South Dakota Stockgrowers are extremely upset and angered by a correspondence received yesterday by most of South Dakota’s livestock producers, from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), stating the use of the USDA 840 tag is “your Passport to Compliance” for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). According to South Dakota Stockgrower Animal ID Chairman Bill Kluck, Mud Butte, “this is not only misleading to livestock producers, but is deceitful and coercive.” There is absolutely no need for this 15 digit number, or any other USDA controlled number in order to comply with COOL. In fact language was written into the COOL law prohibiting the use of the 15 digit National Animal Identification Number (NAIS) from being used for COOL Compliance. Kluck also said “the brochure is asking producers to “Step up to the 840 ID Solution” which USDA-APHIS describes as a “standardized 15-digit numbering system to create the official animal identification number (AIN). Again, according to the brochure sent to producers, the “AINs, along with your Premises Identification Number (PIN), may be used on official paperwork”. Bill states that the “passport to COOL compliance” phrase used in the brochure is a backdoor attempt to lead producers to believe they have to obtain a PIN and NAIS number even though USDA-APHIS has repeatedly stated that the PIN and NAIS are not mandatory....
Sunday, December 14, 2008
South Dakota Stockgrowers Angered By USDA-APHIS Letter
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South Dakota Stockgrowers are extremely upset and angered by a correspondence received yesterday by most of South Dakota’s livestock producers, from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), stating the use of the USDA 840 tag is “your Passport to Compliance” for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). According to South Dakota Stockgrower Animal ID Chairman Bill Kluck, Mud Butte, “this is not only misleading to livestock producers, but is deceitful and coercive.” There is absolutely no need for this 15 digit number, or any other USDA controlled number in order to comply with COOL. In fact language was written into the COOL law prohibiting the use of the 15 digit National Animal Identification Number (NAIS) from being used for COOL Compliance. Kluck also said “the brochure is asking producers to “Step up to the 840 ID Solution” which USDA-APHIS describes as a “standardized 15-digit numbering system to create the official animal identification number (AIN). Again, according to the brochure sent to producers, the “AINs, along with your Premises Identification Number (PIN), may be used on official paperwork”. Bill states that the “passport to COOL compliance” phrase used in the brochure is a backdoor attempt to lead producers to believe they have to obtain a PIN and NAIS number even though USDA-APHIS has repeatedly stated that the PIN and NAIS are not mandatory....
South Dakota Stockgrowers are extremely upset and angered by a correspondence received yesterday by most of South Dakota’s livestock producers, from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), stating the use of the USDA 840 tag is “your Passport to Compliance” for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). According to South Dakota Stockgrower Animal ID Chairman Bill Kluck, Mud Butte, “this is not only misleading to livestock producers, but is deceitful and coercive.” There is absolutely no need for this 15 digit number, or any other USDA controlled number in order to comply with COOL. In fact language was written into the COOL law prohibiting the use of the 15 digit National Animal Identification Number (NAIS) from being used for COOL Compliance. Kluck also said “the brochure is asking producers to “Step up to the 840 ID Solution” which USDA-APHIS describes as a “standardized 15-digit numbering system to create the official animal identification number (AIN). Again, according to the brochure sent to producers, the “AINs, along with your Premises Identification Number (PIN), may be used on official paperwork”. Bill states that the “passport to COOL compliance” phrase used in the brochure is a backdoor attempt to lead producers to believe they have to obtain a PIN and NAIS number even though USDA-APHIS has repeatedly stated that the PIN and NAIS are not mandatory....
Friday, December 12, 2008
Humble building reeks with history
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An outhouse that had been sitting for years behind the museum in dilapidated condition was resurrected by Don Sims, the retired Wyoming rancher who previously volunteered his services to restore the old wagon that sits in front of the museum. Sims ceremoniously presented a key to the outhouse to museum coordinator Don Montgomery Tuesday to signify the completion of the restoration project. Amid the jokes and jests, Montgomery said the outhouse is part of history. “It’s important because the outhouse is a structure not commonly in use in this area any more,” said Montgomery. “It represents a time when people did not have the luxury of indoor plumbing. It was an essential part of life.” He said his work on the outhouse attracted attention from occasional passers-by, some of whom knew what it was, and others who didn’t. “One lady asked me what it was, and I told her it was the first ATM ever built,” said Sims. “And she bought it. I kinda felt bad about that, so I had to tell her the truth...For wipin', you take three corn cobs to the outhouse. Two brown and one white. You use a brown one, then use the white one to see if you have to use the second brown one.
An outhouse that had been sitting for years behind the museum in dilapidated condition was resurrected by Don Sims, the retired Wyoming rancher who previously volunteered his services to restore the old wagon that sits in front of the museum. Sims ceremoniously presented a key to the outhouse to museum coordinator Don Montgomery Tuesday to signify the completion of the restoration project. Amid the jokes and jests, Montgomery said the outhouse is part of history. “It’s important because the outhouse is a structure not commonly in use in this area any more,” said Montgomery. “It represents a time when people did not have the luxury of indoor plumbing. It was an essential part of life.” He said his work on the outhouse attracted attention from occasional passers-by, some of whom knew what it was, and others who didn’t. “One lady asked me what it was, and I told her it was the first ATM ever built,” said Sims. “And she bought it. I kinda felt bad about that, so I had to tell her the truth...For wipin', you take three corn cobs to the outhouse. Two brown and one white. You use a brown one, then use the white one to see if you have to use the second brown one.
Bush revises protections for endangered species
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Just six weeks before President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the Bush administration issued revised endangered species regulations Thursday to reduce the input of federal scientists and to block the law from being used to fight global warming. The changes, which will go into effect in about 30 days, were completed in just four months. But they could take Obama much longer to reverse. They will eliminate some of the mandatory, independent reviews that government scientists have performed for 35 years on dams, power plants, timber sales and other projects, a step that developers and other federal agencies have blamed for delays and cost increases. The rules also prohibit federal agencies from evaluating the effect on endangered species and the places they live from a project's contribution to increased global warming. Interior Department officials described the changes as "narrow," but admitted that the regulations were controversial inside the agency. Environmentalists viewed them as eroding the protections for endangered species. Interior officials said federal agencies could still seek the expertise of federal wildlife biologists on a voluntary basis, and that other parts of the law will ensure that species are protected. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said he would seek to overturn the regulations using the Congressional Review Act after consulting with other Democratic leaders. The rarely used law allows Congress to review new federal regulations....
Just six weeks before President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the Bush administration issued revised endangered species regulations Thursday to reduce the input of federal scientists and to block the law from being used to fight global warming. The changes, which will go into effect in about 30 days, were completed in just four months. But they could take Obama much longer to reverse. They will eliminate some of the mandatory, independent reviews that government scientists have performed for 35 years on dams, power plants, timber sales and other projects, a step that developers and other federal agencies have blamed for delays and cost increases. The rules also prohibit federal agencies from evaluating the effect on endangered species and the places they live from a project's contribution to increased global warming. Interior Department officials described the changes as "narrow," but admitted that the regulations were controversial inside the agency. Environmentalists viewed them as eroding the protections for endangered species. Interior officials said federal agencies could still seek the expertise of federal wildlife biologists on a voluntary basis, and that other parts of the law will ensure that species are protected. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said he would seek to overturn the regulations using the Congressional Review Act after consulting with other Democratic leaders. The rarely used law allows Congress to review new federal regulations....
Al Gore rouses U.N. climate talks to more action
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Former Vice President Al Gore urged weary climate delegates to agree a new climate treaty next year and drew loud cheers on the last day of difficult two-week U.N. climate talks on Friday. The talks were on course to meet a minimum goal, to sign off on a fund to help poor nations prepare for global warming, but they were likely to delay any decision on climate targets. Gore urged 145 environment ministers gathered in the western Polish city of Poznan to put aside climate blame squabbles which have marred the talks for years and agree a climate treaty in Copenhagen next December. "The struggle is palpable here in Poznan," he said. "It can be done, it must be done," said the 2000 presidential candidate, climate crusader and 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner. "We now face a crisis that makes it abundantly clear that increased CO2 emissions anywhere are a threat to the integrity of this planet's climate balance everywhere." "As a result the old divide between the North and South, between developed and developing countries is a divide that must become obsolete." He said the world's two biggest carbon emitters China and the United States were both ready to lead the fight against climate change. The U.N. talks are meant to push a treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which limits neither country....
Former Vice President Al Gore urged weary climate delegates to agree a new climate treaty next year and drew loud cheers on the last day of difficult two-week U.N. climate talks on Friday. The talks were on course to meet a minimum goal, to sign off on a fund to help poor nations prepare for global warming, but they were likely to delay any decision on climate targets. Gore urged 145 environment ministers gathered in the western Polish city of Poznan to put aside climate blame squabbles which have marred the talks for years and agree a climate treaty in Copenhagen next December. "The struggle is palpable here in Poznan," he said. "It can be done, it must be done," said the 2000 presidential candidate, climate crusader and 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner. "We now face a crisis that makes it abundantly clear that increased CO2 emissions anywhere are a threat to the integrity of this planet's climate balance everywhere." "As a result the old divide between the North and South, between developed and developing countries is a divide that must become obsolete." He said the world's two biggest carbon emitters China and the United States were both ready to lead the fight against climate change. The U.N. talks are meant to push a treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which limits neither country....
California adopts the most sweeping curbs on greenhouse gas emissions in U.S.
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California regulators adopted the nation's first comprehensive plan to slash greenhouse gases Thursday and characterized it as a model for President-elect Barack Obama, who has pledged an aggressive national and international effort to combat global warming. The ambitious blueprint by the world's eighth-largest economy would cut the state's emissions by 15% from today's level over the next 12 years, bringing them down to 1990 levels. Approved by the state's Air Resources Board in a unanimous vote, the 134-page plan lays out targets for virtually every sector of the economy, including automobiles, refineries, buildings and landfills. It would require a third of California's electricity to come from solar energy, wind farms and other renewable sources -- far more than any state currently requires. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been a vigorous advocate of the plan, vowed that it would "unleash the full force of California's innovation and technology for a healthier planet." Businesses, however, are sharply divided....
California regulators adopted the nation's first comprehensive plan to slash greenhouse gases Thursday and characterized it as a model for President-elect Barack Obama, who has pledged an aggressive national and international effort to combat global warming. The ambitious blueprint by the world's eighth-largest economy would cut the state's emissions by 15% from today's level over the next 12 years, bringing them down to 1990 levels. Approved by the state's Air Resources Board in a unanimous vote, the 134-page plan lays out targets for virtually every sector of the economy, including automobiles, refineries, buildings and landfills. It would require a third of California's electricity to come from solar energy, wind farms and other renewable sources -- far more than any state currently requires. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been a vigorous advocate of the plan, vowed that it would "unleash the full force of California's innovation and technology for a healthier planet." Businesses, however, are sharply divided....
Dying to support animal rights? Try a PETA coffin
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For animal rights activists, sticking up for furry or feathered critters is a way of life. Now it can be a way of death, too. A New Mexico company is building all-wood human coffins in a partnership with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They bear painted slogans, such as "Lifetime PETA Member" or "I saved 500 animals." Another serves up a last laugh that plays on a long-running PETA advertisement: "Told You I Wouldn't Be Caught Dead in Fur!" The coffins, which went on sale last week, are priced from $620 to $670, which includes a $75 PETA contribution. Made of wood, they are designed to be Earth-friendly, with no screws, nails, hinges or animal-based glues. They are assembled by Dienna Genther, 44, a former construction worker from Bellingham, Wash., who operates a company called The Old Pine Box in rural Edgewood, about 30 miles east of Albuquerque. She began handcrafting coffins from pine, cedar, maple and other woods in 2004....
For animal rights activists, sticking up for furry or feathered critters is a way of life. Now it can be a way of death, too. A New Mexico company is building all-wood human coffins in a partnership with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They bear painted slogans, such as "Lifetime PETA Member" or "I saved 500 animals." Another serves up a last laugh that plays on a long-running PETA advertisement: "Told You I Wouldn't Be Caught Dead in Fur!" The coffins, which went on sale last week, are priced from $620 to $670, which includes a $75 PETA contribution. Made of wood, they are designed to be Earth-friendly, with no screws, nails, hinges or animal-based glues. They are assembled by Dienna Genther, 44, a former construction worker from Bellingham, Wash., who operates a company called The Old Pine Box in rural Edgewood, about 30 miles east of Albuquerque. She began handcrafting coffins from pine, cedar, maple and other woods in 2004....
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Obama's Energy, EPA & CEQ nominees
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President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who heads the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to be the next energy secretary, and he has picked veteran regulators from diverse backgrounds to fill three other key jobs on his environmental and climate-change team, Democratic sources said yesterday. Obama plans to name Carol M. Browner, Environmental Protection Agency administrator for eight years under President Bill Clinton, to fill a new White House post overseeing energy, environmental and climate policies, the sources said. Browner, a member of Obama's transition team, is a principal at the Albright Group. Obama has also settled on Lisa P. Jackson, recently appointed chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D) and former head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, to head the EPA. Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles for energy and environment, will chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The appointments suggest that Obama plans to make a strong push for measures to combat global warming and programs to support energy innovation. "I think it's a great team," said Daniel A. Lashof, director of the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "On policy, it's a dramatic contrast based on what I know about the policy direction that all these folks will be bringing to these positions." Obama has not yet settled on his choice to head the Interior Department, another key environmental post, and sources close to the transition indicated that several candidates remain under consideration. Barring any last-minute glitches, Obama plans to announce the appointments next week.
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who heads the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to be the next energy secretary, and he has picked veteran regulators from diverse backgrounds to fill three other key jobs on his environmental and climate-change team, Democratic sources said yesterday. Obama plans to name Carol M. Browner, Environmental Protection Agency administrator for eight years under President Bill Clinton, to fill a new White House post overseeing energy, environmental and climate policies, the sources said. Browner, a member of Obama's transition team, is a principal at the Albright Group. Obama has also settled on Lisa P. Jackson, recently appointed chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D) and former head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, to head the EPA. Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles for energy and environment, will chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The appointments suggest that Obama plans to make a strong push for measures to combat global warming and programs to support energy innovation. "I think it's a great team," said Daniel A. Lashof, director of the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "On policy, it's a dramatic contrast based on what I know about the policy direction that all these folks will be bringing to these positions." Obama has not yet settled on his choice to head the Interior Department, another key environmental post, and sources close to the transition indicated that several candidates remain under consideration. Barring any last-minute glitches, Obama plans to announce the appointments next week.
Auto Bailout Bill Lists Environmental Goals above Boosting U.S. Auto Sales
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The draft legislation that would enshrine in federal law the agreement that President Bush and the Democratic Congress have made to bailout U.S. automakers lists the environmental purposes of the bill above the purpose of increasing sales of American-made automobiles. Section 2 of the draft legislation states what Congress perceives to be the “purposes” of the bill. The first “purpose” listed is “to immediately provide authority and facilities to restore liquidity and stability to the domestic automobile industry in the United States.” The second “purpose” specifically cited is “to ensure that such authority and such facilities are used in a manner that—(A) results in a viable and competitive automobile industry that minimizes adverse effects on the environment; (B) enhances the ability and the capacity of the domestic automobile industry to pursue the timely and aggressive production of energy-efficient advanced technology vehicles.” Section 3 of the draft bill authorizes the president to name a “designee” who has been dubbed the “Car Czar,” although under the actual terms of the bill this “designee” need not necessarily be a single person. The bill suggests that this person or persons have expertise in “energy efficiency” and “environmental protection.”....
The draft legislation that would enshrine in federal law the agreement that President Bush and the Democratic Congress have made to bailout U.S. automakers lists the environmental purposes of the bill above the purpose of increasing sales of American-made automobiles. Section 2 of the draft legislation states what Congress perceives to be the “purposes” of the bill. The first “purpose” listed is “to immediately provide authority and facilities to restore liquidity and stability to the domestic automobile industry in the United States.” The second “purpose” specifically cited is “to ensure that such authority and such facilities are used in a manner that—(A) results in a viable and competitive automobile industry that minimizes adverse effects on the environment; (B) enhances the ability and the capacity of the domestic automobile industry to pursue the timely and aggressive production of energy-efficient advanced technology vehicles.” Section 3 of the draft bill authorizes the president to name a “designee” who has been dubbed the “Car Czar,” although under the actual terms of the bill this “designee” need not necessarily be a single person. The bill suggests that this person or persons have expertise in “energy efficiency” and “environmental protection.”....
Criticism of Coal, ‘Big Oil’ Helped Obama in Swing States, Environmentalists Say
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Pro-environmental candidates were elected across-the-board in key states, unseating incumbents who advocated failed policies connected with “big oil,” said Gene Karpinksi, president of the League of Conservation Voters. The Senate races in Colorado, New Hampshire, and New Mexico were prioritized, he said, because the outcome could directly influence new legislation. Karpinski also said that President-elect Obama has a firm understanding of the connection between sound energy policy, economic growth and national security. With the Senate now closer to a pro-environmentalist 60-seat majority, Karpinski anticipates a strong push for policy changes divorced from the oil and coal industry. Polling results showed that even Republican-leaning voters such as hunters and fishermen were supportive of adopting new energy polices, said Sue Brown, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund (NWF). Over 80 percent of hunters and anglers believe the United States should establish a new vision on energy policy and set a goal to achieve 100 percent of electricity from clean, renewable sources within the next decade, according to a NWF poll, which Brown cited. She also noted that all seven of the congressional candidates endorsed by the NWF prevailed....
Pro-environmental candidates were elected across-the-board in key states, unseating incumbents who advocated failed policies connected with “big oil,” said Gene Karpinksi, president of the League of Conservation Voters. The Senate races in Colorado, New Hampshire, and New Mexico were prioritized, he said, because the outcome could directly influence new legislation. Karpinski also said that President-elect Obama has a firm understanding of the connection between sound energy policy, economic growth and national security. With the Senate now closer to a pro-environmentalist 60-seat majority, Karpinski anticipates a strong push for policy changes divorced from the oil and coal industry. Polling results showed that even Republican-leaning voters such as hunters and fishermen were supportive of adopting new energy polices, said Sue Brown, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund (NWF). Over 80 percent of hunters and anglers believe the United States should establish a new vision on energy policy and set a goal to achieve 100 percent of electricity from clean, renewable sources within the next decade, according to a NWF poll, which Brown cited. She also noted that all seven of the congressional candidates endorsed by the NWF prevailed....
EPA Abruptly Backs Away From Proposals to Alter Air-Pollution Rules
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The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday abandoned its push to revise two air-pollution rules in ways that environmentalists had long opposed, abruptly dropping measures that the Bush administration had spent years preparing. One proposal would have made it easier to build a coal-fired power plant, refinery or factory near a national park. The other would have altered the rules that govern when power plants must install antipollution devices. Environmentalists said it would result in fewer such cleanups. EPA officials had been trying to finalize both proposals before President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in Jan. 20. But yesterday, an agency spokesman said they were giving up, surprising critics and supporters of the measures. The proposal on parks would have changed the rules for new plants being built nearby. Currently, computer models project how bad pollution would be over three-hour and 24-hour periods, to guard against short-term spikes in pollution from nearby smokestacks. The EPA wanted to alter this rule, to focus instead on the average of air pollution over an entire year....
The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday abandoned its push to revise two air-pollution rules in ways that environmentalists had long opposed, abruptly dropping measures that the Bush administration had spent years preparing. One proposal would have made it easier to build a coal-fired power plant, refinery or factory near a national park. The other would have altered the rules that govern when power plants must install antipollution devices. Environmentalists said it would result in fewer such cleanups. EPA officials had been trying to finalize both proposals before President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in Jan. 20. But yesterday, an agency spokesman said they were giving up, surprising critics and supporters of the measures. The proposal on parks would have changed the rules for new plants being built nearby. Currently, computer models project how bad pollution would be over three-hour and 24-hour periods, to guard against short-term spikes in pollution from nearby smokestacks. The EPA wanted to alter this rule, to focus instead on the average of air pollution over an entire year....
Rare NM bird moves up on ESA list
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The status of a bird found in a handful of Western and Midwestern states has become more dire due to the loss of its native prairie habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday announced a change in the listing priority of the lesser prairie chicken with the release of the agency's annual review of candidates for possible protection under the Endangered Species Act. The lesser prairie chicken, a stocky ground-dwelling bird found in parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, has been on the candidate list for more than a decade. The Fish and Wildlife Service said new information prompted raising the bird's priority number from 8 to 2, one of the most urgent categories. "It shows that it deserves to be looked at for Endangered Species Act protection sooner than the others," said Elizabeth Slown, a spokeswoman with the agency's Southwest Region. Conservation groups have been pushing the federal agency to grant the lesser prairie chicken protection under the ESA for years, saying the bird has declined by more than 90 percent over the past century and is facing threats that include energy development, climate change and the loss of habitat....
The status of a bird found in a handful of Western and Midwestern states has become more dire due to the loss of its native prairie habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday announced a change in the listing priority of the lesser prairie chicken with the release of the agency's annual review of candidates for possible protection under the Endangered Species Act. The lesser prairie chicken, a stocky ground-dwelling bird found in parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, has been on the candidate list for more than a decade. The Fish and Wildlife Service said new information prompted raising the bird's priority number from 8 to 2, one of the most urgent categories. "It shows that it deserves to be looked at for Endangered Species Act protection sooner than the others," said Elizabeth Slown, a spokeswoman with the agency's Southwest Region. Conservation groups have been pushing the federal agency to grant the lesser prairie chicken protection under the ESA for years, saying the bird has declined by more than 90 percent over the past century and is facing threats that include energy development, climate change and the loss of habitat....
How Much Carbon Does Your Tree Absorb?
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A new calculator developed by the U.S. Forest Service helps you estimate how much carbon a tree you plant will sequester over its lifetime. Carbon sequestration -- the process of absorbing carbon into living things so that it stays out of the atmosphere -- is one powerful tool against global warming. Planting a tree is an age-old action for helping the environment. This calculator helps quantify exactly how beneficial it is, aiding homeowners, schools, citizen's groups and governments to choose the best species for their climate zones. The tool is designed for use in urban communities in California, but since California cover so many climate zones, it's likely to be useful for many other areas of the country....
A new calculator developed by the U.S. Forest Service helps you estimate how much carbon a tree you plant will sequester over its lifetime. Carbon sequestration -- the process of absorbing carbon into living things so that it stays out of the atmosphere -- is one powerful tool against global warming. Planting a tree is an age-old action for helping the environment. This calculator helps quantify exactly how beneficial it is, aiding homeowners, schools, citizen's groups and governments to choose the best species for their climate zones. The tool is designed for use in urban communities in California, but since California cover so many climate zones, it's likely to be useful for many other areas of the country....
Fear and conservation
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How does fear shape the behavior and conservation of deer, moose and antelope, not to mention carnivores such as wolves, bears, and even tigers? What is the natural state of wildlife, and how do animals know or learn which species to ignore or fear? Should we reintroduce predators to former habitats, even though the prey animals may be unprepared for their return? Dr. Joel Berger, Senior Conservationist of the Wildlife Conservation Society, attempts to answer these questions and more through conservation work—both his own and the work of others—around the world in his new book: The Better to Eat You With: Fear in the Animal World (University of Chicago Press, $29). Using his extensive field experience as case studies to examine the role of fear in animal behavior, Berger asks questions and seeks the challenging answers that have implications for local and global conservation. Can naïve animals—such as the elk and moose in the Yellowstone region—relearn the importance of avoiding reintroduced predators such as wolves? Is fear passed from one animal generation to another by culture? Can an understanding of current animal behavior help inform the mysteries of why animals go extinct and how to save other species?....
How does fear shape the behavior and conservation of deer, moose and antelope, not to mention carnivores such as wolves, bears, and even tigers? What is the natural state of wildlife, and how do animals know or learn which species to ignore or fear? Should we reintroduce predators to former habitats, even though the prey animals may be unprepared for their return? Dr. Joel Berger, Senior Conservationist of the Wildlife Conservation Society, attempts to answer these questions and more through conservation work—both his own and the work of others—around the world in his new book: The Better to Eat You With: Fear in the Animal World (University of Chicago Press, $29). Using his extensive field experience as case studies to examine the role of fear in animal behavior, Berger asks questions and seeks the challenging answers that have implications for local and global conservation. Can naïve animals—such as the elk and moose in the Yellowstone region—relearn the importance of avoiding reintroduced predators such as wolves? Is fear passed from one animal generation to another by culture? Can an understanding of current animal behavior help inform the mysteries of why animals go extinct and how to save other species?....
Box Elder fencing ordinance stands
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Box Elder County will remain a fence-out county -- for now, at least. County commissioners tabled the repeal of the current fencing ordinance, which says those who want to keep livestock off property must fence the animals out. At a Dec. 2 work session, the commissioners considered a recommendation from the planning commission to repeal the current fencing ordinance and pass a livestock trespass ordinance. If the current ordinance is repealed, the county would default to state law, which does not specify whether animals must be fenced in or out, but says livestock owners are responsible for damage their animals cause on someone else's property. Ranchers argue that, by putting responsibility for damages on livestock owners, the county is effectively creating a fence-in law. The recommended livestock trespass ordinance would allow the sheriff's office to issue a class C misdemeanor citation to people who are repeatedly causing problems by not controlling animals. At Tuesday's commission meeting, Commissioner Clark Davis made a motion to repeal the ordinance but did not have a second, so the motion was tabled....
Box Elder County will remain a fence-out county -- for now, at least. County commissioners tabled the repeal of the current fencing ordinance, which says those who want to keep livestock off property must fence the animals out. At a Dec. 2 work session, the commissioners considered a recommendation from the planning commission to repeal the current fencing ordinance and pass a livestock trespass ordinance. If the current ordinance is repealed, the county would default to state law, which does not specify whether animals must be fenced in or out, but says livestock owners are responsible for damage their animals cause on someone else's property. Ranchers argue that, by putting responsibility for damages on livestock owners, the county is effectively creating a fence-in law. The recommended livestock trespass ordinance would allow the sheriff's office to issue a class C misdemeanor citation to people who are repeatedly causing problems by not controlling animals. At Tuesday's commission meeting, Commissioner Clark Davis made a motion to repeal the ordinance but did not have a second, so the motion was tabled....
Panel gives green light to drilling ordinance
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Santa Fe County now has an ordinance aimed specifically at regulating the activities of the oil and gas industry. After more than a year of planning and countless public hearings, the County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an ordinance that appears to have soothed county residents anxious about energy-development impacts and excited the ire of the regulation-phobic oil and gas industry. Santa Fe County began writing new oil and gas regulations in 2007 after a company called Tecton Energy announced plans to explore for oil in the Galisteo Basin area of Santa Fe County. Since then, the rules have gone through dozens of revisions and had several authors, including county attorney Steve Ross, who set out to write the rules himself in three months. The draft approved Tuesday is a massive document that takes a multipronged approach to balancing the rights of oil and gas developers with environmental concerns and capital infrastructure needs. It requires potential oil and gas operators to submit numerous studies on animal habitats and proximity to water sources and to be financially responsible for such needs as new roads and increased emergency medical services....
Santa Fe County now has an ordinance aimed specifically at regulating the activities of the oil and gas industry. After more than a year of planning and countless public hearings, the County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an ordinance that appears to have soothed county residents anxious about energy-development impacts and excited the ire of the regulation-phobic oil and gas industry. Santa Fe County began writing new oil and gas regulations in 2007 after a company called Tecton Energy announced plans to explore for oil in the Galisteo Basin area of Santa Fe County. Since then, the rules have gone through dozens of revisions and had several authors, including county attorney Steve Ross, who set out to write the rules himself in three months. The draft approved Tuesday is a massive document that takes a multipronged approach to balancing the rights of oil and gas developers with environmental concerns and capital infrastructure needs. It requires potential oil and gas operators to submit numerous studies on animal habitats and proximity to water sources and to be financially responsible for such needs as new roads and increased emergency medical services....
ASA Board Calls for USDA Investigation of National Soybean Checkoff Program
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In the best interest of U.S. soybean farmers, the Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) yesterday voted unanimously to ask the Secretary of Agriculture to order an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation and financial audit of the National Soybean Checkoff Program. The ASA petition, filed today with Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer and the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), calls for an investigation of the United Soybean Board (USB) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) to ensure that soybean checkoff dollars are being managed and invested as prescribed by law. Allegations include the improper and wasteful expenditure of both checkoff and federal funds; potential evasion of mandated salary and administrative spending caps by USB; conflicts of interests at USB; use of checkoff funds for prohibited purposes by USB; and wasteful and excessive spending by USB. There are additional allegations concerning improper USB oversight and tolerance of actions that have taken place at the USSEC, an entity created by USB and ASA in October 2005. These allegations include improper conduct by a USSEC employee at USSEC functions; the firing of whistleblowers; improper employee relationships; contracting violations; management malfeasance and the inability of ASA Directors serving on USSEC Board to obtain an independent and objective investigation of the allegations....
In the best interest of U.S. soybean farmers, the Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) yesterday voted unanimously to ask the Secretary of Agriculture to order an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation and financial audit of the National Soybean Checkoff Program. The ASA petition, filed today with Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer and the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), calls for an investigation of the United Soybean Board (USB) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) to ensure that soybean checkoff dollars are being managed and invested as prescribed by law. Allegations include the improper and wasteful expenditure of both checkoff and federal funds; potential evasion of mandated salary and administrative spending caps by USB; conflicts of interests at USB; use of checkoff funds for prohibited purposes by USB; and wasteful and excessive spending by USB. There are additional allegations concerning improper USB oversight and tolerance of actions that have taken place at the USSEC, an entity created by USB and ASA in October 2005. These allegations include improper conduct by a USSEC employee at USSEC functions; the firing of whistleblowers; improper employee relationships; contracting violations; management malfeasance and the inability of ASA Directors serving on USSEC Board to obtain an independent and objective investigation of the allegations....
William Matthew (Bill) Tilghman
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William Matthew "Bill" Tilghman is one of the most celebrated lawmen of the Old West. Having done a stint as a farmer, buffalo hunter, army scout, rancher, saloonkeeper, state senator and officer of the law, Tilghman's resume is impressive even by today's standards (we don't have as many saloon shootouts these days). Tilghman was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on July 4, 1854. Bill left home at the tender age of fifteen to become a buffalo hunter and over the period of five years claimed to have killed 12,000 bison. During this time Bill's older brother, Richard, was hunting with him and was killed during an attack by Indians. While making his living as a buffalo hunter, Tilghman became friends with several historic figures; the Earp brothers, Bill Hickock and Bat Masterson all called Bill their friend. In fact, Masterson referred to Tilghman as "... the greatest of us all." Most of what we know of Tilghman's escapades of the time came from accounts written by Masterson who was to become a sports editor for a New York City Newspaper...
William Matthew "Bill" Tilghman is one of the most celebrated lawmen of the Old West. Having done a stint as a farmer, buffalo hunter, army scout, rancher, saloonkeeper, state senator and officer of the law, Tilghman's resume is impressive even by today's standards (we don't have as many saloon shootouts these days). Tilghman was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on July 4, 1854. Bill left home at the tender age of fifteen to become a buffalo hunter and over the period of five years claimed to have killed 12,000 bison. During this time Bill's older brother, Richard, was hunting with him and was killed during an attack by Indians. While making his living as a buffalo hunter, Tilghman became friends with several historic figures; the Earp brothers, Bill Hickock and Bat Masterson all called Bill their friend. In fact, Masterson referred to Tilghman as "... the greatest of us all." Most of what we know of Tilghman's escapades of the time came from accounts written by Masterson who was to become a sports editor for a New York City Newspaper...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Deal struck on forests in climate talks
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Negotiators at U.N. climate conference have agreed to give people who live in forests a voice on conserving their lands. That move clears a major obstacle toward including forest protection in a new global-warming agreement. A text of the committee's agreement says indigenous people will have full and effective participation regarding their forests. The text also would give credit to countries for replanting depleted forests. Delegates say that is a key victory for China and India. Wednesday's agreement means the critical issues of financing conservation can now begin.
Negotiators at U.N. climate conference have agreed to give people who live in forests a voice on conserving their lands. That move clears a major obstacle toward including forest protection in a new global-warming agreement. A text of the committee's agreement says indigenous people will have full and effective participation regarding their forests. The text also would give credit to countries for replanting depleted forests. Delegates say that is a key victory for China and India. Wednesday's agreement means the critical issues of financing conservation can now begin.
Bush administration is poised to publish new environment rules
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With the Bush administration planning to publish a slew of new energy and environmental regulations by year's end, congressional Democrats already are looking ahead to how the Obama administration might undo them. On Thursday, the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming is planning a hearing to investigate proposed late-term regulatory rule changes that touch on a range of issues from fuel economy standards to endangered species. A Democratic staff report outlines a number of areas the committee is likely to explore. The most contentious proposed agency actions include: * The Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing three new rules governing the source review program that was designed to force power plants to upgrade pollution controls when they improve their facilities. The proposed rules would alter the way emissions are measured, with the likely result that fewer power plants would be required to adopt stronger pollution controls. * The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing regulations to implement the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. Under the law, fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks are to be increased by the "maximum feasible amount" each year to reach 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Defining "maximum feasible" requires measuring the cost-effectiveness of higher standards. But NHTSA has adopted unrealistically low estimates of gasoline prices (lower than those recommended by the Energy Department), which would effectively delay the imposition of higher fuel-economy standards on automakers in the near term. * The Interior Department is planning to issue a number of regulatory changes aimed at excluding climate change as a consideration in implementing the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The department also plans to issue new regulations on coal mining that would exempt some operations from maintaining a 100-foot buffer zone around streams to protect them from environmental damage....
With the Bush administration planning to publish a slew of new energy and environmental regulations by year's end, congressional Democrats already are looking ahead to how the Obama administration might undo them. On Thursday, the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming is planning a hearing to investigate proposed late-term regulatory rule changes that touch on a range of issues from fuel economy standards to endangered species. A Democratic staff report outlines a number of areas the committee is likely to explore. The most contentious proposed agency actions include: * The Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing three new rules governing the source review program that was designed to force power plants to upgrade pollution controls when they improve their facilities. The proposed rules would alter the way emissions are measured, with the likely result that fewer power plants would be required to adopt stronger pollution controls. * The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing regulations to implement the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. Under the law, fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks are to be increased by the "maximum feasible amount" each year to reach 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Defining "maximum feasible" requires measuring the cost-effectiveness of higher standards. But NHTSA has adopted unrealistically low estimates of gasoline prices (lower than those recommended by the Energy Department), which would effectively delay the imposition of higher fuel-economy standards on automakers in the near term. * The Interior Department is planning to issue a number of regulatory changes aimed at excluding climate change as a consideration in implementing the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The department also plans to issue new regulations on coal mining that would exempt some operations from maintaining a 100-foot buffer zone around streams to protect them from environmental damage....
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