In the Rockies today, a new deadline on sage grouse; an Idaho mine's environmental record may impact its expansion plans; and a bank sues a Utah city, alleging its mishandling of a development led to its bankruptcy.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has until February of 2010 to make a determination on whether greater sage grouse deserve protection, after the federal agency and Western Watersheds Project reached an agreement in a lawsuit filed by the Idaho-based group seeking listing of the species.
And in Idaho, where Monsanto Co., the maker of Roundup weed killer, is seeking a permit from the Bureau of Land Management to expand phosphorous mining operations, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that its existing mine has a long history of violations, with the first violation reported just 15 months after the BLM issued the permit for the South Rasmussen Mine near the Idaho-Wyoming border.
Monsanto officials said the new mine for which it is now seeking a BLM permit will have much improved pollution controls.
And in Utah, Zions First National Bank, a major creditor of the now-bankrupt SunCrest development, filed a lawsuit against Draper, alleging that the city's failure to issue permits, approve plats and requirement that roads be rebuilt all contributed to the financial failure of the 3,600-acre development.
Rockies today
EPA says Monsanto mine in Idaho in violation since 2002
The Environmental Protection Agency said the mine on the Idaho-Montana border that Monsanto depends upon to make Roundup weed killer by turning phosphate ore from the mine into elemental phosphorous for use in Roundup, has a history of violations going back to April of 2002, just 15 months after the Bureau of Land Management approved the permit for the Idaho mine.
Idaho Statesman (AP); June 26
USFWS, Western Watersheds agree to new grouse deadline
In a lawsuit filed by Western Watersheds Project over the lack of federal protection for sage grouse, the Idaho-based group and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to extend the deadline for the federal agency to make a decision on whether greater sage grouse should be listed as endangered until February of 2010.
Twin Falls Times-News; June 26
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Federal agency targets 13 areas in Montana for grouse habitat
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has identified 13 areas in Montana for management to improve grouse habitat, and will steer money from the 2008 farm bill to landowners in those areas to help fund efforts to restore such habitat.
Billings Gazette (AP); June 26
U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of Arizona in English-learner case
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Thursday to send a case back to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals with new instructions to consider whether Arizona complied with civil rights law, and the ruling may return the decision over how much money should be spent on improving English-learner programs in public schools to state lawmakers, rather than federal judges, moving the 17-year case one step closer to closure.
Arizona Republic; June 26
Bank sues Utah city, alleging role in subdivision's failure
Zions First National Bank, which loaned $45 million to SunCrest, a 3,600-acre development in Draper, has sued the Utah city, alleging that its actions, or inactions, led to the development's failure and bankruptcy.
Salt Lake Tribune; June 26
Study: Colorado is least attractive state for petroleum investments
Of the 27 states that produce oil and gas, Colorado ranks dead last as the least attractive state for oil and gas investments, a new survey by petroleum industry executives found, and industry advocates say the poor ranking is the result of the state's strict, new oil and gas regulations.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel; June 26
New Western Caucus picks Wyoming senator as chairman
Wyoming U.S. Sen. John Barrasso was selected to head the newly formed Western Caucus, a group of Republican lawmakers from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Nebraska and Kansas, as well as Louisiana.
Billings Gazette; June 26
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Take Back Utah Rally could get boost from Western Caucus
Wednesday's launch of the Western Caucus, a group of Republican senators from Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas and Nebraska who vow to fight "anti-oil" and extreme environmental agendas, may boost the plans for the Aug. 8 "Take Back Utah Rally" in downtown Salt Lake City designed to raise support for multiple-use of public lands.
Deseret News; June 26
Opinion
Designating national park lands as wilderness a political ploy
There are 110 million acres of designated wilderness in the United States, 65 million acres, or 59 percent, of those lands are in national parks where they were already off-limits to most activity prohibited by a wilderness designation, and now there is an effort under way to protect 93 percent of Glacier National Park in Montana as wilderness, a move that will give politicians the right to crow about adding more wilderness but will do little to actually change the status quo.
NewWest.net; June 24
Farm lobby at the helm of Waxman-Markey bill
Look closely at the American Clean Energy and Security Act before Congress today and you'll see that the biggest players in shaping climate change legislation aren't extractive corporations, but the powerful farm lobby, which has turned a pro-environmental bill into a pro-agribusiness bill by including carbon offset exceptions and stripping a provision that would require the EPA to study climate impacts of biofuel.
Los Angeles Times; June 26
Cash-for-clunkers program has plenty of carrot, no stick
President Obama signed legislation Thursday that contains what's called the "cash-for-clunkers" program that will give consumers cash for trading in their older, less-fuel-efficient cars for new ones that get better mileage, including those folks who have been driving gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles and trucks, thus awarding bad behavior with cash, which is apparently a new trend in government.
Idaho Mountain Express (Sun Valley); June 26
Beyond the Region
Climate-change bill contains Northwest wood-fired power provision
Washington U.S. Rep. Brian Baird is proud of his state's small stamp on the 1,200-page climate-change bill before Congress today — a paragraph that says one of the nation's most valuable untapped energy resources lies in the the scraps of wood and sawdust left over by logging operations, more fondly referred to as "biomass."
Portland Oregonian; June 26
Oregon passes carbon emission bill
Oregon's State Legislature passed a controversial climate change bill to regulate carbon emissions from gasoline and diesel fuel that would cut carbon output 10 percent by 2020.
The Oregonian; June 26
Congress disagrees with Obama's, each other's health plans
President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats cannot agree on how to fix health care, nor how to pay for those fixes, and congressional Republicans are attacking the plans as tax-and-spend, but they're not offering ways to pay for the modest reforms their party is pitching either.
New York Times; June 26
Obama vows to overhaul immigration system by 2010
It became apparent at a news conference Thursday that President Obama's promise to overhaul the national immigration system could be his most ambitious undertaking yet, and will require him to sit down at the table with his former campaign rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, in order to meet his self-imposed deadline for reform of early 2010.
Los Angeles Times; June 26
Gold prices climb to above $945 an ounce
Gold prices hit a two-week high on Friday, trading at $945.80 in early trading in London, the highest level since mid-June.
Globe Investor (Reuters); June 26
All 50 states meet Federal Highway Admin. deadline
The Federal Highway Administration announced Thursday that every state in the union had met the deadline to spend federal stimulus transportation funds or lose them, although work has begun on just 1,900 of the 4,800 projects approved.
New York Times; June 26
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