Owyhee Country public lands bill passes key U.S. Senate committee

Yesterday I posted about the passage of the bill to protect the vast Wyoming Mountain range from oil and gas — a big matter for Wyoming.

The same committee also passed Idaho Senator Mike Crapo’s “Owyhee bill,” which failed at the last minute at the end of the last Congress.

This has been very controversial in Idaho with some conservation organizations and ag organizations saying it shows what can be accomplished to settle differences, protect the land and the traditions of the area if people are willing to settle down an talk and compromise over the long run.

Others are saying that yes it does show exactly what can be accomplished — not much protection and free money for well positioned ranchers who give up wasteland and “paper cows” for excessive payments.

This bill is likely to also pass the full U.S. Senate attached as a pdf file is the language of the bill as it passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The Owyhee Bill as Passed by Committee

I should mention that this is a huge chuck of country.

Rocky Barker: Judge appears to tip his hand in wolf lawsuit

Judge appears to tip his hand in wolf lawsuit. Letters from the West. Idaho Statesman.

Barker speculates that the death of wolf 253 could play a key role in the great delisting lawsuit. In way of correction or perhaps addition, there were many stories about 253 before and after the piece by Louisa Willcox. I think there may even be more to come.

Tight lines: Energized effort to protect wildlife

“The complacency of Utah anglers and hunters has always confounded me. Most organized group reactions to issues concerning wildlife are emotional outbursts that come too late in the game.” Read the rest in Tight lines: Energized effort to protect wildlife. Brett Prettyman. Salt Lake Tribune columnist.

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Then too there are those “sportsmen’s” group organized with the effect, and maybe the intention, of diverting anglers and hunters attention from these basic issues.

Key U.S. Senate Committee passes bill to protect the Wyoming Range mountains

Here is some good news.

The U. S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday passed a bill closing 1.2 million (!!) acres of the Wyoming Range mountains to natural gas exploration and production. This highly scenic, unstable, and wildlife rich mountain range is west of Big Piney and Daniel and south of Jackson, Wyoming. Little known outside the state of Wyoming, it is one of those rare places favored for protection from the oil industry by a state’s two Republican senators, a fact that moved it through the Senate Committee.

It still needs full Senate approval and action by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The area to the Range’s the east, the Green River Basin, has become a major natural gas production area of the United States. The Wyoming Range is also favorable to gas deposits, but its complex Overthrust Belt geology means the gas fields will be harder to find and broken up. The gas is likely to be sour (laced with deadly hydrogen sulfide gas), and exploration and production horribly corrupting of the landscape.

“Under the Wyoming Range Legacy Act of 2007, no additional oil and gas leasing, mining patents or geothermal leasing would be allowed in the 100-mile-long area of the range that is part of the Bridger-Teton National Forest in western Wyoming.” Read the rest in the Casper Star Tribune. By Noelle Straub. Star-Tribune Washington bureau

Some photos, I posted to Panaramio of parts of the Wyoming Range included in this legislation.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1901416
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1902488
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1995409
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6194709
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6210892
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6224555
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6225358

Idaho, MT, WY head to court to keep control over wolves

Montana, Wyoming, Idaho head to court to keep control of wolves. By Matthew Brown. Associated Press

The states are seeking to intervene in the delisting lawsuit. No doubt, they will be allowed to do this by the court. The legal purpose for intervening in a lawsuit is to make sure the court hears relevant arguments that may different or in addition to those raised by the plaintiff or the defendent.

Surely other groups will ask to intervene too. For example, the other day Don Peay, founder of the ill-named group Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, was saying they would seek to intervene.

Wildlife Services: The ugly economy of killing wildlife

The ugly economy of killing wildlife. Writers on the Range in High Country News. By Lisa Upson and Wendy Keefover-Ring.

Predator control looks a lot different on the ground. Writers on the Range in High Country News. By Bonnie (Kline is the is executive director of the Colorado Wool Growers Association)

Idaho considers wolf hunt rules (news story on what you can talk about at the meetings)

Idaho considers wolf hunt rules. By Todd Dvokak. Associated Press writer.

Update May 7. Defenders: meetings not scheduled in pro-wolf areas on purpose. By Jason Kauffman. Idaho  Mountain Express Staff Writer

Close Elk Feedgrounds Before It’s Too Late

Close Elk Feedgrounds Before It’s Too Late. By Brodie Farquhar. Wyomingfile.com