In the Rockies today, Glacier National Park might celebrate its 100th anniversary with a designation as a world heritage site in danger if Montana Sen. Max Baucus has his way.
The park in Montana is already a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage site, but groups in Montana and Canada say plans to develop coal, coalbed methane, gold and phosphate resources in the North Fork of the Flathead in Canada put the park at risk.
Also in the news, a Montana bankruptcy judge lays the ground rules for Credit Suisse's bid on the Yellowstone Club, while the developer of an Idaho resort that also has a loan from the Swiss banker said Tamarack's loan situation was entirely different as all its loan proceeds flowed into the resort's accounts.
Rockies today
Montana senator presses U.N. panel to protect the N. Fork Flathead
Glacier National Park in Montana is already a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage site, but groups in Montana and Canada are pressing the UNESCO to designate the North Fork of the Flathead as a world heritage site in danger to help stop plans in Canada to mine in the headwaters of the Flathead River, which flows through Glacier National Park.
Hungry Horse News; May 14
Researchers brief Wyoming lawmakers on brucellosis efforts
At a briefing Wednesday of the Wyoming joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee, researchers and biologists told state lawmakers about ongoing efforts to combat brucellosis around Yellowstone National Park and said more funding would be needed as costly efforts thus far have yielded few measurable results.
Billings Gazette; May 14
Group files notice of suit against BLM, USFWS on Nevada land plan
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a notice of intent to sue on Wednesday against the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over land plans in east-central Nevada that would calls for the sale of public lands to build the White Pine Energy Station, Toquop Energy Project and Ely Energy Center, all coal-fired power plants.
Las Vegas Sun; May 13
Utah home-foreclosure rate sixth in the nation
In RealtyTrac's most recent report, nearly a dozen states reported more than a 100 percent year-over-year increase in foreclosure rates, including Utah, which reported a 120 percent increase in foreclosures between April 2008 and last month; Nevada led the nation in foreclosure filings; Arizona ranked fourth, Idaho fifth, Utah sixth and Colorado ninth.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 14
Rammell asks Idaho high court to find elk farm rules 'unreasonable'
Rex Rammell's fight with Idaho over the state's regulations of elk farms is now before the Idaho Supreme Court, where his attorney argued Wednesday that the rules were unreasonable.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); May 14
Montana judge lays ground rules for Credit Suisse bid on resort
At a protracted hearing Wednesday before U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Ralph Kirscher in Montana on how to auction off the exclusive Yellowstone Resort, Kirsher told Credit Suisse counsel that the Swiss banker would have to set aside $8 million to pay the people and companies who have kept the resort running and another $44 million in cash to keep the resort running if it wants to bid on the club.
Billings Gazette; May 14
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Tamarack developer: Swiss bank's loans different in Idaho, Montana
The developer of the now-closed Tamarack Resort in Idaho said the case against Credit Suisse in Montana over its loan to the Yellowstone Club won't have an impact on the Swiss banker's loan to Tamarack as the loans to the two resorts are entirely different.
Idaho Statesman; May 14
Opinion
U.S. Senate vote on guns in parks shows who's in charge
The gun lobby's reach was apparent in Tuesday's vote in the U.S. Senate where that august body allowed a rider be attached to legislation needed to protect credit-card users that will allow loaded guns in parks, and the senators need to saddle up and find the courage to strip the gun amendment from the credit-card bill before its final vote.
New York Times; May 14
Utah senator's blockade of Interior nominee shows he's running scared
Utah Sen. Bob Bennett has spent most of his career finding middle ground, but his hold-up of the confirmation of David Hayes as the deputy undersecretary of Interior suggests that the Republican senator has moved far to the right in an effort to survive an upcoming primary battle.
Ray Ring's West (High Country News); May 14
Beyond the Region
Oregon, Washington postpone chinook, steelhead fishing season
Fish managers in Washington and Oregon ratcheted estimates of the spring chinook run on the Columbia River down to 120,000 to 150,000, down from earlier estimates of 300,000, and fishing seasons in both states set to open May 16 were postponed.
Portland Oregonian; May 14
Former Ariz. governor on Obama's S.Ct. nominee short list
President Barack Obama's list of potential Supreme Court justice nominees includes former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who is his Secretary of Homeland Security; Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and U.S. Appeals Court judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Pamela Wood are also on his list of nominees.
Arizona Daily Sun (AP); May 14
As aquifer levels drop, California struggles with groundwater rules
Despite being a leader on most environmental fronts, California has been slow to wade into the heretofore sacrosanct arena of groundwater rights, but prolonged drought that has severely limited farmers' irrigation waters has pushed them to use groundwater to irrigate their crops, dropping aquifer levels in some areas of the state more than 50 feet.
New York Times; May 14
High-tech greenhouses portend future of farming in California
Two massive high-tech greenhouses near Camarillo provide a glimpse of what farming might look like in California in the future, providing shelter from climate change, drought and volatile fuel costs.
Los Angeles Times; May 14
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