Although the nomination of Jim Caswell, aide to former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne has now passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Colorado’s U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (Democrat) says he will keep “a hold” on the nomination and not let it come to a vote before the full Senate.
The hold is there because Salazar is protesting how the BLM recently leased the willdife rich Roan Plateau to the gas and oil companies and BLM’s general permissive approach to oil and gas development thoughout the state.
A hold is like an silent filibuster, and they generally stay in place unless the Senator is satisfied. Salazar’s hold may doom Caswell’s nomination, a fact that would please many Idaho conservationists who fear his impact on BLM’s already permissive grazing policies, plus Caswell’s key role in Idaho’s wolf-killing, state wolf management plan.
You might want to contact your own US Senators and tell them to give Senator Salazar a pat on the back, and urge them to join him in a hold on the nomination.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time 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.
Let’s hope Salazar’s ‘hold’ sticks, and that more goverment officials will follow his lead. Maybe the more that make a stand, will get others motivated to stop some of this last minute garbage the bushies are trying to throw out.
Senator Salazar is talking out of both sides of his mouth. I agree with him but the senator is for mass immigration. The more our population grows (420 million by 2050) the more energy this country will need. Where is it going to come from? Oh, I forgot.
Solar and wind is all we need.