left D.C. for its July 4 recess, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed a package of legislation containing 96 bills on new national parks, wilderness and heritage areas, including one that would designate 250,000 acres of Rocky Mountain National Park as a wilderness area.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; July 10
Opinion
Utah officials need to take Nevada to task over SNWA pipeline plan
Southern Nevada Water Authority officials have no problem crying foul over St. George's plan to pump Colorado River water from Lake Powell to that fast-growing region of Utah, claiming that the loss of that water will have a devastating impact on Nevada, but SNWA officials apparently are blind to the parallel effect its plan to pump groundwater from an aquifer on the Utah-Nevada border will have on Utah communities.
Salt Lake Tribune; July 10
Effort to boost wind power will be worth it
It's going to take a lot of money, transmission line capacity and compromise to reach the U.S. Department of Energy's goal of getting 20 percent of the nation's electricity from wind power, but the payoffs of developing this clean source of energy are high as well, and well worth pursuing. Contains a sidebar with information on states' potential for wind energy.
Billings Gazette; July 10
Kudos to Western governors for pledge on protecting wildlife
At the Western Governors' Association annual meeting last week in Wyoming, the governors pledged to protect historic wildlife migration corridors and critical habitat, a commitment that comes none too soon.
Great Falls Tribune; July 10
Beyond the region
Weary firefighters lose ground to weather-assisted wildfire in California
Exhausted after weeks on the fire lines, firefighters were beaten back by the Butte County wildfire in Northern California that forced the evacuation of 10,000 residents and destroyed 50 homes.
Los Angeles Times; July 10
Former Commerce secretary leads campaign on national debt
Peter Peterson, former Commerce secretary under the Nixon administration, hired David Walker, former comptroller general of the United States, to lead the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which launched a campaign Thursday to pressure the nation's elected officials to address the nation's fiscal liabilities, which Peterson estimates at $52.7 trillion.
Christian Science Monitor; July 10
Arizona scientist says briny succulent could be food, fuel of the future
Carl Hodges, the founding director of the University of Arizona's highly regarded Environmental Research Lab, says rising seawaters could open new opportunities for agriculture by diverting rising seawaters inland and using the man-made rivers to grow crops such as salicornia, a salt-loving succulent that can be eaten or turned into biofuel.
Los Angeles Times; July 10
In depth
Census: Arizona, Nevada cities among nation's fastest growing
New Census figures released Thursday found that Phoenix was second in the nation in the number of residents added to its population for the year that ended July 1, 2007, and that North Las Vegas in Nevada; Gilbert, Ariz., and Henderson, Nev., were among the nation's 10 fastest-growing cities with 100,000 or more residents.
New York Times; July 10
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Population estimates track Arizonans' march to the 'burbs
New Census estimates said that Gilbert grew faster than all but two other communities of 100,000 or more in the nation between 2000 and July 1, 2007, but when you compare cities of all sizes in Arizona, Gilbert ranks only 10th in the fastest-growing category.
Arizona Daily Sun; July 10
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Energy development boosts population growth in Wyo. counties
U.S. Census data released Thursday said that Pinedale, in Wyoming's resource-rich Sublette County, led the state in population growth for the year that ended June 30, 2007; and that nine of the state's 20 fastest-growing communities are in southwest Wyoming.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 10
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Census: Energy boom drives population gains in Colorado, too
New Census estimates released today indicate that cities and towns in two counties at the epicenter of the West Slope energy boom in Colorado were among the state's fastest growing.
Grand Junction Sentinel; July 10
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Winter Park Colorado's fastest-growing community
New Census Bureau estimates said that Winter Park's population increased 17 percent between 2006-2007, bringing the Colorado resort town's population to 852 people, and making the town the state's fastest-growing in terms of percentage of growth.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; July 10
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Salt Lake City officials doubt Census figures showing fewer residents
New Census estimates released Thursday indicated that Salt Lake City had lost about 1,100 residents since 2000, a figure the Utah city's officials take issue with given the 3,700 residential building permits issued since 2000.
Salt Lake Tribune; July 10
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Groups challenge USFWS decision to delist Preble's mouse in Wyoming
Idaho seeks public input on plan to address nitrate contamination of water
Montana aluminum plant lays off 124 workers
Bankruptcies up 42 percent in Utah
Report: New Mexico's prison population down 6.6 percent
Crews contain wildfire on Idaho National Laboratory lands
Montana, N.M. explore health insurance options for small businesses
Tribe pins economic plans on coal reserves underlying Montana lands
Arizona senator, tribes at odds over proposed land swap
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Exclusively
on Headwaters:
NewVoices/NewWest:
Culture
Clash: Can the federal No Child Left Behind Act coexist with Montana's
Indian Education for All?
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Regional Conferences
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BLM public meetings on geothermal energy development:
July 14: Reno, Nevada; Washoe County Library - Spanish Springs Branch, 7100 Pyramid Highway
July 15: Salt Lake City, Utah; Salt Lake City Library, 210 East 400 South
July 16: Tucson, Ariz.; Pima County Public Library, Dusenberry River Branch, 5605 E. River Road
July 17: Cheyenne, Wyo.; Laramie County Library, Willow Room, 200 Pioneer Avenue
July 21: Boise, Idaho; Boise Public Library, 715 South Capitol Boulevard
July 22: Albuquerque, N.M., University of New Mexico, Conference Center, Room C, 1634 University N.E.
July 23: Helena, Mont.; Lewis and Clark Main Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch
July 24: Denver, Colo.; PPA Event Center, 2105 Decatur Street
July 28: Seattle, Wash.; Seattle Public Library, University Branch, 5009 Roosevelt Way, N.E.
July 29: Portland, Ore.; Multnomah County Library, Central Branch, 801 SW 10th Avenue
Sept. 8-11: The U.S. Geological Survey's Third Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, Estes Park, Colo. Read a preview.
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Headwaters
News is a project of the Center
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