In the Rockies today, the federal Environmental Protection Agency abruptly backed away from two Clean Air Act rule changes on Wednesday.
One proposal would have relaxed restrictions around national parks, making it easier to build coal-fired power plants or factories in those areas, and the other would have changed rules on when power plants would be required to install antipollution equipment.
Environmental Protection Agency officials emphasized they still support the changes, but had taken them off the table to abide by an administration order against "midnight regulations."
Today in Western Perspective, we provide readers with a preview of the Defenders of Wildlife report written to allow wolves and livestock to co-exist.
The report details the successful use of guard dogs, night penning and range riders, among other methods, to deter wolves from preying on stock.
We invite you to read the column and send us your send us your comments.
Rockies today
EPA drops effort to change air-pollution limits near parks
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it would not pursue proposed changes that would have made it easier to build coal-fired power plants near national parks and changed when power plants must install antipollution devices.
Washington Post; Dec. 11
Interior official: Efforts could keep sage grouse off ESA list
Assistant Interior Secretary Stephen Allred said that efforts of states in the Rocky Mountain West to preserve sage grouse habitat, along with federal policy changes made over the past few years may be enough to keep the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from putting the species on the federal endangered list.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (AP); Dec. 11
Colorado adopts new drilling regulations
The Colorado Oil and Gas Commission adopted the most comprehensive package of energy regulations in the country on Wednesday, and Republican lawmakers said the first half of the state's upcoming legislative session would be spent dealing with the new rules.
Denver Post; Dec. 11
Report identifies 'pork-barrel' spending in New Mexico
The Rio Grande Foundation and the Washington, D.C.-based Citizens Against Government Waste released "The 2008 New Mexico Piglet Book," that identifies what the organizations say are egregious examples of wasteful government spending in the state, including the RailRunner commuter train, the proposed spaceport and incentives for the film industry, all pet projects of Gov. Bill Richardson.
Santa Fe New Mexican; Dec. 11
Pipeline projects spiderweb their way across the West
Landowners in the path of the various pipeline projects designed to carry natural gas produced in the Rocky Mountain West to markets east and west of the Rockies say their land will take years to recover from the construction process.
Missoulian (AP); Dec. 11
Yellowstone National Park ready to open for winter use
Despite an avalanche of court rulings on snowmobile limits in Yellowstone National Park, the park is ready to open on Monday, with a daily limit of 720 commercially guided snowmobiles and up to 78 snow coaches, although the park doesn't yet have enough snow for snowmobiles.
Billings Gazette; Dec. 11
Colorado gets $53 million in federal foreclosure funds
Local housing officials were a little disappointed at Colorado's share of federal funds to address the state's foreclosure problem, given the extent of that problem.
Denver Post; Dec. 11
Arizona wind-turbine maker predicts a whirling 2009
Arizona-based Southwest Windpower announced Wednesday it expects a 90 to 100 percent increase in sales in 2009, as it gears up production and distribution to meet growing demand for its small wind generators in China and Europe.
Arizona Daily Sun; Dec. 11
Opinion
Colorado must show its commitment to infrastructure
Colorado must not only provide President-elect Barack Obama with a concrete plan for infrastructure projects federal funds could build, but must also be ready to shore up that plan with a funding mechanism or revenue stream of its own to pour into such projects.
Denver Post; Dec. 11
Montana stewardship project based on flawed assumptions
While the wilderness aspects of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Proposal are certainly worth exploring, the provisions of the Montana plan that would fund that protection by logging other areas are based on flawed assumptions that those areas need to be logged and that there will be a market for the logged timber. A guest column by George Wuerthner.
NewWest.net; Dec. 11
Beyond the region
President-elect Obama selects energy, environment chiefs
Officials with President-elect Barack Obama said that he will select Steven Chu, the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as his energy secretary, and Nancy Sutley, an energy and environment official with Los Angeles, to head up the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
New York Times; Dec. 11
Alberta oilsands operations berated at U.N. climate talks
The Canadian delegation to an international climate-change conference in Poland demanded that a display featuring aerial photographs of Alberta's oilsands operations with a banner "Canada's dirty secret," be taken down.
Toronto National Post; Dec. 11
Tough economic times expose globalization's Achilles heel
Tight credit and falling demand around the world set off the first decline in world trade in a quarter of a century, illustrating that as quickly globalization expanded markets, it can just as rapidly torpedo them.
New York Times; Dec. 11
Washington state floats water, fish plan for Yakima basin
The Washington Department of Ecology is taking public comment on its plan to improve water supplies and fish habitat in the Yakima River Basin through Jan. 16, which is part of a larger, comprehensive plan under development by the federal Bureau of Reclamation.
Yakima Herald; Dec. 11
Hunting season OK'd in Washington state wildlife refuge
After nearly a decade of discussion, an elk hunt will be allowed in 2009 in the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in Washington state.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; Dec. 11
In depth
Kennecott officials say Rio Tinto layoffs will affect Utah jobs
Rio Tinto's plan to cut 14,000 jobs will have an impact on jobs at Kennecott Utah Copper, which is owned by the international mining conglomerate, although just how many of the nearly 5,000 jobs in Utah will be affected won't be known until after the first of the year.
Salt Lake Tribune; Dec. 11
Rocky Mountain mines wait for word on Rio Tinto layoffs
International mining company Rio Tinto announced Wednesday that it would eliminate 14,000 jobs, although there hasn't been any indication yet if any of those jobs will be cut at Rio Tinto's five coal mines in the Rocky Mountain, three in Wyoming, and one each in Colorado and Montana.
Casper Star-Tribune; Dec. 11
Officials say Wyoming won't be hurt by declining coal demand
Demand for coal is expected to flatten in 2009, held steady by a decrease in exports and a lower demand for coal-produced electricity, but the head of the Wyoming Mining Association said Wyoming's coal market will be the last affected, based primarily on the its low cost of delivery.
Casper Star-Tribune; Dec. 11
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