Keystone pipeline could harm wildlife, Interior Department says

The LA Times notes: "A letter contradicts the State Department's draft environmental assessment of the pipeline, saying animals could suffer lasting damage."
Hah, I was present at the very protest rally at which the picture with this article was taken. Yahoo! In any case, my only concern with the findings contained in Interior's letter is this: What took so long?
Interior, in its letter, says, in part: "species displacement, increased predation rates and predator travel lanes, increased nest parasitism, vehicle collisions with wildlife … invasive plant species, increased wildfire risk, lower wildlife density, increase in collisions with power lines and electrocutions on power poles … and increase in poaching."
What is so damn hard to understand about this? Just the roads and other infrastructure that would go in as teh pipeline is built would harm our natural heritage.

Idaho senator goes to bat for welfare ranchers with Interior nominee

Sen. Jim Risch apparently has no earthly idea what "rangeland health" is really all about. Dear senator, rangeland that is in poor shape likely has been stomped and overgrazed into submission by the livestock of welfare ranchers who pay a pittance for the privilege of fattening their cows and sheep on public land. That is the issue, dear senator. How about drafting legislation that would finally make ranchers pay the market-based rate for the privilege of grazing their meat on OUR public lands? The Idaho Statesman's Rocky Barker offers this view of the senator's pleadings to Sally Jewell, the nominee to repalce Ken Salazar as Interior secretary.

Can Sally Jewell get a new generation involved with public lands?

That is just one of the challenges awaiting the soon-to-be former boss of REI as she takes over leadership of the Department of the Interior. I hope she succeeds. Some of the pro-pollution crowd - mostly Republicans of course - have already been attacking Jewell under the guise of REI's gifting of financial help to citizen conservation outfits. What a bunch. This piece takes a good look at Jewell.

Decaying management at Yellowstone, other NPS units

That is the sad message of the research paper found at this link. It has been many decades (4.5 years?) since the Gregory family motored to the park from our then home in Pocatello, Idaho. I remember there being cars, many cars.

REI's head honcho is pick to be secretary of Interior

This Seattle Times piece (Seattle is home territory for the outdoor gear retailer) covers a lot of ground, focusing on Sally Jewel's background and qualifications for the job.