Politics
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If first four loads don’t go up and over smoothly, battle will likely last for a generation- The megaloads for the Billings, MT oil refinery now have a go ahead from Idaho, and will probably get one quickly from Montana. Highway 12 itself has been slippery to very slippery except in its lower portion. Parts…
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Pinyon and juniper trees, demonized by ranchers, miners and water mining entities, are being eyed by Chinese “biomass” companies with the backing of politicians. Recently the Nevada Pinyon-Juniper Partnership, aided by USDA, set up a conference to discuss pinyon and juniper trees. At the conference were several players in government and business who have an…
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When I heard about the Interior Department’s decision to reverse the changes that the Bush Administration made to the policy on wild lands protection I was pleased. However, I remain skeptical at how the policy will be implemented by the current bunch running BLM who I don’t really trust. There is no doubt, however, how…
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During a talk in Spokane, Washington given by the director of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department about how budget cuts were affecting the department the subject of wolves came up and then things got ugly. A response blurted out from the middle of the room: “Why don’t we shoot some legislators?” a man said.…
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A University of Montana economist and others tear EA apart- It’s amazing to me that they think they can get approval by doing a mere environmental analysis report (EA) for over 200 megaloads on Montana’s highways.* At any rate, University of Montana economist Steve Seninger and others showed the huge defect in the EA’s claim…
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It seems like local opposition to the movement of oil equipment megaloads is growing- Foes of megaloads to continue fighting shipments. By Jessie L. Bonner. By the Associated Press in Bloomberg.
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Great Old Broads for Wilderness threatened with Death The tragic assassination attempt of Arizona Congressperson Gabrielle Giffords has prompted conversation about the vitriolic tone of political discourse in our nation. The same has always, and perhaps particularly, been true of western natural resource debate where threat, intimidation and the suggestion of violence are common-place, occurring…
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“I can assure you there will be a protracted legal fight using all legal means available to stop the project” Some of the really great things I enjoy about living in the west are the obscure landscapes/mountain ranges. Unlike national parks, ‘W‘ilderness areas, National Monuments and other landscapes prominently highlighted on any western map, there…