Environment
Biden officially designates new monuments in Nevada and Texas at conservation summit
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden stressed that his administration’s efforts to conserve the nation’s land and waters are an expression of fundamental American values at the White House Conservation In Action summit Tuesday afternoon. Biden also announced the designation of two new national monuments in his address, Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in southern Nevada, […]
Feds to send nearly $200 million to help communities prepare for wildfires
The Biden administration will send $197 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities prepare for wildfires this summer, Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials said Monday. The funding represents the first round of a new $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense Grant program authorized under the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that […]
Biden administration OKs Willow Arctic oil project on Alaska’s North Slope
The Biden administration on Monday approved Alaska’s largest oil and gas development in decades after a bipartisan lobbying effort by members of the state’s congressional delegation and the state Legislature. Though the project has broad support from elected officials in Alaska, it’s strongly opposed by environmental groups. Some are already planning a lawsuit to block […]
Here are Idaho’s top greenhouse gas-producing companies
As Idaho grows, so do its emissions. At Idaho facilities tracked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, average annual emissions grew 14% from the period 2014-2017 to 2018-2021. Some of Idaho’s biggest industries are also its top emitters. Power companies like Idaho Power and Tyr Energy, with their natural gas power […]
Groups take out Helena billboard, criticize bison hunt near Yellowstone National Park
Two environmental groups are calling on officials to stop the slaughter and hunting of bison that wander outside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park, taking their message to lawmakers with a billboard showing hunters killing the animals at point-blank range. The billboard in Helena, put up by Roam Free Nation and the Alliance for the […]
Bill to open more walkup campsites in Montana sailing through Legislature
Helping Montanans have a better shot at camping in state parks is a popular idea in the Montana Legislature. House Bill 440, which would limit the number of reserved campsites at 80% to allow more walkups, passed unanimously in committee, and then it passed unanimously in the Montana House. Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby, had said […]
U.S. House votes to roll back Biden’s WOTUS rule
The U.S. House voted Thursday to undo a Biden administration definition of wetlands that allows for regulations on private lands. The chamber approved, 227-198, a resolution to roll back the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s broader definition of what qualifies as “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, for the purposes of federal regulation under the […]
Progressive agriculture groups rally for land access, climate-smart policies in farm bill
WASHINGTON — Farmers and leaders from more than 20 progressive agricultural groups gathered this week to march on the U.S. Capitol, and promote climate solutions and underserved producers as priority issues for lawmakers in the upcoming farm bill. “As farmers, we are close to the land. We love the land. We understand the sanctity and […]
First grizzly bear of the season spotted in Yellowstone National Park
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyoming – On Tuesday, a Yellowstone National Park wildlife biologist on a radio telemetry flight observed the first grizzly bear of 2023 to emerge from hibernation. The adult bear, estimated at 300-350 pounds, was seen near the remains of a bison carcass in Pelican Valley, in the central-eastern part of the park. […]
U.S. Senate panel probes how crypto mining increases energy consumption
WASHINGTON — The so-called mining for digital assets, or cryptocurrency, consumes as much electricity as some entire nations, and U.S. senators explored the issue Tuesday in what they said was their first-ever hearing focused on the energy implications of digital currency. Crypto mining in Nebraska and Pennsylvania was discussed in particular by the members of […]
Lava Ridge project shows lack of concern for wildlife, important cultural sites in Southern Idaho
South Central Idaho is facing three proposed wind turbine projects that would consume over 200,000 acres in our Magic Valley. And there are at least eight more proposals waiting in the wings. As a Magic Valley native who enjoys and loves our wildlands, viewscapes and open spaces, this is a concerning pattern. Specifically, LS Power […]
Idaho House passes three bills opposing environmental, social and governance standards
The Idaho House of Representatives passed three consecutive bills Thursday that oppose environmental, social and governance, or ESG, standards used in business investments and credit ratings. The ESG standards can be used to indicate a commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability or indicate social consciousness. But many Republican legislators and officials in Idaho have pointed to […]