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Photo courtesy of Rick and Susie Graetz
Monday, Sept. 10, 2012
produced daily by Shellie Nelson
Editor's Notes...

West map In the Rockies today, water, wolves and wildfires are in the news.

The drought in the United States is having a detrimental effect on power generation as well, as hydroelectric plants have lower flows through their turbines, and nuclear power plants don't have the water they need to cool reactors.

In British Columbia, where drought is threatening to shut down some natural gas operations near Dawson Creek, Shell Canada has assured it will have water to continue to operate as the B.C. town's $14-million wastewater treatment plant the energy company paid for in exchange for water went online.

In Colorado, counties are pressing their federal lawmakers to pass a "Good Samaritan" law, which will allow states, local governments and other entities to clean up abandoned mines that continue to pollute watersheds without incurring liability under the Clean Water Act.

The decision to remove wolves in Wyoming from federal protection has been challenged as promised by environmental groups, with a filing today of a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

And wildfires roared back into the headlines this weekend, with evacuations ordered in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington state and British Columbia.

Rockies today

 Hotter, drier weather affects power plants across the U.S.
Hydroelectric plants aren't the only power plants affected by rising temperatures and drought, as nuclear and coal-fired plants in the U.S. have been forced to shut down or curb operations when water either isn't available for cooling operations or is too warm for such operations.
Washington Post; Sept. 9

Colorado counties press for federal fix to allow abandoned mine cleanup
Abandoned mines in Colorado and other western states continue to leak toxic chemicals into waters, but efforts to clean up those mines stalled after a ruling that the work could trigger Clean Water Act violations, but with water becoming increasingly scarce, Colorado counties are pressing federal lawmakers to pass "Good Samaritan" legislation that would allow such cleanup work to be done without accruing federal liability.
Denver Post; Sept. 10

Flows in Colorado river at fourth lowest level in nearly a century
The Colorado Division of Water Resources has water flow records for the Animas River dating back 99 years, with the lowest flows reported in 2002, and this year the flows are the fourth lowest.
Durango Herald; Sept. 10

Partnership with oil company keeps water flowing in B.C. town
Years ago, Shell Canada approached Dawson Creek officials with a proposal to help the B.C. town build a $14-million wastewater treatment plant in exchange for a secure supply of water for its nearby natural-gas operations, and the plant went online last week, during the worst drought in decades that may force some other energy firms to halt operations as water is no longer available for them.
Toronto Globe and Mail; Sept. 10

Groups file notice of intent to sue over wolf delisting in Wyoming
WildEarth Guardians and other environmental groups filed a formal notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its recent decision to remove wolves in Wyoming from federal protection.
Idaho Statesman (AP); Sept. 10

Residents in W. Montana urged to evacuate as wildfire advances
High winds on Sunday blew new life into the Sawtooth Fire burning west of Hamilton in Montana, where residents were put on notice that they may need to evacuate.
Missoulian; Sept. 10

Restoration project in Colorado puts cows to work
Cows are begin grazed on a test plot in the Coal Basin in the White River National Forest in Colorado to see if the critters can help restore the hardened soil atop waste coal piles.
Aspen Times; Sept. 10

Opinion

 Congress must now take lead in weapons disposal in Colorado
The Pentagon has repeatedly pushed back its deadline to destroy the 2,600 tons of mustard gas stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado, and a recent federal appeals court ruling that upheld a lower court decision that federal law remains supreme on regulating the hazardous material means that the state has little recourse other than to keep pressure on Congress to make sure the weapons are destroyed by 2017 as now promised.
Denver Post; Sept. 10

Opposition to proposed molybdenum mine in Idaho more than 'bump in road'
The environmental risks of having an open pit molybdenum mine in the headwaters of the Boise River in Idaho are simply too high, and puts the river--and Boise--at risk.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 10

Beyond the region

 Farm Bill one of many tasks before Congress
Federal lawmakers are back in Washington, D.C. this week, and among the list of tasks to be completed is the passage of a farm bill.
New York Times; Sept. 9

Report tracks Canada's decreasing beef-export market
A new report said Canada's $6-billion beef industry is in a state of chronic decline, and predicted that the country could become a net importer of beef for the first time in decades.
Toronto Globe and Mail; Sept. 10

In depth

 Wildfire in southern B.C. forces hundreds from their homes
Strong winds pushed a wildfire first reported Sunday afternoon across more than 200 acres in southern B.C., and more than 1,550 residents near Peachland were ordered to evacuate.
Vancouver Sun; Sept. 10

Evacuations ordered as wildfire burns on Wyoming's Casper Mountain
A wildfire first reported at 4 p.m. Sunday on the east side of Casper Mountain in Wyoming grew quickly to hundreds of acres and forced the evacuation of campgrounds and dozens of homes.
Casper Star-Tribune; Sept. 10

More evacuations ordered on Mustang Complex fire in Idaho
A level 3 evacuation order was issued for residents along the Highway 93 corridor from Quartz Creek to North Fork in Idaho on Sunday, as the Mustang Fire Complex moved closer to that corridor.
Ravalli Republic (AP); Sept. 9

Wildfire threatens resort in W. Wyoming
The Little Horsethief Fire that ignited Saturday afternoon grew quickly to 800 acres, and on Sunday, residents living on Snow King Mountain near Jackson, Wyo., were put on notice that they may need to evacuate.
Jackson Hole Daily; Sept. 10

Crews have 8,000-acre wildfire in Montana 51 percent contained
Fire investigators believe the 8,000-acre wildfire burning in Montana south of Livingston was human caused.
Billings Gazette; Sept. 10

Thousands of lightning strikes spark hundreds of fires in Washington state
The 300-acre Cascade Creek Fire is the worst of the 200 wildfires sparked by lightning in Washington state over the weekend.
Portland Oregonian; Sept. 10
Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West
at The University of Montana.
"W ater supply is a huge issue in this state. We're going to be tracking it down to the last drop."

Andy Karsian, legislative coordinator for Colorado Counties Inc., on why counties are pressing for changes to federal law that will allow local governments and groups to work together to clean up abandoned mines without fear of incurring Clean Water Act liability.
- Denver Post
On The Bookshelf
Barbara Theroux of Fact & Fiction reviews Christine Byl's "Dirt Work: An education in the woods

5/15/2013
Mountain West Perspectives
Study uncovers the restoration realities in Montana


4/15/2013
Mountain West Voices
Hear weekly stories from the Rocky Mountain West as gathered by Clay Scott

5/15/2013:  A Long Way
5/8/2013:  Making Roots
5/1/2013:  Cancer in the Real World
4/24/2013:  Sheep Country
4/10/2013:  Shearing Sheep

Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West



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The University of Montana