Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas wants wild and scenic rivers protection for portions of Wyoming rivers.

This is the first time in memory that I recall a Wyoming member of Congress wanting to do anything like this. Many of these streams are already mostly protected by virtue of being in designated Wilderness Area (regarded as near perfect protection anyway), but the Wilderness Act has a little known provision that has never been used that allows a President to authorize the development of dams, etc. inside designated Wilderness areas. No one has every worried about this in the past, but there has never a President like George W. Bush. So this action would not be redundant.

In addition the proposed segments of the Gros Ventre, Snake River, Hoback River, Willow Creek, Bailey Creek, and Wolf Creek, currently have no protection.

Story in the Jackson Hole News and Guide. Bill to protect Snake. By Noah Brenner.

Notice. On June 2, Senator Thomas died of cancer. This is almost certainly end this bill for the duration of this Congress.  

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With grizzly delisting, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming will no longer be able to blame the feds.

Grizzly Delisting Will Test States, Forest Service. By Bill Schneider. New West.

Bashing the federal government for excessive restrictions, unneeded to truly protect the grizzly, has been a popular activity among state politicians in these 3 states. They won’t have this issue to use anymore says Schneider, who goes on to fear for the future of the island grizzly population in the Greater Yellowstone.

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