Degraded land just north of Yellowstone Park to be restored to native prairie

Land at the site of Cinnabar to be restored-

Story in the Billings Gazette. Yellowstone Park land to be restored to native vegetation. By Brett French.

I found this quite interesting. I had seen the name “Cinnabar” on a lot of old maps. I didn’t know what it had been or what had happened.

The article has interesting sidebars.

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Update: this land is actually inside of Yellowstone Park. I’ve driven through it many times and marveled at how hard hit it is by wintering wildlife. Without fencing, restoration of any part of it would have no chance.

Pronghorn graze on essentially nothing near site of Cinnabar. Copyright Ralph Maughan

Longtime Head of House Energy Panel Is Ousted

Clean air champion Henry Waxman will be installed-

John Dingell of Michigan has chaired the powerful Energy and Commerce committee for many years (when the Democrats have controlled the House). This powerful committee has jurisdiction of the Clean Air Act as well as many other matters.

He has been the “Big 3” auto’s point man in Congress and bears much responsibility for the automakers fossilized and perhaps terminal conditional.

Finally some change. . . Waxman has been Dingell’s intraparty nemesis for years. He will move quickly to push through measures Dingell opposed.

Story in the New York Times. Longtime Head of House Energy Panel Is Ousted. By John M. Broder.
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Note: Over the years Dingell was helpful with some wildlife issues.

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Update 11-20-08: Henry Waxman’s victory is the biggest gift Obama could have asked for.
By Christopher Beam. Slate Magazine.

Update 11-21-08: Waxman win has ripple effects. Politico. By Patrick O’Connor and Ryan Grim

Energy and Commerce Subcommittee chairs are now pleading with Waxman to let them prove they are environmentalists.

Omnibus public lands bill is not truly dead.

Early resurrection planned in the next Congress-

Although it was supposed to move in the lame duck session, that session fizzles and the bill was pulled under threat of filibuster by Tom Coburn (R-OK).

Senator Reid, the major leader, has announced that an unrevised version of the massive public land bill (pieces of public lands legislation all over the United States inside) will be brought up early in the next Congress.

This is good news. This is also horrible news because of the the content of the various individual items. One of the worst is the Owyhee canyonlands a.k.a. Owyhee Initiative in SW Idaho.

Rocky Barker traces its origins in his blog today and Begreen has a fine response.