Local environmental groups ask a federal judge to halt the expansion of phosphate pit mine on Idaho/Wyoming border
This is a big issue in Pocatello and the southern part of the Greater Yellowstone-
Environmental groups want E. Idaho mine injunction. AP. Idaho Statesman.
It’s a classic jobs versus obvious, long lasting environmental damage spread over a wide area issue.
The major environmental issue is not the pit but the spreading leakage of selenium poisoning in the Snake River watershed. This potent toxin is already directly killing fish in and downstream from the SE Idaho phosphate field.
A fair number of good paying jobs in Pocatello (my home) depend on Simplot’s Smoky Canyon phosphate mine.
I have had the conservation viewpoint on my blogroll for some time. Caribou Clean Water Partnership.

Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He has been a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and also its President. For many years he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Recent Posts
- Western Rewilding Network Proposal August 9, 2022
- Holiday Farm Fire And Industrial Logging August 8, 2022
- Another Misleading New York Times Fire Article August 4, 2022
- San Pedro Grazing Challenged August 3, 2022
- M-44 Ban On Public Lands Near Enactment August 1, 2022
Recent Comments
- Beeline on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Ed Loosli on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Hiker on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Mark L on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- rastadoggie on Holiday Farm Fire And Industrial Logging
- Rosemary Lowe on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Ida Lupine on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Ida Lupine on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Pat on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Laurinda Reinhart on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Glenn on Western Rewilding Network Proposal
- Sam on Holiday Farm Fire And Industrial Logging
- Jeff Lonn on Holiday Farm Fire And Industrial Logging
- Mark L on Another Misleading New York Times Fire Article
- Ida Lupine on M-44 Ban On Public Lands Near Enactment