.
The final list of Utah's potential wild and scenic rivers in national forests is short -- too short, some say. On Monday, the U.S. Forest Service announced it would recommend a total of 108 miles of river in 10 segments -- less than half the waterways the agency originally proposed for congressional consideration. River advocates expressed disappointment, especially since they pushed for federal protections on all 840 miles of Utah waterways that run through national forests in 86 rivers and streams, an optimistic goal. But elected officials, residents, energy developers and the state objected because they didn't want wilderness-style restrictions on so many rivers or streams. Utah is one of nine states without any wild or scenic river segments and just one of two Western states -- Nevada is the other -- where no free-flowing waters have been granted that special status....
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Rare NM fish to be released in Texas
.
A team of experts at the Albuquerque Biological Park braved the cold and snow Monday as they loaded thousands of endangered minnows into trucks for a 12-hour trip to Texas, where the tiny fish will be released into the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park. Biologists said the release will be a big step toward ensuring the survival of the rare Rio Grande silvery minnow, which was listed as endangered in 1994 due to its plummeting population. Between 400,000 and 500,000 minnows were being taken from the breeding facility at the biopark and a fish hatchery in southeastern New Mexico to the Big Bend area. The fish were riding in special tanks in trucks equipped with monitors and oxygen. Once the minnows get to Big Bend, they will be placed in holding pens in the river so they can acclimate. There are two release sites within the park's boundaries as well as one upstream and one downstream. Biologists expect to open the pens and let the minnows explore more of their new home on Wednesday. The minnows that will be released in Big Bend will be considered a nonessential, experimental population, meaning they will not have the same Endangered Species Act protections as those in the Middle Rio Grande. The Fish and Wildlife Service said the experimental designation ensures that the daily activities of private landowners and water users will not be affected by the reintroduction....A lengthy AP article, but no mention of the cost.
A team of experts at the Albuquerque Biological Park braved the cold and snow Monday as they loaded thousands of endangered minnows into trucks for a 12-hour trip to Texas, where the tiny fish will be released into the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park. Biologists said the release will be a big step toward ensuring the survival of the rare Rio Grande silvery minnow, which was listed as endangered in 1994 due to its plummeting population. Between 400,000 and 500,000 minnows were being taken from the breeding facility at the biopark and a fish hatchery in southeastern New Mexico to the Big Bend area. The fish were riding in special tanks in trucks equipped with monitors and oxygen. Once the minnows get to Big Bend, they will be placed in holding pens in the river so they can acclimate. There are two release sites within the park's boundaries as well as one upstream and one downstream. Biologists expect to open the pens and let the minnows explore more of their new home on Wednesday. The minnows that will be released in Big Bend will be considered a nonessential, experimental population, meaning they will not have the same Endangered Species Act protections as those in the Middle Rio Grande. The Fish and Wildlife Service said the experimental designation ensures that the daily activities of private landowners and water users will not be affected by the reintroduction....A lengthy AP article, but no mention of the cost.
Investigation continues into decapitation of cow
.
A rancher who found the body of a decapitated cow on his Logan County ranch thinks thieves wanted the animal's head for its horns. Bruce Carlson says he found the cow's body last Tuesday morning while doing chores. He believes the cow was killed earlier that morning. Carlson says the mixed-breed Angus cow had black horns that measured about 20 inches across and eight inches tall. He says the unusual nature of the horns meant they could be sold for $2,500 or more. Authorities agree with Carlson's theory that the thieves were interested in the cow's horns. Col. Mike Grimes, who works for the state Agriculture, Food and Forestry Department, says he thinks the thieves cased the area before shooting the cow in the head. He says they removed the head with a knife. Grimes says that in 40 years of law enforcement he's not seen a similar case.
A rancher who found the body of a decapitated cow on his Logan County ranch thinks thieves wanted the animal's head for its horns. Bruce Carlson says he found the cow's body last Tuesday morning while doing chores. He believes the cow was killed earlier that morning. Carlson says the mixed-breed Angus cow had black horns that measured about 20 inches across and eight inches tall. He says the unusual nature of the horns meant they could be sold for $2,500 or more. Authorities agree with Carlson's theory that the thieves were interested in the cow's horns. Col. Mike Grimes, who works for the state Agriculture, Food and Forestry Department, says he thinks the thieves cased the area before shooting the cow in the head. He says they removed the head with a knife. Grimes says that in 40 years of law enforcement he's not seen a similar case.
It's All Trew: Old mining days were hazardous
.
The early mining towns usually shared the same progression of building. First came the strike and mine development while living in tents and dugouts. Once the strike was proven and ore was being removed to market, a sawmill arrived sawing lumber for crude clapboard dwellings and places of business. All buildings were heated by wood stoves and this led to most being burned to the ground at least one time. If the mines were profitable over a period of time structures were rebuilt of brick or stone and the fire departments improved to where fire was not an eminent danger. Almost every mountain ghost town chronicle tells of the long, bitterly cold winters with intermittent blizzards and the ever-present danger of avalanche. Some of these snow slides carried entire towns and ore mills over cliffs to the valleys below. One snow slide covered a mine entrapping the owner inside. With tools at hand it required three days to tunnel outside where he arrived in town in time to attend and interrupt his own funeral....
The early mining towns usually shared the same progression of building. First came the strike and mine development while living in tents and dugouts. Once the strike was proven and ore was being removed to market, a sawmill arrived sawing lumber for crude clapboard dwellings and places of business. All buildings were heated by wood stoves and this led to most being burned to the ground at least one time. If the mines were profitable over a period of time structures were rebuilt of brick or stone and the fire departments improved to where fire was not an eminent danger. Almost every mountain ghost town chronicle tells of the long, bitterly cold winters with intermittent blizzards and the ever-present danger of avalanche. Some of these snow slides carried entire towns and ore mills over cliffs to the valleys below. One snow slide covered a mine entrapping the owner inside. With tools at hand it required three days to tunnel outside where he arrived in town in time to attend and interrupt his own funeral....
Monday, December 15, 2008
Wolves may be delisted -- again -- this week
.
The Bush administration could remove wolves from the federal endangered species list this week, an official said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had previously announced its intention to delist gray wolves in the Northern Rockies by the end of this year. But Ed Bangs, the federal gray wolf recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said it is possible a new delisting rule could be out and published in the Federal Register on or before Friday. "We're hoping to get it out [this week], but whether that happens or not, I don't know," Bangs said. Critics reacted harshly to the news, saying the Bush administration is rushing to push through a flawed plan, simply to make sure it is enacted before President-elect Barack Obama takes office....
The Bush administration could remove wolves from the federal endangered species list this week, an official said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had previously announced its intention to delist gray wolves in the Northern Rockies by the end of this year. But Ed Bangs, the federal gray wolf recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said it is possible a new delisting rule could be out and published in the Federal Register on or before Friday. "We're hoping to get it out [this week], but whether that happens or not, I don't know," Bangs said. Critics reacted harshly to the news, saying the Bush administration is rushing to push through a flawed plan, simply to make sure it is enacted before President-elect Barack Obama takes office....
Wolf kills rise in Northern Rockies
.
Record numbers of endangered gray wolves were shot this year by government wildlife agents and ranchers in the Northern Rockies, as the predator's attacks on livestock met with an increasingly aggressive response. In a case that underscores the brutal efficiency of those government wolf control efforts, wildlife agents recently killed all 27 members of a wolf pack near Kalispell, Mont. Their removal followed repeated attacks on livestock within the pack's territory. The Bush administration is poised to remove the region's estimated 1,500 wolves from the endangered species list as soon as this week. Environmentalists - who successfully fought to reverse a prior removal of endangered protections - are gearing up to again challenge the government in federal court. Through early December, 245 wolves were legally killed by wildlife agents and ranchers - a 31 percent spike over last year's figure, according to state and federal records. That included 102 wolves in Montana, 101 in Idaho and 42 in Wyoming. Another nine wolves were shot in a specially designated "predator zone" in Wyoming that has since been struck down by a federal judge....
Record numbers of endangered gray wolves were shot this year by government wildlife agents and ranchers in the Northern Rockies, as the predator's attacks on livestock met with an increasingly aggressive response. In a case that underscores the brutal efficiency of those government wolf control efforts, wildlife agents recently killed all 27 members of a wolf pack near Kalispell, Mont. Their removal followed repeated attacks on livestock within the pack's territory. The Bush administration is poised to remove the region's estimated 1,500 wolves from the endangered species list as soon as this week. Environmentalists - who successfully fought to reverse a prior removal of endangered protections - are gearing up to again challenge the government in federal court. Through early December, 245 wolves were legally killed by wildlife agents and ranchers - a 31 percent spike over last year's figure, according to state and federal records. That included 102 wolves in Montana, 101 in Idaho and 42 in Wyoming. Another nine wolves were shot in a specially designated "predator zone" in Wyoming that has since been struck down by a federal judge....
U.S. forest chief could have local ties
.
Two U.S. Forest Service officials with Central Oregon connections are being mentioned as candidates to head that agency after President-elect Barack Obama takes office, according to environmental groups and former Forest Service officials. The Forest Service chief is a civil servant, not a political appointee, but past presidents have chosen chiefs who reflect their policy goals. Because of that, Obama isn’t expected to retain current Chief Gail Kimbell. Two names that have been floated as replacements are Forest Service Associate Chief Sally Collins, who is currently number two at the agency, and External Affairs Officer Leslie Weldon. Both served as supervisors of the Deschutes National Forest and now work in the agency’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. But with an abundance of high-profile problems to tackle, it will likely be sometime next year before the next administration chooses a new agency head, according to people in contact with the Obama transition team. After all, Obama has yet to name a secretary of agriculture or the undersecretary of agriculture who oversees the Forest Service, let alone a Forest Service chief. Andy Kerr, executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, said either Collins or Weldon should be in discussion for chief. Collins is an automatic candidate as the agency’s current second-in-command, while Weldon is seen as a rising talent in the agency. Former Oregon Natural Desert Association Executive Director Bill Marlett also said Collins has long been regarded as a future candidate for Forest Service chief....
Two U.S. Forest Service officials with Central Oregon connections are being mentioned as candidates to head that agency after President-elect Barack Obama takes office, according to environmental groups and former Forest Service officials. The Forest Service chief is a civil servant, not a political appointee, but past presidents have chosen chiefs who reflect their policy goals. Because of that, Obama isn’t expected to retain current Chief Gail Kimbell. Two names that have been floated as replacements are Forest Service Associate Chief Sally Collins, who is currently number two at the agency, and External Affairs Officer Leslie Weldon. Both served as supervisors of the Deschutes National Forest and now work in the agency’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. But with an abundance of high-profile problems to tackle, it will likely be sometime next year before the next administration chooses a new agency head, according to people in contact with the Obama transition team. After all, Obama has yet to name a secretary of agriculture or the undersecretary of agriculture who oversees the Forest Service, let alone a Forest Service chief. Andy Kerr, executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, said either Collins or Weldon should be in discussion for chief. Collins is an automatic candidate as the agency’s current second-in-command, while Weldon is seen as a rising talent in the agency. Former Oregon Natural Desert Association Executive Director Bill Marlett also said Collins has long been regarded as a future candidate for Forest Service chief....
Bighorn Sheep Rule Stirs Debate in West
.
A new policy issued by the Bush administration for managing fragile populations of bighorn sheep has angered Western environmentalists, hunters and state wildlife managers, who claim it is a move by the outgoing administration to reshape the Western landscape in favor of industry. A new federal policy regulating how bighorn sheep are transported across state lines has drawn criticism from state officials and environmentalists in the West. They say it threatens efforts to restore the wild sheep. Federal officials say the policy -- set out in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest Service -- is intended to protect bighorns from disease. But critics say it threatens their decadeslong effort to restore the wild sheep population from near-extinction. Mark Rey, undersecretary for natural resources with the Department of Agriculture, who helped write the bighorn policy, dismissed the complaints. Officials from several Western states have sent him letters denouncing the policy as an illegal usurpation of state authority. Mr. Rey is reviewing the comments but said he sees no reason to change course. The new policy requires that all wild bighorn be quarantined and tested for disease by federal labs before they can be moved across state lines by relocation programs designed to protect their populations. Mr. Rey says the current protocol, which leaves testing up to the states, is "hit or miss" and thus not good for the bighorn. "If everything is fine," he said, "why do we see diseases cropping up hither, thither and yon?" But state officials worry the new policy could slow their efforts to protect the sheep. The crux of the problem, they say, is that domestic sheep too often intrude on bighorn territory -- leading to encounters that, for reasons not fully understood, are often fatal to the wild sheep....
A new policy issued by the Bush administration for managing fragile populations of bighorn sheep has angered Western environmentalists, hunters and state wildlife managers, who claim it is a move by the outgoing administration to reshape the Western landscape in favor of industry. A new federal policy regulating how bighorn sheep are transported across state lines has drawn criticism from state officials and environmentalists in the West. They say it threatens efforts to restore the wild sheep. Federal officials say the policy -- set out in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest Service -- is intended to protect bighorns from disease. But critics say it threatens their decadeslong effort to restore the wild sheep population from near-extinction. Mark Rey, undersecretary for natural resources with the Department of Agriculture, who helped write the bighorn policy, dismissed the complaints. Officials from several Western states have sent him letters denouncing the policy as an illegal usurpation of state authority. Mr. Rey is reviewing the comments but said he sees no reason to change course. The new policy requires that all wild bighorn be quarantined and tested for disease by federal labs before they can be moved across state lines by relocation programs designed to protect their populations. Mr. Rey says the current protocol, which leaves testing up to the states, is "hit or miss" and thus not good for the bighorn. "If everything is fine," he said, "why do we see diseases cropping up hither, thither and yon?" But state officials worry the new policy could slow their efforts to protect the sheep. The crux of the problem, they say, is that domestic sheep too often intrude on bighorn territory -- leading to encounters that, for reasons not fully understood, are often fatal to the wild sheep....
Forest Service expecting positive change under Obama
.
Conservationists hope that the incoming Obama administration will boost protection for national forest roadless areas and make other changes aimed at conserving natural resources. Some shifts in policy will take time to implement, but in some key areas, the changes could be immediate and dramatic, and will be felt on national forest lands in Summit County, according to Andy Stahl, director of a watchdog group called Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics. The Portland-based organization is comprised of current and former agency employees, and offers cover for whistle-blowers along with closely tracking and analyzing Forest Service policies. Stahl said standard moves during a transition include the immediate suspension of any rule-making processes and the withdrawal of non-finalized rules. The most sudden changes could affect a contested set of rules for managing inventoried roadless areas, including about 60,000 acres of White River National Forest land in Summit County. Under the Bush administration, the Forest Service also adopted regulations that drastically cut public involvement and environmental studies associated with developing national forest plans. Agency officials said the goal was to speed planning and implementation, cut red tape and reduce planning costs, but the change widely was seen as a serious blow to resource protection and public involvement. The planning rule has also been tangled up in court, and was rejected by a federal judge in California last year....
Conservationists hope that the incoming Obama administration will boost protection for national forest roadless areas and make other changes aimed at conserving natural resources. Some shifts in policy will take time to implement, but in some key areas, the changes could be immediate and dramatic, and will be felt on national forest lands in Summit County, according to Andy Stahl, director of a watchdog group called Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics. The Portland-based organization is comprised of current and former agency employees, and offers cover for whistle-blowers along with closely tracking and analyzing Forest Service policies. Stahl said standard moves during a transition include the immediate suspension of any rule-making processes and the withdrawal of non-finalized rules. The most sudden changes could affect a contested set of rules for managing inventoried roadless areas, including about 60,000 acres of White River National Forest land in Summit County. Under the Bush administration, the Forest Service also adopted regulations that drastically cut public involvement and environmental studies associated with developing national forest plans. Agency officials said the goal was to speed planning and implementation, cut red tape and reduce planning costs, but the change widely was seen as a serious blow to resource protection and public involvement. The planning rule has also been tangled up in court, and was rejected by a federal judge in California last year....
Forest Service ramps up climate-change information
.
Climate-change specialists are visiting Forest Service offices in the agency's Northern Region to educate employees about shifting climatic conditions and their ramifications. The Forest Service is looking at how best to manage its vast and varied natural resources, while reducing the agency's environmental footprint. Besides dispatching climate-change specialists to its offices, the Missoula-based Northern Region covering 12 national forests has been polling employees. Officials say the polling will help focus Forest Service policy.
Climate-change specialists are visiting Forest Service offices in the agency's Northern Region to educate employees about shifting climatic conditions and their ramifications. The Forest Service is looking at how best to manage its vast and varied natural resources, while reducing the agency's environmental footprint. Besides dispatching climate-change specialists to its offices, the Missoula-based Northern Region covering 12 national forests has been polling employees. Officials say the polling will help focus Forest Service policy.
Rich-Poor Rift Persists Over Climate
.
The idea, through two weeks of climate negotiations that ended Saturday, was to find new ways to craft a common, global approach to avoid overloading the atmosphere with greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels and forests. So far, every such effort has faltered or proved a dead end — from the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Elizabeth Rosenthal, who covered the talks, sent in a final dispatch over the weekend once the last prolonged plenary session concluded. Her note, posted below, illustrates the deep “climate divide” that persists. On one side are the world’s industrialized nations, which largely built their wealth through a century of fossil-fuel combustion; on the other, those seeking a path out of poverty that, for the moment, has to depend on the same energy sources, and in many cases also on clearing forests. Many experts on the talks see little likelihood of a full-blown, completed treaty a year from now in Copenhagen, in part because the incoming Obama administration must shape its approach around the concerns of the Senate (where a two-thirds vote must consent to United States treaty participation). And Congress remains divided over climate steps not just by party, but by geography, with states rich in coal or clinging to industries reliant on oil most resistant to change....
The idea, through two weeks of climate negotiations that ended Saturday, was to find new ways to craft a common, global approach to avoid overloading the atmosphere with greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels and forests. So far, every such effort has faltered or proved a dead end — from the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Elizabeth Rosenthal, who covered the talks, sent in a final dispatch over the weekend once the last prolonged plenary session concluded. Her note, posted below, illustrates the deep “climate divide” that persists. On one side are the world’s industrialized nations, which largely built their wealth through a century of fossil-fuel combustion; on the other, those seeking a path out of poverty that, for the moment, has to depend on the same energy sources, and in many cases also on clearing forests. Many experts on the talks see little likelihood of a full-blown, completed treaty a year from now in Copenhagen, in part because the incoming Obama administration must shape its approach around the concerns of the Senate (where a two-thirds vote must consent to United States treaty participation). And Congress remains divided over climate steps not just by party, but by geography, with states rich in coal or clinging to industries reliant on oil most resistant to change....
Bush Administration Issues Final List of Candidates for Protection as Endangered Species
.
The Bush administration today issued its final notice of review identifying 251 species that are candidates for protection as endangered species. The first such list produced under the Administration in 2001 included 252 species, indicating that although some species have been removed and others have been added, the administration has not made substantial progress in reducing the list. To date, the Administration has protected a mere 61 species, for a rate of less than eight species per year. This compares to 522 protected under the Clinton administration, a rate of 65 species per year; and 231 species protected under the George H.W. Bush administration, a rate of 58 species per year. The low rate of listing under the George W. Bush administration occurred despite a budget for the listing of species that has risen from just over $3 million in 2002 to more than $8 million in 2008. During his two-and-a-half-year tenure, Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne has overseen the listing of just one species — the polar bear. “Secretary Kempthorne surpasses even James Watt as the most anti-environmental Secretary of Interior in history," Greenwald said....
The Bush administration today issued its final notice of review identifying 251 species that are candidates for protection as endangered species. The first such list produced under the Administration in 2001 included 252 species, indicating that although some species have been removed and others have been added, the administration has not made substantial progress in reducing the list. To date, the Administration has protected a mere 61 species, for a rate of less than eight species per year. This compares to 522 protected under the Clinton administration, a rate of 65 species per year; and 231 species protected under the George H.W. Bush administration, a rate of 58 species per year. The low rate of listing under the George W. Bush administration occurred despite a budget for the listing of species that has risen from just over $3 million in 2002 to more than $8 million in 2008. During his two-and-a-half-year tenure, Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne has overseen the listing of just one species — the polar bear. “Secretary Kempthorne surpasses even James Watt as the most anti-environmental Secretary of Interior in history," Greenwald said....
Obama to announce environment, energy team
.
President-elect Barack Obama, who has vowed to adopt an aggressive approach to global warming and the environment, will hold a news conference on Monday to announce his picks to lead the effort. At the news conference Obama is expected to name Nobel physics laureate Steven Chu as his energy secretary and former Environmental Protection Agency chief Carol Browner as the head of a new council that will coordinate White House policy on energy, climate and environment, Democratic sources have said. Obama is also expected to announce he has chosen Lisa Jackson, the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor, to run the EPA and Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles, as head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.At the news conference Obama is expected to name Nobel physics laureate Steven Chu as his energy secretary and former Environmental Protection Agency chief Carol Browner as the head of a new council that will coordinate White House policy on energy, climate and environment, Democratic sources have said. Obama is also expected to announce he has chosen Lisa Jackson, the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor, to run the EPA and Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles, as head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality....
President-elect Barack Obama, who has vowed to adopt an aggressive approach to global warming and the environment, will hold a news conference on Monday to announce his picks to lead the effort. At the news conference Obama is expected to name Nobel physics laureate Steven Chu as his energy secretary and former Environmental Protection Agency chief Carol Browner as the head of a new council that will coordinate White House policy on energy, climate and environment, Democratic sources have said. Obama is also expected to announce he has chosen Lisa Jackson, the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor, to run the EPA and Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles, as head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.At the news conference Obama is expected to name Nobel physics laureate Steven Chu as his energy secretary and former Environmental Protection Agency chief Carol Browner as the head of a new council that will coordinate White House policy on energy, climate and environment, Democratic sources have said. Obama is also expected to announce he has chosen Lisa Jackson, the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor, to run the EPA and Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles, as head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality....
'Cow Tax' Uproar Underscores Greenhouse-Gas Divide
.
Is the Environmental Protection Agency preparing to slap a "cow tax" on bovines for their contribution to global warming? The agency says no. But in recent weeks, farmers and livestock ranchers have flooded the EPA with letters warning of catastrophic consequences if such a tax was imposed. The idea of a so-called cow tax might seem far-fetched. But the uproar highlights a serious policy decision awaiting Mr. Obama's administration: whether to use the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions -- effectively branding as harmful pollutants carbon dioxide and other gases generated both by industry, as well as by the digestive processes of livestock. Many environmental groups want the Clean Air Act used to control greenhouses gases. The EPA document only briefly suggested that livestock could be subject to regulation. But the document went too far for the Bush administration, which -- in an unusual step -- published comments from four federal agencies slamming the EPA's work. The Agriculture Department said regulating emissions from agriculture could subject "numerous farming operations" -- including "dairy facilities with over 25 cows" -- to the "costly and time-consuming process" of getting permits to operate. The American Farm Bureau Federation alerted its members that the EPA was on course to saddle them with "costly and burdensome permits," costing as much as $175 per cow per year for dairy cattle, enough "to force many producers to go out of business." Local chambers of commerce, meanwhile, began disseminating estimates of what such fees would mean for farmers at the state level -- arriving at a figure of $24,995 a year for the average dairy farmer in North Dakota....
Is the Environmental Protection Agency preparing to slap a "cow tax" on bovines for their contribution to global warming? The agency says no. But in recent weeks, farmers and livestock ranchers have flooded the EPA with letters warning of catastrophic consequences if such a tax was imposed. The idea of a so-called cow tax might seem far-fetched. But the uproar highlights a serious policy decision awaiting Mr. Obama's administration: whether to use the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions -- effectively branding as harmful pollutants carbon dioxide and other gases generated both by industry, as well as by the digestive processes of livestock. Many environmental groups want the Clean Air Act used to control greenhouses gases. The EPA document only briefly suggested that livestock could be subject to regulation. But the document went too far for the Bush administration, which -- in an unusual step -- published comments from four federal agencies slamming the EPA's work. The Agriculture Department said regulating emissions from agriculture could subject "numerous farming operations" -- including "dairy facilities with over 25 cows" -- to the "costly and time-consuming process" of getting permits to operate. The American Farm Bureau Federation alerted its members that the EPA was on course to saddle them with "costly and burdensome permits," costing as much as $175 per cow per year for dairy cattle, enough "to force many producers to go out of business." Local chambers of commerce, meanwhile, began disseminating estimates of what such fees would mean for farmers at the state level -- arriving at a figure of $24,995 a year for the average dairy farmer in North Dakota....
Dorgan hopes cattle methane emissions fee runs out of gas
.
Sen. Byron Dorgan is raising a stink about feds who may have their eye on taxing cow farts. In response to an Environmental Protection Agency report citing the amount of greenhouse gases — methane, that is — produced by belching and flatulence of cows and pigs, Dorgan has introduced the Livestock Emissions Tax Ban Act. It would stop the EPA from putting a fee on livestock owners for gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Farm groups, including the Farm Bureau, are worried the EPA could be taking steps that could lead to taxing ranchers’ livestock. He said that while EPA said it’s not proposing such a tax, he wants to ensure that doesn’t happen....
Sen. Byron Dorgan is raising a stink about feds who may have their eye on taxing cow farts. In response to an Environmental Protection Agency report citing the amount of greenhouse gases — methane, that is — produced by belching and flatulence of cows and pigs, Dorgan has introduced the Livestock Emissions Tax Ban Act. It would stop the EPA from putting a fee on livestock owners for gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Farm groups, including the Farm Bureau, are worried the EPA could be taking steps that could lead to taxing ranchers’ livestock. He said that while EPA said it’s not proposing such a tax, he wants to ensure that doesn’t happen....
Sonora nurtures efforts to attract US hunters
.
U.S. hunters looking for prized game are giving beef and dairy cattle ranchers in northern Mexico an economic boost. And more and more ranchers are cashing in on the growing industry of "hunting tourism" by making their lands — inhabited by mature deer, bighorn sheep, Gould turkeys and buffalo — available to well-aiming foreigners. Three years ago, Enrique Savedra opened his 6,400-acre La Jagüey Ranch to U.S. hunters. He receives $3,000 per hunter whether or not they make a kill. Sonora gets about $30 million annually from hunting tourism, according to state tourism officials. Of the 7,248 permits issued in the 2007 season, more than 5,000 were awarded to U.S. hunters. Hunters are brought to the ranches by coordinators on both sides of the border who make the arrangements for accommodations, meals, travel, permits and — most importantly — the import of weapons into Mexico. The ranchers must provide room and board for the hunters at their ranch homes, including running water, hot showers and electricity. The ranch cowboys are used as guides, and their wives do the cooking. The rancher incurs no other responsibility, other than getting the ranch registered for hunting with the Mexican government....
U.S. hunters looking for prized game are giving beef and dairy cattle ranchers in northern Mexico an economic boost. And more and more ranchers are cashing in on the growing industry of "hunting tourism" by making their lands — inhabited by mature deer, bighorn sheep, Gould turkeys and buffalo — available to well-aiming foreigners. Three years ago, Enrique Savedra opened his 6,400-acre La Jagüey Ranch to U.S. hunters. He receives $3,000 per hunter whether or not they make a kill. Sonora gets about $30 million annually from hunting tourism, according to state tourism officials. Of the 7,248 permits issued in the 2007 season, more than 5,000 were awarded to U.S. hunters. Hunters are brought to the ranches by coordinators on both sides of the border who make the arrangements for accommodations, meals, travel, permits and — most importantly — the import of weapons into Mexico. The ranchers must provide room and board for the hunters at their ranch homes, including running water, hot showers and electricity. The ranch cowboys are used as guides, and their wives do the cooking. The rancher incurs no other responsibility, other than getting the ranch registered for hunting with the Mexican government....
Five Minutes With PETA’s ‘Secret Agent’
.
Just when the uproar over the Hallmark and MowMar animal abuse incidents were fading away, an undercover PETA agent dropped another bombshell on the industry. Video showing seriously troubling abuse at Aviagen, one of the major players in the turkey industry, surfaced on November 19. Just a few days before the Thanksgiving holiday. Convenient timing, huh? The fact that PETA was able to easily place an undercover agent on Aviagen’s workforce was almost as troubling as the video. It raised questions about their pre-employment screening, a critical step in insuring that people with serious personal problems aren’t hired. I certainly hope the ‘series of actions’ outlined in Hofmann’s statement addresses that issue. I was also curious about the PETA person who took the video. How did he get hired? What training did he receive? How long did he work for Aviagen before he went public? Tracking him down through a contact at PETA, I asked him to answer those questions. Because he will continue to do undercover work at other plants, he refused to reveal his identity but he did agree to answer a few questions. So here are his responses....
Just when the uproar over the Hallmark and MowMar animal abuse incidents were fading away, an undercover PETA agent dropped another bombshell on the industry. Video showing seriously troubling abuse at Aviagen, one of the major players in the turkey industry, surfaced on November 19. Just a few days before the Thanksgiving holiday. Convenient timing, huh? The fact that PETA was able to easily place an undercover agent on Aviagen’s workforce was almost as troubling as the video. It raised questions about their pre-employment screening, a critical step in insuring that people with serious personal problems aren’t hired. I certainly hope the ‘series of actions’ outlined in Hofmann’s statement addresses that issue. I was also curious about the PETA person who took the video. How did he get hired? What training did he receive? How long did he work for Aviagen before he went public? Tracking him down through a contact at PETA, I asked him to answer those questions. Because he will continue to do undercover work at other plants, he refused to reveal his identity but he did agree to answer a few questions. So here are his responses....
'As Big as the West' by Clyde A. Milner II and Carol O'Connor: The larger-than-life life of Granville Stuart
.
Most people who know the West would recognize Granville Stuart's name and might link him with famed cowboy Teddy Blue Abbott. Few, though, could state details about what importance Stuart played in American history. In this new biography, Clyde A. Milner II and Carol O'Connor correct that problem by offering a highly detailed account of this astonishing figure. In many ways, Granville Stuart's story is the story of the American West. Leaving his Midwestern home in the early 1850s, he and his brother followed their father and thousands of other Argonauts to the California gold fields. On a return trip to visit their home, they were sidetracked in Montana. From then on, Granville Stuart steadily developed into one of the most significant figures of that state's history. Ultimately, as a politician and diplomat, he would make a larger mark on the whole nation. Stuart's experience was nothing short of remarkable. Growing from pioneer miner to small-time stockman to mercantile entrepreneur then major rancher, land speculator and political dilettante, he built on his successes and suffered his defeats with equanimity, always showing strength in the face of adversity and audacity in the face of challenge. At the same time, the individual behind the public and historic image was a mass of contradictions. He promoted law and order in the frontier but he also led vigilante parties and participated in the lynching of miscreants and thieves. He had antipathy for Native Americans, but he was for more than 20 years married to a Shoshone woman, with whom he produced 10 children....
Most people who know the West would recognize Granville Stuart's name and might link him with famed cowboy Teddy Blue Abbott. Few, though, could state details about what importance Stuart played in American history. In this new biography, Clyde A. Milner II and Carol O'Connor correct that problem by offering a highly detailed account of this astonishing figure. In many ways, Granville Stuart's story is the story of the American West. Leaving his Midwestern home in the early 1850s, he and his brother followed their father and thousands of other Argonauts to the California gold fields. On a return trip to visit their home, they were sidetracked in Montana. From then on, Granville Stuart steadily developed into one of the most significant figures of that state's history. Ultimately, as a politician and diplomat, he would make a larger mark on the whole nation. Stuart's experience was nothing short of remarkable. Growing from pioneer miner to small-time stockman to mercantile entrepreneur then major rancher, land speculator and political dilettante, he built on his successes and suffered his defeats with equanimity, always showing strength in the face of adversity and audacity in the face of challenge. At the same time, the individual behind the public and historic image was a mass of contradictions. He promoted law and order in the frontier but he also led vigilante parties and participated in the lynching of miscreants and thieves. He had antipathy for Native Americans, but he was for more than 20 years married to a Shoshone woman, with whom he produced 10 children....
Peppers Pride runs to record 19th straight victory
.
Peppers Pride earned a record 19th consecutive victory in as many career starts with an expansive five and three-quarter lengths win at Sunland Park racetrack today. Racing as the 4-5 favorite, Peppers Pride placed her unblemished 18-race streak on the line in the 6 furlong stakes race for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares. Under jockey Carlos Madeira, the 5-year-old mare responded with a bold move passing the quarter mile marker. The big favorite made up over 5-lengths on the front running Negotiablafections. She holds the North American Thoroughbred record for consecutive wins.
Peppers Pride earned a record 19th consecutive victory in as many career starts with an expansive five and three-quarter lengths win at Sunland Park racetrack today. Racing as the 4-5 favorite, Peppers Pride placed her unblemished 18-race streak on the line in the 6 furlong stakes race for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares. Under jockey Carlos Madeira, the 5-year-old mare responded with a bold move passing the quarter mile marker. The big favorite made up over 5-lengths on the front running Negotiablafections. She holds the North American Thoroughbred record for consecutive wins.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Cowgirl Sass & Savvy
.
Camp cookie and the fire truck
By Julie Carter
“You ain’t never seen a hawk on the wing,
ain’t never heard old camp cookie sing.”
Ranchers are not immune to the romance involved in cowboying. Many of them spent years working up from the hired-hand to owner status.
Some cowboys, not wanting to give up enough of their freedom to become owners, have gone down other roads.
Tommie was such a cowboy. However, even Tommie needed to make a living, and so at some point in his cowboy life, he took an honest job as a firefighter in town.
But even in that, he never quite got away from the cowboy spirit and recalled that there was a tradition among ranch and rodeo hands. Many of them became cooks on the wagons at the big ranches.
This enabled them to still be part of the atmosphere, take their part in the fun, and not have to ride the broncs or flank the calves.
The bonus of the job was that nobody, or at least nobody in their right mind, ever crossed the cook. Everybody who wanted to eat would listen attentively to Cookie’s stories and praise his abilities as a cowboy and a cook. Tommie thought that would fit him just fine.
Incorporating his former cowboying with the town job seemed easy enough. He would cook from a fire truck and capitalize on the mystique of the cowboy and the firefighter.
Kids and adults alike would be fascinated with the truck as well as him. He just knew he would make a fortune. All that was required was his own personal fire truck.
There was only a slight problem with the one he found to buy – it was in Missouri and that was a far piece from home. Seemed like a small step for a stepper because his wife Sally had a nice big pickup truck that could easily pull a trailer loaded with the fire truck.
He had somehow miscalculated. While focusing on the usefulness of the truck, he not factored in the detail that it belonged fully to Sally.
It took some begging and pleading, but cowboy charm prevailed. Sally finally agreed to make the trip, drive her truck and haul his personal fire truck home so Tommie could enjoy cooking.
She had done her share of “camp cooking” and figured the fire truck would also come in useful watering the arena down faster than her current methods. While planning the trip she also hoped her kid would be over his stomach virus before it was time to leave for Missouri.
The trip was 13 hours long, one way and the stomach virus seemed to last about 100 hours. To top that off, the weather produced the proverbial hundred-year snowstorm. There are no words to describe the tension felt by the fair-weather cowgirl driving that distance on black ice.
The trip back with the fire truck loaded on a flatbed trailer didn’t seem to be any shorter. Again, driving every foot of the way with a sick kid, a sleeping husband, a snowstorm and a too-heavy tow package did not put Sally in a happy mood.
Everything seemed to be going pretty fairly well until Tommie, waking up just as they arrived at the driveway to their home, stretched and told her, “I think I’ll treat myself to a big breakfast this morning – I’m tired.”
We may never find out how cooking from a fire truck would have worked out, but there is a new big red water truck for the arena with Sally’s name painted on the door.
Julie can be reached through her website site at www.julie-carter.com . Her new book, Cowboys You Gotta Love ’em is shipping now. Orders will be shipped priority mail to arrive in time for Christmas.
Camp cookie and the fire truck
By Julie Carter
“You ain’t never seen a hawk on the wing,
ain’t never heard old camp cookie sing.”
Ranchers are not immune to the romance involved in cowboying. Many of them spent years working up from the hired-hand to owner status.
Some cowboys, not wanting to give up enough of their freedom to become owners, have gone down other roads.
Tommie was such a cowboy. However, even Tommie needed to make a living, and so at some point in his cowboy life, he took an honest job as a firefighter in town.
But even in that, he never quite got away from the cowboy spirit and recalled that there was a tradition among ranch and rodeo hands. Many of them became cooks on the wagons at the big ranches.
This enabled them to still be part of the atmosphere, take their part in the fun, and not have to ride the broncs or flank the calves.
The bonus of the job was that nobody, or at least nobody in their right mind, ever crossed the cook. Everybody who wanted to eat would listen attentively to Cookie’s stories and praise his abilities as a cowboy and a cook. Tommie thought that would fit him just fine.
Incorporating his former cowboying with the town job seemed easy enough. He would cook from a fire truck and capitalize on the mystique of the cowboy and the firefighter.
Kids and adults alike would be fascinated with the truck as well as him. He just knew he would make a fortune. All that was required was his own personal fire truck.
There was only a slight problem with the one he found to buy – it was in Missouri and that was a far piece from home. Seemed like a small step for a stepper because his wife Sally had a nice big pickup truck that could easily pull a trailer loaded with the fire truck.
He had somehow miscalculated. While focusing on the usefulness of the truck, he not factored in the detail that it belonged fully to Sally.
It took some begging and pleading, but cowboy charm prevailed. Sally finally agreed to make the trip, drive her truck and haul his personal fire truck home so Tommie could enjoy cooking.
She had done her share of “camp cooking” and figured the fire truck would also come in useful watering the arena down faster than her current methods. While planning the trip she also hoped her kid would be over his stomach virus before it was time to leave for Missouri.
The trip was 13 hours long, one way and the stomach virus seemed to last about 100 hours. To top that off, the weather produced the proverbial hundred-year snowstorm. There are no words to describe the tension felt by the fair-weather cowgirl driving that distance on black ice.
The trip back with the fire truck loaded on a flatbed trailer didn’t seem to be any shorter. Again, driving every foot of the way with a sick kid, a sleeping husband, a snowstorm and a too-heavy tow package did not put Sally in a happy mood.
Everything seemed to be going pretty fairly well until Tommie, waking up just as they arrived at the driveway to their home, stretched and told her, “I think I’ll treat myself to a big breakfast this morning – I’m tired.”
We may never find out how cooking from a fire truck would have worked out, but there is a new big red water truck for the arena with Sally’s name painted on the door.
Julie can be reached through her website site at www.julie-carter.com . Her new book, Cowboys You Gotta Love ’em is shipping now. Orders will be shipped priority mail to arrive in time for Christmas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)