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Many rural counties with sizeable amounts of federal lands within their jurisdictional boundaries depend on federal payments to support basic services like fire, police, schools, and the like.
The main programs include the Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILT), Refuge Revenue Sharing, Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act (SRS). One of the […]
Continue Reading →I recently attended a talk on biomass energy at the Bend City Club.
The Bend City Club presentation on biomass was another example of a juggernaut premised on unexamined assumptions without question. At every step of the way there are assumptions that are given and accepted. However, if any of these assumptions is incorrect than […]
Continue Reading →Washington state data used to represent Utah.
Occasionally land grab groups produce reports intended to show how state management of lands is superior to management of our national public lands by the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, etc.
About a week ago one such group in Utah, the Sutherland Institute, issued a report […]
Continue Reading →Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
For the first time, the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) was introduced into the Senate by Senator Whitehouse and has seven co-sponsors including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
The bill, S. 3022, would protect 23 million […]
Continue Reading →July 15-17, 2016 is the date for the bash in West Yellowstone-
The third annual Speak for Wolves is set to take place July 15-17, 2016 at the Historic Union Pacific Dining Lodge in West Yellowstone, Montana. This three-day family-friendly event will feature guest speakers, live music, food, poetry, film, dance and art […]
Continue Reading →Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, likes to suggest there are “winners” like him and “losers” like most everyone else. And if you want to be on the winning team, you should vote for Trump. Trump has suggested that he is willing to state the truth, and is not inhibited by political correctness. But one truth […]
Continue Reading →By Thomas M. Power and George Wuerthner
“A national park will not save the area. Rather, the restrictions and red tape that come with federal control would inhibit growth. Survival requires economic development, but a national park will limit our options.” Kathy Gagnon editorial opposing a national park in Maine published in Bangor Daily News […]
Continue Reading →The following is commentary from Phil Cafaro, professor at Colorado State University that are germane to all of us who value wildlands, wildlife and a functioning environment. Below are portions of the Pope Francis speech and Phil’s commentary in italics.
Dear Colleagues,
There is a lot to chew on in the Pope’s encyclical letter, released […]
Continue Reading →Parks, wildlife refuges, national forests closed due to failure to pass a budget-
(This story has the shutdown rules for 4 land management agencies)
There was no last minute deal for a temporary budget extension passed at midnight. The federal government will now partially shut down. “Essential services” will continue without a budget. However, […]
Continue Reading →The recently released Department of Interior Fiscal Year 2012 Economic Report shows that Grazing on BLM Public Lands Accounts for only 0.41% of the nation’s livestock receipts and only 17,000 jobs. In contrast, recreation accounts for 372,000 jobs and contributes $45 billion to the economy.
According to the report, the BLM permits […]
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