Northern Utah, the land of filthy air

Worst in the country in the winter-

“Oh ye mountains high and the clear blue sky . . .”  These are words from a Mormon hymn that isn’t sung in church much anymore. I don’t know the reason, but it is appropriate because northern Utah has slowly developed the dirtiest air the country in the winter. High emissions are one reason, but the biggest factor is the strong temperature inversions that form in the mountain valleys whenever high pressure builds. High pressure usually means good weather, but not in northern Utah.

Cache Valley is the best (or worst) example. In part, I grew up there. I still remember the dirty winter fogs and the cloud of black that hung over Logan, a large town, when I was in high school. The black is gone because coal isn’t burned any more for space heating, but the pollution is now more widespread and more toxic.

The population of Cache Valley has grown. This is in part because of its beauty 3 seasons of the year. This means more traffic. In the remaining agricultural parts of the valley, CAFOs have proliferated. The result is residents breathing sun-modified auto emissions and manure emissions throughout the winter.

Utah’s bad air. Opinion in the Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.airquality.utah.gov/aqp/  This URL gives real time pollution levels, and they are not bad in the springtime.

Tim DeChristopher Goes on Trial for Disrupting Oil Lease Auction

DeChristopher may get 10 years for unconventional method of protecting Utah’s beautiful canyonlands from oi companies-

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.

They don’t make ’em much crazier than this.

This one is from Utah

Department of Natural Resources Director Michael Styler told a legislative committee Tuesday that the return of the wolves is comparable to “the resurrection of the T. rex and turning him loose on the landscape.”

Natural Resources director compares wolf to ‘T. rex’ The Salt Lake Tribune.

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2/10/2011. A reflection on this. Upon reading the account of Styler’s testimony, I have to wonder if he wasn’t really protesting the fact that he was politically forced to take the policy position he did. Sometimes people will protest their coerced speech by giving a speech so bizarre that you wonder if they are sane, or not being serious. I don’t know of this man, but reading his comments it came to me that it was like reading something in The Onion.  Ralph Maughan

Later. No thinking about it and reading about him, he was serious. RM

Utah High court: State can be sued for 2007 bear attack

A sorry decision that will threaten all kinds of wildlife-

A result of this will be state agencies killing wildlife and closing campgrounds when a theoretically dangerous animal is seen within five miles of them.

High court: State can be sued for bear attack. By Donald W. Meyers. The Salt Lake Tribune.

We let unemployed homeless freeze on the streets but then baby people when they should be responsible.

Special interests are Utah politicians’ cash cows

Compared to the Utah legislature, members of Congress raise much more from their local constituents-

Only 5% of the campaign money spent by candidates for the Utah legislature came from the folks in the candidates’ home legislative district.

Special interests are Utah politicians’ cash cows. Salt Lake Tribune. By Lee Davidson

This is important because of the constant drum beat pounding out the tune that the state’s are closer to the people than the astronomically far off denizens of Washington D.C.  This matters plenty when wildlife issues are considered.

Natural restoration advances rapidly in the big Castle Rock burn near Ketchum/Hailey, Idaho

The 50,000 acre fire was 3 years ago-

The Idaho Mountain Express has an article detailing the regrowth in the big burn next to Ketchum and Hailey, Idaho. This is a very popular recreation area, so its restoration is noticeable to a lot of people. Similar articles could be written about several million more acres of burns in central Idaho — burns of the last decade.

The Idaho places where restoration is not going well are the millions of acres of rangelands (more properly sagebrush steppe) where cheatgrass has fueled vast fires, destroying native grasses, forbs and shrubs, creating more of itself for future fires. This year about 3/4 million acres of Idaho rangeland has burned.

Related. Utah has mildest wildfire season in a decade. By jason bergreen. The Salt Lake Tribune

More related. Rain, snow and lower temperatures help tame central Idaho wildfire. Idaho Statesman.

First wolf killed in SE Idaho

While the headline is not accurate, it is gratifying to see a wolf in Franklin Basin-

A sheepherder killed a wolf in the Bear River Range, east of Franklin, Idaho. This is right on the Idaho/Utah border and is certainly good news for wolves traveling south. I have had reports of wolves in the Franklin Basin area for ten years now. To avoid putting those killer radio collars on them, I have not reported them.

The headline in the story below (Idaho Statesman) is wrong. The body of the story below in fact indicates that. A wolf was shot by a Pocatello man back in 2003 in SE Idaho near Weston, Idaho, also right on the Utah border, but one mountain range to the west of this. That was in the foothills of the Bannock Range.

Wolf killed in Franklin Basin. Idaho Statesman. Note that there is a longer story in the Idaho State Journal (Pocatello), but it is not on line.

For those familiar with scenic Franklin Basin, they know it is overrun by domestic sheep.  I have been going there since I was a boy and the Logan (UT) Ranger District just lets it get worse and worse, harming recreation, scenery, and especially elk and deer habitat.  The Basin is mostly reduced to dust by mid-summer and inedible forbs like western coneflower and tall larkspur.  If folks would donate to the Western Watersheds Project, it should be known they have the goods on this disgusting situation and will sue their sorry butts.

Here is a photo of a nice spot in the Idaho portion of Franklin Basin.

Utah anglers may have to buy access to streams

Utah’s new anti-access law effect’s on fishing could be overcome by access purchase-

We discussed this earlier in brief as part of the comments on the Salt Lake City, Chevron oil pipe spill into Red Butte Creek and the Jordan River.

Utah anglers may have to buy access to streams. By Brandon Loomis. The Salt Lake Tribune

Oil spotted in Great Salt Lake wetlands

Chevron’s broken pipeline has not been contained completely in the Jordan River at SLC-

More bad news about the Utah “oil spill.”

Oil spotted in Great Salt Lake wetlands. By Judy Fahys. The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah bison linger in limbo on way to their new home

The bison are going to bolster the state’s fourth wild bison herd-

The Bison have been stuck on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake awaiting transfer to the Book Cliffs. By Mike Stake. AP

People forget that Utah has wild bison herds — herds that are hunted.

Southern Utah road battle turns into fight over records

Southern Utah county hides behind huge records request fee to keep citizens in the dark over efforts to build roads all over the public lands-

My hope is this county of inbred idiots keeps losing and wasting money until the public is totally outraged

Kane road battle turns into fight over records. By Mark Havnes. The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah’s Matheson to introduce wilderness legislation for Wasatch Front

Bill would add about 26,000 acres to wilderness protected areas just east of Salt Lake City-

Blanch Lake and Sundial Peak. Twin Peaks Wilderness. Wasatch Front. Copyright Ralph Maughan

A pretty fair portion of the rugged divides between the major Wasatch Mountain canyons at Salt Lake City are already protected as Wilderness. Rep. Matheson proposes to add to the Mount Olympus, Twin Peaks and Lone Peak wilderness and establish a new Wilderness near between Parley’s and Mill Creek Canyon — Wayne Owens Grandeur Peak-Mount Aire Wilderness.

Utah has poor senators on Wilderness issues, making Senate passage a problem. In addition Senator Bennett is being challenged by a far rightist who doesn’t seem to believe there should be public lands.

[Representative] Matheson to introduce wilderness legislation. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

Personally, I always loved hiking the rugged Wasatch and like seeing them conserved from development.

Lyme Disese in Utah?

Most common tick borne disease has mostly spared interior Western states-

Lyme disease hits Lehi. Wildlife officials will likely begin canvassing for ticks that carry disease. By Kirsten Stewart. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Unhappy news. I know several folks on this forum have contracted Lyme Disease during their outdoor adventures.

Tar sand mining is actually coming to Utah?

Awful and unlikely “energy source”  might soon break ground in Eastern Utah-

Because of its tremendous environmental impacts and poor quality energy (little to no net energy is produced), I haven’t considered oil shale/tar sands mining much of an environmental threat in the desert of Utah. I suppose most others have felt the way.  As RL Miller says in his article below, a tar sands project has been “flying under the radar.”  Without more of a public uproar it will soon break ground near the national parks of Eastern Utah.

What an outrage!  This kind of thing needs to be killed dead and a stake driven through its heart. The tar sand mining in Alberta has been called the single most destructive energy project on the planet.

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Tar Sands Mining: Coming NOW to the United States. By RL Miller. Daily Kos.

Chronic wasting disease claims 1st Utah elk

Brain disease is already established in Utah deer-

Utah’s large moose population seems to be free of this spongiform encephalopathy so far.

Chronic wasting disease claims 1st Utah elk.  By Brett Prettyman. The Salt Lake Tribune

Disease forces Utah DWR to kill bighorn sheep

Sheep came from Montana

Bighorn Sheep © Ken Cole

Disease forces DWR to kill bighorn sheep
by Brett Prettyman – The Salt Lake Tribune

Pneumonia now killing bighorn in NE Utah too

Disease Kills NE Utah Bighorn. AmmoLand.com

U.S. Senate rejects move to bar new national monuments in Utah

It failed, as it should-

Story in the Salt Lake Tribune. Senate rejects move to bar new monuments. By Thomas Burr. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Huge boulder tumbles onto town next to Zion National Park

Another boulder is set to tumble down and smash things-

Massive rolling boulder rocks town of Rockville, UT. Buildings, vehicles damaged; another rock unstable. By Mark Havnes. The Salt Lake Tribune.

In the comments to this article in the SL Trib, one person wondered if folks looked uphill before they built?  I have often wondered about this in towns set in deep canyons.

Why must Utah be kept free of wolves?

Opinion by Kirk Robinson. Western Wildlife Conservancy in Salt Lake City-

Why must Utah be kept free of wolves? Salt Lake Tribune.

Alert on Utah wolves

What you can do if you oppose Utah state senator Allen Christensen’s wolf killing bill-

Note I made a serious error in the original headline. The sponsor is Allen Christensen, not Kirk Robinson. Dr. Kirk Robinson is Director of Western Wildlife Conservancy, an organization that advocates for the full range of wildlife not just a couple of big game animals. My apologies. Ralph Maughan

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Alert

Wolves urgently need your help.  Please send the following alert to as many people as you can.  Use your organization’s email list if you can!  Do it right away, then act on it yourself!

The organization Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife has a bill before the Utah legislature that would require the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to prevent wolf packs from becoming established in the Utah portion of the Rocky Mountain gray wolf recovery area.  This part of the recovery area is where dispersing wolves from the Yellowstone country have been entering Utah, some of them traveling on to Colorado.  If this bill passes, any wolves entering Utah in this area will be subject to capture and return or death.

Utah: Citing possible prison time, DWR boss speaks out against wolf-removal bill

Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, doing the apparent bidding of Don Peay*  has sponsored SB36, a bill to kill any wolves that migrate to Utah.  The bill would be a violation of U.S. law. Defending it in court will just cost Utah taxpayers money. Except for northern Utah, wolves in the State are fully protected by the endangered species act.  The head of the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources told the truth. No doubt some legislators will threaten him . . . today’s politics!

Citing possible prison time, DWR boss speaks out against wolf-removal bill. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

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*Peay is the founder of Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife. He pretty much sets Utah wildlife policy, according to some commentators.

Plans to release 40 Utah bighorn in Wyoming’s Seminoe Mtns Canceled

Utah doesn’t have enough sheep-

Several months ago we reported on this plan to augment a dwindling population of bighorn in these relatively unknown south central Wyoming mountains. At any rate, Utah  bighorn haven’t done well this year, so the project is canceled.

Plans to release 40 Utah bighorn in Wyoming Seminole Mtns Canceled. AP

Utah Senate Bill calls for removal of all wolves that may enter the state.

It appears that some Utah legislators are reactionary too.

One line of the bill states that “[t]he division shall capture or kill any wolf it discovers in the state, except for a wolf lawfully held in captivity.”

At the bottom of the bill is the Legislative Review, which is written by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, which states “This bill has a high probability of being held to be unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause to the United States Constitution because federal law and regulations prohibit conduct allowed by this bill.”

Read it here: S.B. 36

Wyoming-Oregon gas pipeline to cross Nevada and Utah-

The “Ruby pipeline” is to be bad news for pristine desert, scenic canyons, wildlife-

In typical single-minded engineering mentality, this pipeline will be built cross-country  with little regard for anything else.

Reno Gazette-Journal on the Ruby Pipeline. By Susan Voyles.

This pipeline is one reason why Western Watersheds giant sage-grouse lawsuit is so important.

Salt Lake Tribune doesn’t like coal strip mine between two UT national parks

Proposal is for a six square mile strip mine between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks-

Initial plans are for 635 acre mine (one square mile) and would expand to over 6 square miles. The notion of a mine here has been floating around for years. Now it is serious.

Coal mine. Trucks could hurt Kane tourism. Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

Victory for Western Watersheds Project on cutthoat trout

Western Watersheds Project wins appeal in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest overturning a grazing decision for the Franklin Basin Allotment in northern Utah-

Over the years the popular Franklin Basin area of the Cache National Forest in Bear River Range just south of the Idaho border has been increasingly pummeled by cattle and sheep. One result has been a serious decline in the Bonneville cutthroat trout.
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Bonneville Cutthroat © Ken Cole

Dr. John Carter, Utah WWP Director writes:

Friends,

The Franklin Basin Allotment covers over 20,000 acres in the Bear River Range and on the Logan River, a critical Bonneville cutthroat trout fishery in northern Utah. The Bear River Range is the most critical wildlife corridor connecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to the Uintas and southern Rockies.

The Bear River Range in Idaho and Utah is heavily grazed by livestock, has extremely high road density, and is overrun with dirt bikes and ATVs during the summer and snowmobiles during the winter. Cattle and sheep dominate the habitat, removing forage that would support thousands of deer or elk and many more sage grouse and other forms of wildlife.  Plant communities such as aspen, sagebrush and conifer are dysfunctional, having lost much of their native flora with undesirable species remaining.  Erosion is severe due to the loss of ground covering vegetation.

The Decision by the Forest Service continued unchanged the current stocking rate of 607 cattle from June until October each year and does little to restore the admittedly degraded conditions even though their own data shows the current stocking rate is 6 times what can be supported by the available forage. [boldface mine. RM] The Forest Fishery Biologist report recognizes that Bonneville cutthroat trout populations are declining and admits that the proposal will not improve their habitat.

The WWP Utah Office filed an appeal of this decision.   We were joined by our partners in the Utah Environmental Congress and Wild Utah Project.

The decision by the Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest Supervisor remands the decision back to the Logan Ranger District to address improving the unsatisfactory conditions that they admit exists on the allotment.   We will continue to press the Forest Service to do an objective job.

Salazar continues Gale Norton’s “no more Wilderness” policy

New York Times editorial complains-

No ‘No More Wilderness’. New York Times editorial

Speaking of Utah specifically. Despite a huge base of roadless country, Utah has made a small contribution to the National Wilderness Preservation System compared to other Western States, especially given the high percentage of state being U.S. public lands.  Utah could stand another roadless area inventory, coupled with Wilderness recommendations, but the state delegation has not supported any Wilderness bills for the state in Congress except for one recent unique designation of a Great Basin mountain range in order to block access to disliked proposed nuclear waste disposal facility on the Skull Valley Indian Reservation.

DeChristopher probably going to prison

Fake bidder for oil and gas leases to stop last Administration’s leasing near Utah national parks loses his bid to rest his trial on global warming-

It looks like Tim DeChristopher will pay heavily for his civil disobedience. Republican prosecutors were not amused, and the judge will not allow a defense based on necessity to protect the climate.

Here is an op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune on the DeChristopher ruling: An evil day for justice. By Rebecca Hall

Utah governor to go slow in negotiating agreement with Nevada to dewater Snake Valley

Nevada court decision against Southern Nevada Water Authority cautions Utah’s new governor-

Herbert agrees to ‘go slow’ on Snake Valley water deal. In the meantime, Nevada courts are sorting out an in-state conflict. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

A danger is that Harry Reid will use the US Senate to help Nevada developers steal the water.

Nevada no 1 in per capita water use; Utah no 2

These most arid states are frivolous in their water use-

The direct reason for this is their determination to grow and do things that belong in water rich areas — fight the areas’ natural lack of water or fight some other natural factor.*  That’s why they build so many dams, dewater their streams, construct huge water pipelines, and mine desert aquifers.

The article below says Utah is making considerable progress reducing per capita consumption.

Conservation report card: Utah trying to cut use, but still a top water guzzler. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

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* Rich County, Utah is the coldest area in Utah during the winter.

Utah: Nuclear power water rights protests triggers public hearing

Are local people waking up to the fact that energy development in the remote West lacks the water necessary-

The attitude of many interior Western politicians is, and generally has been, that they are happy to be a colony for the rest of the country as long as they can be glorified for a few myths like “The Cowboy State,” or the West, land of rugged individualists.

With this in mind are some people in rural Utah waking up? If they think this plant needs a lot of water, wait for the applications for oil shale development.

Nuclear power water rights protests triggers public hearing. Hundreds of people and organizations have filed objections. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

Opinion about “Pipelines to Desert for Pumping are Bad Idea and should be scrapped”

Great Basin Water Network tells the “real reason” why Utah politicians laid down for Las Vegas water steal-

The Great Basin Water Network says Utah will give up Snake Valley and state’s air quality to Las Vegas for support of their own urban sprawl pipeline — Lake Powell to St. George, UT.

Pat Mulroy (image), the Southern Nevada Water Authority executive director (said to be the most powerful woman in Nevada).

Nevada threatened Utah on Snake Valley

. . . and Utah officials had no backbone-

This gets more and more disgusting the longer the story goes on.

Today’s article in the Salt Lake Tribune has a handy sidebar with links to past articles.

Did Utah blink in Snake Valley talks? Water » New documents show Beehive State’s position changed after Nevada’s threats. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

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Don’t forget to read this High Country News feature as background. Silenced Springs? Great Basin waters face threats big and small. By J. Madeleine Nash. High Country News.

Utah wildlife: Leave it to the beavers

Utah gets a beaver management plan-

Restoring beaver to a creek changes just about everything, mostly for the good, especially if there are no buildings or needed roads near the creek.

Story on Utah’s first beaver management plan. Plan looks to use the large rodents as a watershed restoration tool. By Brett Prettyman. The Salt Lake Tribune

Here at Pocatello, in SE Idaho where I live, there has been active beaver restoration in Bannnock and Portneuf Mountains ranges to the south and southeast of town. A number of the streams have been transformed. The flow of water in them has generally stabilized over the year, the creek areas are greener and the humidity of the drainage increased. They are also a magnet for other wildife, especially birds, and I have seen fish large enough to catch for the first time in several creeks where I wasn’t sure there even was a fish population.

Beaver management is necessary if there are roads and structures. Fortunately, the attitude is changing from kill a problem beaver, to transplant it.

It looks like Utah is ahead of Idaho, however, in beaver management.

New beaver pond floods a former area of vandalism and stream degradation. East Fork Mink Creek, Idaho. Copyright Ralph Maughan

Salazar gives a mixed decision on reanalysis of tracts wrecked in gas auction by Tim DeChristopher

Eight tracts will not be auctioned; 52 studied more, 17 given up to oil and gas interests-

Tim DeChristopher’s brave disruption of the December 2008 oil and gas lease auction in Utah has resulted in a new decision by the new Secretary of Interior. Politicians and groups are characterizing it in differing fashions according to their political party and interest.

I’d call the decision mixed.

Interior boss says no to drilling on 8 Utah parcels. Auction fallout » Salazar vows to develop oil, gas ‘the right way.’ By Patty Henetz And Thomas Burr. The Salt Lake Tribune

Update. LA Times story on Salazar’s decision. Few Bush-era energy leases are valid, report finds. By Nicholas Riccardi

Snake Valley water deal could kill Utahns, state’s top docs warn

This plan to drain the desert aquifer to fuel urban sprawl at Las Vegas is getting pretty contentious-

Snake Valley water deal could kill Utahns, state’s top docs warn. Utah Medical Association presses governor to nix the accord with Nevada. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Folks have seen the Austrialian dust storms overwhelm Sidney. Does Utah need to do this for Las Vegas?

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Past stories on the desert water draining deal.

• Snake Valley water split angers Utahns.
• Utah-Nevada water plan draws fire. The proposal would divide water from the Snake Valley aquifer equally.
• Utah and Nevada agree on Snake Valley water accord
• Proposed Utah, Nevada water accord could clear the way for Snake Valley pipeline. Water sharing » Draft calls for monitoring of groundwater withdrawals, delays pipeline decision until 2019.
• Nevada Water Authority shaken by growing push-back to their effort to drain groundwater from under the Nevada desert.
• Utah, Nevada nearing deal on Snake Valley aquifer

For keeping updated on this issue so important to Nevada and Utah wildlife and desert ecology. Great Basin Water Network.

Utah: After 20 years, Red Rock Wilderness bill gets first hearing in Congress

Things are finally looking up a bit for the 9-million acre proposal to conserve some of Utah’s finest BLM canyonlands-

This bill has been wandering the wilderness for a long time, but now a supporter chairs the important House committee — Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. The finally got a hearing. Odds against are long because Congress rarely passes wilderness legislation against the wishes of a state’s congressional delegation. However, consider Utah’s delegation . . . 4 noisy Republicans against everything the majority party proposes and one bluedog Democrat.

Passing this bill would teach them the merits of comity and compromise. I think Utah political leaders need to relearn the virtues of moderation.

After 20 years, Red Rock bill gets first hearing in Congress. Wilderness » Legislation to get first committee hearing. By Matt Canham. The Salt Lake Tribune.

The primary moving force behind this bill for all these years has been the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA)

Snake Valley water split angers Utahns

Were the interests of Utah protected in the water deal between Utah and Nevada to pipe underground desert water to Las Vegas?

The Latest on this growing controversy.
Snake Valley water split angers Utahns. Deseret News. By Amy Joi O’Donoghue.
Utah-Nevada water plan draws fire. The proposal would divide water from the Snake Valley aquifer equally. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

Past stories in this blog.

• Utah and Nevada agree on Snake Valley water accord
• Proposed Utah, Nevada water accord could clear the way for Snake Valley pipeline. Water sharing » Draft calls for monitoring of groundwater withdrawals, delays pipeline decision until 2019.
• Nevada Water Authority shaken by growing push-back to their effort to drain groundwater from under the Nevada desert.
• Utah, Nevada nearing deal on Snake Valley aquifer

For keeping updated on this issue so important to Nevada and Utah wildlife and desert ecology. Great Basin Water Network.
Also see Protect Snake Valley. com

From the WWP blog. LDS Apostle Orson Hyde speaks in 1865 on the impact of Grazing on Rangeland

Any Utah Latter Day Saint knows the story how the Pioneers made the Utah desert “blossom as a rose,” but the real story is more complex-

Grass was so deep in the early years where Tooele, Utah (Ta WILL ah) now stands that livestock were frequently lost in it. It was named Grass Valley. Anyone been there lately or even a hundred years ago and seen any grass?

LDS Apostle Orson Hyde speaks in 1865 on the impact of Grazing on Rangeland. WWP blog.

Man, 78, mauled by bear in Utah

What is it about the small Utah bear population and Utahans?

Man, 78, mauled by bear. “The man is recovering; the animal was shot and killed.”  By Brett Prettyman. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Earlier Utah bear stories posted here:

• Aug. 5, 2009. Utahans killing bears at record rates
• June 18, 2007. Utah black bear rips open tent, carries off boy in sleeping bag, kills.

Earlier stories this year:

• July 3, 2009. Bountiful rain means bears in Utah have plenty of food. Encounters » Humans should be alert in bear country. By Brett Prettyman. The Salt Lake Tribune
• Feb. 8, 2009. U.S, Utah Judges Differ in Fatal Bear Attack Case. By Matthew Heller. On Point.

Utah and Nevada agree on Snake Valley water accord

Critics say it will result in dust storms on Utah’s Wasatch Front-

The plan to drain water out of the desert on Utah/Nevada border and pipe it south to fuel urban sprawl around Las Vegas has been made public.

Proposed Utah, Nevada water accord could clear the way for Snake Valley pipeline. Water sharing » Draft calls for monitoring of groundwater withdrawals, delays pipeline decision until 2019.  By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.

From the other day in this blog. Nevada Water Authority shaken by growing push-back to their effort to drain groundwater from under the Nevada desert.

Nevada Water Authority shaken by growing push-back to their effort to drain groundwater from under the Nevada desert

Nevada’s “water wizard” to ask for vote of confidence in face of opposition to more draining the desert-

Southern Nevada Water Authority’s boss, Pat Mulroy, thought by many to be the most powerful woman in the Interior West, says she wants a quick vote from Water Authority members [this is a board, not the public] to show they are still committed to plans to pipe groundwater to Las Vegas from the eastern Nevada Desert (including maybe Utah’s desert).

Opposition has been growing rapidly, and there may not be enough water for 270,000 more homes for more sprawl in and near Las Vegas, especially with the rapidly falling water level of Lake Mead on Colorado River.

Nevada Water Authority vote sought on pipeline project. Growing opposition prompts call for vote. By Henry Brean. Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Utahans killing bears at record rate

Ever since a black bear killed a child in a campground in 2007, bears have really taken the brunt in Utah. This story is about the latest-

Garfield County cabin owner kills large male bear. Wildlife » A spate of such killings this summer has officials scratching their heads. By Tom Wharton. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Have Utahans been permanently traumatized?

Utah, Nevada nearing deal on Snake Valley aquifer

So are Utah and Nevada going to team up to dewater Nevada’s Snake Valley, or is there just a bit less environmental destruction now planned?

Utah, Nevada nearing deal on Snake Valley aquifer. Groundwater » Greens fret Vegas project may dry up valley around Great Basin National Park. By Brandon Loomis. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Love that SLT subheadline. I guess I’m “fretful” today. 😦

Here is an alert from the Great Basin Water Network. They are not happy about the Utah-Nevada deal.
As a note, Snake Valley runs for many miles along the Utah-Nevada border.

Jul. 27, 2009

Help stop Utah from signing away Snake Valley’s water to Las Vegas sprawl! Act today.

We understand the Utah negotiating team is close to an agreement with the State of Nevada which would allow the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to pump thousands of acre feet of water annually from underneath Utah’s Snake Valley to Las Vegas.

As governor, Gary Herbert will have the authority to approve or block any agreement. We are urging Utahns to call and/or email Herbert’s new transition Chief of Staff Jason Perry and tell him that NO Agreement should be signed at this time.

There is no urgency for any agreement. The Nevada State Engineer will not rule on the Snake Valley water applications for more than two years. If Utah were to sign an agreement now, it would undermine the integrity of the engineer’s decision-making and hearing process.

A premature agreement would undermine the positions of Millard County and the Utah Association of Counties, and place at risk people’s lives and prosperity in Snake Valley as well as create impacts to many other Utahns. It would also jeopardize the ongoing government (BLM) environmental study process before the people even have an opportunity to voice their concerns about the Las Vegas Water Grab.

———————————————–
Please call and/or email today!

The new Herbert Chief of Staff and Transition Team director is Jason Perry.

Email: jpperry@utah.gov
phone: 801-538-8700

The new Herbert Rural Affairs Adviser is Beverly Evans.

Email: bevans@utah.gov
phone: 801-538-8638

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Protect Snake Valley

Feds: Eliminate or re-route Logan Utah’s killer canal

Canal that caused landslide and death can be re-routed only at a high cost-

That this canal failed should hardly have been a surprise. My grandfather, H.C. Hansen was a geologist. He lived underneath the canal on Canyon Road for many years. He died at age 97 back in 1969. One of the things all of us who knew him remember are his many predictions that the canal would eventually cause a big landslide during a wet season and or when a minor earthquake struck. He couldn’t have been the only one who knew even long before local residents of  “the Island” area of Logan began to report cracks.

Feds: Eliminate or re-route Logan’s killer canal. Saying the current location isn’t viable, federal engineers propose two alternatives. By Nate Carlisle. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Perhaps the irrigation water should be abandoned given all the earth movement that will be needed to make it feed into the existing Logan Hyde Park Smithfield canal. There will be a lot of environmental damage near the mouth of Logan Canyon if the “extreme engineering” talked about is carried out.

More tests, show more mercury in Utah sport fish

Idaho fish have a similar problem. The culprit is likely the same — Nevada gold mines-

Below is an editorial from the Salt Lake Tribune on the rather shocking new findings about levels of mercury in Utah fish. In some cases the fish have so much mercury it isn’t safe to eat a single fish.

There are many sources of mercury, but for these two states one source stands out — the numerous gold pit mines that have popped up  in Nevada — many of which put out far more of toxic metal (once it is converted to methymercury) than an entire handful of coal-fired power plants.

I think it is time for a lawsuit demanding damages.

Mercury testing yields advisories. Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

Utah senators complain about arrest of Southern Utah pot hunters. SL Tribune spanks senators

Senators’ attack on federal agents dangerous in these times of wingnut extremism-

Political pandering. Hatch and Bennett out of line. Salt Lake Tribune Editorial.

Destruction of archelogical valuable artifacts is a well known practice in Southern Utah. Time for a federal crackdown was way past, and finally a well planned raid was carried, arresting 23 local scoffaws.

Senators Hatch and Bennent are busy fanning the flames at a time when death theats as well as real shootings by the wingnuts have become all too common.

Enviros cheer, critics jeer report on ‘flawed’ Utah oil leases

Salazar’s concession to Utah’s Senator Bennett to allow Hayes to be confirmed number two at Interior doesn’t turn out like the Senator wanted-

Enviros cheer, critics jeer report on ‘flawed’ oil leases. Bishop » Utah congressman calls it “crap,” Bennett is conciliatory. By Thomas Burr.
The Salt Lake Tribune.

From my perspective this dust-up turned out very well. 🙂

New on June. 13, 2008. Drilling decisions. Report shows flawed BLM process. Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

Nevada a bad neighbor state: Closing Jerritt Canyon gold mine said to be part of bigger battle

Nevada wants to keep regulation out of federal hands for selfish reasons

According to the Las Vegas Sun the battle over the huge mercury plume from the recently-closed (again) Jerritt Canyon mine is really over Nevada keeping control of regulating its gold mining industry.

Closing mine part of bigger battle. State wants to keep feds from regulating industry. Las Vegas Sun. By Lisa Mascaro

Well, of course. Nevada has a long history of exporting environmental harm to its neighbors. It didn’t begin with letting mercury poison blow into Idaho and Utah. They have plans underway to steal water from under Utah’s west desert and maybe even Idaho.

For years Nevada smelters sent toxic heavy metals and more traditional pollution into Idaho and Utah.In the late 1980s, there was a multi-billion dollar plan for a huge coal fired power plant in the extreme NE corner of Nevada where essentially all the pollution would blow out of the state.

The federal government itself used the Nevada desert as the site of open air atomic bomb testing whose radioactive fallout caused many cancer cases in Utah, Idaho, California, Montana, and places every further away.

Earlier. August 22, 2008. Mercury pollution investigation shuts down Nevada gold mine near Idaho border
March 16, 2008. Six Nevada gold mines are worse mercury polluters than Jerritt Canyon?
March 15, 2008. Nevada closes Jerritt Canyon Mine for mercury releases.

A thousand or so wind turbines south of Rawlins, Wyoming?

Anshutz plans 4-6 billon dollar development-

Anschutz Corp. plans masssive Wyoming wind farm. By Matt Joyce. AP. Forbes.

About 40 other remote wind projects are being considered. This single project would cover over 150 square miles.

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Related: Biologists study turbines’ effect on grouse. Billings Gazette. AP
5-26. For comparison: Utah wind farm nearing completion (97 turbines). Salt Lake Tribune

Bogus BLM bid case: Feds worry jury might buy ‘monkey-wrencher’ theme

Prosecutors ask federal court to block climate-change defense-

Prosecutor is afraid of a jury. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

Good News? Feds reviewing BLM evidence from ATV protest ride

Maybe the illegal ATV protest ride up the Paria River will be punished–

Thanks to Elizabeth Parker for calling my attention to this new development.

Feds reviewing BLM evidence from ATV protest ride. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.

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Earlier. Protesters roar through fed lands. By Mark Havnes. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Will Salazar be as tough on law breaking off-road rally as on Tim De Christopher?

This is the critical test of whether only pro-environment conscientious objection is prosecuted-

Today about 1000 ATV and 4 x 4 owners are going to deliberately violate the law and charge up the Paria River’s bed in the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument. Because they have announced the event as a deliberate violation of the law, it is consciencious objection. The Secretary of Interior’s action will shows us whether only one side on conservation issues gets treated as criminals.

The Salt Lake Tribune writes today of Salazar’s “acid test.“Equal treatment”. Feds must foil OHV lawbreakers. Tribune Editorial.

Interior staff’s top seats in limbo

Despite nominations by the President, only Ken Salazar has been approved by the U.S. Senate-

One reason we haven’t seen much change in the B.L.M., National Park Service, etc. is that Senate Republicans are holding up action on the nominations.

Interior staff’s top seats in limbo. Politics » Hatch and Bennett oppose nominee, adding to a slowdown in confirmations. By Thomas Burr. The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah’s two U.S. Senators — Hatch and Bennett are pissed that Salazar withdraw the oil and gas lease auction near the national parks in Utah.

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A similar problem exists in most agencies and departments of the government. This seems unique — almost every nomination is held up under threat of filibuster and every close election, e.g., Minnesota and New York, is endlessly contested because of the threat of filibuster if the majority tries to seat the apparent election winner.

Prosecutor Tolman says DeChristopher won’t do much prison time

Tolman says this isn’t political . . . like hell it isn’t-

Prosecutor: Monkey-wrencher won’t do long prison time. ‘Curious’ case » ‘That’s good news,’ says DeChristopher, whose clean record would help if he is convicted. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.

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Earlier stories about this on this blog-

• Bogus oil and gas bid folk hero to be prosecuted by Obama Administration
• 2/4/09. Salazar Cancels Oil and Gas Leases on your public land in Utah
• 1/19/09. Last minute court decision blocks sale of the Utah oil and gas leases-
• 1/2/09. Land auction monkeywrencher has a new plan
• 12/23/08.  Bogus bidder on BLM oil and gas auction picks up support
• 12/19/08. Original story. Versions of this appeared in many news outlets. Many of these have since disappeared into the archives. The one on Huffington Post has not. Tim DeChristopher Throws Utah Oil And Gas Drilling Leases Auction Into Chaos. Huffington Post.
• 11/9/08. Utah oil and gas lease sale riles Park Service. BLM dropped routine consultation to rush sales–

Bogus oil and gas bid folk hero to be prosecuted by Obama Administration

U. student hoped for mercy from Obama’s team, but no luck-

Bogus bidder: BLM auction monkey-wrencher faces two felonies. Drilling . U. student hoped for mercy from Obama’s team, but no luck. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Added 4/4/2009. Did DeChristopher’s outspokenness seal his fate? By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune.
Is prosecution Salazar’s way of telling critics, “don’t mess with us?”

Biologists want to know how many bears live in Utah

Study seeks a better count by using hair samples-

Bear Market. By Brett Prettyman. The Salt Lake Tribune

Raser ready to flip the switch on Beaver, Utah geothermal plant

New geothermal plant in Utah will send 7 megawatts of power to California-

This is what should not be done. Seven megawatts, relatively speaking, is nothing. Most coal and nuclear plants are built in 300 to 1000 megawatt units. At any rate, small sources like this should be used locally.

One good thing about this is that it is a technological advancement. In the past geothermal electricity generation has required very hot water. This one does not.

I fear most hot springs are going to end up becoming an industrial site.

Raser ready to flip the switch on Beaver geothermal plant. Clean energy. Utah company cites milestone in green energy production. By Steven Oberbeck. The Salt Lake Tribune

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Here is a closely related story.

The most efficient use of solar may be to heat water for “passive use” (meaning not to turn turbines and create electricity with the solar heat)- Solar Water Heating Pays For Itself Five Times Over. Science Daily.

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I think the ultimate beneficial use of geothermal energy will come when technology allows us to tap the heat of the Earth using the heat gradient as you drill down. This way, geothermal power could be tapped anywhere on the planet. Ralph Maughan

Utah’s dirty air problem is growing

Filthy winter air gets worse. Developments in Nevada could compound problem-

Utah’s air quality overall is relatively good. The problem is that it is bad, has been for a long time, and is getting worse where most of the people live — the Wasatch Front and Cache Valley.

Utah’s dirty air in population centers goes back to the days of primitive metal smelters located right in Salt Lake Valley. As all but one has closed, the problem has shifted to the emissions from and associated with the seemingly endless strip city from Brigham on the north to Payson on the south (where I am in a motel typing this story).

The EPA may soon impose sanctions on the state. If it stops the sprawl, that might be a good thing. See the story below.

Dirty-air problem is growing. EPA set a deadline. It won’t be easy. In fact, the state says, ‘It’s going to be really hard.‘ By Judy Fahys. The Salt Lake Tribune.

I want to add that developing problems in Nevada will only make it worse in the long run, such as the huge coal plants set to be built near the state’s western border at Ely and dewatering of Nevada valleys to feed continued growth in Las Vegas.

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Update on the Ely Energy Center (Ely coal plant). Coal plant debate intensifies. In Ely, feelings about the environment and the economy overwhelm the agenda. Las Vegas Sun. By Phoebe Sweet

Still more on the Ely project. Nevada Energy delays Ely coal plant, hastens transmission line project. By Jeremy Twitchell. Las Vegas Sun

Salazar Cancels Oil and Gas Leases on your public land in Utah

Bush Administration Had Opened 110,000 Acres Near Pristine Areas to Energy Exploration-

Interior Secretary Cancels Leases on Federal Land in Utah. Bush Administration Had Opened 110,000 Acres Near Pristine Areas to Energy Exploration.By Juliet Eilperin.Washington Post Staff Writer.

April Clauson reported this in a comment earlier. Above is the full story.
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This is sale the brave University of Utah student disrupted. See below.

Scrapped Utah drilling-lease sale thrills Redford, monkey-wrencher. On hold » While actor, U. activist cheer, industry laments Salazar’s decision to shelve auction of 77 redrock sites.
By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

Last minute court decision blocks sale of the Utah oil and gas leases-

Decision stopped bidders from taking possession of controversial leases just hours before they were final-

11th-Hour Court Order Blocks Oil and Gas Leases in Utah. By Felicity Barranger. New York Times.

A temporary restraining has order stopped the winning bidders from the Dec. 19 lease sale from taking possession of tens of 110,000 acres of federal land in scenic red rock canyon country of Utah. The temporary order will last several weeks.

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It looks like President Obama will call for a new era of responsibility on the part of citizens. It looks like folks in the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and the brave student Tim DeChristopher, have a jump on this. Hopefully the BLM bureaucrats will come out of the cave of fear they have been forced into and help bring us out of the dark we have suffered in almost every corner of the public lands.

31 Utah bison are headed for the Book Cliffs

Utah’s Henry Mountains herd — the source — originally came from Yellowstone Park-

31 Utah bison headed for the Book Cliffs. Associated Press. Salt Lake Tribune.

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“Buffaloed” provided a better (a video) link.  http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=5310294. KSL Television. Thanks!

Photo of Blue Castle Canyon in the Book Cliffs (one of hundreds such canyons in this vast area). I am amazed that Yellowstone bison have been able to thrive in the rugged Henry Mountains, and now this similar country of the Book Cliffs.

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Another photo of the Book Cliffs (with Green River)

Video on Utah big game transplants

I think moose have been the biggest success story in Utah-

This video is a 5-minute overview of big game transplants in Utah from the Salt Lake Tribune.

Bogus bidder on BLM oil and gas auction picks up support

Pat Shea, former head of the BLM under Clinton and Utah’s famous defense attorney, Ron Yengich, give legal aid-

There is also a legal defense fund

Story in the Salt Lake Tribune. Auction fallout. U. student doesn’t want to be a martyr; federal probe continues. By Patty Henetz

I got this address for the fund from a comment in the Salt Lake Tribune. It hasn’t been verified.

Center for Water Advocacy, PO Box 331, Moab, UT 84532.

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More. Grijalva, other members of Congress ask Obama to undue BLM’s last minute oil and gas lease sale in Utah. by Abrahm Lustgarten. ProPublica

BLM backs off a bit more on big Dec. 19 oil and gas lease sale in Utah

It’s still awful-

BLM backtracks on more drilling leases. Industry and environmentalists aren’t happy with it. By Judy Fahys. Salt Lake Tribune.

Added Dec. 14.

Imagine if President Bush, on his last day in office, invited his friends to lift the Lincoln portrait from the White House Dining Room, take the 18th- century furniture from the Map Room and — for good measure — poison the Rose Garden on the way out.

Read the rest about Bush’s last minute looting below.

New York Times. Op-ed. Final Days Fire Sale. By Tim Egan.

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.

Utah Guv: ORV off-trail damage an ‘abomination,’ crackdown is coming

Utah’s Governor Huntsman wants a crackdown on ATV abuse-

Guv: ORV off-trail damage an ‘abomination,’ crackdown is coming. By Robert Gehrke. The Salt Lake Tribune

Although an off road vehicle spokesman condemned the governor, Huntsman is a dirt bike rider.

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Related. Oct. 7. ATV riders: Don’t be the bad apples who spoil it for all. Editorial by the Great Falls Tribune.

Utahans live in a desert. Green lawns are a huge waste of scarce water.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And unfortunately, most Utah residents have always seen thick, green grass as drop-dead gorgeous. It is that, but the allure is also hideously unnatural.”

Utahans live in a desert. Green lawns are a huge waste of scarce water. Editorial by the Salt Lake Tribune.

Building in disaster-prone areas should cost more

Pay to play: Building in disaster-prone areas should cost more. Salt Lake Tribune Editorial.

The editorial above is about Utah, but it uses California as the bad example (Utah is just as bad except that the population is smaller).

California’s current budget disaster is compounded by the costs of fighting the many fires — $13-million a day — with most of the high cost due to saving structures that never should have been built in wildlfire prone areas.

Why should others suffer monetarily because of obviously bad private decisions? In fact the bad decisions were made in part because the individuals and the developers understood that the costs of their decisions would not be borne by themselves alone.

Update (August 21) on the monetary effects of this on the Forest Service budget. Forest pinching pennies because of fire costs.  By Corey Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.
One effect we have seen is no monitoring of grazing and the livestock operators are running amuck.

Still more (August 22)- Defending Homes from Wildfire Costs Montana Millions. By Matthew Frank. New West.

Utah’s governor squashes massive Bear Lake hydro scheme

Great news for those who love Bear Lake on the Utah/Idaho border!!

Citing environmental worries, Gov. rejects Bear Lake hydroelectric plan. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

[Utah] Off-road activist says he’s tossed in the towel

Off-road activist [Huck] says he’s tossed in the towel. He declares, after ruling, he’ll no longer fight wilderness designations. By Patty Henetz. (link expired) The Salt Lake Tribune. Note the SLT link died, but a found an active link at an off-road activist site.

“It’s like battling the Borg: Resistance is futile,” Huck said during a phone call from Blue Notch, a desert region near Lake Powell’s Hite Marina where he was dirt-biking with his family. “We might as well just designate all of Utah wilderness now and get it over with.”