Oregon congressman steps in to help save Highway 12 from use for massive modules of tar sands machinery

Rocky Barker reports on effort by Oregon Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio-

DeFazio says tar sands over-sized shipments cost all American taxpayers. By Rocky Barker. Letters from the West. Idaho Statesman.

“Wolf Management” on Idaho Public Television. Sept. 16 (thur). 8:30 MDT

Idaho Fish and Game will give their viewpoint on wolves.  I understand they said they didn’t want any people with other views on the program. You can phone questions at 1-800-973-9800 (during the show).

http://idahoptv.org/dialogue/diaShowPage.cfm?KeyNo=1264&versionID=216327

Alan Simpson, Social Security, and the Welfare Barons of the Livestock Industry

President Obama’s Deficit Commission is co-chaired by Alan Simpson, a Wyoming rancher, who has used some pretty strong language critical of social programs’ cost to tax-payers.

Bill Willers points out how Simpson’s own favored past-time enjoys the massive cash infusion of a significant wasteful government program that produces little to no public value at the expense of the west’s wildlife and natural character:

Alan Simpson, Social Security, and the Welfare Barons of the Livestock Industry – OpEdNews

Alan Simpson, co-chair of President Obama’s Deficit Commission, likens Social Security to “a milk cow with 310 million tits.” But Simpson, a Wyoming rancher, is certainly familiar with a welfare “tit” that is a con game of continental magnitude maintained for “permittees,” mostly ranchers like himself, who lease grazing allotments on America’s public lands.

Conservationists have petitioned Obama to cut the federal grazing program to help balance the agencies’ budget.

Will Alan Simpson be willing to recommend to Obama a meaningful cut of a bloated, wasteful and destructive government program that disproportionately enriches the wealthy, landed gentry of the West  ?

Montana state officials defend wolf appeal

Delisting could take years

Even if the states win an appeal of Malloy’s wolf decision it may take years before the other issues in the case are resolved. The legislatures of the respective states have only committed to maintaing a population of 300 wolves total. Regardless of the commitment of the game agencies the legislatures could, and likely would, tell them they must manage for the minimum number of wolves.

State officials defend appeal.
Great Falls Tribune

FWP takes heat over appeal on wolf ruling
Helena Independent Record

Western Watersheds court victory opens up ranchers names to public

No more hush, hush on who has grazing permits on your public lands-

Most people are amazed that the BLM won’t tell them who holds the almost free grazing permits they issue on the public land of the United States, but Western Watersheds and Wild Earth Guardians, represented by Advocates for the West have just won a court victory sweeping aside this contrived mystery.

Idaho federal district courts says BLM has to tell who holds grazing permits. By Rebecca Boone – Associated Press writer in the Magicvalley Times-News.