In the Rockies today, Montana officials will get some details on talks between the U.S. Forest Service and Plum Creek Timber Co.; the U.S. Army scales back its expansion plans on a Colorado training range; and the BLM and conservation groups are battling again over sage grouse protections in Wyoming.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey said his department is hard at work preparing maps that detail the discussions the U.S. Forest Service and Plum Creek had on road easements in Montana, and that those maps would be made available to local officials.

In Colorado, where hundreds of farmers and ranchers had protested the U.S. Army's proposal to add nearly 500,000 acres to its Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, the Army announced it is now interested in just 100,000 acres.

And finally, in Wyoming, the Bureau of Land Management is preparing a new plan to reduce conflicts between energy operations and sage grouse, but one environmental group said a new plan won't do any good if BLM personnel continue to waive seasonal restrictions.

Rockies today

U.S. Army reduces Colorado land request by 75 percent
The U.S. Army scaled back its mission to purchase 418,000 acres of land to expand its Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site south of Fort Carson, and said it now needs just 100,000 acres.
Denver Post; July 17
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BLM auction of energy leases in N.M., 2 other states sets record
The Bureau of Land Management's quarterly auction of energy leases in Santa Fe brought in $41.4 million, with one New Mexico parcel selling at $5,000 per acre.
Santa Fe New Mexican; July 17
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Rey maps out details of USFS, Plum Creek talks in Montana
U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey said he'll soon provide detailed maps of road easements addressed in closed-door meetings between the U.S. Forest Service and Plum Creek Timber Co. to Montana's federal, state and local officials.
Missoulian; July 17
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BLM says new plan for Wyoming Anticline will protect sage grouse
A wildlife biologist and sage grouse expert with the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance said that the Bureau of Land Management isn't enforcing seasonal restrictions on drilling operations in Wyoming's Pinedale Anticline and that the lack of enforcement has led to a sharp decrease in the number of sage grouse in that area of Wyoming, but BLM officials said the agency's new plan will do more as some areas near leks will be off-limits to drilling for five years.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 17
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• BLM officials defend use of exceptions on Wyoming Anticline
  After conservation groups charged that the Bureau of Land Management too often accommodated energy companies' requests for exceptions to drilling regulations in Wyoming, such as waiving seasonal restrictions, BLM personnel defended those decisions and said a "verbal screening" process eliminates a number of requests before a record is made, makes it appear most formal requests are granted.
  Casper Star-Tribune; July 17
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• Alberta premier stands firm on opposing cap-and-trade emissions policy
  At the Council of the Federation's three-day meeting in Quebec City, the 13 leaders of Canada's provinces and territories met to discuss climate change and other issues, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, whose province tops the country in greenhouse gas emissions, said cap-and-trade policies are nothing more than an attempt to tap into Alberta's energy revenue, and that he'd not let that happen.
  Calgary Herald; July 17
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