KILLING WOLVES
Energy Corridors
waste disposal
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VERY GOOD SOURCE
.. A recent article by Todd Wilkenson in NEW WEST is being widely circulated and cited as a comprehensive statement of the real and potential changes that are in the near and distant future for Yellowstone and the surrounding area. The article is authoritative and exhaustive.
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LOWER FALLS IN THE MIST
.. Current climate changes result in shrinking glaciers, lowered water tables, lower lake levels, higher mean temperatures and political strife: among other things... The details are yet to be worked out but Yellowstone National Park figures prominently in the prognosis & as a 'mine canary.'
.. Lisa Graumlich, world renowned planetary ecologist At Montana State University was asked what Montana would be like in 2056:"By then, we may be well on our way to experiencing dramatic changes in the landscape and we will likely lose the kind of stability we have known in Montana throughout the 20th century," Graumlich says. "Because of climate, it will be a lot different around here."
.. Graumlich is director of the Big Sky Institute and is editor of a regional science blog. She is currently developing an authoritative blog about Yellowstone with a panel of respected scientists. Look For It Here.
.. Wilkenson also asks the question "Where are Bush, Cheney on the science of climate change?" Well worth reading.
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RON ON A RAMPAGE
.. Ron Gillett wants to kill wolves. Any where, any time, any way! He is leading a campaign to get a "Kill Wolves" initiative on the Idaho ballot for 2008. He failed in a similar attempt for 2006... Surely the folks in Idaho will have nothing to do with this movement! Or will they?
.. Gillette owns a hunting lodge and says the elk are being removed by wolves to the detriment of his business. He also fears for the live of his grandchildren.
.. Read about it HERE.
.. Read more about it HERE.
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ENERGY CENTRAL
.. After over twenty years of discussion and more than ten years in planning the federal West-Wide Energy Corridor plan has reached the public comment period.
.. These corridors will be based on efficiency of distributing energy in "THE WEST." Electrical, fuel, oil, coal slurry, etc. Wyoming is taking the lead in involving citizens in drafting the state's response policy.
.. An article at Casper StarTribune.net summarizes the concerns of citizens. The concerns include 'ugly pylons,' 'scarred landscapes,' & 'explosions.'
.. Other Wyoming residents have these concerns and other ones as reported at The BillingsGazette.com. Many businesses and individuals are concerned about the rights of land owners and the question of eminent domain laws.
.. Groups including the Landowners Association of Wyoming continue to push for eminent domain reform. The citizens, as reported, expressed their desire to have eminent domain laws changed to protect property owners rights.
.. Many of the proposed corridors come close to Yellowstone National Park. There is also some concern that these will become new migration routes for animals as well. The current push is the result of a congressional action.
.. Acting at the behest of the nation's largest utilities, Congress in its 2005 Energy Policy Act gave federal agencies until August 2007 to review and adopt major energy corridors across 11 states. Most of the energy from oil, gas, coal, and wind farms in Montana & Wyoming will go to the exploding population centers of the Southwest.
.. A large percentage of the energy distributed by the new corridors will go to California.
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Sen. Conrad Burns
.. Senator Conrad Burns Of Montana has included funds for trash removal from Yellowstone in the Senate Interior Appropriations bill, which was passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 30... The recent provision will authorize funds for the NPS's proportionate cost of upgrading the West Yellowstone/Hebgen Basin municipal solid waste disposal system for the processing and disposal of municipal solid waste generated within Yellowstone National Park.
.. A less touted measure in the bill will authorize the use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park: this use will be protected for three years, during the phase-out period and transition to snow vans.
