George Wuerthner gives a thoughtful critique of conservation easements as a conservation strategy :

Why Cows Aren’t Always Worse Than Condos
The Problems with Conservation Easements
by George Wuerthner

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.

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.

“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.

When Bears Steal Human Food, Mom’s Not To Blame. ScienceDaily.

Cubs can learn it on their own or from watch unrelated bears.

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

Two decisions from Judge Molloy today on the litigation brought by the coalition of conservation and animal rights groups against the federal government’s decision to delist the Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf.

The first is Judge Molloy’s decision on a motion made by the federal government requesting an extension of two weeks to respond to wolf advocates’ request for an injunction :

Update 5/8:
Montana judge rejects bid to delay wolf lawsuit
Matthew Brown - AP

Judge Molloy’s Order :

Federal Defendants move for a two-week extension of time to file a brief opposing Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction. Federal Defendants assert additional time is necessary for them to prepare their brief, compile expert witness and agency program declarations, and obtain internal departmental review of their brief. Federal Defendants also assert an extension of time will allow the states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming to intervene in the action and participate in briefing on the motion for preliminary injunction. Plaintiffs oppose the motion.

Federal Defendants claim eleven days is insufficient to prepare a response to a motion for preliminary injunction. Federal Defendants, however, have been aware of Plaintiffs’ concerns about the delisting of the grey wolf since at least February 27, 2008, when Plaintiffs provided Federal Defendants with sixty-days notice of their claims pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. In this notice, Plaintiffs thoroughly explained the factual and legal bases for each of their challenges to the delisting. As a result of this notice, Federal Defendants have been aware of Plaintiffs’ claims for at least two-months—more than enough time to prepare a response to Plaintiffs’ assertions.

Federal Defendants also observe Plaintiffs will not be prejudiced if the Court grants an extension of time because the majority of wolves that have been killed since delisting would have died even if the grey wolf remained a listed species. This assertion is neither compelling nor comforting.

Additionally, Federal Defendants appear to agree that ten wolves have been killed in the month since delisting that probably would not have been killed absent delisting. The Court is unwilling to risk more deaths by delaying its decision on Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction beyond what is necessary.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Federal Defendants’ Motion for Extension of Time (dkt #6) is DENIED.

Dated this 7th day of May, 2008.

Donald W. Molloy, District Judge

United States District Court

The decision is uplifting. Does anyone honestly believe that this lawsuit has not been anticipated ? Of course not, but the government had the gall to suggest as much anyway. Judge Molloy will rule on the states’ motions to intervene separately.

Judge Molloy has set oral arguments regarding Advocates’ request for an injunction for May 29.

Added May 9. Here is the AP story by Matthew Brown. Federal judge in Montana rejects bid to delay wolf lawsuit.

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.

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)

Agencies issue plan to run Columbia dams, conserve salmon. By Jeff Bernard. Associated Press.

It is very expensive, but does not remove the major problem — the dams on the lower Snake River. It may or may not meet the demands of U.S. District Judge James Redden who has been very hostile to past Administration efforts to meet the standards of the Endangered Species Act on the impereled salmon runs.

Matters have been complicated this year by very hostile conditions in the Pacific ocean. There has been a collapse of the food chain, prompting an moratorium on commercial salmon fishing off the coast of California and Oregon (after a recent record salmon run in the Sacramento River last year).