Politics
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EPA Continues its Critique of State Department analysis of controversial pipeline from the Alberta tar sands- A million objections were sent to the State Department’s Draft Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement analysis (SEIS) of the environmental effects of the Keystone XL pipeline. Perhaps it was portentous that the due date for comments about the SEIS was…
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Are ranchers stupid? You might think so if you watch their behavior towards predators. For decades ranchers have declared war on coyotes. Despite their best efforts, coyotes not only survive, but thrive. Even with taxpayer subsidies to America’s welfare ranchers in the form of Animal Damage Control agents, and the slaughter of tens of…
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The month of March was an active month for sage grouse. Not only have sage grouse started to assemble on their strutting grounds known as leks due to the abnormally warm start of the month but the season for strutting has begun Washington D.C. and Boise, Idaho and other areas in western states. On March…
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Control over genetics will usher in many opportunities for good, bad, and unpleasant politics- Our direct ability to manipulate genes is growing so powerful that many scientists say it won’t be long before extinct species can be “resurrected.” This has already been anticipated in sci fi movies like Jurrasic Park and Rise of the Planet…
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Surprising many, a last minute bill that would grant cattle and sheep the right to vote passed in the Idaho Legislature in a late night session that began at midnight. SB9246, titled “The Livestock Equal Rights, Welfare, and Voting Rights Act”, is a sweeping bill that grants livestock the right to the vote in all…
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Leaks and spills of Canadian oil are happening now at a critical time- Back in 1989, all the political gears and levers were greased with money and Astroturf public opinion to approve leasing the National Arctic Wildlilfe Refuge for Oil Drilling. Today we seem to be at a similar juncture. In 1989 the political players…
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One of the five is a large parcel of natural land in New Mexico- Almost every President since Theodore Roosevelt has declared national monuments. The three greatest have been T.R. himself, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. George W. Bush finally declared a very large national monument in the ocean — the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument,…
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Efforts by Washington state anti-wolf forces intercepted- Below is an alert from anti-wolf folks in Washington State. This is an interesting example of the kind of email campaign that is being used by anti-wolf forces in a state where pro-wolf opinion is strong. Those who support wilderness and wolves and other wildlife might want to…