Ken Cole
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WASHINGTON— Bowing to political pressure, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today designated the Gunnison sage grouse as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act instead of the more protective “endangered” status proposed in January 2013. Downgrading the grouse to “threatened” will let the agency propose a special pro-industry rule to continue allowing activities threatening the…
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UPDATE 10/17/2014: Due to a request by Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon, the comment period has been extended until Midnight Mountain Time, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014. The BLM is asking for comments on an Environmental Assessment that examines the impacts of issuing a Special Recreation Permit (SRP) to conduct a predator killing contest on BLM lands.…
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Dr. Clait Braun is indisputably one of the preeminent sage grouse experts in the nation. He has studied sage grouse throughout their range and has published many peer reviewed scientific articles about the species over his long career. Recently Dr. Braun wrote a letter to the Casper Star Tribune in response to a letter by…
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Increase in State-permitted Fur Trapping Leads to Illegal Trapping of Wild Cats BOISE, Idaho— Five conservation groups filed a lawsuit today against the governor of Idaho and other state officials to halt trapping that harms and often kills Canada lynx, one of the rarest cats in the United States. The lawsuit charges Gov. Butch Otter,…
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On the last day of the Idaho Legislature, HB470, the Wolf Control Board bill, jumped its final hurdle before going to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. The board will be funded with $400,000 from the general fund and $110,000 from the livestock industry and $110,000 from the Idaho Department of Fish and…
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A second case of brucellosis has been found in cattle in the brucellosis surveillance zone near the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) in Montana. This has prompted Texas to ask for further testing of cattle that are exported from the area to be tested once they arrive in the the state. It’s not as big of…
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The last time that the government was shut down by the Republicans, during the Clinton Administration 17 years ago, ranchers all over the west released their livestock onto public lands for a free helping of public resources. Over the next few days you can help document what happens this time and ranchers can be held…
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Tonight, if you are in Boise, you have a chance to give the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Commission a piece of your mind when they take public comment on fish and wildlife management. The Commission will set seasons for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, mountain lion, and wolves tomorrow and this is your chance…