Current Headlines
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Current News and Opinion
Large elk antlers get pulled from annual Wyoming auction.
While preparing the antlers picked up on the National Elk Refuge for the annual Elk Antler Auction in Wyoming, a pair of 6-by-8 antlers that earned a gross score of 431 7/8 on the Boone and Crockett system was pulled from the auction to be used as a display.
Jackson Hole Daily; May 17, 2013
U.S. Interior Department releases new version of hydraulic-fracturing regs.
The new proposed federal regulations for hydraulic fracturing were released by the U.S. Interior Department on Thursday, and public comment will be taken for 30 days. Environmental groups already said the new rules, which allow companies to shield some chemicals used in the process from disclosure, are too lax, and the oil and gas industry are already saying the regulations are too onerous.
New York Times; May 17, 2013
Wyoming gets a head's up on federal fracking rules.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell called Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead to give him a brief description of federal rules on hydraulic fracturing, rules Mead said are not needed given the state's regulations on the drilling process.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 17, 2013
Snowmobile group asks Wyoming legislators to raise fees.
The Wyoming State Snowmobile Association said an increase in permit fees for snowmobiles is needed to help fund trail maintenance, and the group is asking state legislators to consider raising the fees $10 for private riders and $30 for commercial outfits.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 17, 2013
Warden of private prison in Idaho resigns.
Timothy Wengler, who works for Corrections Corporation of America, became warden of the privately run Idaho Correctional Center to replace the warden who left amid an investigation of reports of inmate-on-inmate violence, and Wengler himself is leaving amid an investigation that staff had falsified their time records.
Idaho Statesman; May 17, 2013
Idaho officials say stable jobless rate due to decrease in workforce.
The unemployment rate in Idaho remained at 6.1 percent in April, unchanged from that in March, and state Department of Labor officials said the number of people working or looking for work in the state declined again last month, the fourth consecutive month the labor force posted a decrease.
Idaho Statesman; May 17, 2013
Home health care firms in Idaho see expanding business.
The trend of seniors paying for in-home care to allow them to stay in their homes longer is driving an increase in home-health care businesses in Idaho, although workers' wages in the industry are some of the lowest in the state.
Idaho Statesman; May 17, 2013
Idacorp CEO tells shareholders Idaho Power will stick with coal.
At Idacorp's annual meeting in Boise on Thursday, CEO LaMont Keen told the 10 shareholders in attendance that Idaho Power will soon ask the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to allow it to spend $500 million to install pollution-control equipment on three coal plants in Wyoming and two in Nevada from which it draws power.
Idaho Statesman; May 17, 2013
Idaho chipmaker moves closer to Elpida Memory Inc. takeover.
The decision of the Tokyo High Court to dismiss an appeal filed in Micron Technology Inc.'s takeover of bankrupt Elpida Memory Inc. removes one obstacle to the Idaho chipmaker's move to obtain the Japanese company.
Idaho Statesman; May 17, 2013
'Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey' to begin filming in New Mexico.
Carl Sagan's widow and collaborator, Ann Druyan, has teamed up with Seth McFarlane, a writer, producer and director, to create a new version of Sagan's 1980s Public Broadcasting Service series "Cosmos," with filming set to begin in New Mexico next month.
Denver Post; May 17, 2013
Federal furloughs to affect 13,000 Utahns.
The furloughs announced this week by U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will affect 680,000 civilian employees across the United States, including 13,000 employed at four military installations in Utah.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 17, 2013
Utah reported above-average job growth in April.
The unemployment rate in Utah in April fell for the third consecutive month, with the addition of 43,100 jobs between April 2012 and last month crediting for bringing the jobless rate down to 4.7 percent.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 17, 2013
Utah gears up for health care reform.
Utah is the only state that offers two marketplace options for health care insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act, with the federal government running one and the state the other, and members of the Utah Health Reform Task Force got an update Thursday from the state Insurance Department on getting procedures and programs in place for enrollments beginning in October.
Deseret News; May 17, 2013
Arizona judge declines to revisit mining ban around Grand Canyon.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge David Campbell rejected a request from mining companies that the federal judge in Arizona reconsider his decision that the Interior Department had the authority to ban new hard rock mining claims on a million acres of federal lands around the Grand Canyon that contain high-grade uranium ore reserves.
Arizona Daily Sun; May 17, 2013
NPCA wants wolf hunting banned in parkway between 2 Wyoming parks.
The National Parks Conservation Association has petitioned the National Park Service to ban wolf hunting in the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, which lies between Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks in Wyoming.
Jackson Hole Daily; May 16, 2013
Study finds fish have been seeking cooler waters for decades.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia published the results of a study that looked back to the 1970s and found that fish and other sea life have been on the move to cooler waters since that time.
Washington Post; May 16, 2013
Montana county commission wants to talk water with USFS, DNRC.
After learning that Ravalli County's objection to the U.S. Forest Service's attempt to gain in-stream water rights on two streams had been denied by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the county commission has invited Tom Tidwell, chief of the U.S. Forest Service, and the top officials of the DNRC to come and talk with them about the Forest Service's plan to pursue in-stream water rights on 11 streams in the Bitterroot National Forest.
Ravalli Republic; May 16, 2013
Montana 'white nationalist think tank' revels in national publicity.
After MSNBC's Rachel Maddow did a piece on the Whitefish-based National Policy Institute, which describes itself as a "white nationalist think tank,â€쳌 Richard Spencer, the leader of the Montana nonprofit, said he believed the piece would provide it with national attention.
Missoulian; May 16, 2013
Wyoming legislators debate fate of 1,200 'orphaned' CBM wells.
The issue of coalbed methane wells that need to be plugged and reclaimed was again on the minds of Wyoming legislators, who met earlier this week with industry representatives and officials from Anadarko Petroleum and the Powder River Basin Resource Council about how to address the estimated 1,200 "orphaned" wells.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 16, 2013
NPS to conduct watercraft inspections in Yellowstone National Park.
All motorized and nonmotorized watercraft must be inspected for invasive species by National Park Service personnel before they can be used on waters within Yellowstone National Park, and park officials want to remind the public that permits are required for all boats and float tubes.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 16, 2013
Wyoming legislators briefed on baseline water test regs for energy industry.
Jerimiah Rieman, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead's natural resources policy adviser, provided some details about new rules for oil and gas operators to obtain baseline water tests before drilling to members of the Legislature's Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development committee.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 16, 2013
BLM proposes leasing of 26,402 acres in Utah for tar sands development.
Public comment will be taken through June 13 on the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's proposal to lease 26,402 acres of land on Asphalt Ridge in Utah directly south of an existing tar sands strip mine and processing plant on private lands and adjacent to 16,000 acres of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration leased for such development.
Deseret News; May 16, 2013
Colorado women's prison worst in nation for staff assault of inmates.
The U.S. Justice Department's report, "Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates 2011-12," released today said the Denver Women's Correctional Facility in Colorado had the highest rate of reported assaults of inmates by staff.
Denver Post; May 16, 2013
California grocer uses spoiled foods to make electricity.
One of the oldest and largest supermarket chains on the West Coast feeds spoiled milk, meat, fruits and vegetables into an anaerobic digester system in Compton, which turns the bad food into power.
Los Angeles Times; May 16, 2013
Apple growers in Montana's Bitterroot Valley prepare to battle coddling moths.
Coddling moths are the pests that result in wormy apples, and researchers have trapped the first of the season in Montana's Bitterroot Valley, where the Montana State University Extension office will hold a class on June 8 to educate homeowners and commercial producers on how to spray for the moths.
Ravalli Republic; May 15, 2013
Fire official in Montana's Bitterroot Valley says wildfire conditions 'ridiculous'.
Volunteer fire departments in Montana's Bitterroot Valley have had the busiest season in recent memory, where controlled burns have taken off in areas that should have been too green to burn the way they did, and local officials are warning residents to take extra precaution when conducting such burns.
Ravalli Republic; May 15, 2013
Montana group asks federal appeals court to block bison hazing.
Last year, Helena-based Alliance for the Wild Rockies won a temporary injunction that halted the use of helicopters to haze bison that wandered out of Yellowstone National Park into Montana back into the park, but failed to get a permanent injunction on such hazing. Now the group is taking their request that such hazing be permanently halted to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Helena Independent Record; May 15, 2013
Montana FWP dismisses claims Gardiner-area rancher baited wolves.
On Tuesday, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials said their investigation of claims levied by environmental groups that a Gardiner-area outfitter had intentionally lured wolves to his ranch to shoot them failed to find any such thing.
Great Falls Tribune; May 15, 2013
Simplot strives to avoid 'Frankenfood' fight that torpedoed Monsanto's spud.
Twelve years ago, McDonald's rejected Monsanto's New Leaf potato, which used genes from synthetic bacteria to kill Colorado potato beetles among other things, and J.R. Simplot Co. hopes to avoid such a rejection of its five varieties of potatoes that are genetically engineered to not develop ugly black bruises using just potato DNA.
Idaho Statesman; May 15, 2013
USFWS plan for Idaho wildlife refuge sparks water fight with Canyon County.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working on its management plan for the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge in Idaho that includes rules for the 9,000-acre Lake Lowell. On Tuesday, the Canyon County Commission laid out its position that the lake belongs to the irrigators and the state, and the county will not enforce any federal rules on the lake and it will withdraw any aid provided to the refuge should federal agents be brought in to enforce on-water rules.
Idaho Statesman; May 15, 2013
Wyoming Sen. Enzi submits bill to restore mineral royalty payments.
Senators from Idaho, Utah, New Mexico and North Dakota signed on as supporters of Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi's bill to restore $110 million in federal mineral royalty payments to 35 states, and Wyoming U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis is sponsoring companion legislation in the House.
Idaho Statesman; May 15, 2013
Farmers market in Idaho's Magic Valley to accept food stamps.
The Crossroads Farmers Market in Shoshone will be the first in Idaho's Magic Valley to accept electronic benefit transfer cards, which are issued to recipients of food-assistance funds. The farmers market in Twin Falls is reportedly interested in doing so as well, but will monitor the Crossroads market before investing in the needed wireless reader.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 15, 2013
Process to return donated governor's mansion in Idaho on schedule.
Among the tasks needed to complete the return of the J.R. Simplot mansion in Boise, which the Idaho family donated for use as a governor's mansion, was reinstating the $4,500 monthly housing stipend for the Gem State's governor, which the state intends to do on June 1, the date on which the 7,400-square-foot home will be returned to Simplot ownership.
Idaho Statesman; May 15, 2013
Encana official explains wastewater treatment plans to Wyoming legislators.
The plan of Encana Oil and Gas to reinject wastewater from its Moneta Divide oilfield in Wyoming into the Madison geologic formation has been questioned, and on Tuesday, an Encana representative told members of the Legislature's Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee that the company is planning to build an advanced reverse osmosis water treatment facility in its Moneta Divide, which will allow the company to return 2.7 million gallons of water daily to the state for beneficial use.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 15, 2013
California air-tanker operator relocates to Wyoming.
10 Tanker Air Carrier LLC, which is the only company in the nation that uses converted DC-10 passenger planes as aerial tankers to dump water and retardant on wildfires, is moving its two DC-10's and 16 employees from its current location in Victorville, Calif., to Casper, Wyo.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 15, 2013
Wyoming governor rolls out state's energy strategy.
On Monday, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead released the 47-step energy strategy for the state that covers four separate subgroups of policies, including economic competitiveness, expansion and diversification; efficient, effective regulation; natural resource conservation, reclamation and mitigation; and education, innovation and new technologies.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 15, 2013
Wyoming mine began producing uranium Monday.
Cheyenne-based Cameco Resources' North Butte Mine near Wright began producing uranium on Monday, and the Wyoming company announced plans to open two more uranium mines in Wyoming and three in Nebraska in the next few years.
Denver Post; May 15, 2013
Wildlife advocates fight decision to allow Calif. wind farm to 'take' 1 condor.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials acknowledge that the federal agency's decision to allow the Terra-Gen Power's 318-megawatt Alta East wind farm in California's Kern County to kill or injure one endangered California condor will be controversial, and wildlife advocates are challenging the decision as a slippery slope.
Politico.com; May 15, 2013
IEA report cited for $1-a-barrel drop in oil price.
After the International Energy Agency increased its forecast for U.S. oil production at a time when global demand is decreasing, the price of oil fell $1 a barrel in trading on Tuesday to $94.21
Denver Post; May 15, 2013
Utah Sen. Hatch says IRS chief must resign over Tea Party investigations.
U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch said Internal Revenue Service Acting Commissioner Steve Miller either willfully declined to tell Congress the truth about the agency's targeting of Tea Party groups filing for 501(c)(4) status, or was woefully incompetent, and the Utah Republican said Miller must resign.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 15, 2013
Utah water board asks Gov. Herbert to reconsider Nevada agreement.
The Utah Water Development Commission voted Tuesday to formally ask Utah Gov. Gary Herbert to revisit his decision to decline to sign a water-sharing agreement with Nevada, and to provide the water panel with his response before the commission meets again in June.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 15, 2013
Wildfire season arrives amid uncertainty on status of air tanker fleet.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that since six of the seven next-generation air tankers may not be ready to fight wildfires this season, the agency will rely on military air tankers to fill the void, but Tom Harbour, the Forest Service's national director of fire aviation management, later said those planes may not be certified for such action.
Missoulian; May 14, 2013
Wildfire risk above normal for SW Montana, N. Idaho.
On Monday, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and U.S. Department of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held a telephone conference with reporters and said that the national assessment for wildfire risk found above-normal risk conditions in southwestern Montana and northern Idaho for the season, where federal budget cuts will mean hundreds of fewer wildfire fighters on the line.
Missoulian and AP; May 14, 2013
Montana FWP forced to kill wounded grizzly bear.
During a monitoring flight earlier this month, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional grizzly bear management specialist Tim Manley observed a grizzly bear dragging its hind legs, and after putting the bear down, discovered it had been shot.
Kalispell Daily InterLake; May 14, 2013
BLM completes series of meetings on Montana Hi-Line management plan.
Monday evening's meeting in Great Falls was the last of five the Bureau of Land Management hosted to gather public comment on its proposed management plan for 2.4 million acres of public land along Montana's Hi-Line, with 140 people in total attending the five meetings that addressed sage grouse habitat and energy development.
Great Falls Tribune; May 14, 2013
Interior, Agriculture secretaries discuss funding cuts, wildfire work.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell were the bearers of bad news in Boise on Monday, where they said Bureau of Land Management funds for fuels reduction may have to be diverted to fight wildfires. Editor's note: Contains a sidebar about the possibility of making the Boulder-White Clouds area of the state a national monument.
Idaho Statesman; May 14, 2013
Idaho senator's former campaign manager explains missing cash.
Jake Ball, Idaho U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo's former campaign manager, said he invested $250,000 of the Republican senator's campaign funds with a friend, Gavin McCaleb, who in turn invested it in a Nevada-registered company called Pyramid Global Resources, after which the money disappeared.
Idaho Statesman; May 14, 2013
Idaho potato industry says B.C. GMO apples could clear path for Simplot tater.
British Columbia-based Okanogan Specialty Fruits expects that it will gain both Canadian and U.S. approval this year for its Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples that have been genetically modified to prevent browning, and Idaho potato industry officials said consumer response to those apples could help the genetically modified potato of J.R. Simplot make it to the U.S. market.
Idaho Statesman; May 14, 2013
Series of underpasses, fences make wildlife routes in Utah safer.
With funding that came primarily from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Utah Department of Transportation, working with two state wildlife agencies, Kane County, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and sportsmen, has adapted four culverts and added three more underpasses to allow wildlife to safely cross U.S. Highway 89 near Kanab.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 14, 2013
Senate Agriculture Committee begins work on Farm Bill.
Among the issues of contention between the Senate and House versions of the Farm Bill is domestic food aid, with the Senate version cutting $400 million out of almost $80 billion spent annually on food stamps, and the House version eliminating $2 billion in funding.
Deseret News; May 14, 2013
Montana state judge declines to overturn Ted Turner's bison deal.
In a ruling three weeks ago, Gallatin County Judge Holly Brown declined to overturn the deal between the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Ted Turner that allowed the transfer of bison from Yellowstone National Park to Turner's ranch near Bozeman for five years in exchange for 75 percent of the calves born during that time. Western Watersheds Project, the Buffalo Field Campaign, the Gallatin Wildlife Association and the Yellowstone Buffalo Foundation said they will appeal that decision.
Missoulian; May 13, 2013
Montana senators sponsor bill to increase veterans' access to farming.
Armed with the knowledge that nearly half the people serving in the military come from rural backgrounds, Montana U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are sponsoring a measure incorporated into the Farm Bill that would give veterans preference in farming programs, as well as other measures designed to make it easier for veterans to find jobs in the agriculture sector.
Great Falls Tribune; May 13, 2013
Wyoming county, city declare war on invasive plants.
Russian olives, Dalmatian toadflax and cheatgrass are Natrona County and Casper's list of species officials of the Wyoming county and city would like to see eradicated.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 13, 2013
Investor in Wyoming lithium projects outlines the obstacles.
David Miller, a geologist and Wyoming state representative, who is also the first, and so far the only entity to file for leases near the lithium find in Sweetwater County, said that development of the resource is an economic longshot right now, given the relatively low concentration of lithium and the depth at which it is found.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 13, 2013
BLM proposes wild horse gather in S. Wyoming in August.
The Bureau of Land Management is taking public comment through June 10 on its plan to remove hundreds of horses that now roam in Wyoming's Sweetwater and Carbon counties in August, treat some of the mares with fertility control drugs and sell others.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 13, 2013
Annual cleanup day in Idaho's Snake River Canyon Park a group effort.
For 14 years, the Bureau of Land Management has teamed up with area residents and businesses to clean up trash illegally dumped in the Snake River Canyon Park in Idaho, and this year's event yielded shotgun shells and Christmas trees, a welcome change from the sea of discarded appliances in early cleanups.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 13, 2013
Federal, state, local groups work on Utah's Access Wasatch.
The Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Forest Service and Federal Highway Administration are working with state and local officials on an environmental impact statement on future transportation issues in central Utah's Wasatch Mountains.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 13, 2013
Resort development near Canmore ignites concerns about wildlife.
PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc.'s proposed development in Alberta near Canmore would be the largest resort development in the history of the Rockies, adding 2,549 residential units, 1,000 resort accommodation units and two hotels with 250 rooms each on 1,111 acres.
Calgary Herald; May 13, 2013
USFWS's plan for N. Rockies grizzlies takes zonal approach.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's draft management plan for grizzly bears in the Northern Rockies should federal protections for that population of bears be removed divides the ecosystem into three zones. The first stretches from wilderness areas in the north to Missoula, Kalispell, Browning and Choteau; the second zone is south of Highway 200 to Bozeman; and Zone 3 contains the plains and mountain ranges near Great Falls, extending east as far as Havre, Fort Benton and Big Timber.
Missoulian; May 12, 2013
Carbon dioxide passes level long feared.
Scientists reported Friday that the level of carbon dioxide surpassed the 400 parts per million, a level not seen on Earth for millions of years.
New York Times; May 11, 2013
GOP senators delay votes on president's nominees on EPA, Labor.
Republican senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee said they wanted Gina McCarthy, President Obama's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, to fully respond to the more than 1,000 questions about EPA policies, before sending her confirmation to the full Senate, and the day before, Republicans on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee delayed by at least a week the vote on Thomas E. Perez, President Obama's nominee to head the Labor Department.
New York Times; May 10, 2013
U.S. Senate committee hearing reflects immigration bill's rocky road.
Thursday's 7 1/2-hour rancorous hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where legislation to reform the nation's immigration system reportedly will have an easier path than in the House, was an indication of the tough road reform will have.
Washington Post; May 10, 2013
Montana FWP commission takes testimony on changes to wolf hunt rules.
At the meeting Thursday of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission, sportsmen's groups spoke in support of an extended hunting season for wolves, as well as allowing hunters and trappers to take up to five wolves per hunting season, and wildlife advocates argued that the changes are too liberal and will give the state a black eye.
Helena Independent Record; May 10, 2013
BLM officials ask Montana FWP to talk about bison at resource meeting.
At the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Central Montana Resource Advisory Council meeting on Wednesday in Havre, the deputy director of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said the state currently has no plans to transfer bison to any locations at this time, although some interest has been expressed in such transfers.
Great Falls Tribune; May 10, 2013
Wyoming Game and Fish tells legislators more cuts coming.
The Wyoming Legislature declined to increase fees charged by Wyoming Game and Fish, and on Wednesday, Scott Talbott, the director of that department, told legislators that the agency will have to cut between $1.5 million and $2 million if more funding isn't provided by the Legislature.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 10, 2013
Winds push prescribed fire at Wyoming monument beyond limits.
A prescribed burn at the Devil's Tower National Monument on Wednesday burned beyond its boundaries, but officials said the fire acted generally like a prescribed burn on the areas of Wyoming unintentionally ignited.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 10, 2013
Wyoming senator to delay bill seeking recovery of mineral payments.
U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi said he'll wait until next week to submit legislation designed to block the Interior Department's plan to claw back $110 million in federal mineral royalties, which would cost Wyoming $50 million in federal funds.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 10, 2013
Zoo Boise to bring a slice of Mozambique to Idaho.
Idaho philanthropist Greg Carr has signed a 20-year contract to help restore the 1.6 million-acre Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, and a planned 2-acre exhibit at Zoo Boise will provide a glimpse of the famed park and help raise $2 million for its restoration.
Idaho Statesman; May 10, 2013
Another report confirms Idaho's status as low-pay state.
A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked Idaho 45th in the nation for average hourly pay, although the Gem State did retain its 42nd place ranking for average median wage.
Idaho Statesman; May 10, 2013
Idaho to get $1.35M slice of $150M in federal funding for health care.
As part of the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is providing $150 million in funding to states to help the uninsured enroll in health care insurance plans, and Idaho will get $1.35 million to parcel out to 11 community health centers across the state.
Idaho Statesman; May 10, 2013
Idaho congressman holds BLM's feet to fire on wildfire's threat to sage grouse.
At a hearing before the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, Idaho U.S. Rep Mike Simpson grilled BLM Principle Deputy Director Neil Kornze about the agency's cut to wildfire budgets at a time when fires are destroying habitat for sage grouse, a species that is teetering on the edge of needing federal protection.
Idaho Statesman; May 10, 2013
Colorado brewer helps fund study of hops-loving blue butterfly.
Celastrina humulus, a quarter-sized blue butterfly that has a taste for hops, an ingredient used in beer, has drawn the interest of Fort Collins-based brewer Odell Brewing, which will fund the Colorado Natural Heritage Program's at Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources to study the butterfly that emerges during the summer months along the Front Range.
Denver Post; May 10, 2013
Colorado governor gets annual wildfire briefing.
After getting his annual wildfire briefing on Thursday, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper discussed changes made in state policy after last year's disastrous Lower North Fork wildfire that killed three people and destroyed nearly two dozen homes, including the stationing of some of the state's 32 wildland fighting units in different areas.
Denver Post; May 10, 2013
GOP lawmakers ask Colorado governor to veto renewable-energy bill.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has until June 7 to act on Senate Bill 252, which requires rural electric cooperatives to get 20 percent if their power from renewable resources by 2020, and on Thursday, a group of Republican legislators gathered on the Capitol steps to urge the Democratic governor to veto the measure.
Denver Post; May 10, 2013
Utah property owners decline DuPont's settlement offer on tree-killer.
The 48 Utah homeowners whose property was treated by Greenleaf Enterprises with DuPont's Imprelis, an herbicide that the company prompted as environmentally friendly and tough only on weeds, but actually killed trees and shrubs, have filed a lawsuit seeking damages that the landowners said were up to 10 times higher than the settlement offered by the Delaware-based DuPont.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 10, 2013
Utah approves incentive to draw Texas software company to state.
SolarWinds, the Texas-based software company named "Best Small Company in America" by Forbes Magazine last fall, will use the incentive offered by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, to create hundreds of jobs in the state over the next two decades.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 10, 2013
Ambre Energy, Cloud Peak deal to export Montana coal stalls.
Australia-based Ambre Energy's deal to take full control of Cloud Peak's Decker coal mine in Montana near the Wyoming border has stalled again, with the parties seeking an extension of the May 10 deadline to finalize the deal to July 12.
Flathead Beacon; May 9, 2013
Advocates say Montana rancher baiting wolves.
Representatives of Wolves of the Rockies said Gardiner-area outfitter Bill Hoppe, who lost 13 sheep to wolves in late April, intentionally piled the carcasses on his land to lure more wolves to his property.
Billings Gazette; May 9, 2013
U.S. House panel takes testimony on proposed hydraulic fracturing rules.
On Wednesday, legislators and representatives of Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota told members of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee that proposed federal regulations on hydraulic fracturing were unnecessary, and that such regulations should be left to states.
Great Falls Tribune; May 9, 2013
Wyoming inspectors find zebra mussels on Ohio boat.
At a boat-inspection station on Interstate 80, Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials found dead zebra mussels on a boat bought in Ohio and headed for Washington state.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 9, 2013
Wyoming Game and Fish explains differing fishing regulations.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will host a series of meetings to discuss proposed changes to fishing regulations, and how the rules on some species change in relation to the waters in which they are found.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 9, 2013
J.R. Simplot seeks federal permission to grow a better potato.
The Innate potato genetically engineered by J.R. Simplot contains genes from five different potato varieties, and the Idaho-based company is seeking an exemption from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rules designed to prevent plant pests.
Idaho Statesman; May 9, 2013
Michigan governor signs bill that could allow wolf hunts in state.
On Wednesday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill into law that gives the state Natural Resources Commission the authority to decide what species can be hunted within the state, and today that agency is expected to vote on a proposal that would set a quota of 43 for a wolf hunt.
Idaho Statesman; May 9, 2013
Volunteers help Idaho wildlife agency track sage grouse activity.
There are an estimated 950 sage grouse leks in south-central Idaho in the state Department of Fish and Game's database, and this year volunteers helped the agency track dancing male sage grouse and the females attracted by the routine at 450 leks.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 9, 2013
Idaho wants to hear from elk hunters at meeting on May 13 in Jerome.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking public input on elk management in the state for the next decade, and agency officials are urging elk hunters and others interested in the issue to come to a meeting on May 13 in Jerome.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 9, 2013
New owner of extended-stay hotel in Wyoming to rename, reopen it.
Jason Laird, CEO of Lotus Health and Wellness LLC, the new owner of the former Skyler Inn in Casper, said the extended-stay hotel will reopen in the Wyoming city after it is cleaned, repainted and has some other work done. He said he hopes it can provide housing to some of the former residents of the Skyler Inn, who were displaced when it closed last month.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 9, 2013
Colorado Legislature shuts door on historic session.
The passage of four bills regulating the recreational use of marijuana in Colorado, the first such legislation in the nation, made this legislative session in the Centennial State one for the history books.
Denver Post; May 9, 2013
Colorado's legislative session by the numbers.
The final week of Colorado's legislative session was a busy one, with 113 bills still alive on Monday morning, and by sine die on Wednesday night, a majority of those had been acted upon, including one that allows unauthorized immigrants to get driver's licenses.
Denver Post; May 9, 2013
U.S. Sen. Mark Udall presses FAA to make Colorado a drone test site.
Colorado U.S. Sen. Mark Udall has developed a reputation for protecting citizens' right to privacy, but during a speech at the National Press Club, Udall said the Centennial State is already a hub for scientific and aviation technology, and its rugged terrain would provide good testing ground for unmanned drones. He urged the Federal Aviation Administration to select the state as a testing site for the unmanned aircraft.
Denver Post; May 9, 2013
Colorado county sheriff opens investigation of wild-horse buyer.
A recent ProPublica investigation found that Tom Davis, a Colorado horse buyer, had purchased more than 1,700 horses from the Bureau of Land Management, but could only account for 765 of the horses he had transported elsewhere. Officials in the state have been debating who should investigate Davis for not adhering to state brand inspection laws, and last week the Conejos County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation.
Colorado Springs Gazette; May 9, 2013
Oil, gas boom pushes population growth in E. Montana.
A University of Montana study found that population growth in counties in the eastern portion of the state outpaced growth in western Montana, but those who monitor economic activity in Missoula County believe that companies in that county could benefit from some spillover business from the oil and gas boom in the eastern part of the state.
Missoulian; May 8, 2013
Montana consumers, farmers divided on bill to label genetically modified foods.
Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester supports the "Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act," which would require all foods that contain genetically modified organisms be so labeled. Montana farmers who grow GMO corn, sugar beets and alfalfa oppose the measure, while natural food stores say voluntary labeling of non-GMO foods is taking off.
Billings Gazette; May 8, 2013
Changes to Montana's wolf hunting season on FWP agenda Thursday.
At Thursday's meeting of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission, the board will vote on changes to the state's wolf hunting regulations, a proposed land acquisition along Big Spring Creek and a negotiated easement to allow access to the Marias River Wildlife Management Area access.
Great Falls Tribune; May 8, 2013
Wyoming to make calculated move on lithium resources.
The vast new lithium resource discovered by University of Wyoming Carbon Management Institute researchers could be worth an estimated $500 billion, and state officials are moving carefully on leasing and developing that resource.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 8, 2013
Idaho road workers fix sinkhole caused by gopher tunnels.
Gophers tunneling under Idaho Highway 78 near Marsing caused a small sinkhole and crews were able to temporarily fix the problem. The burrowing rodents were also blamed for the massive sinkhole on Butte Road that caused a fatality.
Idaho Statesman; May 8, 2013
Call centers' job fair in Boise draws hundreds of job seekers.
More than 300 job-seekers passed through the doors of the Idaho Department of Labor's office in Boise in the first hour of a job fair on Tuesday, where six companies hoped to fill hundreds of jobs at call centers.
Idaho Statesman; May 8, 2013
Idaho senators ask President Obama to get involved in VA disability debacle.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has an estimated 600,000 claims for disability benefits awaiting action, and in Idaho, nearly half of all pending claims are 125 days or older, prompting U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch to join with two-thirds of their colleagues in signing a letter to President Obama asking him to address the backlog.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 8, 2013
Interior Secretary: Wild-horse decision on hold until study released.
A wild-horse study done by the National Academy of Sciences is due to be released early next month, and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in an interview with the Denver Post that she will wait to see the study before making any decisions on wild horses.
Denver Post; May 8, 2013
Wyoming, N.M. senators work on bill to restore mineral payments to states.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell defended the federal government's reduction of mineral lease payments due to sequestration, but New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall and Wyoming Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso are working on legislation to restore those payments because they said states bear the costs of development of such resources and should not be denied their share.
Denver Post; May 8, 2013
U.S. health department releases data on hospital charges.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released data today that lists prices charged by hospitals across the nation for routine operations in 2011, which show wide disparity in charges within the same state, and even within the same city.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 8, 2013
Blast in Utah oilfield kills 1, injures 2.
Federal and state officials are investigating an explosion in an Eastern Utah oilfield that killed one worker and injured two others.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 8, 2013
Well-known grizzly sow in Wyoming park gives cubs the boot.
Grizzly 610, the bear that has been roaming the roadsides of Grand Teton National Park with three cubs at her side for the past couple of years, is now moving solo and the cubs are sticking together for now.
Jackson Hole Daily; May 7, 2013
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming protest USFWS's plan to protect wolverines.
In response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to list wolverines as threatened across the lower 48 states, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have formally opposed such a listing, saying the species is doing just fine on its own.
Flathead Beacon; May 7, 2013
USFS announces contractors to provide 7 air tankers to fight wildfires.
After the U.S. Forest Service announced it had selected the contractors to provide seven bigger, faster air tankers to help fight wildfires, Colorado U.S. Sen. Mark Udall asked that the bidding process not be challenged as that would delay the air tankers' arrival to help in what could be a rough wildfire season.
Flathead Beacon; May 7, 2013
Workers sue Georgia farmer claiming bias in hiring.
American workers who live near Georgia farms where Vidalia onions are grown have sued producers, claiming racial bias in hiring and alleging that the farmers prefer to hire unauthorized immigrants.
New York Times; May 7, 2013
USDA presses for conservation measures in Farm Bill.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the Billings Gazette that he will work with federal lawmakers to ensure that the Farm Bill contains measures to encourage conservation practice, including one that would deny crop insurance to any farmer that breaks up native sod.
Billings Gazette; May 7, 2013
Montana governor vetoes gun, bison bills.
On Monday, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a measure that would have allowed college students to keep guns in their dorm rooms and would have prohibited the university regents from making rules regulating guns on campuses. The Democratic governor also vetoed two measures supported by Republican lawmakers that regulated the movement of bison in the state.
Great Falls Tribune; May 7, 2013
Large meteor lights up the skies in Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado.
Residents of southern Wyoming were treated to a light show as a bolide, a type of meteor that leaves meteorites, raced through the sky Sunday night, and there were reports that the meteor's path was visible in Idaho and Colorado as well.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 7, 2013
Boise-born business comes full circle back to Idaho.
RedBuilt LLC is back in Boise, born in the 1970s as Trussdeck Corp., which then morphed into Trus Joist Corp., it offered engineered wood products, including an open-web truss and later, the engineered-wood I-joist. It later became part of Weyerhauser Corp., and when Weyerhauser spun the business off, RedBuilt LLC was born.
Idaho Statesman; May 7, 2013
Idaho senators voted no on Marketplace Fairness Act.
U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch joined 25 other senators in voting against the bill that would enable states to collect taxes on online sales, but the bill passed and will now move to the U.S. House.
Idaho Statesman; May 7, 2013
Idaho governor declares May 'Second Amendment Protection Month'.
To tout the state's friendliness to gun and ammunition manufacturers, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter declared May Second Amendment Protection Month, and touted gun ownership as a way of life in a letter to 79 such companies, urging them to consider the Gem State as a great place to do business.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; May 7, 2013
Cobalt's low price puts B.C. company's plan for Idaho mine on hold.
When British Columbia-based Formation Metals Inc. pitched its plan to mine cobalt in the Salmon-Challis National Forest in Idaho, the metal was trading for around $50 a pound, but now it's trading for $12 a pound, putting the mine on hold for now.
Idaho Statesman; May 7, 2013
Montana to pay to keep 4 USGS river gauges operational.
After the U.S. Geological Survey released a list of river gauges that it would no longer pay to operate due to sequestration cuts, Montana agencies stepped up to pay the costs of keeping four operating: one on the Bitterroot River just below its confluence with the Clark Fork River, the Jefferson River near Three Forks, the Smith River near Eagle Creek and the Yellowstone River at Miles City.
Flathead Beacon; May 6, 2013
Federal bill increases scrutiny of Wyoming's hydropower potential.
Earlier this year, the U.S. House passed legislation co-sponsored by Wyoming U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis and Colorado U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton to streamline the permitting process for small hydropower projects, and the U.S. Senate will take up a companion bill offered by Wyoming U.S. Sen. John Barrasso on Wednesday.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 6, 2013
Two companies poised to take over Hostess properties in Utah.
West Coast-based Franz Bakery received approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to buy the Salt Lake bakery, five depots and seven stores in Utah, while Georgia-based Flowers Foods is awaiting approval to buy the Ogden plant, as well as other Hostess properties in the United States.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 6, 2013
U of Idaho adds animal welfare classes to its schedule.
After employees of an Idaho dairy were videotaped mistreating cows, the University of Idaho stepped up and is adding animal welfare classes to the slate of dairy-related classes it offers.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 6, 2013
BLM may close popular climbing site in southeastern Idaho.
Concerns about how rock climbing in Castle Rocks was affecting sites considered sacred by both the Shoshone-Bannock and Shoshone-Paiute tribes, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management conducted surveys that found the 400-acre site in southeastern Idaho contained important archaeological resources and artifacts. Various options failed to come up with a plan that avoided all such sites, leading the agency to consider closing the area permanently.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 6, 2013
Tiny school in SW Colorado plows new ground on guns-in-schools debate.
Under Colorado law, only security and peace officers may carry guns in schools, so the Dolores County School District RE-2 and Dove Creek School named a superintendent and assistant superintendent as security officers and upped their pay $1 a year to allow them to carry guns.
Denver Post; May 6, 2013
Oregon's health plan shows mix of results.
Oregon tracked 12,000 low-income Oregonians between 2008 and 2010 to study the benefit of the state's Health Plan, but the study showed mixed benefits of health care coverage, with enrollees not generally healthier than those who did not have the benefit, although the enrollees enjoyed better financial circumstances and were less depressed.
Portland Oregonian; May 6, 2013
Two wildfires in Central Oregon now contained.
Hot weather and high winds in Oregon played a role in both the 200-acre Burgess Road fire near La Pine and the 10-acre fire near Crane Prairie Reservoir, both of which are now contained.
Portland Oregonian; May 6, 2013
Missoula startup brings cycling tour business home to W. Montana.
Owen Gue and his crew of cycling experts normally host training camps in Arizona and in Spain, but the Missoula native's startup, Cycling House, has a fully booked alpine tour of western Montana this July that will take cyclists on a loop that begins and ends in Missoula.
Missoulian; May 5, 2013
Montana gun manufacturer moves into bigger facility.
Cooper Firearms moved from its 9,700-square-foot manufacturing plant to a 27,000-square-foot facility in Stevensville, and the gun manufacturer now employs 48 workers at its Montana plant.
Missoulian; May 5, 2013
BLM makes progress on removal of PVC pipes that kill birds.
White polyvinyl chloride pipes used to mark mining claims are trapping and killing small cavity-nesting birds that mistake the openings as potential nesting sites. The Bureau of Land Management estimates there are 3.4 million PVC pipes marking claims across the West, with 1 million of the pipes in Nevada alone, where two biologists are leading the charge to get the pipes removed.
Great Falls Tribune; May 5, 2013
USFWS releases draft management plan for Montana grizzly bears.
Last Friday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft conservation plan it prepared with other federal agencies, the state of Montana and tribal governments to manage grizzly bears in northcentral and western Montana if and when federal protections for the species are removed.
Great Falls Tribune; May 5, 2013
Montana ranchers watch their hay supplies dwindle.
Last summer's drought, combined with this year's cold, wet spring, meant that Montana ranchers had less hay to harvest and they've had to keep feeding their livestock longer as pastures haven't yet greened up, and the price of hay just keeps climbing.
Great Falls Tribune; May 5, 2013
Alberta's suspension of energy lease sales in caribou range a first.
In a move that surprised and delighted wildlife advocates, the Alberta Energy Department temporarily suspended the sale of oil and gas leases near the ranges of the Little Smoky Caribou and À La Peche herds northeast of Jasper National Park, to allow recovery plans for the threatened herds to be completed.
Edmonton Journal; May 4, 2013
CDC: Suicides now cause more deaths in U.S. than vehicle accidents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is releasing a new report today that indicates the rate of suicide in the United States is up dramatically, and in 2010, the number of deaths caused by suicide was 4,677 higher than those caused by motor vehicle accidents.
New York Times; May 3, 2013
Laboratories in Idaho, Washington, Alaska step up testing for salmon virus.
Alexandra Morton has warned for years that infectious salmon anemia is a threat to wild Pacific salmon, and the Canadian biologist said she bought a farmed salmon with the virus last year, but scientists and government testing groups in Canada and the United States said they've not been able to find the virus, but testing has been stepped up in the U.S., with samples shipped to laboratories in Idaho, Washington and Alaska for testing for the disease.
New York Times; May 3, 2013
Bear researcher keynote speaker at Women's STEM conference in Montana.
The Women's STEM Round-up is designed to bring together women scientists and women and girls interested in careers in math and science, and this weekend, Kate Kendall, who has been conducting bear research in Montana for decades will be the keynote speaker at Saturday's conference in Helena.
Helena Independent Record; May 3, 2013
Wyoming rancher builds fence, wind break to protect Bitter Creek.
With funding from the Farm Service Agency and expertise from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, both of which are agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wyoming rancher Jason Oedekoven built nearly a mile of fence and installed a wind break to keep his cattle out of Bitter Creek, a tributary of the Powder River that flows into Yellowstone National Park.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 3, 2013
Colorado gun accessories manufacturer makes move to Wyoming.
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead announced Thursday that Colorado-based HiViz Shooting Systems, which manufactures accessories for firearms in Fort Collins, will move its operations to Laramie, where the company plans to build a new plant.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 3, 2013
BLM launches court-ordered review of Wyoming-Oregon pipeline.
After a federal court ruled that the Bureau of Land Management's initial review of the Ruby Pipeline project, which will carry natural gas through Wyoming, northern Utah and northern Nevada and southern Oregon, failed to adequately assess the project's effect on rare fish in waterways along those routes, the BLM has begun again to assess the pipeline project.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 3, 2013
Wyoming governor tells USFS state won't return $200K.
After the U.S. Forest Service asked 41 states to return $17.9 million in timber payments to rural counties because the payments were made before sequestration hit, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead joined Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell in declining to return that money.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 3, 2013
Members of Idaho's federal delegation disagree on budget fix.
At a meeting with the editorial board of the Idaho Statesman, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson said he's optimistic that Congress will agree to a bipartisan compromise on the nation's debt ceiling this fall, but in a separate meeting with the same board, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch sees no such "grand bargain" in the fall.
Idaho Statesman; May 3, 2013
Price of oil jumps up.
On Thursday, the price of oil jumped up $2.96 a barrel, the largest one-day increase recorded since November.
Denver Post; May 3, 2013
eBay hosts grand opening of Utah campus today.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert will be on hand today when eBay CEO John Donahoe officially opens the online commerce giant's new offices in Draper, where the company employs 1,800 workers.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 3, 2013
Washington, Colorado, Oregon most bike-friendly in U.S..
The League of American Biking released its annual ranking of states on such factors as bike programs, policies, funding for biking legislation, infrastructure and education, and for the sixth consecutive year, Washington state ranked first, Colorado moved up to second, and Oregon third.
USA Today; May 2, 2013
Study says hydraulic fracturing could affect water resources in the West.
A report released by Ceres found that, although hydraulic fracturing in states like Colorado and Texas currently uses less than 1 percent of water resources overall, the group said the use of millions of gallons of water to drill one well could have a huge effect on local water resources.
New York Times; May 2, 2013
Royal Dutch Shell makes big play in natural gas.
Of all the largest international energy companies, none have bet more on natural gas than Royal Dutch Shell, with more than a third of its 2012 profits coming from liquefied natural gas and related businesses.
New York Times; May 2, 2013
Montana wildlife commission to consider changes to wolf hunting rules.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks personnel have recommended that the state's wolf hunting season start a month earlier, and that those with wolf permits be allowed to take a total of five wolves. The state Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission will take up those proposals next week.
Helena Independent Record; May 2, 2013
East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park opens Friday.
Communities just outside of Yellowstone National Park stepped up to help pay to plow the roads to the park to ensure a timely opening this spring, and on Friday, the East Entrance will open.
Billings Gazette; May 2, 2013
ATF investigates theft of explosives from USFS site in Montana.
Sometime this month, thieves broke into a U.S. Forest Service site near Red Lodge and stole 559 pounds of explosives, explosive cast boosters and detonating cord, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Billings Gazette; May 2, 2013
Montana-based brokerage firm to acquire California firm.
Great Falls-based D.A. Davidson announced it is buying Crowell, Weedon & Co., a Los Angeles-based brokerage and money management firm that manages $9-billion in assets, the purchase of which will make the Montana company the largest independent broker-dealer based in the Western United States.
Great Falls Tribune; May 2, 2013
Wyoming on Colorado, Connecticut gun makers' radar.
Robert Jensen, the CEO of the Wyoming Business Council, said he's seen unprecedented interest from gun and ammunition manufacturers in Colorado and Connecticut about relocating to the Cowboy State.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 2, 2013
NIFC predicts above-normal wildfire potential in Idaho, Montana.
On Wednesday, the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise issued its first wildfire outlook report that said portions of Idaho and Montana could see above-normal wildfire activity, as could areas of the West Coast and the Southwest.
Idaho Statesman; May 2, 2013
Idaho Fish and Game wants public comments on elk management plan.
Public comments on changes to Idaho's elk management plan are due by May 3, and the state Fish and Game Department will host a slate of public meetings and open houses during May to discuss the ongoing changes to the plan.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 2, 2013
Sponsor of bill for Colorado air tanker force on the hunt for $17M.
Colorado state Sen. Steve King, the sponsor of Senate Bill 245, which would allow Colorado to buy three air tankers to use in fighting wildfires, said he still has seven days before the Legislature adjourns to find the $17 million needed to buy and maintain that fleet.
Durango Herald; May 2, 2013
Utah regulators find measures to cut air pollution have far to go.
Utah state scientists and regulators have been working for three years on ways to reduce air pollution along the Wasatch Front. Based on recent number crunching, Utah County will need to implement more measures to reduce pollutants by another 20 percent, and the five-county area around Salt Lake City must reduce emissions another 10 percent.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 2, 2013
Utah reports a decline in the number of homeless.
The annual Point in Time survey of homeless populations in states in January found that overall numbers in Utah were down 7 percent from 2012, and the number of homeless families was down 11 percent.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 2, 2013
Nevada county officials: Money should be used to shoot, not study, coyotes.
Elko County commissioners said the $3 fee the Nevada Department of Wildlife collects on each game tag sold in the state was originally directed to a fund for predator control, and they formally objected to using those funds to study coyotes, a species they say has been studied enough.
Elko Daily; May 2, 2013
Wyoming sets meeting on motorized boat ban on stretch of Snake River.
Wyoming Game and Fish will hold a public meeting on May 8 in the Teton County Library in Jackson to gather public comments on a plan to ban motorboats on a 20-mile stretch of the Snake River from Grand Teton National Park to the South Park Bridge and to ban jet skis on an additional 20 miles to the West Table Boat Ramp.
Jackson Hole News & Guide; May 1, 2013
Gros Venture leader's life began, ended in Montana.
George Horse Capture, a Gros Venture man who was born into poverty on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana, moved away, joined the Navy, was inspired by the Native American protest at Alcatraz to return to his culture, and went on to tirelessly work to locate the lost artifacts of the A’ani or White Clay People, died in Great Falls at the age of 75 on April 19.
Great Falls Tribune; May 1, 2013
Montana sawmill one of 14 in North America to reopen.
The tanking of the housing market in 2008 forced the closure of 146 sawmills in North America, but an improving market and new construction is bringing new life to the lumber industry, and 14 shuttered mills, including Plum Creek Timber's mill in Evergreen, Mont., are reopening.
Great Falls Tribune; May 1, 2013
Idaho cheese plant to hold job fair in Caldwell on May 2.
Sorrento Lactalis wants to hire 30 workers at its cheese processing plant near Nampa, and on May 2 it will hold a job fair to interview perspective workers at the Idaho Department of Labor's Canyon County office in Caldwell.
Idaho Statesman; May 1, 2013
Idaho chipmaker's memory cube wins awards.
Micron Technology Inc.'s hybrid memory cube that combines memory storage with electronic processing was named top memory product of the year by both Electronic Design News and EE Times.
Idaho Statesman; May 1, 2013
Idaho bakery expands into natural foods market.
Hagerman Manna has been baking bread in the Idaho city for four years, and now the company has a new name, Hagerman Natural Foods, a storefront, and a whole menu of offerings.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 1, 2013
Idaho producers, dairies benefit from growing global demand for cheese.
The increase in demand for cheese made in Idaho, and the milk for dairies in that state to make the cheese, is due to a number of international conditions, including China's growing economy, Europe's flat economy and New Zealand's drought that has cut exports from that country.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 1, 2013
Idaho sheep farmer seeks Kickstarter funding for ice cream business.
Laura Sluder, owner of Blue Sage Farms, began her career as a sheep farmer when she bought sheep to keep weeds on her Idaho property mowed down, then branched into providing locally produced lamb and cheese products, and now she's launching a Kickstarter campaign to allow her to expand her business making ice cream out of sheep's milk.
Twin Falls Times-News; May 1, 2013
Five cabin owners on 2 Idaho lakes face 'conflict bids'.
Competing bids have been submitted for four cabin leases on Priest Lake and one on Payette Lake, the first time in decades the Idaho cabin owners have faced such a situation, and now the competing bidders will face off in an auction.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; May 1, 2013
Rural renewable energy bill passes Colorado House, returns to Senate.
Despite an agenda that contained hotly contested gun-related legislation, Senate Bill 252, which would require rural electric cooperatives to get 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020, has been the most-debated bill before the Colorado Legislature this session, and on Tuesday, the state House approved an amended version of the bill and sent it back to the Senate for another vote.
Denver Post; May 1, 2013
Colorado magazine manufacturer confirms production begins out of state.
Magpul, the Erie-based gun-magazine manufacturer that vowed to move its production out of Colorado after the Legislature passed a bill banning magazines that contain more than 15 rounds, confirmed in a Facebook posting that production has begun outside of Colorado, and that details about where it will relocate its headquarters would be released after the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Texas this weekend.
Boulder Daily Camera; May 1, 2013
Prosecutor drops high-profile 'ag gag' case in Utah.
The Draper city prosecutor has dismissed charges against Amy Meyer, who would have been the first person prosecuted under a law passed in Utah last year that made it a misdemeanor to record an agricultural operation while trespassing or after gaining access under false pretenses.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 1, 2013
Hearing officer withdraws USFS permit for coal mine expansion in Utah.
A federal appeals officer has reversed the decision of Fishlake National Forest Supervisor Allen Rowley to approve the request of Operator Ark Land Co., a subsidiary of Arch Coal, to expand its coal-lease by 20 acres in Utah, a decision that Utah Environmental Congress had challenged over concerns that the removal of the estimated 400,000 tons of coal would lead to subsidence and the loss of streams in the area.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 1, 2013
Alberta study finds fewer drug problems in urban aboriginals who retain cultural ties.
Based on a study of 381 aboriginals in Edmonton, the city in Canada with the second-highest population of aboriginals, University of Lethbridge professor Cheryl Currie found that those urban originals who continued to practice ceremonial dance, smudging and sweat-lodges were less likely to have drug problems.
Edmonton Journal; May 1, 2013
Montana congressman says gun regulations should be left to states.
While taking a turn behind the gun sales counter at Shipton's Big R in Billings, Montana U.S. Rep. Steve Daines said that he is a firm supporter of Second Amendment rights and that efforts to curb gun violence should be focused on mental health and criminal intent.
Missoulian; May 1, 2013
Glencore representatives: Montana aluminum plant still feasible.
Three officials from Glencore, the company that owns the now-closed Columbia Falls Aluminum Co., met with Columbia Falls city councilors, city manager Susan Nicosia, state Sen. Dee Brown and state Rep. Jerry O'Neil to assure them that the company believes the plant could restart, but there are several issues to be resolved, including the power contract with Bonneville Power Administration.
Hungry Horse News; May 1, 2013
Opinion
Mining faces a changing landscape in Nevada.
Nevada is now the third-most urbanized state in the United States, and the dizzying population growth of Las Vegas between 1990 and 2010 has created somewhat of a north-south divide, with mining companies in the northern half of the state holding on to the heritage that built the Silver State, and the newcomers from California and Latinos in Las Vegas and Clark County starting to flex their political will and calling for mining to pay more in taxes. An analysis.
The Economist; May 17, 2013
Utah needs to take 'Serenity Prayer' approach to air quality.
In its effort to establish a baseline for airborne pollutants, the Utah Division of Air Quality found that pollution levels found in only the largest cities in the nation exist nearly everywhere in Utah, where the state's topography traps emissions from all sorts of human activity. Since we can't change the configurations of our geography, we simply must change what gets spewed into our skies.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 16, 2013
Idaho's forests, desert lands face different wildfire futures.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will be in Idaho at the National Interagency Fire Center this week. The increased risk of wildfire due to higher temperatures, less moisture and fuels buildup is on the agenda, but the forests and the sagebrush steppe desert in southern Idaho have dramatically different fire risk, due to fuels reduction efforts undertaken by the Boise National Forest. A column by Rocky Barker.
Idaho Statesman; May 13, 2013
Wyoming city's downtown needs loving care of a mother.
Casper's downtown area always seems perched on the edge of decline, and what the Wyoming city needs is the fierce advocacy that only a mother can give: Someone to fight to keep storefronts filled, events scheduled to lure visitors, and to find housing for folks who want to live and thrive in the city's core.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 10, 2013
Crowdfunding pours in for Washington chemist's coal-train study.
A day after Danny Westneat's column in the Seattle Times about University of Washington atmospheric chemist Dan Jaffe's search for funding for a study along a rail line near Seattle to see if coal trains were affecting air quality, Jaffe had reached his $18,000 goal.
Seattle Times; May 10, 2013
Utah congressman's statement on climate change cherry-picked facts.
The Washington Post's Fact-Checker column examines a statement by Utah U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Environment, and finds that the freshman Republican lawmaker's statement on a 2009 survey of scientists about humans' role in climate change ignored the main result of the survey.
Washington Post; May 8, 2013
Meeting tonight on Idaho Power's proposed rate increase.
Each June, Idaho Power adjusts its rates to cover costs of providing reliable electricity not included in its rate structure, and representatives of the utility and the state Public Utilities Commission will be on hand at a meeting in Boise to discuss the need to increase ratepayer's monthly costs by an average of $7.28. Rocky Barker's "Letters from the West".
Idaho Statesman; May 8, 2013
Chemist in Washington state turns to crowdsourcing for coal-dust study.
Dan Jaffe, an atmospheric chemist at the University of Washington, has had past success at getting grants for scientific studies, but not so much on his proposal to study the effects of coal dust, so he's turned to crowdsourcing to raise the $18,000 he needs to set up air monitors and web cameras to see if coal trains on a rail line north of Seattle cause spikes in coal dust and diesel emissions. A column by Danny Westneat.
Seattle Times; May 8, 2013
Mine collapse in Utah underscores importance of diversified economy.
The collapse at the Bingham Canyon Mine will drastically cut output at the Kennecott Utah Copper mine, as well as dramatically reduce revenue Salt Lake County gets from the company and that mining operation for a time. Given that the mine is nearing the end of its life anyway, it's time the Utah county get serious about diversifying its economy.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 6, 2013
Arizona may want to tread carefully on net-metering issue.
Arizona ranks second in the United States in installed solar capacity, and there are acres of available space for more such installations, not to mention the 3 million roofs across the state that could bear small-scale installations. The state's largest utility is asking the now-Republican controlled Arizona Corporation Commission to end net-metering, where consumers are credited for power produced by their home or business installations, but it appears the solar industry has the backing of some prominent Republicans, too. A column by Jonathan Thompson, a senior editor at High Country News.
High Country News; May 3, 2013
American farmers need guest workers.
Without the labor of guest workers, American farmers cannot move the fruit and vegetables from farm to table, and it's time that the debate about guest workers focuses the benefits of their labors and provides them the appreciation they deserve.
Idaho Mountain Express; May 1, 2013
Utah city's dismissal of 'ag gag' charges must not be end of incident.
The fact that Utah has a law banning the recording of what goes on in the states' agricultural operations seems to indicate that there is something going on behind the scenes of which the public should be aware, and now that the city of Draper has decided to quickly drop what would be the first prosecution under that law--for recording operations at a business co-owned by the Utah city's mayor, perhaps state and federal inspectors should pay the meat-packing plant a visit just to be sure the plant is playing by the rules.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 1, 2013
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