June 2007, Newsletter #23 Welcome to THE RED LODGE CLEARINGHOUSE, the full-service information source for collaborative groups committed to resolving resource-use conflicts. In the last newsletter, we announced that the Natural Resources Law Center assumed management of the Red Lodge Clearinghouse. In this newsletter we take the opportunity to put the work of the Clearinghouse into a larger perspective and, at the same time, introduce the Center and some of our work. At its core, the Center's mission is much the same as that of Clearinghouse's constituents -- to promote sustainability in the rapidly changing American West by informing and influencing natural resources policies, and decisions. We do this through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advice. Many of you do it through on-the-ground efforts in your communities. Our most recent educational effort was our 25th anniversary conference on "The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy." Sometime next year, the subject matter of the conference will be a book (a highly influential book, we hope!), but in the mean time, most of the papers, outlines and conference Powerpoint presentations are available on the NRLC website. Papers that might be of particular interest to you, include: The Historical Evolution of Natural Resource Law and Policy Sources of Stress and the Changing Context of Natural Resources Law and Policy in the New West Saving Special Places: Trends and Challenges with Protecting Public Lands Many other presentations are represented on the website with Powerpoint presentations. Forester has hopes for regional strategy BY PERRY BACKUS, THE MISSOULIAN, 04/23/07 One of the first things Tom Tidwell wanted to do in his new job as regional forester was to have a heart-to-heart talk with the women and men who staff the ranger stations scattered around the U.S. Forest Service's Northern Region. “That's where the work gets done,” he said. SEE FULL STORY >> Balancing conservation and livelihoods in the Blackfoot BY BOB EKEY, GUEST COLUMN FOR HEADWATERS NEWS, 05/30/07 Managing our national forests is often so contentious in Montana that it is not just an issue – it is a battle or war. How many of us describe forest issues as the “timber wars”? SEE FULL STORY >> LAND USE COALITION ROLLS OUT BLACKFOOT PROPOSAL >> Not giving up BY COREY TAULE, IDAHO FALLS POST REGISTER, 05/29/07 Rep. Mike Simpson has spent the past six years wrangling with environmentalists, all terrain vehicle enthusiasts, ranchers, county commissioners and fellow D.C. politicians to fashion a compromise and pass Idaho's first wilderness bill in nearly three decades. So, is Boulder-White Clouds fatigue setting in? SEE FULL STORY >> Breakthrough deal hopes to bring brings consensus on river BY LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA, BILLINGS GAZETTE, 05/24/07 Pressures on the Stillwater are nothing new and, until recently, seemed only to be escalating. A cooperative agreement signed earlier this month, however, may be a first step toward easing that strain. SEE FULL STORY >> Smoked ribs, apple pie and fuel reduction BY MATTHEW KOEHLER, NEW WEST, 05/23/07 What do you get when you mix together a Missoula environmental group, a local logging crew, the volunteer fire department and all-you-can-eat smoked ribs and homemade apple pie? Good times, hard work and the second annual DeBorgia Community Wildfire Protection Work Week of course! SEE FULL STORY >> In Montana's Blackfoot Valley, ranchers learn to live with grizzlies BY APRIL REESE, LAND LETTER, 06/14/07 TWO CREEK RANCH, OVANDO, Mont. — When grizzly bears showed up on this sprawling ranch in the Blackfoot Valley in the 1990s, ranch manager Wayne Slaght was not happy. The new arrivals took down two calves, and several more over the next few years. But now, almost a decade later, Slaght is no longer all that worried about grizzlies. An electric fence keeps the bears off the range, and under a local program any carcasses are removed to prevent the bears from becoming habituated to eating cattle. SEE FULL STORY >> READ MORE ABOUT THE BLACKFOOT CHALLENGE >> Report: Drilling squeezes hunters, habitat BY MATTHEW BROWN, CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE (AP), 05/03/07 BILLINGS, Mont. — Loss of wildlife habitat and fewer places for sportsmen to hunt in the West are blamed in a new report on Bush administration energy policies that spurred a boom in oil and gas drilling. SEE FULL STORY >> Sportsmen press public lands agenda BY NOELLE STRAUB, CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE, 05/25/07 WASHINGTON — Hunters and fishermen from Western states came to Washington this week to push their agenda for energy development on public lands, which would slow the pace of oil and gas drilling and boost protection for wildlife and habitat. SEE FULL STORY >> Labor unions stand up for conservation programs BY ALLISON WINTER, E&E DAILY, 05/17/07 A group of 17 labor unions added their voice this week to the hunting, fishing and farm groups looking for more support for conservation in the next farm bill. A group of unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO sent letters to the House and Senate Agriculture committees this week asking for support for farm bill conservation programs and proposals that would improve access to private land for hunting and fishing. SEE FULL STORY >> Federal judge blocks BLM's grazing rules BY REBECCA BOONE, GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE (AP), 06/09/07 BOISE, Idaho — In a ruling that harshly criticized the Bureau of Land Management, a federal judge on Friday blocked the agency's new grazing rules, saying it had given in to pressure from the livestock industry. SEE FULL STORY >> Idaho judge rebukes Bush admin on revised regulations >> Bush admin seeks reversal of USFS planning rule injunction BY DAN BERMAN, LAND LETTER, 05/10/07 The Bush administration asked a federal judge in San Francisco to repeal her nationwide injunction against its forest planning rule, or limit the injunction to Northern California. The administration argued that Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California misread the Forest Service's actions in drafting the 2005 planning rule in regards to the Endangered Species Act and use of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act. SEE FULL STORY >> Wyoming judge turns back request to block Clinton roadless rule BY DAN BERMAN, E&E NEWS PM, 06/08/07 A federal judge in Cheyenne, Wyo., rejected today Wyoming's request to enjoin the Clinton-era Roadless Area Conservation Rule prohibiting logging, roadbuilding and other development on 50 million acres of national forest. SEE FULL STORY >> Roadless rule's revival vexes judge >> Colorado roadless petition moves along >> Following successful legislative efforts to protect the Rocky Mountain Front of Montana and the Valle Vidal in New Mexico in late 2006, Colorado's top officials are now looking to legislate a similar solution for Colorado's controversial Roan Plateau. Conservationists celebrate protections for Mont.'s Rocky Mountain Front BY ARTHUR O'DONNELL, LAND LETTER, 12/14/06 Among the many 11th-hour actions by the lame-duck 109th Congress last week was passage of a tax extender bill that contained an amendment to prevent federal lands agencies from issuing new permits for drilling or hardrock mining along the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana. The provision, slipped into H.R. 6408 by Montana Sen. Max Baucus (D), would permanently extend a 1997 moratorium on oil and gas leases for federal lands stretching over 100 miles from Glacier National Park toward the state capital in Helena. SEE FULL STORY >> Valle Vidal Protection Act becomes law COALITION FOR THE VALLE VIDAL, 12/13/06 After an intense and hard-fought three-year battle, President Bush signed Representative Tom Udall’s Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005 into law yesterday evening. The new law will permanently protect the Valle Vidal, one of New Mexico’s greatest natural treasures, by withdrawing the area from mineral leasing. SEE FULL STORY >> READ MORE ABOUT THE COALITION FOR THE VALLE VIDAL >> Roan drilling sets up a fight BY NICK MARTIN, DENVER POST, 06/11/07 Some of Colorado's top elected officials are preparing to battle a federal agency over its plan to allow drilling on vast amounts of the Roan Plateau. U.S. Reps. Mark Udall and John Salazar will try this week in Congress to put a one-year hold on the plan, their staff members said Sunday. SEE FULL STORY >> Lines being drawn on drilling plan for the Roan >> BLM opens gates for drilling on Roan Plateau >> Colorado wildlife guidelines could go national BY MIKE McKIBBIN, GRAND JUNCTION DAILY SENTINEL, 06/10/07 SILT — A retired Bureau of Land Management employee hopes his work as a member of a sportsmen’s group to protect wildlife and habitat from energy development leads to similar national legislation. Bob Elderkin of Silt represents the Colorado Mule Deer Association, and he helped develop wildlife guidelines in the recently signed Colorado Wildlife and Habitat Stewardship Act. It lessens surface disturbance by oil and gas companies to protect wildlife and important habitat. SEE FULL STORY >> Idaho F&G gets help from all sides for its wolf harvest plan BY ROGER PHILLIPS, IDAHO STATESMAN, 06/15/07 Hunting wolves is bound to create controversy, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is trying to stem some of it by asking people on all sides of the debate to help shape its harvest plan. SEE FULL STORY >> Wyoming to hold sage grouse summit OFFICE OF GOVERNOR DAVE FREUDENTHAL, 06/08/07 The upcoming Sage Grouse Summit will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders who are involved in efforts to conserve the sage grouse in Wyoming. The conference will take place on June 27 and 28 at the Krampert Theatre at Casper College. SEE FULL STORY >> HOME PAGE  |   CONTACT US