Local environmental groups ask a federal judge to halt the expansion of phosphate pit mine on Idaho/Wyoming border

This is a big issue in Pocatello and the southern part of the Greater Yellowstone-

Environmental groups want E. Idaho mine injunction. AP. Idaho Statesman.

It’s a classic jobs versus obvious, long lasting environmental damage spread over a wide area issue.

The major environmental issue is not the pit but the spreading leakage of selenium poisoning in the Snake River watershed. This potent toxin is already directly killing fish in and downstream from the SE Idaho phosphate field.

A fair number of good paying jobs in Pocatello (my home) depend on Simplot’s Smoky Canyon phosphate mine.

I have had the conservation viewpoint on my blogroll for some time. Caribou Clean Water Partnership.

Bush pushes “road map to ruin” for Utah’s public lands at end of Administration

Eighty per cent of Utah’s scenic BLM lands opened at last minute to drilling-

Bush administration rushing to open Utah lands to energy development. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Bush Administration Christmas Gift to Oil Companies Will Be Announced on Election Day. Sale of Pristine Wilderness Slated to Happen Six Days Before Christmas. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Congressman Grijalva Issues Report on Bush’s Assault on Public Lands

U.S. Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva has issued a report chronicling a partial list of the Bush Administration’s assault on protections of your public lands:

A Report on the Bush Administration Assaults on Our National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

A couple examples of interest to Yellowstone :

Greatest Slaughter of Bison in the United States Since the 19th Century

Chronic Wasting Disease issue heats up in Wyoming

Infected moose in SW of Jackson, plus Forest Service renewal of elk feedgrounds and doubledealing stoke the issue-

Wildlife disease debate heats up. By Chris Merrill.  Casper Star-Tribune environment reporter.

I have this feeling that the Forest Service and Wyoming Game and Fish are about as trusty as sub-prime mortgage investments.

Update. Oct. 22, 2008. Groups call for disease action. CWD found in moose in Star Valley a ‘wake-up call’ to Game and Fish, conservation groups say. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Bush, Kempthorne up to last minute mischief

Beware, the long nightmare is not over yet-

The New York Times describes and warns of anti-public land and anti-conservation actions underway or contemplated by the worst Administration in American history (my view) in their last 2 1/2 months in office.

Last-Minute Mischief. Editorial by the New York Times.

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Examples of what is happening-

Oct. 13.  The great giveaway. Utah BLM swings the door wide for ATVs and energy development. High Country News.
Oct. 19. Federal Officials Seek to Relax Rules for Dumping Mine Waste. AP. New York Times.
Oct. 20. Las Vegas Sun editorial. Protect the Colorado River from Kempthorne. Uranium mining claims should be delayed pending regional environmental review.

Rocky Barker on who will be the next Secretary of Interior?

This is the big question in the interior West-

So, naturally it doesn’t get covered on TV or the debates.

Barkers blog. Who is the West’s next federal landlord? Idaho Statesman.

I guess I’m not an “independent observer,” but Secretary Kempthorne did a good job as Secretary of Interior only in comparison with that Secretary Gale Norton and her crew, many of whom engaged out outright criminal activity such as favoring the oil industry after they had received sufficient drugs and/or sex.

If you want to think of someone scary, notice the mention of “Rep. Steve Pearce, a New Mexico Republican [U.S. Representative] likely to lose to Democratic Rep. Tom Udall in their race for the Senate.”

Pearce is one of the major players keeping those Catron County folks stirred up. He operates an oil field services company (like Dick Cheney, only much smaller than Haliburton).

End of the grazing season. Devastation as usual

Oh, what a comparison!

Last October a number of us visited the Lost River Ranger District in an area called Pine Creek. We went with the district ranger and the Supervisory Range Conservationist. It was pretty embarrassing. Some of the awful photos went up on Google Earth. End of 2007 grazing season in an unnamed tributary called “Pine Creek.”

I guess it wasn’t embarrassing enough because this year things were as bad or worse.

End of the 2008 grazing season with 90% forage eaten by cattle on Lost River Ranger District. Salmon-Challis National Forest. Photo Western Watersheds Project

I can post a bunch more if people are interested.

Later. Folks did want to see more-

Here is what a wet meadow/riparian area should look like in similar country. I took this photo in early October about 20 miles from the photo above on an Idaho state grazing lease acquired by the Western Watersheds Project after a many year battle with the State Land Board. WWP removed all the livestock.

Wet meadow/streamside area in Lake Creek. Herd Creek Highlands. Central Idaho. Early October 2008. Not grazed for about 4 years. The grazing lease is held by the Western Watersheds Project. WWP pays to run cattle lease, but doesn

More on Pine Creek –

With new court ruling, YNP snowmobile season is ??

Where do we go from here (on YNP snowmobiles)?

About 2 weeks ago, we reported that a federal judge had voided YNP’s winter use plan, bringing yet another change, and a big one, in this 7-year old studying, planning, commenting, and legal battle over the use and number, if any, of snowmobiles allowed inside Yellowstone Park.

Now plan’s are being made for the winter season, but the Park and the area businesses are not sure what will be legal.

Story: Where do we go from here? By Daniel Person. Bozeman Chronicle.

Western Watersheds opens major Montana office

The Western Watersheds Project has opened its Montana office.

About 50 enthusiastic folks attended the word of mouth opening last night in Missoula.

Montana operations will be run by attorneys Tom Woodbury and Summer Nelson. Woodbury has a number years’ experience in Montana and Idaho conservation battles and Nelson is a new graduate at the top of her class at the University of Montana law school.

The WWP Board was represented by executive director Jon Marvel and myself.

Those attending came as far as Helena with tales of livestock operator abuse of land and water and lack of action by old line Montana conservation organizations. Enthusiastic welcomers expressed strong sentiment that Montana’s federal and state agencies need a wake-up call (or kick).

Things are not going to proceed as usual at neglected BLM and Forest Service offices in the states.

This a major office for WWP, larger than any but the Idaho office. WWP also has offices in Western Idaho, Central Idaho, Hailey, Idaho (main office), Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, and California.

Opening of Western Watersheds Montana Office

In front of the new Montana WWP office.

From left: Tom Woodbury (Montana Director), Dr. Ralph Maughan (WWP Board), Summer Nelson (Montana Legal Counsel), Jon Marvel (ED WWP)

Wide-Ranging Ethics Scandal Emerges at Interior Dept.

So, is this what “drill, baby drill” means? 😉

As Congress prepares to debate expansion of drilling in taxpayer-owned coastal waters, the Interior Department agency that collects oil and gas royalties has been caught up in a wide-ranging ethics scandal — including allegations of financial self-dealing, accepting gifts from energy companies, cocaine use and sexual misconduct.” ↓

“Wide-Ranging Ethics Scandal Emerges at Interior Dept. By Charlie Savage. New York Times.

more → Allred responds to Interior ethics scandal. Boise Weekly.

Stephen Allred is the former Idaho Department of Environmental Quality director. Kempthorne took him to Washington and made him head of the Land, Minerals and Management Bureau

New report says grazing had “negligible” effects on size of Murphy Complex fire

This is a revised version of an earlier story.

Here is the news release from the Western Watersheds Project.

Rocky Barker also discusses it in his recent blog.

BLM Report On The Murphy Complex Wild Fire Shows That Grazing Has Little Effect On Fire Behavior.

Idaho BLM has released a long awaited Report on the Murphy Complex Fire. The Murphy wildfire blaze burned over half a million acres of sage-grouse and pygmy rabbit habitat in summer 2007.  BLM, ranchers and Idaho politicians had hoped the Report might show that livestock grazing can reduce wildfire impacts. Instead, it showed little to no effect of livestock grazing in limiting fire spread.

In fact, under the hot, dry conditions typical of western wildfires, grazing would have to be conducted to such a degree that only bare dirt, manure and trampled grass remained to make much difference at all. Such severe grazing leaves no habitat value for sensitive species such as sage grouse, pygmy rabbits or other species such as mule deer.

Truce Is Reached in Battle Over Idaho Forest Land

The final roadless area rule for Idaho has been released.

There are many improvements in the rule, especially in Eastern Idaho where I live.

When President Bush tried to overturn the Clinton roadless rule (protecting all the national forest roadless areas as what you might call “backcountry” or sorts), western governors were invited to develop a plan for their states’ national forest roadless areas.

Idaho has more national forest roadless, non-Wilderness land than any other state — over 9-million acres. Conservationists feared the worst when Idaho became the only state to accept the Bush Administration’s invitation.

Western Turf, Wars: The Politics of Public Lands Ranching

Mike Hudak has written a book about what it is like for the citizen-activists who are fighting the livestock industry over livestock abuses on your western public lands. It can be pretty dangerous, especially to your job.

Review of the book. The Politics of Public Lands Ranching. Western Turf Wars. By Jamie Newlin. Counterpunch.

I hope some folks will pick this book up at amazon.com or better http://westernturfwars.com

Congress should pass a roadless area law

Protecting the remaining roadless areas on the national forests is not nearly as controversial as designating Wilderness areas, but these areas have no real protection under the Bush Administration, or before until the executive order by President Clinton.

The New York Times says “There Ought to be a Law” to protect them.

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I want to remind folks that there is now an excellent web site on roadless areas to which you can upload your photos and comments. http://roadlessland.org/

Fired Idaho Fish and Game Director should have his say

In July David Parrish who was the Director of Idaho Fish and Game for the Magic Valley region lost his job after he commented on the wildlife impacts of the proposed by wind farm on public and private land near Brown’s Bench.

We covered the story, but the Idaho media didn’t seem to find this outright political repression very exciting. Our story on Parrish’s firing. Finally the Idaho Press-Tribune has an editorial.

F&G official should be allowed to have his say. Idaho Press Tribune. I think it’s a good editorial.

Update. A person named “Dave” sent me an editorial that recently appeared in the Lewiston Tribune (subscription only) criticizing the politicization of Idaho Fish and Game by the Governor and state legislators. So, my statement that Idaho media almost ignored this travesty with a lack of commentary should be modified a bit. RM

Brackett Cattle Company sign near Three Creek, Idaho. Copyright Ralph Maughan. June 2008

Public lands as carbon sinks

When a lot of folk think about public lands and the value of these places to serve our efforts to curb global climate change they think development. They think of wind farms or solar arrays. If you think about it you can’t really blame them, that’s all they’ve had to think about – with the endless commercials put on by the big “renewable” industry (usually Big Oil patting itself on the back for diversifying), news reports, and politicians making every promise under the sun that the next shiny technology will save the day and let the public keep its wasteful habits. Unfortunately, this thinking doesn’t do a whole lot of good at reducing global warming gases – that’s because renewable energy technologies don’t replace fossil fuel power plants – thus far, they’re doing little more than to serve future increased demand for energy. It’s more cheap energy so people don’t have to think about how they use it. And the planning ! Well, these huge developments on public lands aren’t any good for wildlife either – usually they go where not a lot else has, opening that up has meant that some of the last critical habitat for many species is coveted by some of the largest economic power-houses.

When you think about public lands and the value that these places have to serve our efforts to curb global climate change I’d like you to consider a new idea that is as old as dirt ~ passive restoration. Yes, I’m suggesting that part of the answer might be to remove our footprint on those places we can – and in doing so – let the land catch it’s breath.

Trophic Cascade: Case For Wolves, Part 2

Trophic Cascade: Keeping the Carnivore; Saving the Forest. (Second of Two Parts). By Deb Donahue. Wyomingfile.com

Folks certainly liked the first part judging from the comments. I didn’t know there would be a second part. RM.

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Donahue is a lawyer and public lands law expert

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In case you missed it, here is part I.

House passes the FLAME Act

“Diary of a Mad Voter: Joan McCarter”  Wildfires: House Passes Proactive (Really?) FLAME Act

“When it comes to being forward thinking, proactive and strategically-thinking, the last organization that comes to mind is Congress. But this time, with the FLAME Act, they’ve done it.”

By Joan McCarter, New West. 7-15-08

McCarter argues, correctly I think, that the Bush Administration has used wildlifes to starve the Forest Service budget so there is nothing left for recreation, wildlife, etc.

They do it by requesting a meager amount to fight fires. Then when the fire fighting costs “unexpectedly” exceed the appropriations, they take the money out of other Forest Service accounts.

Congress may put an end to this Administration effort to destroy the Forest Service.

Ninth Circuit orders Bureau of Land Management to evaluate wilderness values on public lands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2008
CONTACT:
Brent Fenty 541-330-2638
Jon Marvel 208-788-2290

PORTLAND, ORE. — The Bureau of Land Management must rewrite its land use plan for southeast Oregon due to a landmark decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday. The BLM wrongly refused to evaluate impacts to wilderness values on the public lands in the challenged plan, according to the decision, which overturned a district court decision upholding the plan.

The ruling will have a profound impact on BLM’s management of the public lands it is charged with protecting. The court specifically rejected BLM’s disavowal of “the very idea of wilderness” as one of many resources and values for which the agency must manage. Finding that the law, including BLM’s own guidance documents, unmistakably requires BLM to analyze impacts to a landscape’s wilderness characteristics, the court vacated the plan and ordered BLM prepare a new plan.

Read the whole Press Release

UPDATE: Read a Copy of the Decision

Waging war on weeds

The Casper Star Tribune highlights an important threat to wildlife habitat – weeds:

Waging war on weeds

The article gives a pretty good indication of the extent to which different weeds threaten wildlife habitat and are an economic scourge – but I will take issue with one statement made in the article :

Native plants have no built-in defense mechanisms against noxious weeds, which spread like a slow wildfire, squeezing out native plants one by one.

This statement is just not true – and it’s a pretty neat thing why it’s not true :

Wells versus wildlife: Drill plan draws flak. Additional Pinedale Mesa rigs will hurt grouse and deer, pollute air, conservationists say.

Wells versus wildlife: Drill plan draws flak. Additional Pinedale Mesa rigs will hurt grouse and deer, pollute air, conservationists say. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

“The new plan would allow year-round drilling to continue. Further, it would allow 15 to 30 percent declines in population numbers and habitat for mule deer, pronghorn, sage grouse and sensitive species before efforts begin to stop any loss.”

Here again is the earlier story on this massive increase in gas wells to be allowed by the Bush/Kempthorne BLM.

Global warming prompts doubt about wildlife conservation in the West

Resistance to the scientific consensus of the existence of climate change is waning ~ politicized prescriptions for inaction and for the relaxation of public environmental laws takes its place.

Last week, federal and state wildlife and public land managers gathered to talk about global warming and the effects it will have on western land and wildlife management. The overwhelming theme, as conveyed to me by several in attendance and passed along by Rocky Barker in the Statesman was dismal. Federal and state managers are preparing to give up on many species in the west.

Warming world prompts change – Rocky Barker – Idaho Statesman

Related Update: Anti-science conservatives must be stopped – Salon.com

BLM plan calls for 4400!! more wells on the Pinedale Anticline

Just incredible! BLM plan calls for more 4400 wells on the Pinedale Anticline. AP

The Doña Ana County Wilderness debate

The Doña Ana County Wilderness debate.

Wilderness bill deepens gap between groups. Las Cruces Sun News.

The good news is that Representative Steve Pearce is running for the U.S. Senate where he is going to be beaten badly. He has been a real problem for the sound management of public lands in New Mexico on many fronts.

House Natural Resoures Committee Invokes Rarely Used Powers to Block Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon

House Natural Resoures Committee Invokes Rarely Used Powers to Block Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon. Ascribe Newswire.

There is also an AP story on this unusual emergency action.

This is not only a threat to the scenic national park, but to the drinking water of 25-million people.

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Update: Permanent protection. Arizona Republic. Not quite, but for 3 years.

“Uranium mining and the Grand Canyon. What a terrible combination. And now it’s prohibited – at least for three years.”

Big Oil told “use it or lose it” by House Natural Resources Committe chair

The oil companies and the President and McCain talk about the need for more leasing of your public lands to big oil, but big oil is appearently sitting on the leases it has.

Democrats Say Oil Companies Should Lose Leases They Don’t Use. By Susan Decker. Bloomberg.

Related. Drilling ban is a myth, figures show. By Ken Ward Jr. Staff writer. Charleston Gazette.

Project [Phantom Hill wolf pack] seeks peace among sheep and wolves

Project seeks peace among sheep and wolves. Diverse group says collaboration could be a model for other wolf-occupied areas. By Jason Kauffman. Idaho Mountain Express Staff Writer.

This high profile project is a semi-official attempt to keep both sheep and the very popular Phantom Hill wolf pack alive. The pack’s territory is mostly in the headwaters area of the Big Wood River inside the Sawtooth National Recreation area.

While I am usually very critical of Wildlife Services, Wildlife Services wolf management specialist Rick Williamson gets a lot of credit as one of the people setting this up. The same true with Carter Niemeyer, who so successfully managed wolves in Idaho when the federal government was running the show.

Credit goes to Defenders of Wildlife who is putting money on the ground and volunteers into this.

Last year this pack did get some short time help (the deterence in the midst of lots of sheep) both formally and informally.

In their official year end report, the Idaho division of Wildlife Services was very negative on this pack, saying it had gotten too many chances, but this project shows what local political support can do.

One reason there is public support for this pack is because, as in Yellowstone, it is visible.

“Bush prepares parting shots”

On the eave of Bill Clinton’s leave from office his administration, among other things, issued orders protecting 60 million acres of public lands from further road development as well as protections for lands by designating National Monuments.  Robust moves like these are made at the hind-end of an administration as there is little threat of political consequence to a departing president.

The same is so with the Bush Administration – though you can imagine who’s benefiting this time around.

Bush prepares parting shots – Mark Jaffe – The Denver Post

Appeals court reopens long quieted Jarbidge road fight

Appeals court reopens long quieted Jarbidge road fight. Rocky Barker. Letters from the West. Idaho Statesman.

Significantly Mother Nature sent a huge boulder crashing down on road the other day. Hopefully that is a good omen for the future.

Copyright © Katie Fite

Collaboration on the Clearwater

Another local conservationist adds his voice to a growing chorus of activists on the ground who are learning first hand the consequences to wildlife and wild places when a particular model of conservation sets its backdrop of hand-picked participants at a table, satisfied with quid pro quos rather than strict adherence to the law.

Gary Macfarlane writes of the looming process of “collaborative” land management in the Clearwater :

Collaboration on the Clearwater – via Counterpunch

A reminder of what appears to be the point of these exercises ~ access and capital to play politics : An Open Letter to the Conservation Community Calling for a Moratorium on Damaging Public Land & Wilderness Legislation 9/12/06 – Read the lettersigned by over 80 local & regional conservation groups.

Big Western Watersheds Project victory on Slickspot Peppergrass

There have been a lot of posts here on the failure to protect and add the beautiful range plant, slickspot peppergrass to the endangered species list.

Once again, the federal courts have told the Administration to get off its butt. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was ordered by Idaho federal judicial district to reconsider its decision not to list slickspot peppergrass as an endangered species.

Judge: Feds must reconsider protecting Idaho plant. By Rebecca Boone. Associated Press Writer.

Legal counsel for WWP was Advocates for the West, Todd Tucci, senior staff attorney.

Judge’s-opinion-slickspot-decision

Judge Molloy limits late snowmobiling season in favor of Flathead grizzlies

Late season, high altitude snowmobiling has been a contentious issue for a long time on the Flathead National Forest. Here is a victory for bear conservationists.

Judge Molloy limits late snowmobiling season in favor of Flathead grizzlies. Daily InterLake. By Jim Mann

PEER tells Senate hearing off-road vehicle regulation going badly on public lands

There is a “showdown” hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee June 5 on the regulation of off-road vehicles on public lands.

This is a news release from Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. No doubt off-road groups will have a different view.

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For Immediate Release: June 4, 2008
Contact: Carol Goldberg (202) 265-7337

OFF-ROAD VEHICLE ROUTE DESIGNATIONS GOING BADLY OFF TRACK — U.S. Senate Hearing Grasping for Solutions to Rising Toll of ORVs on Public Lands

Washington, DC — The national effort to minimize mounting off-road vehicle damage on federal lands by designating routes for motorized traffic is going badly off course, according to congressional testimony released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). As a result, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are wasting substantial time and money without benefiting streams, wildlife, eroding landscapes and the public who hike, fish and camp on these lands.

Is that a power plant on the park horizon ?

New rules governing air quality around national parks and wilderness could make it easier for big energy to put a power plant closer to a park or wilderness area near you :

Is that a power plant on the park horizon ? – The Washington Post

In the West, mining’s return faces resistance

In the West, mining’s return faces resistance. The region’s newcomers, who came for high-tech jobs and scenery, worry about ecological costs. By Ben Arnoldy. Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.
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While there is an economic need for more copper, nickel, tin, etc, there is no need for more gold. Gold is unique because its price is more relevant as a store of wealth (gold investments as an alternative to stocks, bonds, etc.) than as an industrial material. More mining, means more gold, and this is not necessarily a benefit.

However, gold mining is the most destructive of new mines cropping up all over the West and the world. In opposing a new gold mine, you do not have to fight economic arguments about “the need” for a metal.

Sublette County, Wyoming – A peaceful protest on the Pinedale Anticline

In a county that as gone from just a few gas well to one with more wells than residents, there is a protest demonstration scheduled today, Sunday.

The Casper Star Tribune reports that a “retired high school science teacher Elaine Crumpley has helped organize what she’s calling a ‘peaceful protest.’ ” It will be from 1 to 3 p.m. on the Pinedale Anticline, the hill on top of the gas rich geological structure just west of the town of Pinedale.  The protest is to call attention to the proposed gas-field development plan.

Drilling on the Anticline and nearby fields, such as the huge Jonah gas field, has brought standard breaking ozone air pollution and the resulting smog, disruption of wildlife, and damage to ten of thousands of acres of high desert to the formerly scenic upper Green River valley.

Story in the Casper Star Tribune. By Chris Merrill.

GYC alert to stop creation of yet another!! Wyoming elk feedlot

Good for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition on this! This alert gives the information and allows you to send an easy eletter against yet another disease-spreading elk feedlot in the Gros Ventre River drainage (of course, your completely personalized letter is always better).

Energy Leases advance in Wyoming Range mountains despite recent revelations

Energy leasing advances. Controversy fails to stop Bridger-Teton. By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Earlier story on this (April 23). Wyoming Governor: Forest deal ‘suspect’. Federal government gave energy company broad influence over study of Wyo. Range. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Arizona Game and Fish: confusing and error-filled statements about bighorn and desert cougars at Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

If you are not familiar with Kofa, it is huge, almost 700,000 acres.

However, the bighorn have been struggling there, but their numbers are now increasing, a fact the AZ F & G ignored as they announced, but may not honor, a one-year moratorium on removal of desert cougars in the area (perhaps 3 are left).

Blog on the issue.

From PEER. Arizona Game Agency Scapegoats Cougars For Bighorn Travails

Happy Earth Day, How About An Oil Lease?

Diary of a Mad Voter. Happy Earth Day, How About An Oil Lease? By Joan McCarter. New West.

The vast “resources” of oil shale in Utah and Colorado have been hyped for perhaps a hundred years, but no one has figured out how to get this “oil*”  our of the rocks in an economic manner or how to deal with the environmental impacts that will probably dwarf the impacts of oil sands mining in Alberta.

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* Note: the oil in oil shale is actually kerogen, which consists of a changing variety of various organic chemicals.

Governor Freudenthal says drilling industry has too much influence over gas leasing

Governor: Forest deal ‘suspect’ – Federal government gave energy company broad influence over study of Wyoming Range. By Noah Brenner and Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole, Wyo. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

In the process of drilling a well on public land, granting of the lease is the most important legal step. Once the lease is granted, it is almost impossible to stop a well from being drilled short of buying back the lease.

When the government gives a lease or sells a lease, it has transferred a property right. If the Forest Service is in bed with the drilling industry to issue leases without proper analysis, it is actually a form of theft from the public.

Good to see the governor taking some action to protect the Wyoming mountain range. This is a very unstable mountain range. It is subject to mass movement (landslides of all sizes when roads are built). It is also a very scenic range and just full of elk. It could also have a large bighorn sheep herd and lots of wolves and bears, but the livestock industry, especially the sheep industry has kept the bighorns in jeopardy, put the wolves of the area into Wyoming’s new wolf-are-now-vermin zone, and have kept black bear numbers low.

Recovering From Wyoming’s Energy Bender.

This is an op-ed piece in the New York Times giving some uncomfortable truths about Wyoming (uncomfortable to those who believe the official mythology).

Recovering From Wyoming’s Energy Bender. By Alexandra Fuller (Wilson, Wyoming). New York Times.

Deal opens up land to some Yellowstone bison: Officials praise plan as critics say it will make little difference

Deal opens up land to some Yellowstone bison: Officials praise plan as critics say it will make little difference. By Matthew Brown. Associated Press.

I just read some comments on this blog with opinion that the headlines were saying this is a great deal. Above is the exact headline as the Billings Gazette printed it today. Others to the same story do make it seem a bit grand.

The mainstream media usually gives the “official” position some deference at first, but it doesn’t seem to me like the Gazette headline or the actual Matthew Brown story hails this “as breaking an eight-year impasse on one of the National Park Service’s most divisive wildlife issues.” That’s what YNP superintendent Suzanne Lewis called it.

As the true magnitude of this winter’s losses become apparent, the issue will not go away. The tokenism of this gesture will become evident.

There needs to be a petition adding the Yellowstone bison to the endangered species list and separate populations established. Before anyone says “Oh, there are hundreds of thousands of bison in the United States,” it should be pointed out that none of them are pure bison. They have cattle genes, an animal not native even to this continent.

This is a classic example of the danger of having all of a rare species in one place. If a species is all in one small space, it doesn’t matter a great deal if there are 10,000, 4000, or 1000. They can all be reduced to dangerous territory by the coincidence of a couple adverse events.

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Update: the story in the Bozeman Chronicle. The plan is utterly worthless. Read this part. “Plans now call for toleration of 25 bison that have tested negative for the disease. In future years, up to 100 would be allowed, but only until April 15, when all bison would be hazed back into the park.”

. . . . . .

“This is the first time since the (bison plan) was implemented that they’ve done anything on the conservation side,” said Michael Scott, executive director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. “It sets us on a course for finding more room for bison around the park.”

GYC, the National Wildlife Federation, the National Parks Conservation Association and the Montana Wildlife Federation have pledged to help with the fundraising.

Errol Rice, executive director of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said he wasn’t surprised at the announcement and that his group will carefully monitor the situation to make sure bison don’t stay out of the park past April 15. [Boldface mine]

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These groups are going to cooperate with these greedy bastards! Give your money to the Buffalo Field Campaign and Western Watsheds Project instead.

Beaverhead Forest Plan revision

This southwest Montana national forest is the largest in Montana, with many mountain ranges, splendid backcountry and scenic frontcountry as well. There are many species of wildlife. I could go on, but the important point is that the comment period on the new forest plan has been extended to the end of April.

Not only has there been controversy from off-road vehicle users, various conservation organizations have had differing perspectives.

Hoping folks will comment, here is some information from 3 conservation sources and the Forest Service. Please add more links as you wish in the comments.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/forest-plan/index-plan-document-maps.shtml
http://www.greateryellowstone.org/issues/issue.php?threatID=32
http://www.wildmontana.org/takeaction/actnow_detail.php?id=4
http://www.wildlandscpr.org/action-alert/comment-deadline-extended-beaverhead-deerlodge-revised-forest-plan

Forest Service May Move to Interior. Some See Agency As Out of Place Under the USDA

Forest Service May Move to Interior. Some See Agency As Out of Place Under the USDA. By Christopher Lee. Washington Post Staff Writer.

While this may seem new, this is one of the oldest controversies in the history of American conservation.

The Forest Service began at the end of the 19th century as the Division of Forestry in the Department of Interior. President Theodore Roosevelt and his key advisor, forester Gifford Pinchot, pushed to move the Division of Forestry to the Department of Agriculture. USDA was then a new department. Many felt it was progressive and science-minded compared to the old line Department of Interior, then properly regarded as a site of corruption. The Division was moved, renamed the U.S. Forest Service, and Pinchot became the first Chief Forester. He had a very close relation with President Roosevelt during his time in office.

Pinchot was the father of the concept that the national forests should be used for many things (multiple use), not protection of wildlife and scenery alone. In fact, he devalued these latter ideas, causing a split in the early conservation movement between the utilitarian and development minded conservationists and those who sided with John Muir — “esthetic conservationists.” Both were disliked in places like Idaho. In fact, Idaho’s senator Heyburn (an early day Larry Craig) successfully pushed legislation to stop the creation of more national forests by the President.

US House Natural Resources Committee has hearing on ORV damage on public lands

First, the Las Vegas Review Journal. OHV misuse criticized in U.S. House .Off-road fans, critics face off: Even riders see damages left by few.

House panel told public lands overrun by ORVs. Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT).

“. . . the 300 arrests and 37 injuries at a gathering of 1,000 ORV users at the Little Sahara Recreation Area in Utah last year to illustrate how bad things are getting.”

Experts: Off-road vehicles threat to public lands. By Noelle Straub. Missoulian D.C. Bureau

– – – –

New and related. Colorado wildlife officers can now ticket for illegal riding. Grand Junction Sentinel. This will be a great help to the too thinly spread Forest Service and BLM enforcement officers. 

Roadless without a map. Hazy Horizon for West’s Roadless Lands

This article in New West is a good update on the status of the National Forest roadless area issue. Roadless without a map. Hazy Horizon for West’s Roadless Lands. By David Frey.

In fact there is a very good map of the roadless areas on-line. It is an interactive map to which you can contribute photos and comments. Roadlessland.org.

USFWS greatly expands proposed critical habitat for lynx

This is a great improvement over their first proposal, which was pathetic, and, once again, this new proposal was strongly influenced by the effect of disgraced Julie MacDonald, the deputy assistant secretary of Interior who was far too friendly with industry lobbyists.

So many species have advanced, although not yet to the final stage since she was sent packing, that it almost seems like a good thing she was in her position, eventually serving to make the courts look into the corruption.

Story: Proposal would increase critical lynx habitat. By John Cramer of the Missoulian

Approaching: Mark Rey’s court date

This has got to be one of my favorite stories. It is too rare these days that public officials are directly held to account. The court date for Rey is set for Tuesday.

Agriculture chief may face jail time

As the story illustrates, and we’ve gone over before, Rey spent much time with disgraced Sen. Larry Craig and as a former timber lobbyist before being appointed undersecretary for natural resources and agriculture by the Bush Administration. Rey moved to privatize your public land, dismantle the legal safeguards for wild places, and so much more.

Although I am skeptical about the possibility that Rey will indeed be thrown behind bars for this particular contempt, he should be – the lawlessness and public land profiteering personified by this man ought be reprimanded, he’d make a fine example.

Forest Service could quash Wyoming Range leases

This doesn’t meant they will, but Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo has a bill to stop leasing and buyout and permanently retire areas already leased.

Story in the Casper Star Tribune. By Chris Merrill.

Update Gov. Freudenthal seeks delay on Wyo. Range drilling plan. AP

For those folks who love the mountains adjacent to the Tetons and Yellowstone, don’t overlook the 700,000 acre Wyoming Range. It is truly a beautiful place.

Background. Wyoming Range Legacy Act Introduced!

For interactive map and photos of the roadless areas in the Wyoming Range, go to roadlessland.org and select the Grayback Ridge and/or the South Wyoming Range roadless areas. Direct link to Grayback. Direct link to South Wyoming Range. Direct link to the Commissary Ridge roadless area.

Federal Government Releases Public-Lands Grazing Fee For 2008 is Lower Than Ever, Despite Rising Costs To Taxpayers

New on Feb. 8.  Rocky Barker. Low federal grazing fees lie at heart of calls for reform. Idaho Statesman.

Feb. 6. This news release came from the Arizona Office of the Western Watersheds Project. The subsidy to cattle and sheep growers on our public lands just keeps getting worse. $1.35 an AUM is the lowest the law will permit, but with inflation, in real dollars it keeps getting lower and lower. Now it is only about 40% of the minimum permitted when PIRA was passed back in 1978.
_______________

Contact: Greta Anderson, WWP Arizona Director 520-623-1878

February 6, 2008– Today, the federal government announced the public lands grazing fee for 2008: a mere $1.35 per cow, per month to graze on our National Forests and BLM lands on 235 million acres in the West.

A report by the Government Accountability Office in 2005 showed that BLM and Forest Service grazing receipts fell far short of their expenditures on grazing by almost $115 million. The fee decreased from $2.36 per AUM (animal unit month) in 1980 to the current

Land agencies could endure heavy cuts under new Bush budget

Bush released his proposed FY 2009 budget yesterday. It cuts just about every domestic government agency and program. Defense would get a 7% increase.

Land management agencies get the ax again. The National Park Service is said to be one exception, although the story in the Missoulian as an update indicates even this is slight-of-hand. The oil and gas portion of the BLM’s budget will go up. Land agencies could endure heavy cuts. By Noelle Straub. Billings Gazette Washington Bureau.

His budget received heavy criticism in Congress. I found the Republican National Committee had good things to say about the budget on-line, but the National Republican Congressional Committee (the Republican caucus in the House) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee were silent.

The major newspapers I read were critical. There will be a big battle over this budget.

Update. National Parks budget falls short, critics say. By Michael Jamison. The Missoulian

Update. Congress Looks Askance at Bush’s Budget. By Jim Abrams. AP.

Livestock industry has no use for wildlife, period

Earlier, I posted this as a comment, but I think the issue is important enough this it be a post.

– – – – –

I don’t think people realize that the western livestock industry and many outfitters have a mindset that does not value wildlife at all. All animals, including wildlife, are valued only as a commodity. And one of the best ways to maximize the private profitability of these animals is to own them and feed them.

From this viewpoint, wildlife is just plain inefficient. Put them in an enclosure and maximize their size. End of discussion.

Have people noticed that many former woolgrowers are getting into the elk farming/elk shooting business because it is more profitable than raising sheep?

Stan Boyd, who seems to have tremendous influence over the governor of Idaho and the state legislature works for both the Idaho Elk Breeders Association and the Idaho Woolgrowers.

Many outfitters are also ranchers, and so their view of wildlife is the view of the livestock they raise. Elk are just livestock they don’t have complete control over.

Now that they seem to have won on the wolf issue (wolves having no value as livestock), they are ready to start removing bighorn sheep from the public lands because their grip on bighorn is slipping.

As Robert Hoskins has repeatedly written, the Wyoming legislature is moving more and more to restrict Wyoming Game and Fish Department, prevent them from even holding public land grazing permits (where elk could graze in the winter), and to further promote the feedlot practice of elk management.

For those who didn’t follow these issues before the wolves were reintroduced, the Western Livestock Industry had no use for any carnivore, or any animal that is inherently non-game (like bluebirds, or desert tortoise).

They tolerate elk, deer, moose, pronghorn as long as these animals don’t interfere with their livestock operations and they receive “depredation” payments from the Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife (or whatever the state calls it), if these generally useless animals get into their haystacks or fields.

Ranchers say they are being squeezed out on Bighorn National Forest

This came from the Billings Gazette and was republished today in Casper Star Tribune. Ranchers say they are being squeezed.

It is true the Western Watersheds Project is trying to establish the rule of law on the Bighorn National Forest, and if you have have read the posts of Robert Hoskins about the defective nature of democracy in Wyoming (run as fiefdom by the livestock and mineral industry), one way of having your influence felt is to donate to the Western Watersheds Project.

US Forest Service is considering a massive restructuring

Forest Service looks at changes. By Brodie Farquhar. Casper Star-Tribune correspondent.

This proposal would greatly change this old line public lands agency. It will further deplete the number of employees actually on the ground.

Here is the view of PEER. It’s a new release.

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. Forest Service To Pull Its Scientists And Planners From Field. Massive Consolidation of NEPA Functions Will Take Thousands Out of Forests.

Part of this may be due to the fact that they lose NEPA lawsuit after lawsuit to conservation groups, but the problem is not inability to prepare a proper environmental impact statements, but under the Bush Administration the failure to obey the laws of the land.

Idaho roadless plan is good but it needs tweaking, Risch says

Idaho’s roadless plan is good but it needs tweaking, Risch says. He says it needs to further restrict logging, but conservationists say that revision is not enough. Idaho Statesman. By Erika Bolstad.

This roadless area plan was developed by Risch in 2006 while he was briefly governor. He was one of just a few governors who took up Bush’s offer to states to let them resolve the roadless area issue (subject to Bush Administration approval). Most governors preferred President Clinton’s total protection plan.

The Administration’s final approval was for a modified plan that provided significantly less protection than Risch had proposed (more logging). Now Risch is running for the U.S. Sentate to replace Larry Craig (his Democratic opponent will be Larry LaRocco, a former Idaho congressman).

Blaine County ORV enthusiasts blame wolves to prevent BLM closures in wintering habitat

Off-road ‘enthusiasts’ (snowmobiles) expressed their disdain for a “Blaine County Cooperative Conservation Recreation and Travel Plan” which would close BLM and state big game wintering habitat to both motorized and non-motorized recreationists on either side of the Wood River Valley “only when harsh winter conditions warrant.”

Motorized users express outrage over BLM travel plan
Snowmobiles don’t harm wintering big game, they claim :

On Wednesday, many of these speakers said the only negative impact on wintering deer and elk is the area’s growing gray wolf population. They claimed snowmobiles do not harm deer or elk in any way.

This ‘wolves as whipping-boy’ phenomenon is growing.

I’ve got extended family in West Yellowstone that compelled me to write this personal anecdotal account of snowmobiles’ general affect on me last year. Whatever a person’s take on snowmachines is, to say that they don’t disturb wildlife is … less than honest …

Bush Administration Abandons Effort to Undercut National Forest Protections

It looks like the horrible 2005 Bush rule governing forest management is a relic of the past. Monday, the government filed a motion to dismiss its appeal of a court decision striking down the Bush rule.

Bush Administration Abandons Effort to Undercut National Forest Protections

In memoriam:

Bush Administration tries again with new Forest Service regulations

Court victory over Bush forest planning rules causes halt in Shoshone National Forest plan

Federal judge tosses out new [Bush] rules governing national forests

Critics hit bill on bark beetles. Senator Barrasso’s forest bill claims called ‘dishonest.’

Earlier I posted about Wyoming US Senator John Barrasso’s “Wyoming Forest and Watershed Restoration Act of 2007” which would allow the state of Wyoming to subcontract US Forest Service lands to timber companies with the notion that this would somehow stop the beetle epidemic that is sweeping the state (actually sweeping most of the Rocky Mountains states and Provinces).

It continues to get negative media coverage. Critics hit bill on bark beetles. Barrasso’s forest bill claims called ‘dishonest.’  Jackson Hole News and Guide. By Noah Brenner.

Barrasso’s move is, sadly enough, typical of a number important political and economic leaders. They use our growing situation of planetary distress as a great way to advance their personal objectives — all the morality of maggot.

Western Watersheds Project sues Bighorn National Forest on grazing

Western Watersheds Project sues Bighorn National Forest on grazing. By Tom Morton. Casper Star Tribune.

Wyoming US Senator’s bill claims to target beetle kill in Wyoming; others say he is really interested in a public lands giveaway

Barrasso bill targets beetle kill. By Brodie Farquhar. Casper Star-Tribune correspondent.

Whatever his motives, logging has never stopped any of the current beetle kill which is taking place all over the Rocky Mountains. That’s because beetles are not the ultimate cause; it’s the warming climate. The winters are no longer cold enough to kill beetle infestations.

People don’t realize it, but most of the coninferous forests are going to die and then burn to be replaced by something else — what is not clear.

Bush Administration trying to charge fees to photo and film on the public lands.

Now the Bush Administration wants to charge fees and require permits for people who commercially take photos or film in the national parks, national forests, BLM lands and wildlife refuges.

This is another attempt to steal your rights to use your public land right out from under you, and also to prevent coverage of what is going on on the public lands. It is also a clear violation of your First Amendment Rights.

I can see a ranger asking you for your permit to photograph the pollution running out of oil well on the national forest.

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Closely related to this new attempt to take away your natural rights as an American is the growing citizen movement to fight back against the RAT (Recreation Access Tax). Story: Turning Back the Clock to the Good Old Days. What the Baucus-Crapo Bill Does. New West by Bill Schneider.

Breaking story: Fees proposed by Bush Administration for filming and photography on public lands. By Les Blumenthal.

More on the RAT, privatization, and the last year of dirty deeds by the Bushies.

David Neiwert wrote this insightful piece.

Neiwart, I should add is an expert on the ideas of the Western extreme right wing. Everyone should read his book In God’s Country: The Patriot Movement and the Pacific Northwest. WSU Press. 1999.

The Phonies in the Woods. By David Neiwert. Common Sense. He discusses the RAT tax, the end days of the Bush Administration (it looks ugly for the outdoors), turning the woods over to private outfitters, and how old western establishment, typified by Larry Craig, keep Westerners confused and disorganized.

This article has a lot of excellent links to earlier material.

Senators Baucus and Crapo trying to repeal the R.A.T.

Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act (FLREA) was passed in the dark of night in 2004. It has become known to its opponents as the Recreation Access [to public lands] tax, or “the RAT,” for helping us remember it.

By “dark of the night,” I mean it was added to the omnibus appropriations bill with no debate, by Republican US Representative Ralph Regula of Ohio. This came on the heels of the 2-year Recreation Demonstration Fee Program which had proven unpopular, but limited in extent.

Bush’s Forest Service losses a big case

Wow! the legal kickback on the Bush Administration’s lack of attention to the laws is coming fast and furious.

Two days ago, it was the big sage grouse case (which impacts way more than this beautiful upland game bird). Now is it his administration’s misnamed “Healthy Forests Initiative.

Story. Associated Press. Appeals Court Blocks Bush Logging Rule

From the Sierra Club on the decision. Sierra Club Victory in Ninth Circuit Deals Blow to Bush Administration’s So-Called “Healthy Forests” Initiative.

The case is Sierra Club v. Bosworth.

Trout Unlimited protests planned BLM leases in NW Wyoming

The BLM is intent on turning even more prime wildlife habitat and trout streams over to the tender mercies of the oil companies.

This story tells of their effort to retard this. By Ruffin Prevost. Billings Gazette.

Sylvan Pass will stay open

The final decision for winter use for Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks has been signed. Sylvan Pass will remain open this winter with the use of howitzers and helicopters for avalanche control despite the huge cost of doing so for a trickle of snowmobilers.

The Park Service, however, will not send personnel up to shoot shells into the snow if they deem it too dangerous, as has been the case in the past. So at least Park employees will not be expected to sacrifice their lives for the perceived benefit of a few Cody, Wyoming businesses.

Once again, I think this illustrates what I said about Cody, Wyoming as Wyoming town most negative to wildlife and sound management of Yellowstone Park in the public rather than a parochial interest.

Story in the Casper Star Tribune. Sylvan Pass will stay open. By Whitney Royster.

Reid confirms Laverty while Wyden welcomes twins

 

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden’s hold on Lyle Laverty’s appointment as assistant Interior secretary for fish, wildlife and parks was broken when Senator Harry Reid pushed the confirmation through while Wyden was away from the Senate welcoming the arrival of his newborn twins. 

  

Lost River Range: Pass Creek, Pine Creek, Wet Creek

This is from the WWP blog about a range inspection tour we went on back in early October on the Lost River Ranger District. That is in the Lost River Mountains. We looked at conditions at the end of the grazing season in Pass Creek, Pine Creek, and Wet Creek. The Forest Service district ranger (new to the area) came along with one of her range conservation officers.

Things did not look good.

I have been going to this scenic area since the late 1970s, and it was the worst I have seen it, probably due to the drought and heat this summer.

It is still scenic if you look at the mountain peaks and Pass Creek gorge, but you have to look down too.

This is potentially one of the nicest drives in the West (up Pass Creek and over the top down Wet Creek to the Little Lost River Valley), but the intensity of the grazing guarantees it isn’t. Then too on the Wet Creek side the private land has been fenced. They may be good in keeping public land grazers’ cows off private land, but the fence has eliminated the pronghorn that used to always be there, often racing and passing your vehicle.

Lost River Range: Pass Creek, Pine Creek, Wet Creek. From WWP blog.

Wild Bill: Should new Wilderness areas allow mountain bikes as a way of gathering political support?

This is a pretty controversial topic. When the Wilderness Act was passed in 1964, there were not really any mountain bikes. The Act clearly bans motorized recreation, but it is somewhatunclear about muscle powered mechanical. I think it is clear enough that the judgment is against bikes.

The regulations written to flesh out the Act prohibited mountain bikes. The government’s interpretation has been very purist. Some really like that; others don’t; but it surely makes it harder to pass a Wilderness Bill.

Some mountain bike organizations have supported Wilderness anyway, but others have teamed up politically with the real target of the Wilderness Act, motorcycles, ATVs (although they didn’t exist in 1964), 4 x 4s, aircraft (except for some grandfathered backcountry airstrips), motorboats.

Allowing mountain bikes will probably require an explicit statement that they are allowed in future legislation.

Wild Bill: Are We Ready for Wilderness Lite? By Bill Schneider. New West.

Here is the text of the Act regarding “prohibited uses,”

(c) Except as specifically provided for in this chapter, and subject to existing private rights, there shall be no commercial enterprise and no permanent road within any wilderness area designated by this Act and, except as necessary to meet minimum requirements for the administration of the area for the purpose of this Act (including measures required in emergencies involving the health and safety of persons within the area), there shall be no temporary road, no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within any such area.

Senate Subcommittee considers Great Basin management

The Senate Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee is holding a hearing in Las Vegas today ~ Thursday, October 11 ~ to discuss threats to the Great Basin. From what I gather, fire and cheatgrass will be highlighted on the agenda. Subscription only article from E & E :

The Senate Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee looks at environmental threats facing rangelands and forests in the Great Basin at a field hearing Thursday in Las Vegas.

The Great Basin includes much of Nevada, western Utah, the lower third of Idaho, the southeastern corner of Oregon and a narrow strip of eastern California. It has been under assault recently by a combination of invasive species, wildfire, drought and climate change.

The hearing has the potential to alter the current momentum of the debate over how best to manage habitat in the West that continues to diminish ~ habitat that is critical to the almost listed pygmy rabbit, sage grouse, and a host of other species including pronghorn, a variety of beautiful birds, fish, and other wonderous plants and animals.

New Rocky Mountain Front travel plan emphasizes solitude rather than ATVs

The Lewis and Clark National Forest issued a new travel plan governing the lower two-thirds of the Rocky Mountain Front for the next 20 years.

It came after a full environmental impact statement and receipt of 46,000 comments. It looks like good news for wildlife.

Story originally from the Missoulian and reprinted in the Billings Gazette. By Perry Backus.

Lost River Mountains sure are pretty except . . .

. . . . when you look down at your feet in the meadows.

We went on a range inspection tour Oct. 2, 2007. We inspected the Pass Creek Grazing Allotment. The photo below shows a headwaters tributary of Wet Creek, an important Bull Trout stream.

The little stream (Pine Creek) gradually gained water — burbling and splashing along as it carried a fine mixture of mud and manure down from Pass Creek pass toward the Little Lost River Valley below.

The humps are long lasting features caused by cattle standing on a wet meadow.

All-terrain vehicles restricted to only some terrain. Government limits off-road recreation

All-terrain vehicles restricted to only some terrain. Government limits off-road recreation. By Patrick O’Driscoll. USA Today.

The days of legal, recreational cross country travel on public lands of the United States (that is, off road or off trail) are just about over. Of course, there is little money to enforce it right now due to the failure of the Bush Administration to seek adequate funds for the agencies. On the other hand, the inexpensive way to write the rules if you have little money is to say “nothing off-trail” and a route is closed to motor vehicles unless a sign says it is open to them.

Related story in southern Idaho. Geared for conflict. Public land use evolves with high ATV traffic. By Matt Christensen. Times News.

Note: Congress actually appropriates the funds, but last year they could not produce a budget. So the government has been running for a year on a “continuing resolution,”or “CR.” which keeps the old budget figures intact (except for the “supplemental appropriations” Congress has since passed, mostly for the civil war in Iraq).

This year Congress has given the land management agencies a big increase, but Bush is threatening a veto and his stated that a CR might be OK for the second year a row.

BLM approves $23M to restore ID, NV land charred by Murphy range fire

Money is coming to “rehabilitate” the vast acreage burned by the Murphy fire. Unfortunately, it will not all be native seed and they want to build a lot of “temporary” fences. These temporary fences turn out almost always to be permanent to the detriment of wildlife.

Story in the Times News. BLM approves $23M to restore ID, NV land charred by the Murphy fire. By John Miller.

This blog and the WWP blog have covered the Murphy Fire extensively. There are also very good photos of area burned on the web site of the Western Watersheds Project.

– – – –

Headwaters News had a quote from the story by John Miller as their quote of the day:

Quote of the day:

“Fencing of any kind interferes with wildlife migration and can be fatal to sage grouse.”

Jon Marvel, director of the Idaho-based Western Watersheds Project, on his group’s objection to BLM funds being used to replace fences burned by wildfires.
– Twin Falls Times News (AP)

Bison hunt begins in National Elk Refuge

This new bison hunt is controversial, but I see as necessary in the short run because of the continued winter feeding of elk in Wyoming, which by default also means feeding bison in the winter. It is controversial because it is hardly a hunt. It is a herd reduction measure.

The Yellowstone bison are not fed and leave the Park looking for food, and the herd is largely self-regulating. The Jackson Hole bison are limited only by summer range, having plenty of artificial feed during the winter. As a result, Grand Teton National Park has an excess of bison, and the herd just keeps on growing. The Jackson Hole bison have little winter mortality, and they are increasingly taking over the valley floor in Jackson Hole and damaging wildlife habitat.

Everyone should note that while Montana livestock politicians are seemingly always in a panic if bison leave Yellowstone Park, suposedly because of the brucellosis infection in the herds, Wyoming livestock politicians are much more interested in keeping the winter feedlots open even though that perpetuates a brucellosis disease rate far higher than in Yellowstone Park.

Once again, the bison issue and problems are really problems spawned by the livestock industry’s insistence on being first in line in the Yellowstone region.

Here is the story in the Jackson Hole News and Guide. By Corey Hatch.

Domestic livestock disease is killing wildlife

Bluetongue is a disease carried by livestock which has been found to be spreading into game populations, killing antelope and white-tail deer. Montana has confirmed two deaths caused by the disease, and flights indicate a significant amount of dead animals:

“Bluetongue can affect wildlife, and we got testing results back on our first two animals Tuesday that show bluetongue was the cause of death,” said Jay Newell, wildlife biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks at Roundup.

Disease is a significant consequence of intermingling domesticated livestock with wild animals. Consider the Buffalo slaughter in yellowstone ~ brucellosis was originally introduced by livestock, the consequences of the domesticated arrangement in the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming, or the die-offs of bighorn intermingling with domestic sheep.

Note: Western Watersheds Project, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, and the Wilderness Society have re-opened litigation regarding the use of the Salmon River Driveway to trail domestic sheep off of the Payette National Forest, a practice that exposes bighorn to epizootic diseases.

Craig, “ecoterrorists”, hidden riders, and industrial legacy

There is no doubt, the hoopla surrounding ID Senator Larry Craig is a well deserved condemnation of hypocrisy that’s been years in the coming and nobody is celebrating his descent more than progressives throughout the Northwest. Now, he has resigned effective September 30.

But the shamefull manner in which a powerful Republican Senator squandered his standing is thankfully failing to completely overshadow just what it is many in Idaho and throughout the West are celebrating:

In the meantime, his actions in backrooms of the nation’s capital deserve attention. Call it a Craig’s List of how to block good deeds, or at least see that they don’t go unpunished.

U.S. Senate Environment Committee Member Fined for Lewd Behavior

Senator Larry Craig’s predicament is hardly news, so most of this story is now old news. U.S. Senate Environment Committee Member Fined for Lewd Behavior. ENS. However, the story describes some of the recent actions the Senator has taken against protecting our environment. This and the WWP blog have also chronicled his attempt to use the big range fires to advance an agenda that would not heal the land, but continue old practices of grazing that have played a major role leading us to their extremely flammable condition.

The ENS story only mentions his recent assaults against good conservation practices, but the Senator has boosted welfare ranching, the timber industry, oil and gas, and numerous polluters for a generation and a half. The latest news is that he is now resigning from his Senate Committees, places where he plotted midnight riders to sweep aside laws that benefited wildlife, clean air, and regulation of natural resource industries.

Many suspected until just the other day that Craig would force through some measure to guarantee that the awful grazing status quo would remain in force in the area swept by the giant Murphy Fire. Now with his Republican colleagues telling him to step down, there is more hope for our native wildlife, vegetation and land.

– – – –

Note: more specifically, Craig was asked and agreed to temporarily step down as the ranking (top) Republican on the Veteran Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, and Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The last two are critically important for management of our public lands.

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Federal recreation access fees have become a shakedown of the public.

Ted Williams wrote this. It’s in Read It Here Magazine.

The fees are on other folk’s minds too. The Forest for the Fees. By Brian Park and Joshua Zaffos. Rocky Mountain Chronicle. 

Guest opinion: Western Watersheds not to blame for Murphy fires

Some time ago, this web site posted the opinion of public lands rancher and state legislator Bert Brackett on the Murphy fire complex.

Here again is Brackett’s opinion. Failed policy based on flawed science has gotten us here. Guest opinion in the Idaho Statesman. Brackett blamed the Western Watersheds Project because it won a lawsuit and then entered into an agreement that reduced grazing by 30% in the BLM’s Jarbidge Resource Area where a good deal of the fire burned.

The Statesman then published a guest opinion from Jon Marvel, executive director of the WWP.

Here is Marvel’s guest opinion. Western Watersheds not to blame for Murphy fires. Idaho Statesman. In addition to the extreme dryness and heat, Marvel blamed it in 100 years of mismanagement of ranchers and the BLM from over grazing that promoted the spread of cheat grass and the planting of exotic grasses like crested wheatgrass which did not, as predicted, retard fire. The end result was more fuel to burn than before cattle and sheep were brought to this land. The livestock also wiped out the green riparian areas that served as barriers to range fires. This included not just green grass, but green shrubs and trees that supported beaver ponds. The ponds created large hard-to-burn areas that were difficult for fires to cross over.

Bush top forestry official could be jailed for contempt of court

I am reposting this because there were a lot of technical defects in my original post several days ago.

Judge: Bush Official Faces Contempt of Court. By Jeff Bernard. Washington Post.
“If found in contempt, Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, could go to jail until the Forest Service complies with the court order to do the environmental review.“

Rey, a former timber lobbyist, is the boss over the Chief of the Forest Service. He failed to produce a report U.S. District Judge Donald W. Malloy in Missoula had ordered about impacts of dropping ammonium phosphate on streams. This fertilizer is the main ingredient in fire retardants. Many fish have been killed.

A stint in jail for Rey is being requested because the Forest Service is legally immune to fines. There has to be some penalty to make Bush officials obey the courts. They just seem to think laws, orders from judges, orders from Congress, etc. are all optional. There’s the US Government and then there is the Bush Government.

– – – –
The Sierra Club had plenty to say about Rey.

August 23, 2007
Firestorm at the Fire Service
By Josh Dorner

The Bush administration seems to have mastered the dark art of making the cure worse than the disease. Take people who were the victims of natural disasters and put them in trailers that will make them sick and even possibly kill them; send people to Ground Zero and the surrounding area without proper protection after 9/11 and then lie about the health consequences (and then later lie to cover up the your first lies); or maybe, you know, take away our civil rights in order to “protect” us.

Unchanged (for the Worse) since 1872

The General Mining Law of 1872 is among the last statutory survivors of the boisterous era of westward expansion. Essentially unchanged since Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law, it sets the basic rules for mining hard-rock minerals like gold, copper and uranium on public lands.

Read the rest of the NYT editorial urging reform to bring hard rock mining laws from the 19th to the 21st century. New York Times. Editorial.

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BLM Sees Worsening Off-Road Crisis (Marauding bands of off-roaders now threaten the public)

BLM Sees Worsening Off-Road Crisis Risking Visitor Safety. Ranger Ordered to Ignore Emergency in “Near Riot” at Utah’s Little Sahara. News Release form P.E.E.R.

“Over last Easter Weekend at Little Sahara,  37 injuries, including a state Highway Patrol officer, and some 300 arrests and citations were tallied. More than 50 officers from state, federal and local agencies called to the scene tried unsuccessfully to cope with numerous sexual assaults and other attacks attributed to marauding bands of off-roaders.”

Bush Administration tries again with new Forest Service regulations

The Administration’s earlier attempt to revise the rules for national forest planning were quickly shot down by a federal court because they made the forest plans no longer subject to serious public comment and attempted to avoid NEPA for what had been the guiding document as to how a national forest would be managed for about a ten year period.

But these things were hardly the only things wrong with the new planning rule. Opponents argued in court that both the intent and the specifics of the guiding law, the National Forest Management Act of 1976, were being changed. The judge didn’t even bother to get that far before he told the Administration to start over, so they have.

Now they propose basically the same rules, but with public involvement and an environmental impact statement restored.

This will probably be struck down in court again, just like their proposed new grazing rules for BLM lands were.

The fundamental problem with this Administration is they don’t like public lands, they don’t like the public land laws, and they don’t think they have to obey any law they don’t like whether it has to do with public lands, the military, or anything else.

Bush and Cheney should have been impeached, removed from office, and made subject to penalties for the crimes they may have committed (after appropriate due process of law). They have violated their oath of office and committed high crimes and misdemeanors, IMO.

Jan. 2009, when they are gone, seems like forever away.

• Critics assail revised forest rules. By Noelle Straub. Casper Star-Tribune Washington bureau.
• Forest Service Proposes New Forest Rules. By Matthew Daily. The Associated Press.

In the last line of this story, Matthew Daily wrote, “A Forest Service spokeswoman said the new plan would take effect after 60 days and was not subject to judicial review.” Yes, I suppose the Administration believes they are no longer subject to the courts as well as to statutory law.

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Rocky Barker drives another nail in coffin of Craig/Crapo/Otter analysis of the Murphy Fire

If the BLM had only fought faster, if there were not all those regulations to protect the environment and native artifacts, then the huge Murphy range fire would have been quickly put out by nearby ranchers . . . that’s a key part of the tale they tell.

Rocky Barker’s blog today says that “On July 16, more than 1,500 lightning strikes were recorded on the Twin Falls District of the Bureau of Land Management in southern Idaho alone.” Nineteen fire starts were confirmed. The thinly stretched BLM actually put out 15 of the 19 confirmed starts (there were probably more because 40 were called in).

Rocky Barker’s blog: Firefighters overwhelmed by lightning [on Murphy Fire complex]. Idaho Statesman.

Regarding the resources available to fight these fires, it’s time folks start to look at Craig and Crapo’s actions in Congress to provide resources for firefighting. In addition, in recent years monies to fight fires have been stolen from the recreation, wildlife, and other segments of the public land agencies budgets.

Casewell Confirmed as BLM director

Jim Caswell gets confirmed as BLM director of 264 million acres of public lands by voice vote Friday as Colorado Senator Ken Salazar folds his hold when promised a letter from Kempthorne. Salazar’s hold on the nomination was to protest against natural gas development in his district.

Caswell’s comments to FWS in support of the Wolf (10j rule) changes:

Update. Story on what led to Casewell’s confirmation — a deal to mitigate oil and gas damage to the Roan Plateau in western Colorado. Salazar wins delay in Roan Plateau plan. By Todd Hartman.  Rocky Mountain News. 

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Western governors declare war on cheatgrass

Western Governors yesterday held a press conference to declare war on cheatgrass.

I can’t help but think back to an article on NewWest describing the importance of words when considering conservation politics – politics in general.

We’ve got a good idea how politicians in cowboy suits conduct their perpetual wars. Now it’s been declared in the West, on up to a million acres recently charred by fire – against an infliction of the range which follows the very ‘prescriptions’ that they call for. They’re chasing their tails, and in the process turning your public lands into their private pasture.

It’s time for sagebrush patriots to rally against the land stealing rebels

The winter before last, emboldened by their power, California’s Representative from the Tracy area area, Richard Pombo, teamed up with Jim Gibbons of Nevada and hatch a scheme to steal the public lands under the disguise of mining reform.

In a move surprising to many, Westerners rallied against them, and before long Western Republicans who’d long had little good to say about public lands such as Craig Thomas, Mike Enzi, and even Larry Craig were backpeddling, and pledging their fealty to our birthright of room to roam, our great public land heritage. Even Butch Otter, then a member of the House who was proposing to sell off 20% of the national forests, etc. to pay for Hurricane Katrina, was quickly forced to drop his bill lest he lose his race for governor.

Of course, their conversion was “lite.”Now they are back at it, using the fires as the latest weapon against the public lands. John Miller’s article on the fire’s stirring an “ember of the sagebrush rebellion” should be a wake-up call. This isn’t really about fire. The fires are their vehicle to attack the public land management agencies, the firefighters, policies designed to elevate the importance of wildlife, recreation, and the average citizen. They mean to take it away from you.

It’s got to be once again more into the breach for the public land patriots.

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States line up against Wyoming’s bid to overturn the reinstated roadless rule

To sum it up, President Clinton issued an executive order that the Forest Service would keep all the non-wilderness, but yet roadless areas on the national forests, free of new permanent roads.

There were a number of court challenges filled to this by states like Wyoming and Idaho. They had mixed success. Then, new President George W. Bush rescinded the roadless area protection rule. More court cases were filed, and eventually the Administration said the states could petition a special committee to adopt a state-created plan to manage the roadless area for various development and retention purposes. Idaho was the only state to do this. The plan was created and adopted by the committee. Most of the rest of the states, but not Wyoming, said “keep the roadless areas, roadless”.

Then a California district judge ruled the whole Bush enterprise invalid, restoring the Clinton rules, but Wyoming is going to its favorite judge, Clarence Brimmer of the Wyoming federal district, to try to invalidate the California judge, at least for Wyoming. The result could be a different “law” for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the 10th Circuit Court.

California, Montana, New Mexico and Oregon have formally intervened in the case arguing that Wyoming’s case threatens them.

Here is the AP story: States line up against overturning roadless rule.

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In Idaho’s Pioneer Mountains roadless area. Fall creek canyon.

Caswell’s nomination to head BLM passes Senate Committe, but Senator Salazar keeps it “on hold”

Although the nomination of Jim Caswell, aide to former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne has now passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Colorado’s U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (Democrat) says he will keep “a hold” on the nomination and not let it come to a vote before the full Senate.

The hold is there because Salazar is protesting how the BLM recently leased the willdife rich Roan Plateau to the gas and oil companies and BLM’s general permissive approach to oil and gas development thoughout the state.

A hold is like an silent filibuster, and they generally stay in place unless the Senator is satisfied. Salazar’s hold may doom Caswell’s nomination, a fact that would please many Idaho conservationists who fear his impact on BLM’s already permissive grazing policies, plus Caswell’s key role in Idaho’s wolf-killing, state wolf management plan.

You might want to contact your own US Senators and tell them to give Senator Salazar a pat on the back, and urge them to join him in a hold on the nomination.

Charred and scarred: Ranchers blame grazing rules for fire’s huge size

Charred and scarred. Ranchers blame grazing rules for fire’s huge size. By Matt Christensen. Times-News writer.

This story features none other than Idaho State House of Representatives Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, of whom KT has written.

Brackett is correct that the grazing rules led to the size of the fire, but in exactly the wrong way. The grazing rules have led to cheatgrass. The cheatgrass burns, killing the much less fire tolerant native grasses. Then the BLM reseeds with the wrong mixture of grass seed, such as non-native crested wheatgrass and various cultivars of native and non-native grasses. The the BLM doesn’t give time for even their poorly suited mixture to take hold before cows are dumped back on the grazing allotment. Of course, this leads to more cheatgrass.

Cheatgrass grows so fast and ripens so fast that no amount of livestock grazing can put a dent into it. Once the seed head develops, cattle and sheep won’t eat it unless they are to become dead livestock.

Therefore, it’s incorrect for Brackett to say there hasn’t there hasn’t been enough grazing unless he knows about voracious cows that will each thoroughly graze about a thousand acres of unripe cheatgrass a day (or cows that eat ripe cheatgrass!)

Increased humidity keeps Idaho fires from growing

A relatively new forest fire, Trapper Ridge, is pumping a lot of smoke into Stanley Basin.

There will be a big controversy over grazing when the Murphy Complex and other range fires are out. Burned areas should be rested a good while and seeded with native grass, forbs, and brush to reduce the liklihood of cheat grass spread and the fires next time.

Natives are also much better for wildlife. Cattle prefer them too, which is one reason they eat it to the ground when grazing is not managed well, renewing the abnormal fire to cheat grass, cheat grass to fire cycle.

Fire teams: S. Idaho blaze No. 1 priority, but cooler temps help. By JOHN MILLER – Associated Press Writer

Despite the cooler temperatures and higher humidity, the fire has grown to 623,000 acres.

Due to fires, about half the Bob Marshall Wilderness closed to the public

The Ahorn and Fool Creek fires are behaving erratically and lightning has started a bunch of new fires in this wilderness area just to the south of Glacier NP.

Story in the Great Falls Tribune. By Eric Newhouse

Photos of the Ahorn Fire in the “Bob”

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Rocky Barker’s blog: We want your good ideas for Idaho’s next national monument

The Idaho Statesman put out a call to readers Monday to submit their best ideas for a national monument in Idaho. The idea seems to have come former Idaho Governor, and now Secretary of Interior, Dirk Kempthorne. Rocky Barker discusses it on his blog in the Statesman.

I expect any national monument would be small. Barker discusses saving the ghost town of Chesterfield in Eastern Idaho, for example. Chesterfield’s unusual survival (it hasn’t been carried away by tourists) is unique. Protecting it would generate little controversy.

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Latest Watersheds Messenger is available

The Watersheds Messenger for Summer 2007 is on-line. Here is the pdf version (much better quality).

This is the newsmagazine of the Western Watersheds Project. It has a lot of good articles, and they are not the bland generic stuff like that produced by many organizations.

Rocky Barker’s blog: Rangers say renegade off roaders ride roughshod over public lands

“Off-road vehicle problems cannot simply be blamed on just a ‘few bad apples’– as industry apologists try to do. America needs stronger penalties to deter reckless off-roading,” Southwest PEER Director Daniel Patterson, an ecologist who formerly worked with BLM. [PEER] wants much tougher penalties for off-road violations, as well as law enforcement funding devoted to stemming the avalanche of problems occasioned by reckless off-roading . . . from Barker’s Blog on PEER’s recent report on the destruction and lawlessness of off-road vehicle drivers on our public lands. Rest of Barker’s blog.

PEER is Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. Their news release.

When I see a 4 x 4 or an ATV come off the public lands completely covered in mud, I feel sort of the same as when I see someone’s pet dog come out of a pasture with blood all over its face. When I see the mud-caked vehicle I wish gasoline was $10 a gallon.

I think it is true that the off-road problem is not just the “lawless few.” Most off-roaders, at least some of the time, blatantly violate the rules and harm the outdoors for wildife and other people. ”

Television ads for these vehicles blatantly portray unacceptable use, such as splashing through creeks, roaring through the mud, and climbing mountains where there is no road or trail.

Washington State grazing project draws threat of lawsuit.

This story is on Washington governor Chris Gregoire’s sellout to the cattle interests in NE Washington where they are being allowed to graze for free on land purchased for wildlife (not cow) habitat.

Story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Washington State grazing project draws threat of lawsuit. By Chris McGann.

Earlier stories on this:

March 27. Western Watersheds Project says it will sue to keep cattle out of Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area in Washington.

April 18. Another victory for WWP. Cattle turnout on Washington state Wildlife Areas stopped!

April 19. Photos and video of cattle in the Joseph Creek Wildlife area in Washington State

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Good News! Judge Rejects Utah Counties’ Road Claims in National Monument

Despite a potential setback on wolves, there is good news for those who don’t want to see totally unregulated use of vehicles in the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument.

Judge Rejects Utah Counties’ Road Claims in National Monument. ENS

Editorial. Salt Lake Tribune. One road at a time: Ruling should help protect public lands from ATVs. Tribune Editorial

New Wyoming Senator may favor buyout of gas leases in the Wyoming Range

As folks may recall, Wyoming’s US Senator Craig Thomas died recently. Thomas was moving to protect the Wyoming Range mountains from oil and gas leasing and development.

His replacement is appointed Republican John Barrasso. Barrasso responds in the article below, saying that he too wants to protect the area, but worries about the oil companies property rights (which would have to be purchased by the US government).

I have a number of comments.

First, an oil or gas lease is a property right. If you don’t want to have to buy them out, don’t issue them! A year ago there were no oil or gas leases in public land in the area of the Wyoming Range. The Forest Service and the BLM did not have to issue these permits. These federal agencies created these property rights of their own free will (of maybe that Dick Cheney).

Second, the local residents have property rights too, and they precede the newly created property rights of the oil companies. The residents’ property is likely to be harmed, maybe severely by gas drilling and production. These property rights should be protected just as much and more than those of the oil companies.

Third, the Forest Service and BLM should not create any new property rights for oil companies (leases) in the Wyoming Range or elsewhere, where there is such widespread opposition and/or sensitive scenery and wildlife habitat.

I hope Senator Barrasso believes that the property rights of his constituents are just as important as those of the oil companies.

Senator for energy use buyout. Barrasso keeps Thomas’ legacy in mind but wants to make his own decisions on issues. By Noah Brenner. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

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