In the Rockies today, a challenge to wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana is filed.
A coalition of 13 environmental groups filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court in Montana, seeking an injunction on wolf hunts planned in Idaho and Montana scheduled to begin Sept. 1 and Sept. 15, respectively.
The lawsuit charges that the hunts will affect the genetic diversity of wolf populations and disrupt the social order of packs, endangering the sustainability of the species.
Also in the news, the Obama administration announces a new push to address crime in Indian Country; a Colorado project harnesses methane seeps to produce electricity; and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is in Arizona, discussing uranium and copper mining issues.
Rockies today
Groups sue to stop wolf hunts in Idaho, Montana
A coalition of conservation groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday in federal district court in Montana, asking the court to put wolf hunts planned in Idaho and Montana on hold.
Idaho Statesman; Aug. 21
Colorado project captures methane, converts it to electricity
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has investigated for years ways to capture naturally occurring methane gas that seeps from the exposed rim of the San Juan Basin that arches across the southern half of La Plata County, and LT Environmental Inc. has successfully done just that, converting the methane into enough electricity to power an average U.S. household for about half a year.
Durango Herald; Aug. 21
Obama administration tackles crime in Indian Country
The Obama administration announced Thursday its intent to tackle violent crime on the nation's Indian reservations, with Attorney General Eric Holder, Deputy Attorney General David Ogden and Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli scheduled to hold working sessions with tribal leaders and crime experts in Seattle, Wash., on Aug. 25-26, and on Sept. 21-22 in Albuquerque, N.M., and a listening session Oct. 28-29 in Minneapolis, Minn. Editor's note: The dates and locations of the sessions were taken from a press release from the Justice Department.
Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 21
Utah's Great Salt Lake 'off the charts' on mercury pollution
The U.S. Geological Survey's most recent sampling of 291 fish taken from freshwater streams across the nation found mercury in each of the fish sampled, and although the Great Salt Lake was not included in the study, the baseline data provided indicated that the Utah lake has mercury levels double those found in 90 percent of the waters sampled by the USGS.
Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 21
SNWA votes to forge ahead on Snake Valley pipeline project
At its meeting Thursday, the Southern Nevada Water Authority voted unanimously to continue work on a proposal to build a 285-mile, multibillion-dollar pipeline to ship groundwater from the Snake Valley to Las Vegas, and opponents of the project vowed to continue to fight the proposal.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; Aug. 21
-
Utah extends public comment period on Snake Valley water deal
Given the amount of public comment received thus far on a plan to divvy up unallocated Snake Valley groundwater between Nevada and Utah, Beehive State officials decided to extend the public comment period on the plan to Sept. 30.
Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 21
Salazar's Arizona trip puts mining issues on the front burner
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Arizona Sen. John McCain and Colorado Sen. Mark Udall will tour the Grand Canyon today and at a community meeting in Superior to talk about uranium mining on land near the Arizona park and about a proposed land swap that would clear the way for a copper mine near Superior.
Arizona Republic; Aug. 21
Opinion
Wyoming needs ground rules for wind-energy projects
With wind-energy developers knocking on the door, it's time Wyoming developed some baseline regulations for such projects to give counties a starting point for their regulations and wind developers some regulatory certainty.
Casper Star-Tribune; Aug. 21
Once wolves prove hard to kill, the debate will really rage in Idaho
Idaho is set to conduct a wolf hunt, designed to reduce the number of the predators by 220 annually, although the debate on the wolf hunt is still very much alive -- but once Idahoans learn what hunters in Alaska and Canada have about hunting wolves, the call will go out to improve the odds of hunters filling their tags--and the debate will turn truly nasty.
Idaho Mountain Express (Sun Valley); Aug. 21
Arizona must remove cougars to save bighorn sheep
Arizona and federal wildlife managers say that cougars kill about 37 bighorn sheep in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge each year, essentially negating the birth of 39 lambs annually, a fact the state and environmental groups should consider carefully in making the decision on whether to remove a mountain lion that's developed a taste for sheep.
Arizona Republic; Aug. 21
Beyond the region
U.S. OKs Alberta-Wisconsin oil pipeline
The U.S. State Department granted a permit to Enbridge Inc. for its Alberta Clipper pipeline that will carry oilsands crude from the company's hub at Hardisty, through Saskatchewan and Manitoba to Superior, Wis.
Calgary Herald; Aug. 21
Scientists: Pika perfect study candidate for climate change
The tiny pika, a rodent-like creature related to the rabbit, that dwells in the nation's highest country above the tree line, may be at risk of extinction as warmer weather creeps ever higher, and Seattle City Light has launched a one-year pilot study in North Cascades National Park in Washington state of the tiny animals to get a baseline of data about them.
Seattle Times; Aug. 21
U. of Washington report says woody biomass best energy bet
At the request of Washington state lawmakers, the University of Washington School of Forest Resources investigated wood's potential as a renewable energy resource, and a report on that investigation said woody biomass, the remains of tree harvesting, forest thinning or the manufacturing of wood products, is the most available and sustainable source of biofuel.
Yakima Herald-Republic (AP); Aug. 21
Nevada, California lawmakers team up on Lake Tahoe bill
At the 12th annual summit on Lake Tahoe, California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, along with Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign, vowed to push legislation to allocate $390 million for environmental restoration of Lake Tahoe over the next eight years.
Reno Gazette-Journal; Aug. 21
In depth
Oil prices hit high for 2009
The price of oil has been lower than $74 a barrel since last October, but a rapid rise in Chinese stocks and increased activity on Wall Street pushed prices beyond that barrier to $74.15 in early trading Friday.
BBC News; Aug. 21
Natural gas prices fall to seven-year low
Natural gas prices fell to $2.94 per million British thermal units on Thursday, the lowest reported since Aug. 14, 2002, due in part to robust supplies fueled by U.S. oil shale production.
Calgary Herald; Aug. 21
|
