In the Rockies today, water, grizzly bears and wilderness are in the news.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced it was launching two-year studies of the Colorado River basin, the Milk and St. Mary River systems in Montana and the Yakima River basin in Washington state.
The study will examine future demands placed on resources, and how climate change may affect those basins.
In Alberta, the federal government completed its five-year study of grizzly bear numbers between Grande Prairie and the Montana border, and will use those results to complete an analysis of the species' status due out next year.
A couple of wilderness bills are in the news as well, with Utah's Red Rock Wilderness Act again before Congress for the 20th year -- but this year, the bill will actually get a hearing, on Oct. 1 before a House Natural Resources subcommittee.
In New Mexico, Sens. Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman have submitted legislation to protect 259,000 acres in the Organ Mountains as wilderness and another 100,000 acres as a conservation area.
Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he will schedule a hearing on the bill this fall.
Rockies today
U.S. BuRec announces study of river basins in the West
At a meeting in New Mexico Thursday of the Colorado River stakeholders, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor announced that his agency would study the Colorado River Basin, the the Milk and St. Mary River systems in Montana, and the Yakima River basin in Washington state over the next two years to assess future demands, supplies and how climate change may affect water resources in those basins.
Santa Fe New Mexican (AP); Sept. 18
Alberta completes 5-year grizzly bear study
Alberta's five-year study of grizzly bear numbers in the Canadian province estimated there are 581 bears in the area south of Grande Prairie to the Montana border, but the estimate does not cover most of Jasper and Banff National Parks, the Swan Hills area or northwestern Alberta, and the study will be used in an independent, scientific review of the bear's status in the province, which is scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Edmonton Journal; Sept. 18
Federal judge says Yellowstone snowmobile decision out of his hands
After the National Park Service announced in July it would set a daily limit on snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park at 318, Wyoming and Park County asked U.S. District Court Judge Clarence Brimmer to block that limit, arguing that it was contrary to Brimmer's 720-machine daily limit imposed last year, but on Wednesday, Brimmer said an appeal of last year's decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals puts the matter in that court's hands.
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); Sept. 18
Utah's 'Red Rock' wilderness bill gets its day in Congress
America's Red Rock Wilderness Act was first introduced by the late Rep. Wayne Owens, D-Utah, in 1989, and has been introduced each year since then, but the bill that would designate 9.4 million acres in southern Utah as wilderness has never had a hearing or been voted on until this year, and on Oct. 1, a House Natural Resources subcommittee will hold a hearing on the bill.
Salt Lake Tribune; Sept. 18
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Bingaman, Udall introduce N.M. wilderness bill
On Thursday, U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall submitted their Organ Mountains Desert Peaks Wilderness Act, which would designate 259,000 acres in the New Mexico mountains as wilderness, and protect another 100,000 acres as a conservation area.
Santa Fe New Mexican (AP); Sept. 18
Mining exec warns Congress not to change uranium's status
At a hearing before the House Natural Resources Committee on Thursday, a Uranium One Americas executive speaking for the National Mining Association, warned that West Virginia Rep. Nick Rahall's Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009, which would change uranium's status from a locatable mineral regulated under the General Mining Act of 1872, to a leasable mineral under the Mineral Leasing Act--treating it like oil or gas, would mean the end of uranium mining in the United States.
Mineweb.com; Sept. 18
Utah's geothermal power plant loses steam
Raser Technology Inc. began producing electricity at its geothermal plant in Utah six months ago, but the company is buying nearly as much electricity to keep the plant going as it is producing as the water the plant is using is hovering around 180 degrees, a temperature Raser said would be hot enough to drive its technology but isn't proving to be.
Salt Lake Tribune; Sept. 18
Opinion
Utah should adopt Nevada's standard on concealed-gun permits
Nevada requires people who want to carry a concealed weapon to pass a firearms safety course and qualify to carry the weapon they wish to carry under the permit, a reasonable standard, and since Utah has no such requirement, the Silver State won't recognize Utah carry permits--a decision that has raised the ire of Utah gun owners, but a simple--and logical--solution would be for Utah to raise its standards to that of Nevada.
Salt Lake Tribune; Sept. 18
Beyond the region
Runoff from dairies, farms befoul communities' drinking water
Agricultural runoff is the largest source of pollution in rivers and streams in the United States, but many farms and dairies aren't subject to federal regulation and many that are don't comply with self-reporting regulations, and state and local ordinances either don't go far enough or don't exist at all.
New York Times; Sept. 18
B.C. questions Canada's fisheries program after dismal salmon run
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Ocean's forecast that 10.6 million sockeye salmon would make their way to the Fraser River in British Columbia this year, but only about 1.37 million fish actually returned, and British Columbia officials are demanding an investigation into the federal agency's forecasting process.
Toronto Globe and Mail; Sept. 18
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