Members of Congress say abolish Minerals Management Service

Agency inspectors have still been accepting oil company gifts-

Lawmakers assail Minerals Management Service. By Perry Bacon Jr., David A. Fahrenthold and Steven Mufson. Washington Post Staff Writer. The agency might be beyond the ability to be reformed.

Nevada: Rancher greed has no limits

They even resent wildlife guzzlers–

“Members of the [Nevada] state Board of Agriculture argue that as their numbers increase, guzzlers are altering the landscape and taking precious resources, whether water or forage, from ranchers. They want to stop the Nevada Department of Wildlife from constructing any new guzzlers and are exploring possible legal challenges. Some ranchers say they are ready to sue over infringing wildlife.”

Guzzlers gouge rift between Nevada state agencies. By Sandra Chereb.- Associated Press Writer.

They are so greedy they oppose the direct collection of rainwater and snow by guzzlers.

– – – –

Added.

John Ralston is the most important political commentator in Nevada.

It’s not just greedy ranchers in the state.

Commentary: Marveling at the conflicts of interest, corruption tolerated in this state. By Jon Ralston. Las Vegas Sun

Bison relocation plan deemed ‘too risky’

Again, it’s not about disease, it’s about control over land, wildlife and people.

Bison in quarantine near Gardiner.
Photo © Kim Acheson, Buffalo Field Campaign
Used with permission.

While I think that the quarantine plan is misguided I do believe that those bison in the program should be allowed to roam freely as wildlife.

This bill would make it illegal to transport the bison over Montana’s highways which is done currently when bison are hauled to slaughter. Apparently the transfer of bison to the Eastern Shoshone Wind River Reservation in Wyoming would be permitted.

Another issue that is raised here is the fact that the bison currently at Fort Peck Reservation have been hybridized with another species, cattle. I don’t know what the plan is for managing any bison received from this program would be but I hope that they would be separated from any that are hybridized so that there is no further hybridization. Genetically pure bison are rare and they should be valued for their special nature.

The quarantine facility has other problems not raised in the article too. How does removing calves from the rest of their herd and raising them on alfalfa affect their behavior and social structure? Can that social structure be regained over time? Habituation to humans can cause severe problems in other species such as wolves, bears, and coyotes as well as other species.

What will happen to those bison that don’t get relocated? Will they be slaughtered too? These people seem to be pulling out every reason they can to be irrational about this issue.

Bison relocation plan deemed ‘too risky’
Helena Independent Record.

Charges of meddling at FWS lead to expanded lynx habitat – NYTimes.com

Critical habitat expanded from 1,841 square miles to 39,000.

Julie MacDonald was involved in limiting lynx critical habitat to areas they already existed.

Charges of meddling at FWS lead to expanded lynx habitat
New York Times

Thanks to Virginia for pointing this story out.

Report: ESA decisions were all tainted for five years

Julie MacDonald interfered with every ESA decision for political reasons-

A high-ranking Interior Department official tainted nearly every decision made on the protection of endangered species over five years, a new inspector general report finds, concluding she exerted improper political interference on many more rulings than previously thought.

Julie MacDonald was deputy assistant secretary of Interior. overseeing the Fish and Wildlife Service. This shows how important are the nominations below the level of Secretary of Interior.

Report:  Endangered species decisions tainted. The Associated Press

Link to the actual report. pdf file.

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