NEWS ROUNDUP

Forest restoration debated at conference County and federal officials joined forces Thursday to discuss how they will combat what one scientist called a "perfect storm" of climactic conditions creating massive die-backs in some Western forests. "I don't know what to do about this," Bill Romme, a professor of fire ecology at Colorado State University, told the approximately 100 people who attended Thursday's conference. "I'm still reeling from the magnitude of the mortality we're seeing." Romme and a group of 12 other forest health experts recently co-authored a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton that outlines the extent of woodland die-back. "The combined effects of prolonged, severe drought and outbreaks of tree-killing insects have resulted in tens of millions of dead pinyon, ponderosa pine, and other species of trees over thousands of square miles in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah," states the letter, which focuses primarily on pinyon pine....Environmental group wary of restoration A program promoting collaboration between federal public-lands agencies and local governments claims it will expedite watershed and forest restoration, but an environmental group fears it will promote extraction industries and weaken federal oversight on local forests. During its first public conference in Montrose, the County Partnership Restoration program received praise from the timber industry, local politicians and federal officials, while members of the Western Colorado Congress expressed concern. “It’s not a collaboration when a select group puts it together,” said Western Colorado Congress member Andrea Robinsong, adding her organization was not allowed to participate in the partnership’s creation....'Forests with a Future' plan leaves environmentalists livid Three years after the death knell sounded for much of the timber industry in California, the top federal forester in the state revived Sierra Nevada logging Thursday when he announced an initiative to attack a growing wildfire threat with chainsaws. The new strategy effectively replaces a sweeping forest management plan, approved in the last days of the Clinton administration, that was designed to restore ecosystems and protect forest communities from fires. "We're returning to the bad old days of cutting in the Sierra Nevada," said Barbara Boyle of the Sierra Club. "'Forests with a Future' means more logging and more destruction of habitat."....Forest Service officials say forest-thinning will help reduce fire risk Despite concerns of environmentalists, area Forest Service officials said Thursday a new nationwide forest-thinning program announced Thursday will help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires from west of Carson City to Truckee. Major fires have occurred along the east front of the Carson Range from Douglas County to the Truckee River Canyon, said Gary Schiff, chief of the Carson Ranger District. “You go up the front and you just see wide swaths of the forest just slicked off the mountains,” Schiff said. “We need to protect those remaining swaths and keep them on the hill.” Environmentalists insist the plan would double the amount of logging allowed in the Sierra and that many of largest trees should be protected from removal....Officials confirm human caused Paradise fire Fire investigators confirmed Friday that a human started the Paradise fire, either through an act of arson or by accident, and said that several suspects have been interviewed. "It was a human cause," said Capt. Gary Eidsmoe, a fire investigator with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire, which started Oct. 26, killed two people, burned 221 homes and blackened 56,700 across Valley Center and nearby American Indian reservations. As part of the investigation, which is a joint effort between CDF and the U.S. Forest Service, several suspects believed to have started the blaze or to have knowledge of those responsible for starting it, have been interviewed, Eidsmoe said....Forest Service won’t head off fire area floods Floods, debris flows and a potentially large landslide are expected to follow the path laid down by wildfires that torched thousands of acres northeast of Lincoln last summer. But given the remoteness and size of the 37,000-acre Snow/Talon fire, chances are that little will be done to try to stop the natural events that follow significant wildfires. “We went through a cost/benefit analysis, which showed us that nothing we try to do would be very helpful and it was very cost prohibitive in terms of the benefits that would be gained,” said Bo Stuart, a hydrologist with the Helena National Forest. “It’s such a large area that burned, that we’re talking millions and millions of dollars that could be spent up there." ....Administration relaxes forest survey rules The Bush administration has begun the final stages of a plan to relax environmental rules requiring detailed surveys of forest life before logging of federal lands in the Pacific Northwest. The plan, prompted by a timber industry lawsuit, follows through on proposals announced since 2002 and is intended to boost logging on 24 million acres of public land in Washington, Oregon and northern California. Under a rule published Friday, federal forest managers no longer will have to survey for nearly 300 sensitive plant and animal species before logging on land designated for timber harvest by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management under the Northwest Forest Plan....Platte report wins praise A draft environmental impact statement on the Platte River, released Friday by the U.S. Department of Interior, is being hailed by wildlife organizations as a major milestone in protecting threatened or endangered species along the Platte River between Lexington and Grand Island. "The report gives us a road map of the things we need to do to protect this valuable resource for the future," said Duane Hovorka, executive director of the Nebraska Wildlife Federation. The Interior Department's draft report analyzes the impact of options for protecting threatened and endangered wildlife and habitat along the Central Platte River in Nebraska....Sage grouse population dwindling Once plentiful in the West, the greater sage grouse is dying out, and Moffat County is one of its last strongholds. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering adding the bird to its endangered species list, but the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Moffat County officials hope the federal agency doesn't go to such extremes, because of the potential impact on landowners. There are about 8,000 sage grouse in the county, according to an estimate by Tomy Apa, a sage grouse research biologist with the state wildlife division in Grand Junction. He calls that a "fair number of birds." But in other parts of the state, sage grouse populations have dwindled or disappeared entirely. In response, environmental groups have filed petitions with the Fish and Wildlife Service to have the sage grouse listed as an endangered species....Column: To Cougars, We're Just Food A 100-pound mountain lion can kill an 800-pound elk. Keep that in mind the next time you go hiking in cougar territory. If you are alone and unarmed, and one of these powerful predators attacks you -- intent on killing and eating you, rather than merely trying to drive you away from its offspring or a previous kill -- the contest likely will be as lopsided as if you had waded into traffic to wrestle a pickup truck. Worse, actually, because the odds are that you will never even know until the cougar bites into the back of your neck. Whether such prowess leaves you horrified or reverent depends on your attitudes regarding the role of wildlife and nature in a human-dominated world....Smithsonian chief gets probation over illegal feathers Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence Small, the first non-academic to head the institution in its 158-year history, pleaded guilty Friday to charges stemming from his illegal possession of a rare South American tribal art collection that contained the feathers of endangered species of birds. He was sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service for the federal misdemeanor. U.S. Judge Terrence Boyle of the Eastern District of North Carolina also required Small to write a letter of apology to appear in National Geographic magazine and several major newspapers. Boyle rejected prosecution demands that Small post a letter of apology on the Smithsonian Web site, make speeches on the need to conserve wildlife or involve the Smithsonian in the case.... Conservation groups contend Snake River dams can go It would cost between $44 million and $420 million to increase railroad capacity to carry crops now moved by barges if four dams on the Snake River are breached to help endangered salmon, according to a new study by conservation groups. But dam proponents said the study is flawed and intended primarily to increase support for removing the dams, an issue so hot that President Bush has vowed repeatedly to protect the dams. The study was commissioned by American Rivers, Idaho Rivers United and the National Wildlife Federation, which contend the dams are a major barrier to the recovery of salmon runs, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. "An updated rail system would offer farmers an affordable and effective way to ship grain to market, protect existing businesses in southeastern Washington, and improve the prospects for attracting new business," said Rob Masonis, regional director for American Rivers....Poll backs grizzly recovery A majority of residents who live east of Highway 9 in Whatcom and Skagit counties support efforts to increase the grizzly bear populations in the North Cascades, according to a telephone survey sponsored by the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. Fifty-two percent of 508 residents in the region said they were highly supportive of increasing grizzly bear populations and 24 percent expressed moderate support. And 33 percent of residents said they would be even more supportive if additional grizzlies were moved into the North Cascades from other areas, according to the survey results. Those results were a surprise, especially since efforts at reintroduction of other species in Western states have met tremendous resistance from nearby residents, said Jim Davis, co-director of the project....River residents: 'No low flow' Sonoma County Water Agency officials made their case at a Guerneville workshop Thursday for dramatically reducing summertime flows on the Russian River to protect three species of imperiled fish. But an overflow crowd of skeptics underscored the huge challenge facing the agency as it tries to convince west county residents of the need to transform a river that is the backbone of their economy into a narrow stream during the peak tourist season. More than 500 people packed the Veterans Memorial Building, or stood outside in the cold parking lot to listen to the three-hour presentation broadcast on speakers. Critics of the plan waved bright yellow "No Low Flow" placards....Habitat designation proposed Federal officials proposed Thursday to protect 14,424 acres of land in Santa Barbara County that harbors the California tiger salamander. The designation of critical habitat, a term included in the Endangered Species Act, identifies areas essential for the protection of a species. "The Service is proposing critical habitat only for those lands essential to the species' conservation, based on the best scientific information currently available," said Diane Noda, field supervisor for the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office. Most of the proposed land is privately owned, but Santa Barbara County and the Laguna County Sanitation District own small amounts of affected land, the federal agency said. Northern Santa Barbara County officials have protested previous protection measures for the critter and were upset at the critical-habitat proposal....Utilities say lowering Missouri River flows will cost customers A report commissioned by Nebraska's two largest utilities warns that a plan to reduce Missouri River flows this summer could be costly for consumers. Lowering the flows is a move supported by environmental groups for management of the Missouri River system. However, Omaha Public Power District and Nebraska Public Power District officials claim those reduced flows could cause power blackouts and significant rate increases for customers. Both utilities have power plants along the river, making use of flows to help generate power. The utilities said Tuesday that if they have to buy power to make up for reduced generation of electricity on the river it will cost them "tens of millions of dollars."....Five more plead guilty for protected bird violations The owners of four businesses and a ranch have pleaded guilty to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for possessing parts of birds protected by the federal law. The pleas stemmed from a guilty plea entered by Mickey Gordon Wolf, 26, of Sheridan, for a felony count of violating the act. Wolf was recently sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,450 in restitution and fines for killing about 50 protected birds including bald and golden eagles, hawks, owls and flickers. Wolf used feathers and talons from some of the birds to make American Indian crafts which he sold to area businesses, according to Roy Brown, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Lander....Pack of 7 wolves slain after killing cows A federal wildlife official has shot and killed a pack of seven wolves responsible for killing cattle in southwestern Montana. Graeme McDougal of the U.S. Wildlife Services first spotted the pack just east of Polaris on Jan. 15 from the air. The wolves were believed responsible for killing cattle in the Big Hole Valley in December, but McDougal didn't have a chance to shoot. This week, while searching for coyotes in the same area from a helicopter, McDougal spotted a dead calf and a rancher nearby waving at them. After landing and talking to the rancher, McDougal was able to shoot one wolf on Tuesday. Later, Fish and Wildlife Service officials approved killing the rest of the pack. On Thursday, McDougal spotted the remaining six wolves east of Polaris in the Grasshopper Valley and shot all of them....U.S. moves to end feud with family The National Park Service has carved out middle ground in the feud with a 17-member family that used a bulldozer to reopen an old road leading to their property inside Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The Park Service favors granting the Pilgrim family a special-use permit to drive the bulldozer along the old mining road, but only in winter and only when the ground is snow-covered, to reduce damage to America's largest national park. The proposal sounds good, said family patriarch Papa Pilgrim, whose legal name is Robert Hale. He said Friday it would allow them to bring in supplies, including food that is in short supply. To get more food, the family is making almost daily trips on three snowmobiles to McCarthy, the nearest town, 14 miles away....Wyoming judge rails at counterpart in Yellowstone case A federal district judge from Wyoming railed at a counterpart in the nation's capital Friday for seizing jurisdiction in a dispute over whether snowmobiles should be banned from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. ''I don't see any reason why a judge 2,000 miles from here ought to be deciding things that affect the people of Wyoming,'' U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer said of a ruling last month by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington, D.C....Dairy manager fights for water Ed Goedhart, manager of the Ponderosa Dairy in Amargosa Valley, said he has the sense the dairy is being picked on by the National Park Service. Every time the dairy in Amargosa Valley files an application with the State engineer's office over water, the parks service objects. Goedhart persuaded Nye County Commissioners Tuesday to pass a resolution urging the Nevada Division of Water Resources to move quickly to dismiss frivolous protests. Language in the resolution states the failure of the division to dismiss the protests would jeopardize Nevada's doctrine of sovereignty over waters of the state by allowing federal protests to subjugate and limit Nevada's authority based upon hypothetical "what if" scenarios.... Colorado River rats in a rift over who has the right to run the Grand Canyon These are contentious days at the Grand Canyon, filled with bickering over who has the right to raft the Colorado River as it snakes through one of the country's natural treasures. The National Park Service stirred up a major flap last month by freezing the wait list for private rafters on the Colorado, coveted by river rats for its churning rapids. The list is already so long that reservations are backed up as much as 20 years. Adding to the battle is the debate over a new park-service proposal due out in the coming months detailing how the Grand Canyon should be used....Sebelius says state should look at taking over ownership of Tallgrass Preserve The state of Kansas would like to take over ownership of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve from a national trust, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said. If the state eventually receives the deed to the property in the Flint Hills, it would improve public access to the area, which is the largest stand of tallgrass prairie in the world. The tallgrass preserve, north of Strong City, was established in 1996. It includes 32 acres owned by the National Park Service and more than 10,800 acres owned by the National Park Trust, a nonprofit group that purchases lands to preserve them from development....Shoshone tribes seeks to expand Ely reservation The Shoshone tribe is seeking to expand its Ely reservation by nearly 22,000 acres for traditional and commercial purposes. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will hold the first of many public hearings on the proposal Monday. “This is in the very beginning stages,” said Jeff Weeks, assistant manager for non-renewable resources in the BLM Ely field office....As tribal bison herd gets larger, food supply dwindles On this day, the sightseers' plane was a minor disturbance for the Crow bison that roam 22,000 acres on the reservation. The rest of the winter hasn't been so easy for them - or for the people trying to manage them. Recent drought and a growing herd have pinched the food supply and sent hundreds of buffalo spilling off the reservation onto private and public land in Wyoming. With ranchers and government officials worried about bison feeding on cattle grazing allotments, Crow Agency crews this fall and winter have been busy trying to push the bison back onto the reservation and keep them there. Because of the steep terrain and deep snow, much of the work has been done in helicopters and aboard snowmobiles, trucks and ATVs. "It's been pretty hectic," said Leroy Stewart, director of the buffalo program at Crow Agency....Column: Lost land The history of struggle between Indians and non-Indians over the ownership and use of land began with the landing of the Mayflower. Today, the issues surrounding the ownership and management of land within reservation boundaries have become so complex as to defy generalizations. However, many of the tribal histories and reservations of the Inter-Mountain West and Great Plains have much in common. The treaties between tribal nations and the United States government were generally agreed to between 1850 and 1875, and they contained many of the same terms, conditions and language. Some form of the phrase, "as long as the grass grows and the waters flow" can be found in most of the documents. Also referenced in many of these treaties was a guarantee that the land within the reserved area would be for the exclusive use and occupation of Indian people. Despite its clarity, this particular treaty term has been the most consistently violated provision of all the treaty agreements.... Area gas producers feel left out by Norton Interior Secretary Gale Norton disappointed local natural gas producers by excluding the Rocky Mountains from a slew of incentives to encourage drilling and improve supply. The new incentives announced in Washington D.C., apply only to the hard-to-reach areas of the Gulf of Mexico and offer royalty waivers to producers drilling wells deep under the shallow waters off Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The $30 billion energy bill, which stalled in the Senate last year and is likely to be revived this session, contains similar incentives for gas producers in other areas including Alaska. The incentives announced Friday apply to already leased properties in the Gulf of Mexico where the DOI has the authority to offer incentives without congressional approval....Editorial: Top-down authority The proud American tradition of states' rights was dealt a blow on Wednesday by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that -- when it comes to enforcing federal environmental laws -- Washington bureaucrats could overrule local policy-makers any time they feel like it. A 5-4 majority sided with the Environmental Protection Agency, which overruled a plan by environmental officials in Alaska, who had approved a particular type of technology to clean up pollution at the Red Dog Mine, which extracts lead and zinc and is a major employer in an isolated region of that frontier state. The federal Clean Air Act is supposed to give local authorities the leeway to let industries use the "best available control technology" to minimize pollution from a commercial activity ... particularly when the facilities and pollution are confined within the borders of a single state. In common sense terms, local regulators can work with company managers to decide what cleanup methods will accomplish environmental goals at the lowest possible cost....State to move forward with Pecos River water-rights purchase The state plans to go forward with its plan to buy water rights along the Pecos River despite a lingering lawsuit. Interstate Stream Commission engineer Estevan Lopez told lawmakers Thursday that the state may spend $1.5 million to lease water from the water rights owners. Those lease payments would be applied to the eventual purchase of the water rights. The state hopes to buy 18,000 acres of land and associated water rights on the Pecos so it can meet water deliver obligations to Texas....Ranchers fear CBM water Despite reassuring statements from developers, Montana rancher Clint McRae said he doesn't believe coalbed methane development is good for the state's water resources or his family's ranch. For five generations, the McRae family has ranched along the Tongue River in southeastern Montana in the heart of coalbed methane country. During the conclusion of a coalbed methane conference in Billings Friday, McRae said his family's ranch has 16 shallow springs plus a river and a creek. Those water sources could be hurt by the often high-sodium water that is discharged from coalbed methane wells, he said. He's also worried that the grass could be hurt by the volume of water being pumped to the surface. Wyoming could drill as many as 51,000 wells, and Montana may drill 20,000 wells. Quoting from the environmental impact statement, he said "full aquifer recovery will not happen within the lifetimes of any of the state's residents."....Wyoming will appeal brucellosis-free revocation Wyoming will ask the federal government to reconsider revoking Wyoming's brucellosis-free status, pointing to the link between the latest six cattle to test positive for the disease and a herd that tested positive last month. The six cattle that tested positive at a feedlot in Worland in north-central Wyoming originally came from the same herd about 200 miles away where 31 head tested positive last month. Under federal regulations, however, they are considered separate herds, and the federal rules call for confirmation of the disease in more than one herd for revocation of a state's brucellosis-free status....Champ steer brings $91,000 Zane Drager figures Friday night's winning bid of $91,000 for Big Dog, the National Western Stock Show's champion steer, will pay for college - and then some. "I'm at Clovis (N.M.) Community College now, and the sale price would take me through there about 20 times," said Drager, who plans to move to a four-year school. "It's indescribable how good it feels." "This is a thrill. We didn't know we were going to buy a steer tonight," said high bidder Mark Stern, general manager for Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House....On The Edge Of Common Sense: Moderation in eating: Wow! What a concept Like most livestock producers, when I see that a major magazine is doing a feature story on food or diets, I brace myself. Anyone old enough to remember the anti-red-meat '80s is still gun shy. But things have changed. The public's perception that red meat is bad for you has been ameliorated in large part by two factors: the continuing steadfast research and promotion funded by the Beef Check Off, and the more recent acceptance of the Atkins all-meat, all-fat diet....