August 2005, Newsletter #1
Welcome to the
THE RED LODGE CLEARINGHOUSE,
the full service information source for collaborative groups throughout
he Interior West committed to resolving resource-use conflicts. Our
newsletters will periodically highlight innovative collaborations,
important changes, actual or in process, in legislation and regulations
affecting public and private lands. We emphasize the pivotal role that
informed local people can and do play in land use planning.
The Clearinghouse provides comprehensive in-depth treatment of the full
range of issues affecting collaboration—linking stories about local
collaborative efforts to relevant technical information and resources,
agency programs and staff, supportive organizations, and peers in the
field who share similar experiences.
Public participation is heralded by all as key, but do all parties see "public participation" through the same lens?
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"Time is money"—Rebecca Watson, Assistant Secretary of the Interior
BY THEO STEIN, DENVER POST 8/04/05
The Bureau of Land Management has changed its rules regarding drilling lease challenges. The challenges—mainly from environmental groups and landowners—are clogging the permit process, said Rebecca Watson, "They take time, and time is money."
MORE ON THIS STORY FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS >>
LEGISLATION & REGULATIONS RELATED TO OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT >>
HOW DOES COLLABORATION WORK WHEN FACED WITH MINERAL DEVELOPMENT? >>
"Everyone is complaining about the way NEPA works"—Representative Richard Pombo
BY APRIL REESE, GREENWIRE 8/02/05
The House Resources Committee is holding a series of meetings to gauge public opinion on NEPA—the primary federal environmental review law. A recent hearing in New Mexico elicited mixed views on the law.
NEPA SUMMARY >>
MORE ON THE HEARINGS FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE TRIBUNE >>
Interior Secretary's "4 C's" in action—Debbie Austin and friends
BY JESSIE MCQUILLAN, MISSOULA INDEPENDENT
Frequently former adversaries, several no-holds-barred environmental organizations and federal land managers are now engaged in working together on several demonstration projects with an eye towards more future collaboration.
WHAT ARE THE 4 C'S? >>
FOREST SERVICE COLLABORATION STORIES >>
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR COLLABORATION STORIES >>
FWS pursues landmark habitat plan for California salamander
By Natalie M. Henry, Greenwire 8/03/05
The Fish and Wildlife Service is hoping that a first-of-its-kind conservation strategy will eliminate the need to designate critical habitat for the Sonoma County population of California tiger salamanders.
CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED FERRET DEPENDENT UPON PRAIRIE DOG POPULATION >>
MORE ON CRITICAL HABITAT >>
COLLABORATIVE GROUPS WORKING WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES >>
Neighbor's plight is Utah's cautionary tale
By Joe Baird, The Salt Lake Tribune 8/01/05
PINEDALE, Wyo. - Five years into their energy boom, this little town nestled against the Wind River mountains and the surrounding Sublette County are still trying to cope with what it has wrought.
TRAPPER'S POINT WORKING GROUP PROFILE >>
MORE INFO ON COAL BED METHANE >>
LEGISLATION & REGULATIONS AFFECTING OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT >>
Sage grouse on the rebound in western Colorado
grand junction daily sentinel 7/29/05
There is ample reason for optimism in the Gunnison sage grouse report released this week by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Population counts of the threatened bird, found only in western Colorado and one Utah county, show the number of birds has increased — in some locations substantially — in the past year.
SAGE GROUSE WORKING GROUPS PROFILE >>
WESTERN GOVERNORS' ASSOCIATION GROUSE CONSERVATION INITIATIVE >>
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Recently featured on the RLCH home page—professional views on important collaboration topics:
Stewardship contracting—potential problems
BY CAROL DALY, FLATHEAD ECONOMIC POLICY CENTER
When Congress made stewardship end-result contracting available to both the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), it gave them a valuable tool for carrying out multi-faceted ecosystem restoration projects and addressing related community needs.
The early demonstration projects clearly showed stewardship's promise, but lately it's being treated more like the proverbial one-trick pony.
The Endangered Species Act and critical habitat
BY BILL BURNHAM, THE PEREGRINE FUND
There is no organization that believes more strongly in saving species and our natural world than The Peregrine Fund. Our record proves it. Now, we as others—our Federal Agencies and field conservationists—recognize that the ESA has too often become a legal strategy in an ongoing battle over land use.
Common forage and drought as an ongoing condition
BY BILL DEBUYS, RANCHER
Among the challenges central to ranching, none is more daunting than drought. A ranching family strives for consistency in its operations; it builds a herd adapted to its country; it sizes the herd to what that country will "normally" carry. But then the weather changes, and the grass fails to grow. When the hard and painful work begins of readjusting herd size, "normal" becomes the punchline of a wry joke.
Your views and comments will be crucial in shaping policy in the days ahead.
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