Alan Gregory’s Conservation NewsCarter Niemeyer’s memoir, Wolfer, has won the 2011 IPPY (Independent Publishers Book Awards) gold medal for regional nonfiction.
Since its release, I have run into quite a few folks who have read it. All of those I met commented on its evenhandedness. Many said their eyes were opened about the pressure that is applied to pin a “killed by a predator” report, especially by a wolf, on a rancher’s dead livestock.
Cougar hunting bill dies in Senate committee. Ashland Daily Tidings.
Cougar hunting interests say they will try again in 2012.
A spot on Editorial from the LA Times:
In the 2012 campaign, environmentalists don’t matter – LA Times Editorial
Shortly after his party’s “shellacking” in the midterm election, President Obama ordered government agencies to ensure that new regulations took economic growth into consideration and that old ones be revoked if they “stifle job creation or make our economy less competitive.” Five months later, it’s becoming pretty clear what he meant: The environment and public health will be thrown under a bus for the sake of his reelection in 2012.
Earlier, we took a look at a recent settlement struck between the Interior Department and WildEarth Guardians that seeks to clear the logjam with species listings under the Endangered Species Act.
The settlement would ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make up or down determinations on a host of species, either granting actual protections for warranted species and affording critical habitat to those that warrant protections or determining that they do not warrant protection.
At first glance, the settlement seems to have the potential to do a lot of good – assuming (big) that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does the right thing. However, groups like the Center for Biological Diversity objected, arguing that the agreement was too weak, too vague and ultimately unenforceable. The group also objected to the fact that the would-be settling parties went behind CBD’s back, despite its previous involvement in negotiations, pushing the group out of involvement and making unwise concessions despite CBD’s effort and strong legal interest on a vast majority of the species involved.
Today, the Court agreed with CBD’s challenge of the settlement arguing that the way that WildEarth Guardians and the Interior Department went about its settlement was inappropriate, and ordered all parties back into negotiations:
Judge Halts Settlement Over Hundreds of Endangered Species, Orders Parties Back to Negotiations – Center for Biological Diversity Press Release 5/17/2011 Read the rest of this entry »
Ah, some credit to two average folks fighting the international oil companies to try to save the economy, scenery, fish and wildlife of the area around U.S. Highway 12.
Idaho megaload foes win Dalton Open Government Award. By Dan Popkey. Idaho Statesman
“The Max Dalton Open Government Award has been given each year since 1999 to a citizen or group judged to be an outspoken advocate of openness in either public records or public meetings on the state or local level.”
Among many other activities trying to kill the megaload shipments across the scenic, narrow, north central Idaho highway, the Daltons exposed Butch Otter’s secret deal with the oil companies to turn Highway 12 into an industrial corridor on the way to the Alberta tar sand pits.
This means trouble for the bison just released from the pens on the north boundary of Yellowstone Park. I see they are still playing the brucellosis card and the new Old West favorite, We’re scared of the animals!!
The list of species the federal government has been more or less forced to consider for ESA protection has been growing longer and longer over the years, and yet it acts very slowly, complaining that species are being added at too fast a rate. Much of the agency’s tiny budget was eaten up responding to new petitions and defending itself from lawsuits trying to force it to consider various species for ESA protection.
Yesterday, however, it was announced the Department of Interior had made a deal with WildEarth Guardians to analyze 251 species in the backlog over the next 6 years. Officials say this will help clear the backlog. In the last four years WildEarth Guardians was filed about 700 petitions to list species. With this deal, Guardians will be allowed to file only up to ten new ESA petitions a year. Guardians will also ask to have all its pending lawsuits in the matter dismissed.
There is no assurance the government will list any species in the agreement, although it is likely quite a few will end being listed. Some, such as the greater sage grouse, are much more controversial than others. The sage grouse is controversial because it has been heavily impacted by the politically potent livestock sector as well as oil, gas, and wind development.
This is an agreement only with Guardians and does not prevent any other group from filing petitions.
Under the ESA, it was not supposed to work this way. The law’s supporters expected the environment-conscious government would discover and list species on its own accord with citizen petititions to list a species serving only as backup. The reality has been much to the opposite, however.
This deal has yet to be approved by a federal judge.
Interior Dept. strikes deal to clear backlog on endangered species listings. By Juliet Eilperin. Washington Post.
Wild Earth Guardians web site on the agreement
– – – –
More on 5-12-2011. The deal includes the sage grouse. Felicity Barringer at the New York Times tells how the sage grouse got to where it is. A Bird’s Convoluted Conservation Odyssey
Because there are not many wolves in Oregon, this is a big deal. The pack has 10-14 members. There was one other wolf pack known on the Oregon/Washington state border in 2010 — the Wenaha Pack. It might have 6 members. USFWS has ordered capturing and “euthanizing two un-collared sub-adults from the Imnaha pack.” That wolf pack has killed some cow calves every once and a while over the last year.
Rob Klavins of Oregon Wild said in a statement, “This kill order randomly targets any two wolves of Oregon’s Imnaha Pack. That is not wildlife management, it is retribution.”
My view is that, of course, it is retribution. After watching and writing about wolf depredations of cattle for over 15 years now, I’d say “wolf control” is almost always retribution of a kind. Wolves rarely kill enough livestock in any place to make the dead calf or sheep an economic issue, but it is always a political issue. Wolves killing livestock are treated with the same gravity as human homicides and political assassinations, reflecting the values of those who rule in western rural areas.
Here is the story in Sneak Cat. USFWS issues kill order for 2 Imnaha Pack wolves. May 3, 2011.
Update on Oregon wolf packs (taken from a news story). “Oregon currently has three wolf packs: the Imnaha (10 wolves at latest count), Wenaha (six wolves) and Walla Walla (three wolves). The Walla Walla pack is new and wildlife managers are still trying to determine their range, which could primarily be in Washington State.”
Politics and reality clash in New Mexico. Posted on May 1, 2011 by Bob Berwyn. Summit County Citizens Voice.
Although he was out of office for a couple years, newly elected Pearce (R-US Rep) is up to his old tricks, made meaner for these lean times.
Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says protecting the lizard will cost no jobs, Pearce says it will have a big effect.
My view is these people (Republican office-holders like Pearce) can play around with causing a default on the national debt without worrying about jobs, but they won’t let this get past them — a lizard versus oil jobs is just too good for rabble rousing to let it pass.
Kiren Suckling executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity called, “Congressman Pearce’s campaign of misinformation and hysteria is a threat to democracy.” A healthy democracy requires good information and trustworthy politicians. When people like Pearce abuse their positions of power and promote hysteria with fear mongering, they undermine the foundation of democracy and civil society.” This is from “Group Calls on New Mexico Congressman to Recant False Statements About Dunes Sagebrush Lizard. News Release.
A Hole in the Endangered Species Act. New York Times.
This is good news, although likely temporary.
The turnouts constructed on the Montana side of Lolo Pass appear to be larger than the oil giant said and closer to Lolo Creek which already suffers from highway runoff.
Judge stops construction of big-rig turnouts in western Montana. By Kim Briggeman of the Missoulian
George Wuerthner wrote this now apt essay over a year ago, published in New West last September, suggesting that should anti-wolf interests succeed in delisting wolves and fail to exercise restraint in killing wolves that it would ultimately backfire.
Wolf Restoration is a Challenge to West’s Old Guard – George Wuerthner – NewWest.net
Demographically the country is changing to a more diverse racial, religious and age structure. The majority of Americans who do not hunt only accept hunting if they believe the hunter is killing an animal to eat it. Public support for hunting declines rapidly if hunters kill animals for trophy mounts. When it comes to shooting an animal just to kill it as would be the case for hunters shooting wolves—and/or worse as a matter of vindication as in predator control, public support turns to public opposition.
Similarly, without the ESA ‘hook’ extending legal protection for wolves, some of the last, best remaining legal angles to protect wolves will be in preventing conflict with livestock on public lands that is ultimately responsible for government trapping and slaughter of entire packs of wolves.
Increased public scrutiny over public lands ranching at the land-use level – demanding that ranchers implement preventative measures as a condition of permit to use public lands to graze cattle and sheep is one tangible avenue wolf-advocates might pursue to accomplish wolf protections.
One thing is for sure – if wolves are to persist on the landscape in the ecologically relevant numbers that advocates have been promoting for years, outrage over the wanton slaughter of wolves must be felt by those responsible.
Wolves to come off endangered list within 60 days
Associated Press
The House and Senate passed a budget bill which included the rider to delist wolves in Idaho, Montana and parts of Oregon, Washington, and Utah but leaves the status of wolves in Wyoming unchanged. The rider, attached by Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Representative Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), mandates that the Secretary of Interior republish the 2009 delisting rule in the Federal Register within 60 days of passage of the bill and restricts the rule from being challenged in court.
President Obama is expected to sign the bill.
The removal of a species from the Endangered Species Act by Congress is an unprecedented move and is likely to be followed by more such moves in the future. Congress has basically said that if a species becomes too inconvenient to industry then it shouldn’t be allowed protection and management of the species doesn’t have to subject to the best available science.
What comes next is anyone’s guess but surely there will be a great number of wolves killed in Idaho and Montana in areas where their respective game agencies have blamed wolves for declined elk populations. Those killings could begin immediately after the rule is published in the Federal Register and if they occur soon then they will undoubtably end up killing packs of wolves who are near their den sites. Idaho has committed to maintain only 10-15 breeding pairs or 100-150 wolves in total and they recently passed a wolf disaster declaration which defines a wolf disaster as having any more than 100. Even though that legislation is now moot because it only applied while wolves were not protected under the ESA, it is a signal of things to come from the legislature next year.
One thing should become abundantly clear. The livestock industry, with the help of Democrats, did this. If anyone thinks that Democrats represent the interests of wildlife advocates or that the livestock industry presents anything other than a threat to wildlife then they are fooling themselves. Now that you recognize this what do you do? Do you hold them accountable? Do you escape from your codependent behavior that so many of us used to avoid conflict with our families and understand that it is effective politically? Really, this happened because the anti-wolf crowd was able to rile up people into a fervor using hyperbole and fear that was noticed by politicians who are only worried about their reelection. That’s how politics works. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
At least one group is already blaming the non-settling groups for taking away “leverage to rally senators against Tester and Reid” even though the judge specifically pointed out that he did not have the discretion to “allow what Congress forbids”. Of course I wasn’t pleased with the settlement deal and I don’t think that it would have provided any more protection than what wolves face today but I also don’t think that it is useful to blame anyone other than the people who orchestrated this gutting of the Endangered Species Act. We could have that conversation but what purpose does it serve other than to feed one’s ego?
The real focus should be on making sure that wolves remain on the landscape and serve a meaningful role in the ecosystem and not just a token population that exists at artificially low levels. I suggest that there are a few main targets to make sure this happens. First, defund the Wildlife Services predator control program, they need to be grounded so that they can’t kill wolves from the air. Second, conservationists need to recognize that the livestock industry is who orchestrated this and that they will be more scrutinized now that they have done this. More focus should be placed on public lands ranching that depends so much on the good graces and taxes of the public. And Third, the politicians who take the votes of wildlife advocates need to held to account. Western Democrats worked hand in hand with Republicans and the livestock industry to get this done. They need to know that they will face primary challengers who are willing to scuttle their entire candidacy just to make the point.
Does the metaphorical Hayduke live? I’m not so sure anymore. Can he be resurrected? I hope so. As conservationists we have to give them hell.
Around Christmas, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that the administration would be pursuing a BLM Wild Lands initiative, vague direction to BLM to inventory lands which exhibit wilderness characteristics for future Congressional Wilderness designation consideration.
It was a brief respite from Obama’s anti-environment Interior Department. Now that relief is being defunded, more anti-environment funding cuts carried by the budget bill:
Budget deal stops BLM Wild Lands inventory – Idaho Statesman
The budget deal prohibits the Obama administration from spending federal funds on its proposed Wild Lands initiative.
Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson authored the provision to stop the Bureau of Land Management from carrying out its inventory of public lands with wilderness characteristics.
Will the proposed budget cut funds to administer environmentally destructive subsidized uses of publics lands like welfare ranching ?
Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, new language was added to the rider which delists wolves in the Northern Rockies at the insistence of Wyoming’s delegation. The new language intends to make it easier for Wyoming’s plan to pass muster or make it so that a plan that is being negotiated will pass muster with the USFWS. There are reports that Governor Mead has been holding meetings behind closed doors among only groups who have little respect for wolves. The deal being considered would slightly decrease the free-for-all kill zone and provide for “dispersion routes” so that wolves could possibly disperse to Colorado or Utah.
Cody Coyote commented on the Wyoming negotiations here. The pulled article he mentions was here.
This is the language contained in the Final FY 2011 Budget Bill.
SEC. 1713. Before the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall reissue the final rule published on April 2, 2009 (74 Fed. Reg. 15123 et seq.) without regard to any other provision of statute or regulation that applies to issuance of such rule. Such reissuance (including this section) shall not be subject to judicial review and shall not abrogate or otherwise have any effect on the order and judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming in Case Numbers 09–CV–118J and 09–CV–138J on November 18, 2010.
What does this all mean? Well, first, this language requires the Secretary of Interior to reissue the 2009 delisting rule which leaves out Wyoming but delists wolves in Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and northern Utah. This cannot be challenged in court. And, as I pointed out above, it also protects the decision that the judge in Wyoming made which requires the USFWS to re-examine Wyoming’s wolf management plan.
If it passes this could happen at any time during the following 60 days.
Megaloads have no place in Idaho. By Bill Sedivy. Idaho Statesman.
Well, they’ve done it. They’ve reached an agreement to keep language in the upcoming budget bill which would delist wolves everywhere in the Northern Rockies except Wyoming. (Added to clarify what has happened)
While this process doesn’t immediately delist wolves, it cannot be challenged. It is unclear exactly what the language says but presumably wolves in the Northern Rockies will be delisted in all but Wyoming as previous wording has indicated. Previous language mandates the US Fish and Wildlife Service to republish the rule which delisted wolves in 2009. It does not preclude a petition to relist wolves if their populations become endangered again. The delisting rule still holds the states of Idaho and Montana to their management plans but it seems that, with the most recent “wolf disaster declaration” that they don’t intend to allow more than 100 wolves to persist in the state.
Also, the recent settlement agreement, as some have previously indicated, will likely provide political cover to the USFWS to accept Wyoming’s management plan with little or no changes. It seems that wolves are facing dark days ahead.
Budget bill pending before Congress would remove wolves from endangered list.
Matthew Brown – Associated Press
To clarify, the language has not been passed yet. It was not included in the short term budget agreement which funds the government for the next several days but, rather, will be included in the long term budget bill which is being written and will be posted for review for three days as House rules require.
It looks more and more like a government shutdown of uncertain duration. Dept of Interior just made it clear that national parks and monuments will be closed down and “secured.” I have to wonder what will happen come Saturday to all those currently inside of big parks like Yellowstone?
DOI said national wildlife refuges and BLM visitor facilities will be closed. I don’t know how they can bar entry to the hundreds of millions of acres of scattered BLM lands, but a lot of NWRs could have the access gates of major roads locked shut. National forests? That is the USDA. I haven’t read a statement from them.
We were on our way to some national parks, so I guess a lot of plans are being disrupted and people angry at the buffons in Congress. While others will no doubt disagree with me, I blame the tea party Republicans foremost for this totally avoidable problem of uncertain, but probably severe magnitude.
Editorial basically says Idaho legislature has gone bonkers. And in the end, hysteria triumphs in Idaho Legislature. Magic Valley (Twin Falls, ID) Times-News.
Most of the comment on the blog has been about what happens to the wolves, but my take has also been if they pass crazy legislation like this in the Idaho legislature, can you imagine what other laws must be like? As they say, “when the legislature is in session, lock your gate and prepare to protect your life and property.”
I have been thinking about this and all the other frightening things the legislature has done this year (fortunately not to me directly). Sane Idahoans need to organize or they will lose their freedom, property, and many other rights. Because it is such a Republican state by tradition, there might have to be a third party.
The legislature also just closed their primary election (that is they will now only allow registered Republicans to vote in it). The effect of this is to permanently lock craziness in power because independents and Democrats will have no say in who the Republicans nominate for office. In Idaho the winner of a primary election is pretty much the one who will win in November. Otherwise, the only hope is reform from within the Republican Party.
The Idaho Statesman has published an editorial about the recent “Wolf Disaster Declaration” recently passed by the Idaho House and sent to the floor for a vote in the state Senate:
Our View: Beware: Legislative ‘scientists’ at work – Idaho Stateman Editorial Board
Boyle says Idahoans feel physically and psychologically threatened by the wolves — a message echoed, in less-than-measured tones, in the bill itself. “The uncontrolled proliferation of imported wolves on private land has produced a clear and present danger to humans, their pets and livestock, and has altered and hindered historical uses of private and public land, dramatically inhibiting previously safe activities such as walking, picnicking, biking, berry picking, hunting and fishing.”
Not exactly. Wolf attacks are extremely rare — and certainly in relation to the region’s population of fearmongering political panderers.
Strong language in the editorial, but not enough to pacify what looks soon to be their bloodlust fantasy codified into state statue.
The Senate Resources and Environment Committee will be holding a hearing today at 2:00 pm on H343 in room WW02 of the Capitol building. There will likely be crowd present so be there early if you want to testify.
This bill, which is likely to pass and be signed by the Governor, demonstrates exactly why Idaho cannot be trusted to manage wolves. Even if the IDFG desires to set management goals for wolves above the minimum of 10-15 breeding pairs or 100-150 wolves, the legislature is showing that it can, and will, override them. This legislation seems to even strike at their own 2002 plan which allows wolves to persist in areas where they are not even causing conflict. This would define conflict in such a way that even their presence on a mountain top far away from anyone is a conflict because it might scare some weakhearted berry picker.
Senate Resources and Environment Committee hearing schedule.
You can watch or listen here: Idaho Legislature Live (Idaho Public Television).
Sometimes you have to wonder…….
It doesn’t seem like a good move by those who want wolves to be delisted to me.
House presses on with wolf disaster declaration.
Associated Press
Update: According to sources in the legislature, I’m guessing that this will likely pass the Senate and be signed by the Governor. How this will affect negotiations in the US Senate over the rider to delist wolves, which is attached to the Continuing Resolution, is yet to be determined.
Idaho House declares wolves a disaster emergency.
By Laura Zuckerman – Reuters
The Meltwater Stonefly, an aquatic insect scientists consider can be “ideal early warning indicators of climate warming in mountain ecosystems” is the latest in the long list of species abandoned by the Obama Administration using the “Warranted But Precluded” determination to deny meaningful protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Rare fly won’t get endangered listing – Daily Inter Lake.com
The meltwater Lednia stonefly, also known as the mist forestfly, depends on streams fed by Glacier Park’s glaciers.
The environmental group WildEarth Guardians had petitioned for protection for the stonefly based on the contention that climate change is causing glaciers to shrink and that would imperil the insect.
Demarcated Landscapes has a nice write-up on the disappointing, but not unforeseen, news ~ It’s the end of the world as we know it… just days after the Obama Administration announced its re-election campaign – what could be the first billion dollar campaign – abandoning the old slogans of “Change” and “Yes We Can” with a new campaign motto :
Are You In ?
… Not if you’re the Meltwater Stonefly, Northern Rocky Mountain wolves, Sage grouse, Pygmy rabbit, Wolverines, or any number of other environmental values abandoned by this administration in favor of the political expediency of appointing a western rancher to head the Department of Interior.
Language of the “Wolf Disaster Declaration” published.
It is not the same language as contained in the legislation we posted in February.
It essentially provides for a disaster declaration if there are more than 100 wolves in Idaho.
“[T]he legislature finds that public safety has been compromised, economic activity has been disrupted and private and public property continue to be imperiled. The uncontrolled proliferation of imported wolves on private land has produced a clear and present danger to humans, their pets and livestock, and has altered and hindered historical uses of private and public land, dramatically inhibiting previously safe activities such as walking, picnicking, biking, berry picking, hunting and fishing. The continued uncontrolled presence of gray wolves represents an unfunded mandate, a federal commandeering of both state and private citizen resources and a government taking that makes private property unusable for the quiet enjoyment of property owners.”
I wish I could suggest this was a surprise:
Lawmakers try to lift wolf protection despite deal – Associated Press
Key lawmakers in the political skirmish over gray wolves in the West say they will continue their efforts to lift federal protections for the predators, despite a proposed settlement between environmentalists and the government.
When I watched the political process unfold in Idaho, I learned something:
A few conservationists’ attempted to appease the flagrant anti-wolf sentiment of the heavy-handed IDFG management plan by agreeing to sign off on everything in exchange for a sliver of a “wolf watching area” in the Wood River Valley. One crumb was asked, where hunting would be off-limits. Decision-makers scoffed and rejected the idea.
How did compensation work at increasing tolerance for wolves ? It hasn’t.
Rational decision-making processes haven’t worked with anti-wolfers. Political appeasement hasn’t worked. In fact, it seems to be counterproductive, accomplishing little more than a demonstration of weakness – emboldening the anti-wolf effort.
Added 4/1/11 ~ a more lengthy rendition of the AP story :
Lawmakers to keep pressing wolf bills despite settlement between wolf advocates and government
~ be
A bill has been introduced to the US House of Representatives by Representative Joe Baca of California which would declare a species extinct if it hasn’t increased in population during the 15 years since it was listed and imposes an economic hardship on the communities located in the range of the species.
Below is the text of the language to be added to the ESA if the legislation is successful:
H.R.1042.
THOMAS (Library of Congress)
Attempted political assaults on the Endangered Species Act in Congress, as exist in recent budget bills, are being denounced by scientists all over the country.
Hundreds of Scientists Denounce Congress’ Attempt to Undermine Endangered Species Act – UCSW Press Release 3/30/11
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2011) – Nearly 1,300 scientists today urged senators to oppose efforts to undermine the scientific authority of the Endangered Species Act, which they fear would threaten the long-term survival of all species protected by the law.
The oil industry recycles it for every international crisis, nevertheless; and the media take it seriously (sort of). Once again they are exposed, although simple logic tells us that a strategy that takes years to implement will not impact a short term price jump.
Oil and Gas Industry sitting on 7,200 drilling permits. By Environment & Energy and Environment Daily on March 29, 2011
Disappointing small number of anti-wolf protesters show up at Molloy hearing. Missoulian. By Ken Briggeman.
Earlier we learned why Western Watersheds Project stands firm. Does not join wolf settlement. Now initial briefs have been filed before the Court, with the Settling Parties filing a motion for an indicative ruling, essentially asking the judge whether he would partially stay the August 2010 order vacating and setting aside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2009 Delisting Rule in the states of Idaho and Montana only.
I have attached links to several of the briefs, including Western Watersheds Project’s brief opposing the settlement, below the fold:
Introduction
Pursuant to the Court’s March 21, 2011 Order, Dkt. 193, Western Watersheds Project hereby objects to and opposes the Motion for Indicative Ruling filed jointly by several plaintiffs and defendants (collectively the “Settling Parties”) who attempt to settle the present case and a related case (No. cv-08-14-M-DWM). Dkt. 187.
The Settling Parties seek to strip Western Watersheds Project (“WWP”) and other non-settling plaintiffs of the legal ruling already rendered in their favor by this Court, without intervening or overriding legal authority, without all parties agreeing to the proposed settlement, and without ensuring adequate protection for wolves. The Court already held it improper for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) to base its Northern Rocky Mountain (“NRM”) wolves delisting decision on politics. Defenders of Wildlife v. Salazar, 729 F. Supp. 2d 1207, 1228 (D. Mont. 2010)(“Even if the Service’s solution is pragmatic, or even practical, it is at its heart a political solution that does not comply with the ESA.”) Yet the Settling Parties now seek the Court’s blessing for the politically motivated decision to be reinstated, and they provide no basis for the ruling they seek and settlement they propose, other than altered political postures.
FAIR Magazine watches for media bias and censorship whether it comes from corporations, non-profits, the government or the institutional biases inherent to journalism. In the past, FAIR took time to examine the bias now the media reports about the wolf restoration.
Below FAIR Magazine looks at the possible end to the latest round of the so-often proclaimed rebirth of nuclear power.
The End of the Nuclear ‘Renaissance’? 03/16/2011 by Peter Hart
Megaloads tread on Idaho values. By Kevin Lewis. Idaho Mountain Express.
Today’s announcement that a number of plaintiffs in the wolf delisting case are seeking a settlement with the Department of Interior they hope Judge Molloy will approve does represent a difference in strategy how to proceed in the current political environment.
Three groups, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Western Watersheds and Friends of the Clearwater are standing firm.
Western Watershed’s Executive Director, Jon Marvel, today told me the reasons for the group’s firm stance.
Western Watersheds stresses that this settlement is only with the Department of Interior. No one, including Senator Jon Tester of Montana, has indicated that in response to the settlement they will withdraw or modify any legislation they have introduced to delist the wolves by law, nor do Secretary of Interior Salazar or President Obama make any promise or even say they oppose such legislation, much less veto it if it passes.
There is nothing in return from this settlement except the promise to keep the scant number of wolves in Utah, Oregon and Washington on the endangered species list.
Western Watersheds believes that having won the case in the first place, the groups should not then ask that the judge approve the violation of the law and his own decision (delisting the NRM wolf by state boundaries).
I suppose there might be different statements from some of the groups. I think the differences were based on differing perceptions of what the future holds in terms of legislation and the worthiness of the Administration’s position of protecting the existing population of wolves.
Personally, I think the idea that there needs to be 5000 wolves is wrong as well as politically unpopular. The existing wolf population of about 1600 is robust and genetically healthy, but both could change.
Settlement offer splits wolves’ supporters; law firm withdraws. By Eve Byron. Helena Independent Record.
I was thinking of writing an essay on this yesterday after I read about this vote, but I see Andrew Leonard already wrote it, and it was published on-line at Salon.com.
Triumph of the flat-earth Republicans. Who cares what scientists believe? The House GOP is on the record, now and for all time: The earth isn’t warming. Salon Magazine. March 16, 2011
Nice to have an article about Idaho’s tiny, but powerful sheep culture (and those who have cultural ties to bighorn).
These domestic sheep guys are Governor Clement Otter’s pals. I’d like to see an article about the planned demise of Idaho’s educational culture at the hands of these land barons and their ilk.
Clashing sheep cultures in Idaho. As bighorn sheep numbers dwindle, efforts to keep them away from domestic sheep and disease are forcing a cost in the sheep industry — and could grow. By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman.
Here’s the story. If wolves are de-listed, Balyeat wants spring hunt. Bozeman Chronicle.
About Balyeat . . . when this glassy-eyed extremist first showed up in the wolf news, I knew there was an element of the anti-wolf folks that had another agenda. Wolves were just a way of leading people down a path of ideological blindness.
Project Vote Smart. Senator Joe Balyeat (MT). More from Vote Smart.
The guy has a long time record of religious nuttery. Montana Profile. Joe Balyeat. Church, State & the Ayatollah
I recall there was a long fight against this plant a generation ago. It generated a case that went to the Supreme Court.
One of the chief arguments was that there was a fault nearby. The larger San Adreas fault is not far either. They say the maximum quake possible at Diablo Canyon is 7.5. The plant is supposed to have been built to withstand that.
I thought everyone knew the San Andrews fault has produced many 8 + quakes over the last thousand years.
Diablo Canyon reactor. Huffington Post.
Related. Congress wants to cut tsunami warning centers? Really? By CNNPolitics.com.
GOP budget targets agency that warned of tsunami. By Matthew Daly. AP
So-called “conservative” Republican activists are bent on tearing down protections for the land, water, wildlife, and human safety from toxic elements. Below the New York Times blog interviews the head of the group Republicans for Environmental Protection, which has for a time a least lost all of its clout among tea-partyized Republican activists and elected officials.
‘Republicans for Environmental Protection’ – Endangered Species? By Andrew C. Revkin. Dot Earth. New York Times.
No doubt Senator Jon Tester faces stiff competition from one of most loathsome politicians of The West — a poser who claims to be a cattle and goat rancher but somehow became the 14th most wealthy member of Congress, Dennis Rehberg.
Keeping Tester in the Senate seems to trump all other concerns for Senate Democrats. Tester was the only senator who got a rider attached to the defeated Senate Democrat’s continuing resolution. His anti-wolf rider is now in temporary limbo, but will probably be back.
The author of the op-ed below argues that in addition to delisting wolves without so much as a hearing, by preventing any court from reviewing its legally, he is violating the First Amendment right that “Congress shall make no law” that restricts the right of American citizens “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
My view, if Rehberg gets elected, he will sell himself to the international corporations full time. We expect today’s Republicans to do that; but is Tester standing up? Is he speaking up for the teachers, fire fighters, unionized workers, the unemployed – people who Rehberg loves like he loves wolves? What has Tester done besides crumble when a noisy band of right wingers tell us the elk are eaten and we will all soon have dog tapeworms? In my view Montana, needs Democrats who will fight like they are in Wisconsin. I gave money to Tester in his last election, but now I send 5 or 10 dollars to the Wisconsin Democrats every day or so. It makes me feel much better.
Tester’s wolf rider is bad policy. By Michael Garrity. Helena Independent Record.
There hardly worse news for a small farm, village, residential, or wildlife area than a giant confined animal feeding operation is coming in. Can it be stopped? In almost every state, but Idaho especially, this happens again and again. Usually the CAFO, flush with money and support from its crony’s in the state legislature plows over local opposition, including local elected officials and everyone’s property rights
Occasionally local people win. That is too much for Idaho’s plutocracy. Now they have a “right to farm bill,” which is really just the opposite. Notice how the Idaho Statesman got the headline wrong in the article below? . . . just as the CAFO’s supporters hoped it would. The AP writer told what is really going on, but the Statesman wrote the headline.
Idaho bill would protect farms from nuisance suits. By Mitchell Schmidt. Associated Press
Note that this bill is being pushed in other states too, indicating it is a multi-state campaign supported by some rich interest like maybe the Koch Brothers.
Update. Editorial of the Idaho State Journal. March 14, 2011
Proponents are wrapping their arguments for passage around Idaho’s rich agricultural history. “Agriculture is a shining star in Idaho,” attorney Dan Steenson told lawmakers during a recent committee hearing on Denney’s bill. “Expansion is necessary for businesses to grow.”
It’s nice to hear these mega-operations called businesses and not farms. They are in fact industrial in scope, although they enjoy the benefits of being agricultural in nature. And they come with a price to nature, neighbors and taxpayers. Read the rest . . . New CAFO bills carry a stench.
Both of the budget bills which contained language which would have delisted wolves were defeated in the Senate this afternoon. It appears that another short term continuing resolution will be brought up to fund the government once the current CR expires on March 18th.
Senate rejects rival GOP, Democratic budgets.
By ANDREW TAYLOR – The Associated Press
The argument over these particular budget cuts is not about reigning in big costs. It is almost entirely about eliminating or gutting entire programs, many of them very popular, without a hearing or even a separate vote on each (most of which they would lose).
House GOP budget bill aims to slash environmental regulation. By Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times. This is undemocratic process at its worst. The method used allows members to avoid any responsibility for the cuts made. In my opinion, it is certainly worth shutting the government down so that people will put required to pay attention.
We haven’t covered this for a while, but as many predicted the movement is not going smoothly.
1 megaload reaches Lolo; 1 stuck on Highway 12. By Jamie Kelly. Missoulian.
Idaho Elk License Plate
Other states require testing of 100% of each private elk herd but the Idaho Legislature is requiring much less from Idaho’s elk growers and slipping money away from funds intended for the enhancement of wildlife. Idaho Senate Bill 1085 would require testing of “not more than twenty percent (20%) of testable animals” leaving elk, deer, moose, and other ungulates at risk of contracting chronic wasting disease, brucellosis or other diseases.
In Montana, citizens even passed an initiative making private elk operations illegal out of the well-founded fear that these operations would transmit chronic wasting disease to wild elk and deer.
Proceeds from elk license plates pay for testing private elk herds
Rocky Barker Voices.IdahoStatesman.com.
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Tester amends federal budget bill to declare wolves recovered in Montana, Idaho.
By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian
Tim DeChristopher was convicted at his trial after not being allowed to explain the motives for his prank. Do Motives Matter? The DeChristopher Verdict. The New York Times. By Kirk Johnson.
Inside traders, coal and oil company disaster creators, military contractors break the law with no fear. Two Justices of the Supreme Court plot openly with the Koch Brothers, but who gets convicted? As climate crime continues, who are we sending to jail? Tim DeChristopher? By Bill McKibben. Grist Magazine.
Some people are outraged. Read below (written shortly before his trial).
Why is Obama prosecuting Tim DeChristopher, the gas-lease pranker? Jeremy Bloom. Red, Green, and Blue.
Tester amends federal budget bill to declare wolves recovered in Montana, Idaho. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian.
The recent CR (Continuing Resolution) that passed Congress avoiding a government shutdown for two weeks provided short term relief on wolf delisting by Congress, but it is just a short term measure while the Senate and the House argue over the budget.
As he said he would, Montana’s U.S. Senator Jon Tester got language added to the Senate’s final budget bill. It seems to match the language on the House side that was inserted by Mike Simpson of Idaho. It delists the” wolf in Idaho and Montana, but not Wyoming. It prevents legal challenges to the delisting.
Provision of this on both chambers of Congress pretty much guarantees the wolf will be delisted in Idaho and Montana. In Idaho, Governor Otter seems determined to have a wolf killing spree as soon as he and the GOP Tea Partiers are done gutting the state’s education system, busting unions, and cutting Medicaid for those who are sick and poor.
You can contact U.S. Senators about this, asking that it be removed. We are still an uncertain distance from a budget because to the extreme differences between Republicans and Democrats on many parts of the budget. I expect sniping, possible government shutdowns, and unstable budgets to continue for quite a while.
The President has proposed cutting the budget of USDA Wildlife Services by 10-million dollars. President Obama said there needs to be shared sacrifice although so far it seems to be teachers, police, sick people, students, science, reproductive health, food inspection, and pollution control that is doing all the sacrifice under GOP pressure.
The sheep and cattle industry certainly doesn’t want to be cut, and they are working their classic strategy of contacting a key U.S. Senator asking for a quiet restoration of funds. In this case they are contacting U.S. Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin. He heads the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies on the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. Senate.
If you want to fight back effectively for once, contact Senator Kohl, asking for deeper cuts, especially for aerial gunning of wildlife. bigger cuts for so-called “livestock protection,” and no funding for the use of poisons like the poison 1080. Kohl’s web site only accepts Wisconsin email contacts, but here are the telephone and fax numbers for his Washington office (202) 224-5653; Fax: (202) 224-9787
Clement “Butch” Otter has always made his way catering to most backward power groups in his unequal, economically poor, but wilderness rich state. The poorly paid teachers, educationally deprived students, overflowing prisons, and dispirited population are fine by him, but he has never liked wild backcountry, and especially designated Wilderness, and there is a lot of it in Idaho. Some of it was protected by Act of Congress during Idaho’s brief green period, 1969-1980. The rest has been protected by rugged topography and dedicated Idahoans and their allies who have fought long odds ever since.
Otter recently shared his ignorance about Idaho’s Wilderness with a committee in the new Tea Party U. S. House of Representatives. Rocky Barker has a good article on his testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee in today’s Idaho Statesman.
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s wilderness math doesn’t add up. “In a fight against more wilderness, Otter may have vastly underestimated the economic impact of what the state already has.” By Rocky Barker. rbarker@idahostatesman.com. Idaho Statesman
This story is from Tri-state Livestock News. It is from trade publications like this that agencies often get cuts restored unbeknown to the public.
American Sheep Industry: President’s budget cuts impact area Wildlife Services. Tri-state Livestock News.
We have had many stories on this, but not for quite a while. Tim DeChristopher could be punished far more than the Wall Street investment bankers who stole billions. He bid against oil speculators at a Department of Interior (BLM) oil and gas lease auction in 2008. He had no money, however.
Trial of eco-activist who punk’d BLM begins. Greenspace in the New York Times.
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Note. He was quickly convicted. Webmaster.
Hydrofracking injects water and toxic chemicals deep into the rock to create pockets of volatile hydrocarbons (natural gas of a variety). Unfortunately, the toxic mess underground often doesn’t stay there. It comes out into surface waters, often carrying the original chemicals plus new pollutants, such as radioactivity, picked up underground. These new fracking wells are poorly regulated, and, of course, the budget battle is being used to make sure they stay barely regulated.
Drilling Down. Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers. New York Times.
What the frack is the matter with the gas industry? By Matt Marusiak. Tainted Green
They’ve made a mess of Pennsylvania and they are spreading out.
Top House Democrats launch investigation into ‘fracking’ on public lands. By Andrew Restuccia. The Hill. This would seem to be good news, but in the new U.S. House the Koch Brothers pretty much run this committe.
Here is an article that reasonably sums up where wolves are in the political landscape. Contrary to what I’ve read in other articles, it appears that Carter Niemeyer supports delisting only conditionally. He will likely be marginalized for it.
Niemeyer said that while he agrees wolves should be off the endangered species list, Simpson’s path to get there is inadvisable. “It sets a terrible precedent to delist them outside the normal delisting procedures,” he said. He worries that if the ESA is bypassed, slow and cumbersome as it may be, the results could open a Pandora’s box.
“Reasonable people need to prevail right now, otherwise we’re going to get a political fix that is going to be unacceptable.”
As debate rages, Wood River Valley sees less of predators.
By Ariel Hansen – Magic Valley Times-News
This mirrors my sentiment but I would add that I don’t think that the states or the USFWS have been negotiating in good faith. The states, particularly Idaho and Wyoming, and increasingly Montana, have a toxic view towards wolves. With the new draft legislation it appears that they don’t want to even consider managing wolves using science and rational thought. The legislatures seem to perpetuate every anti-wolf myth and made up tale that the anti side can come up with. The USFWS, despite contrary assertions by the extreme anti-wolf crowd, hasn’t budged from it’s stance that a sustainable wolf population only requires 10-15 breeding pairs per state even though those estimates were made at a time when understanding of wolves and population ecology was in its infancy. Now the science indicates that a much higher population is required.
The draft bill appears to have been written by Runft & Steele Law Offices, PLLC in Boise, Idaho and was distributed to a group of politically connected people.
The bill is radical and shows that anti-wolf forces will seek eradication of wolves in Idaho if national legislation to remove all protections from wolves is or isn’t successful. Obviously eradication of wolves in Idaho is far more important than educational funding which, as you know is being cut. Of course the funding for the bounty program, if the bill is passed unchanged, “will be paid by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game from its General Operating Budget”.
There are several more provisions in the bill which remove all protections for wolves and rescinds all cooperation with federal agencies.
The bill is available for download and pasted below. Read the rest of this entry »
I don’t think it will, not as the so-called conservatives in office today look at the world. However, back in the world of facts where Lake Mead isn’t far from the level of “dead pool,” there will be enormous consequences for all the Colorado River Basin states: Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California.
Salazar: Colorado River issue could push conservatives to face climate change. By Karoun Demirjian. Las Vegas Sun
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego places Lake Mead at a 50% chance to run dry by 2020, with its enormous power production inoperative by 2017. They gave a 10% chance it would be inoperable by 2014.
Could Larry Craig be a closet wolf lover? This one doesn't seem to be pleased by his advances 😉
Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, a group who is turning out to be more for livestock than for wildlife, has hired former Senator Larry Craig to lobby for legislation which would remove protections from all wolves nationwide. This would leave the doors open for states like Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming to eradicate as many wolves as they please.
It amazes me that this manly man hunting group would hire a coward who is too scared to admit that he is gay. It highlights the hypocrisy of these groups who use hyperbole and fear against wolves and any other predator that they fear.
Maybe a little hyperbole and satire is in order 😉
Clarification and a note about the danger of satire: Larry Craig feeds the homophobia present in this society by hiding his sexual preference. While homophobia is no laughing matter, it should be noted that Larry proudly fought against the rights of people to love who they choose to love. I find that particularly disgusting and in particular need of satire of the ruthless variety.
-Ken
Larry Craig lobbies on wolf legislation.
By John Miller – Associated Press
Idaho lawmakers hope to dissuade public access to judicial review of state megaload approvals by forcing them to post huge sums of money before access to court is granted.
Idaho bill targets anti-megaload lawsuits – Spokesman Review
BOISE – Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, has introduced legislation requiring anyone who files a lawsuit against a transportation project on state highways to post a bond equal to 5 percent of the value of the items being hauled, and if the plaintiffs lose the lawsuit, the whole bond would go to the Idaho Transportation Department.
Requiring potential litigants to post bonds jams up the gears of justice, making those with financial resources ‘more equal’ in their access to justice than those without wealth. Whatever one thinks about the merits of the megaload controversy, state laws that have the effect of erecting economic prohibitions on justice are not a good idea.
High court rejects appeal in spotted owl dispute. “The Supreme Court has decided to let stand a Bush administration designation of 8.6 million acres in four Western states as critical habitat for an endangered owl.” Associated Press.
Western wildlife commissions on the chopping block. By Jodi Peterson. High Country News
This form of wildlife governance has come up for discussion many times on this blog.
In an overzealous act against environmentalist organizations who successfully sue government agencies, the Republican lead House of Representatives has removed the ability for individuals, small businesses, non-profits and others to collect attorney’s fees when they prevail against the government and can meet other requirements. By adding an amendment to the Continuing Resolution to fund the government they have effectively gutted the Equal Access to Justice Act….. for everyone.
In essence they have taken away your right to sue the government for things like Social Security payments, improper use of laws and regulations, and not even following their own laws or regulations.
It gives the government cart blanche to conduct their business in any way they want without any public oversight. This even effects the ranchers who may want to sue the government for changing or revoking their grazing permits.
It leaves only those with deep pockets the ability to sue their own government if it acts arbitrarily.
House Votes to Stop ‘Equal Access to Justice’ Fees.
The Blog of Legal Times
“Japan will cut short this year’s annual whale hunt in the Antarctic Ocean after obstruction by an environmental group largely prevented its ships from killing whales, the government said Friday.” Read about in in the New York Times. By Martin Fackler.
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Earlier in this blog. 11/30/10. Has the Japanese Whaling Fleet Surrendered? By Ken Cole.
I guess by now Beers needs no introduction, but the themes he expresses show the anti-wolf folks are really just part of tea party eruption with their efforts to nullify the laws of the United States. He would make the Southern Confederates of Civil War days proud, IMO.
The notes below were taken by someone very familiar with wild wolves who prefers not to have their name released as they don’t want to be “hassled.”
_____________
There were about 150 people in the crowd, including many couples. The average age was 50. More men than women. No kids or teens. There were at least 6 members of the Idaho legislature present, and several members of Crapo’s staff.
In the lobby beforehand was a raffle that included items such as an Alaskan wolf pelt ($900) and the thing most people were standing in line for, an engraved “SSS” rifle.
Sponsored by Idaho Freedom Foundation, BSU Political Science Department, Idaho for Wildlife, Rocky Mtn Elk Foundation, Idaho Outfitters and Guides Assn, and Maurice Clements
Beers was introduced by Maurice Clements as a great American who has been relentlessly harassed by the USFWS.
John Brenden R-MT
Not surprisingly, the Montana Senate voted on a bill that would keep Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from relocating bison anywhere in the state except for the National Bison Range in northwest Montana for the next two years. The Montana House has yet to pass any similar bill but there are many being considered.
Governor Brian Schwietzer has promised to veto any bills of this nature.
Senator Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency summed up what could result from this action.
“If the attack on buffalo continues, they will be listed as an endangered species. I don’t think you want to do that.”
To rub it all in with a strong note of arrogance, Sen. John Brenden sang a couple of bars of “Home on the Range” to the protests of Democrats.
If anyone thinks that western states aren’t run by the landed nobility you might want to think again.
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Update. Ralph Maughan on the teabagging Republican Brenden. Brenden Farms got almost $500,000 in farm subsidy payments from 1995-2009. That is about $34,000 a year.
http://farm.ewg.org/persondetail.php?custnumber=A09372868
Over 15 years that would be an average of $33,152/Year. Some might call this federal government hater a hypocrite, and a mean one at that.
Obama’s budget would deeply cut farm subsidies. By P.J. Huffstutter, Los Angeles Times
I kind of thought Obama might not figure this out, but his budget proposal seems to take a whack at this nasty agency as well as the heretofore unstoppable subsidy payments to rich and corporate farmers. If you want to help wildlife, please write to the President and your members of Congress urging an axe be taken to the Department of Agriculture agency Wildlife Services. Make it clear you are not asking for cuts in the Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service. These can be confused because the anti-wildlife cattle and sheep operations deliberately got the federal agency that kills wildlife, Animal Damage Control renamed “Wildlife Services.”
This is not all good news because the Department of Agriculture does have some conservation programs that protect the land, although perhaps at too high a monetary cost.
It is possible that the explanation of Governor Schweitzer’s behavior on both bison and wolves are the cuts to wasteful USDA programs, including the federal wolf killing agency. I personally think that cutting Wildlife Services budget is one of the best things we can do to protect our native wildlife from government directed killing.
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Cuts to Wildlife Service’s proposed by Obama’s budget. Note that FY 2012 begins on October 1, 2011
http://www.obpa.usda.gov/budsum/FY12budsum.pdf
page 84
Wildlife Services:
Wildlife Damage Management
2010 enacted $79 million
2011 Estimate $79 million
2012 Budget $69 million. Ask for zero, RM
House panel rejects megaloads hearing requirement, won’t introduce bill. Spokesman-Review
Representative JoAn Wood is quoted in the article. According to Ballotpedia, “Wood is a business partner in a trucking/farming company.”
You can see the company in Eastern Idaho on your way St. Anthony. Government by conflict of interest; it is a principle of Idaho government.
The GOP in the House of Representatives is starting to work on their version of a continuing budget resolution that would be needed to fund the government until a formal budget is passed to fund government agencies. Another way to fund the government could come in the form of an omnibus spending bill until a formal budget is passed. The Republicans have indicated that they do not support shutting down the government so funding must be appropriated by March 4th when the current continuing budget resolution expires.
The Senate will have its own version and there will likely be a big fight over any funding of the government. There are significant changes that could take place to any of these bills.
The wording of the language is as follows:
SEC. 1713. Before the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this division, the Secretary of the Interior shall reissue the final rule published on April 2, 2009 (74 Fed. Reg. 15123 et seq.) without regard to any other provision of statute or regulation that applies to issuance of such rule. Such reissuance (including this section) shall not be subject to judicial review.
If language like this passes wolves in Idaho, Montana, and parts of Oregon, Washington, and Utah would lose Endangered Species Act protections while those in Wyoming would retain protection.
GOP budget bill lifts wolf protections.
By MATTHEW BROWN – Associated Press
Story. Hunting groups clash. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian
It appears there is a difference in strategy how to get at wolves, according to the Missoulian. However, I think it is more likely the the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (actually David Allen, CEO) has actually given up the fight for wild elk and has thrown in with the worst enemies of elk — catttle and sheep associations.They are probably satisfied with elk shooting pens.
The biggest competitor of elk for food is public range cattle. They eat 90% the same thing, and year after on public grazing allotments at seasons end you find 80, 90, 95% utilization of grass and forbs by cattle and sheep, even though the government grazing plan usually says utilization will be 40, 50 or 60%. In most cases, if you want more elk (and other grazing wildlife), there has to be more food for them. Over hundreds of millions of acres, cows are stealing grass from elk.
Look below who has joined the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in supporting Senator Orrin Hatch’s anti-wolf bill — almost every livestock association out there, plus a number of right wing hunting groups.
After 40 public meetings that drew 3,000 participants and 25,000 comments, the Forest Services has issued new draft rules governing the entire national forest system. Conservation groups are focusing on what they consider to be changes to the wildlife portion that would give too much discretion to local forest supervisors about conserving and improving wildlife habitat.
National forests plan would expand local discretion over wildlife management. By Darryl Fears. Washington Post.
The fact that conservation groups are comparing the new rules unfavorably to the old rules from Ronald Reagan would seem to be telling as Reagan was no favorite of conservation groups. On the other hand as the Missoulian points out, “Forest Service looks to add recreation, wildlife, water to management principles. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian.
Maybe, the best initial comment was “The devil, or the angel, is in the details.” We will have to look more closely.
Here are the FS draft regulations. pdf
Yesterday Orrin Hatch, Max Baucus, and Jon Tester introduced bills into the Senate, and Denny Rehberg introduced two bills into the House. All of them would delist wolves but there are three approaches taken.
S.249 and HR 509 would delist all wolves nationwide and prevent them from ever receiving protection under the Endangered Species Act, while S.321 and HR 509 would delist wolves only in Montana and Idaho.
The Baucus/Tester bill would make the 2009 delisting rule law, and has changed from last year’s version which would have placed minimum threshold of 518 wolves identified in the IDFG plan into effect. This bill contains no such language so essentially Idaho can reduce wolf populations to 100 or so wolves as defined in the Idaho Legislature’s plan. The Montana plan calls for managing wolves for a population of at least 342 wolves.
The Rehberg bill, HR 510, would simply delist wolves in Montana and Idaho but would not require the states to follow their own management plans leaving the door open for wolf eradication if directed by the legislatures of each state.
Snowy roads, traffic delay violations stall ConocoPhillips megaloads. By Kim Briggeman. Missoulian.
There is a rumor that future loads might be routed to use Interstate 90 and 15 which would present far fewer technical, congestion, and environmental problems. However, being an Interstate highway the loads would have to first be broken down to a much lower height because of the overpasses.
Bison Slaughter A Smoke Screen for Livestock Industry. “The on-going slaughter of Yellowstone National Park bison is justified on the basis of disease control—namely trying to prevent transmission of brucellosis from bison to cattle. While the potential economic impact brucellosis is real, the likelihood is extremely rare.” Unfiltered By George Wuerthner, Unfiltered in New West.
For the Butch Otters, Mike Crapos, and Jim Risches of the world, Idaho is just a place to get the elected. They don’t really see their job as representing the people in their geographic constituency. They are simply a problem for manipulation every couple of years. Meanwhile bring their pay down to Asian standards or hire Asian workers. That’s what the international corporations and Wall Street billionaires want.
The author to this LTE has this at least partially figured out as he discusses the megaloads.
Megaload transportation benefits Asian workforce. By Bill Chisholm. Buhl, Idaho. Times-News.
Koch brothers now at heart of GOP power. “The billionaire brothers’ influence is most visible in the makeup of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where members have vowed to undo restrictions on greenhouse gases.” By Tom Hamburger, Kathleen Hennessey and Neela Banerjee. LA Times.
New editorial. New York Times. Clean Air Under Siege
Crowds follow [first] megaload along U.S. Highway 12 in Idaho. By Kim Briggeman of the Missoulian missoulian.com
Tester, Baucus renew effort to protect Flathead River Basin. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian.
Having lost before the Idaho Department of Transportation, opponents of the oil megaloads will no longer try to stop the first four of them. These are bound for the existing oil refinery in Billings, Montana. The next 200 megaloads (not approved for now) are for what many see as the tar sand pits from hell in Alberta, Canada.
Movement of the first four should reveal much about who is right about them? Will the loads have great difficulty getting up the highway and over Lolo Pass? Will there be an accident? Will they be safely parked during the day, or will they end up blocking traffic? Will the megaloads harm the highway surface or warp the bridges? Will the megaloads generate any local employment beyond a few people holding signs and public revenues going to pay for highway patrol escorts?
Idaho megaload opponents: Let big rigs roll to Billings. By Kim Briggeman of Missoulian. missoulian.com
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Feb. 1, 2011 update. As Megaloads Roll, What Two of Three Plaintiffs Learned About Opposition. New West (feature article). By Steve Bunk. New West has done an outstanding job covering the megaloads issue. This is their latest feature article.
I was particularly impressed with this quote in the article, “Referring to state troopers who accompany megaloads through Idaho, Laughy remarked, ‘I find it particularly interesting that our state could be contracting out our police to the South Korean government.’ ” I say it’s a good example what happens when we (the United States) are well on our way to being a colony of the corporations of other parts of the world (thanks to the work of people like provincial governor Butch Otter).
A couple years ago in Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council the U. S. Supreme Court continued its trend toward make it harder to temporarily stop government actions before irreparable harm was done. Applying this viewpoint, Montana federal district Judge Molloy let a timber sale begin and many trees were cut while conservationists were seeking an injunction on the sale so that their arguments could be heard. This made it so if they won, they would not win because the project they sought to halt was completed. Fortunately, in my view, the 9th Circuit overturned Molloy. This will allow citizens to more easily get an injunction if they have strong arguments.
The precedent is not simple, but it does strengthen the hand of those opposing government projects from having their cases made moot by letting government build a powerline or whatever while the powerline, etc. is being litigated.
Appeals Court Rejects U.S. Request for Rehearing in Mont. Timber Case. By Lawrence Hurley of Greenwire. New York Times.
A few months ago hardly anyone had heard of these two selfish billionaires who have been funding much of the far right’s effort to tear down the protection of our water, air, food supply, as well as, IMO, support policies that will destroy America herself. They support a radical state’s right’s view that would destroy the central government precisely because they know a collection of small states cannot stand up to them and their money on anything. Not on protecting our jobs, not on protecting our financial investments, not on protecting our small businesses, not on giving us access to good health care, not on maintaining competition in the marketplace, and, of course, not on protecting the land, air and water that give us life.
In fact, the “giant-corporation-first” philosophy, which so many international corporations use as their guide, is perhaps the greatest threat today every sovereign nation in the world faces. The giant corporations will plow every country under.
I ran across a brand new piece today from the head of the Sierra Club. Michael Brune’s opinions are at the link. My “modest” introduction might be what you might think is a bit strong. Brune gives the facts.
We can’t ignore these people any longer.
The Billionaire Brothers Who Make Us Sick. From Michael Brune’s blog. Sierra Club.
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Here is the original article on the Koch Brothers, exposing their operation. Covert Operations. By Jane Mayer August 30, 2010. The New Yorker.
When Emotion Drives the Wolf Debate, Research Suffers. “The Rocky Mountain West is producing solid science in regard to wolves. Too bad what’s learned is buried under what’s opined.” By Steve Bunk. Guest column in New West.
I want to add that science in many fields is being attacked (not necessarily by the government, but by political groups) in the United States. This turn to ideology, crude self interest, and various religious dogmas will destroy America, IMO. Ralph Maughan
Denny Rehberg (R-MT) has introduced the first wolf bill of the new congress into the House of Representatives which would hand over management authority of wolves to the states of Montana and Idaho.
Update 1/27/11: Apparently there are two bills. The second one would remove all protections from wolves nationwide.
Pronghorns released for new start on Yakama Indian Reservation. Ancient inhabitants are of the Columbia Basin. Rich Landers. The Spokesman-Review. [ed. note to Spokesman-Review, the plural of pronghorn is pronghorn]
Good for the Safari Club! It appears that when the cattle association took their traditional selfish approach to restoration of any kind of wildlife, the Club went around them and their grasp on the government, and got them released on the Indian Reservation.
Simpson takes another shot at CIEDRA
By KATHERINE WUTZ – Idaho Mountain Express
The megaloads for the Billings, MT oil refinery now have a go ahead from Idaho, and will probably get one quickly from Montana. Highway 12 itself has been slippery to very slippery except in its lower portion. Parts of it have also been briefly closed to reduced to one lane due to rockslides.
Idaho official signs off on Highway 12 megaload permits. By Kim Briggeman of the Missoulian missoulian.com
Pinyon Juniper Forest, Nevada. Photo - Katie Fite
Recently the Nevada Pinyon-Juniper Partnership, aided by USDA, set up a conference to discuss pinyon and juniper trees. At the conference were several players in government and business who have an interest in the removal of pinyon and juniper trees in the Great Basin. Bob Abbey, the director of the BLM, attended the meeting.
Most people don’t think of the Great Basin when they think of old growth forests but the pinyon-juniper forests there are ancient forests with several hundred year old trees that provide important habitats and food for many species of birds like pinyon jays, Clark’s nutcrackers, black throated gray warblers, small mammals, nesting raptors. The charismatic seed-caching Clark’s nutcracker faces catastrophic food shortages in the Rockies due to whitebark pine die-off. It relies on large-seeded pines – and the pinyon pine has a superb large seed that was also vital to supporting Native American cultures in the Great Basin.
The refuge provided by these trees are probably the only reason that central Nevada has any elk at all. They are one of the important components that keep the entire Great Basin Ecosystem together because they retain snow later into the year due to their shade and absorb CO2. Their destruction would promote global warming and desertification by making the area hotter and drier. Read the rest of this entry »
When I heard about the Interior Department’s decision to reverse the changes that the Bush Administration made to the policy on wild lands protection I was pleased. However, I remain skeptical at how the policy will be implemented by the current bunch running BLM who I don’t really trust. There is no doubt, however, how Idaho Governor Butch Otter feels about it.
The new policy reverses what the Bush Administration changed and allows the BLM inventory its lands to determine whether they meet the criteria for wilderness. The BLM would then go through a public process whereby lands could be designated as “wild lands”.
For Butch, and his buddies, complete domination over the landscape is not enough. It is unacceptable that anyone, other than the chosen few who maintain control, have any say in how the public’s landscapes are managed. It seems as if their motto is “one cow, one vote”.
Kevin Richert: This year’s fight with the feds: Otter vs. BLM.
Kevin Richert – Idaho Statesman
During a talk in Spokane, Washington given by the director of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department about how budget cuts were affecting the department the subject of wolves came up and then things got ugly.
A response blurted out from the middle of the room:
“Why don’t we shoot some legislators?” a man said.
‘Shoot’ remark was unnerving.
Rich Landers – The Spokesman-Review
It’s amazing to me that they think they can get approval by doing a mere environmental analysis report (EA) for over 200 megaloads on Montana’s highways.*
At any rate, University of Montana economist Steve Seninger and others showed the huge defect in the EA’s claim that the megaloads would give a $67.8 million benefit to Montana’s economy. There was no discussion of monetary and other costs. In other words, the EA writes of gross benefits, when it is net benefits (if there are any) that matters.
The costs are revenue losses in the travel/outdoor recreation industry, costs to taxpayers from accidents, traffic delays and disruptions of emergency services, premature wear of Montana’s highways and harm to wildlife, water, agriculture and timber in Western Montana.
In Idaho, Butch Otter, the Farm Bureau and others, and in Montana, a similar bunch of people speak of the job benefits, but “What you end up with is basically something less than 82 jobs for the ExxonMobil transportation project, and those jobs are primarily lower wage, lower skilled jobs in terms of flagholders and driving some of the advance cars and rear cars,”[economist] Seninger said. “In my mind, you don’t have to be an economist to say that’s really not an employment machine.”
The fact that these are low wage, low skill jobs to move sophisticated oil equipment from the far east to Alberta is why I have been calling them “jobs for peasants.”
Story: Imperial Oil/Exxon big rigs EA draws ire. By Kim Briggeman. The Missoulian.
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*To understand the controversy, folks need to mentally separate the first, 4 megaloads that are bound for the oil refinery in Billings, Montana from the 200+ bound for Alberta’s tar sand pits.
Foes of megaloads to continue fighting shipments. By Jessie L. Bonner. By the Associated Press in Bloomberg.
"Dead or Alive"
The tragic assassination attempt of Arizona Congressperson Gabrielle Giffords has prompted conversation about the vitriolic tone of political discourse in our nation.
The same has always, and perhaps particularly, been true of western natural resource debate where threat, intimidation and the suggestion of violence are common-place, occurring both in private and in public debate.
‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ posters target local conservation group – The Durango Herald
Under a skull and crossbones are the words: “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Beneath, in larger type, it reads: “Members of Great Old Broads for Wilderness are not allowed in San Juan County Utah.”
Brown's Bench, RES America proposes to put hundreds of giant wind turbines on this southern Idaho landscape © Brian Ertz 2010
Some of the really great things I enjoy about living in the west are the obscure landscapes/mountain ranges. Unlike national parks, ‘W‘ilderness areas, National Monuments and other landscapes prominently highlighted on any western map, there are many public landscapes less conspicuous, maybe not even labeled on a common roadmap, belonging to all of us that are best known by the locals ~ sportsmen, anglers, ranchers, really hardcore conservationists and recreationists. Landscapes that harbor habitat and wildlife that exemplify its original nature.
West of 93 on the ID/NV line
These less conspicuous areas are where I learned to hunt and fish with my brothers, places I continue to frequent to hike, botanize and view wildlife with my kids. Public lands that have served countless generations in such an economically intangible way, uplifting our spirit and serving our truly unique and blessed standard of living. If you’re reading this, it’s likely you know what I mean.
Increasingly, these places find themselves under threat by new energy technologies which extend the reach of our human ability to extract resources into places otherwise overlooked by industry yesteryear.
In southern Idaho, just west of Highway 93 on the Idaho/Nevada line, Brown’s Bench is just such a place.
Concerned about grouse, groups ask China Mountain developer to reconsider – Opposition Rises as Wind Farm Study Nears – Times-News
One by one, organizations weighing the land against the wind are concluding that more green energy doesn’t outweigh the risk to sage grouse.
There are differences between Democrat Freudenthal and Republican Mead. However, on wolves it will probably be slight. Freudenthal, however, was a pioneer of sorts in using wild, irresponsible exaggeration of the impacts of wolves. Five years ago he was claiming that the then much smaller Wyoming wolf population was not only destroying the state’s wildlife, but its very economy. If his view of things was true, I guess by now the state would be depopulated save for the few stragglers the wolves hadn’t taken down yet.
We haven’t heard much of that from him lately. That’s probably because it was a total fabrication, and the economy later on did decline severely because of real problems at the national and international level — an unfortunate intrusion of reality.
” ‘In some respects it would be nice to get the four loads off the table so we could talk about the real issues,’ said [Linwood] Laughy, who lives along the federal scenic byway in Kooskia, Idaho.”
Laughy is saying movement of the first 4, the only America- bound loads up Highway 12, will show how accurate the objections to and promises being made are.
Read the rest of the AP story in the Idaho Statesman. “Foes of megaloads to decide on path forward.”
Of course, the loads are still sitting in the port of Lewiston, ID and central Idaho is locked in deep winter. Weather, courts could stall Idaho megaloads. Dec 29, 2010. By The Associated Press.
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While the usual international corporation supporters back the megaloads, the major group opposing them is the Idaho-based public interest law firm, Advocates for the West.
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Earlier NYT story on local residents opposing megaloads. Oil Sands Effort Turns on a Fight Over a Road. By Tom Zeller
Boise attorney Merlyn Clark, hearing officer on the oil megaloads that will use U.S. Highway 12 across north central Idaho into Montana has ruled that the first 4 megaloads could be transported safely with “minimum inconvenience” up narrow U.S. Highway 12 to the Montana border (Lolo Pass).
These giant loads have been sitting at Idaho’s sea port of Lewiston for a month now. There is still some paperwork before their transport can begin, but little doubt we will see what actually happens as they take them up along the Clearwater and Lochsa River to the Bitterroot Divide and down into Montana. The first 4 loads are for the Billings, MT oil refinery, not the Alberta tar sand pits.
The usual groups, such as the Idaho Farm Bureau (how is this a farm issue?), have been promoting the idea that moving this equipment along Highway 12 at night will be some kind of boom for business, although no explanation how that will happen.
There will be a big difference between the transport of 4 megaloads versus the next 200 (which are not included in this hearing officer’s decision).
Idaho agency advised to issue megaload permits. By John Miller. The Associated Press (in Bloomberg).
Hearing officer does not issue a decision on the international oil company megaloads sitting at the Port of Lewiston, Idaho. Decision will be coming out at an undefined future date.
No ruling before Christmas on megaloads. Lewiston (ID) Tribune on-line
Carter Niemeyer’s recent book “Wolfer” described, in great detail, the inner workings of Wildlife Services for whom he worked as their Montana western supervisor from 1975-1990 and as their Montana wolf specialist for the following 10 years until he took a post in Idaho as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s wolf recovery coordinator. In the book he describes how the incestuous relationship between the livestock industry and Wildlife Services works to maintain hegemony over how predators are blamed for livestock deaths so that they can be managed and killed and so that the taxpayer funds flow freely. He goes on to describe how the reporting of livestock depredations is routinely influenced by the higher ups in the department so that blame could be squarely placed on any number of predators instead of what usually boils down to poor animal husbandry practices.
Often times he was called to the scene of a “wolf depredation” only to find out, upon investigation, that the animal had died from other causes or that dogs had been behind the incident. When he would write up his report he would skin the animal out to look for hemorrhaging caused by the bites of a wolf or other predator, he would take pictures, he would look for tracks. This was frowned upon by his superiors and he was told to use only the small space on the investigation report form to describe whether the livestock had been killed by predators or not. Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve rewritten this post as it appears that there is still a chance for a bill to move in the Senate.
The bill that would have removed wolves from the Endangered Species Act has failed and the bill which would have removed protections for wolves in Idaho and Montana introduced by Max Baucus of Montana was not successfully attached to the appropriations bill.
With so much else going on in Washington DC it appears that none of the bills to remove protections from wolves will be successful this congress but there is still a slight chance that the Baucus/Tester bill could move during the lame duck session of congress.
There is another dynamic here to take into consideration, the Baucus/Tester bill, which would require that Idaho and Montana maintain a number of wolves higher than the minimum of 10-15 packs, is opposed by many sportsman’s groups including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation because it gives wolves even some protection. If this bill is passed it would be considered by some as a win for Tester who is likely to face a very tough reelection battle in 2012. With that, it seems likely that Republicans will try to block it since their whole strategy of late has been to block anything that might benefit Democrats.
That being said, the Baucus/Tester Bill would still set a very bad precedent for the Endangered Species Act. It would set a precedent that would allow delisting of any species if it somehow becomes inconvenient for the powers that be or those who kick and scream the most.
Idaho senators fail in bid to remove federal protection for wolves.
Dan Popkey – Idaho Statesman
State of the species
Anti-wolf bills unlikely to pass before year’s end
By KATHERINE WUTZ – Idaho Mountain Express
Utah bill to delist wolves fails in Senate.
By Laura Lundquist – Magic Valley Times-News
Their Washington Bureau news chief emailed them saying, “refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question.” Apparently they would be expected to say “some scientists say there was an ice age 450,000 years ago, but that is based on a theory whose data has been called into question.”
Whether the average temperature has changed worldwide is a matter of fact, not of theory. Theories are designed to explain facts and predict new facts (to test a theory and to expand a theory). One can question the process of measurement — say it is wrong — but that has nothing to do with theory. I doubt that few news stories would have time to discuss how average temperatures are calculated and where measurement error might creep in.
Fox News e-mail shows network’s slant on climate change. By Paul Farhi. Washington Post Staff Writer
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Buffalo Field Campaign Blog Demarcated Landscapes
The Wildlife News 