Oil and Gas
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The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) got 100,000 public comments on their plan to guide oil and gas development in the upper Green River Basin. This is a wildlife rich and highly scenic area. People care about it in Wyoming and outside as well. Story. Most favor conservation for Pinedale management area. By Whitner…
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The oil patch, or more properly the various gas fields west and southwest of Pinedale, are changing the social and economic complexion of the long time ranch-outfitting and tourist town at the base of the Wind River Mountains. Gas infuses, confuses quiet cowboy community: In Sublette County, roughnecks seem to outnumber rough stock as energy…
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After 30 years of trying, the Senate has voted to raise the required fuel efficiency of American automobiles. In addition, the notorious SUV loophole was closed. The bill still must go to the House of Representatives. Story in the LA Times. Efforts to increase taxes on the oil industry failed due to a Republican filibuster.…
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Freudenthal: Keep Thomas’ proposal alive. Before his death, senator worked on Wyoming Front bill. Billings Gazette. By The Associated Press. Hopefully for the great scenery and wildlife in the area, this plea will turn out to be more than an nice sentiment upon the death of Senator Thomas.
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Bill Schneider writes about the dilemma wildlife managers have in conserving the sage grouse, a species that absolutely depends on large, and largely undisturbed tracts of sagebrush for survival. It it clear the energy companies are driving the beautiful bird to extinction and the ESA clearly should stop them. However, these are the oil companies…
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Thomas had been expected to soon introduce legislation protecting the Wyoming Range from oil and gas leasing. Now he is dead. Story in the Jackson Hole News and Guide by Cory Hatch. As if to underscore the importance of not granting these leases unless you are willing to see complete field development, the Fish and…
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Wyoming’s Commissioners of Game and Fish are yet another Wyoming group to weigh in against leasing the wildlife rich and scenic Wyoming Range for natural gas exploration and development. However, a lot of the game is already over. Once a lease is issued, it is a property right. The government has to buy it back…
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Dirk Kempthorne has gotten the President to nominate Jim Caswell to replace Kathleen Clarke as the head (the director) of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Caswell was the head of Kempthone’s Office of Endangered Species when Kempthorne’s was Idaho’s governor and has remained in that position since. During Caswell’s time in the office, most…