Environment
Yellowstone extends comment period for bison management plan after high volume of comments
Given the volume of people writing in, Yellowstone National Park has extended the public comment period for its draft Bison Management Environmental Impact Statement until Oct. 10. “We’ve received nearly 2,000 comments so far,” a park spokesperson said Thursday in an email. “At the end of the 60-day public comment period, we’ll analyze and consider […]
In new collaborations, tribes become stewards of parks and monuments
In a rural area of Michigan’s Thumb region, a small state park preserves a collection of sandstone carvings that date back many hundreds of years. One of the carvings, a figure with a bow and arrow, symbolizes ancestors shooting their knowledge ahead seven generations. Some might say that arrow landed in 2019. That year, descendants […]
Biden’s logging project near Yellowstone National Park makes mockery of his climate pledge
Once again, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Center for Biological Diversity and Council for Wildlife and Fish are challenging the Biden administration’s Forest Service on yet another massive clearcutting. This time it’s the South Plateau Project, right on the border of Yellowstone National Park. Yes, you read that right – President Joe Biden’s Forest […]
Feds’ cash stream supports Colorado River conservation — but the money will dry up
Editor’s note: Read more Stateline coverage of how communities across the West are grappling with drought that’s worsening because of climate change. Despite a megadrought, states in the West have been able to avoid drastic cuts to their allocations of Colorado River water this year not only because of surprising storms but also thanks to […]
The latest clash over managing Washington’s wolves
Eleven conservation groups are asking Washington state to tighten its guidelines for when wolves that attack livestock can be killed. The groups are concerned too many wolves are dying needlessly under the current system. Their petition to Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission describes the existing standards the state uses to authorize lethal action against the […]
Conservation groups sue federal government for logging proposal near Yellowstone National Park
Three conservation groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop a U.S. Forest Service plan for a large logging project near Yellowstone National Park that they say puts several threatened or endangered species in even more danger. The groups had previously filed a letter of intent to sue, and on Wednesday filed the lawsuit. The […]
U.S. Senate panel grapples with how to ensure access to water amid Western drought
Decades of drought in the West has made water quality and quantity a major issue requiring government funding and innovation to fix, members of a U.S. Senate panel said Wednesday. Demand for water in growing municipalities is stretching agricultural and tribal communities, while shrinking availability is leading to higher water prices, witnesses told the Senate […]
As wildfire costs increase, Idaho Land Board calls for 4.7% budget increase in 2025
The Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners approved a 4.7% increase in the budget request for the Idaho Department of Lands’ fiscal year 2025 budget on Tuesday in Boise. Overall, the land board approved a budget request totaling $90.3 million from all funding sources, including state and federal funding. The state general fund share of […]
Idaho Department of Agriculture confirms invasive mussel species in Snake River near Twin Falls
The Idaho Department of Agriculture is asking the public to stay out of the water in the Centennial Waterfront Park area in Twin Falls as it has confirmed the presence of quagga mussel larvae in the Snake River. In a press release issued Tuesday, the department said multiple samples of quagga mussel at larval life […]
Idaho elk hunting is on the rebound, and tags are selling out quickly for 2023 season
If you’re a procrastinator and a hunter, and you’re planning on buying an elk or deer tag on the opening day of big game season, you might think twice about waiting that long to buy a tag. Sales of big game hunting tags, especially elk tags in “capped” elk zones, where the Idaho Department of […]
Which is more hazardous to Yellowstone National Park visitors: wildlife or hot springs?
Yellowstone National Park is home to an array of “charismatic megafauna” — for instance, elk, bears, bison, wolves and other large mammals. And as the term “wildlife” implies, these animals are, well, wild. Yellowstone National Park requires all visitors to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards […]
Need to get rid of pesticides? Idaho Department of Agriculture to offer free disposal sites
Idaho homeowners, farmers and professional applicators can dispose of their pesticides at several locations across the state this month, according to an Idaho Department of Agriculture press release. The Idaho Department of Agriculture’s pesticide disposal program announced it will offer free and safe disposal of unusable or unwanted pesticides from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. […]