Fish
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A cement plant in a sparsely inhabited part of Oregon produces massive amounts of neurotoxic mercury. Idaho’s Simpson wants to give them a free pass to pollute Idaho- Mercury is not an unavoidable contaminant of cement. However, the deposit near Durkee, Oregon contains a very high level. Durkee, Oregon itself is a bit of nothing…
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Human evolutionary pressure has favored species that have short lifespans, begin to reproduce early, and are small- The findings detailed in the article below are entirely predictable. By selectively killing (overfishing) the largest fish (and biggest animals) humans unintentionally guide the course of evolution to favor the small, quick reproducers. While human caused, this result…
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Recently, Western Watersheds Project won a court victory halting corporate livestock ranching on 450,000 acres on the Jarbidge Field Office, BLM in southern Idaho. It was a sweet victory for sage grouse, wildlife, and other environmental values in southern Idaho – but it may or may not be short-lived. Later this month, the Idaho U.S.…
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Utah’s Kennecott pit shocks Native Alaskans contemplating the proposed giant Pebble Mine- Kennecott’s pit on the edge of Salt Lake City has been a fixture of the area for many years. It polluted the ground water and the smelter poisoned the air, but it did not threaten a way of life, nor the larger area.…
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A good blog on the delisting, relisting, and delisting of the wolf in the Northern Rockies- Huffing and Puffing. By Kevin Taylor. The Pacific Northwest Inlander. Among other things, I like the discussion of the snail darter from back in the 1970s when Congress decided to build a real white elephant of a dam and…
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Invasive pests are now in northern Nevada- When quagga mussels were found in Lake Mead, that was the unfortunate first infestation west of the Mississippi, but now some anglers or boaters accidentally spread them to two northern Nevada reservioirs. Quagga mussel infestation hits reservoirs in Northern Nevada. By Henry Brean. Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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Another roadblock to the use of Idaho Highway 12 and Montana highways as corridors for moving Alberta bound tar sand equipment- This is good news, although likely temporary. The turnouts constructed on the Montana side of Lolo Pass appear to be larger than the oil giant said and closer to Lolo Creek which already suffers…
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Predators help disperse salmon, nutrient on streambanks This article describes the results of a study suggesting another “trophic cascade” mechanism by which predators and salmon interact, enriching the diversity of plant-life in the world’s largest old-growth temperate rainforest: Pacific salmon run helps shape Canada’s ecosystems – BBC News The annual migration sees salmon return to western Canada…