Magazine
September 2, 2002
As a new boom in coalbed methane gas drilling hits the West, some counties are taking on industry-friendly state regulating agencies and demanding that gas companies listen to local concerns. Also in this issue: EPA chief Christie Whitman and Idaho Sen. Larry Craig dipped champagne glasses in Idaho's Lake Coeur d'Alene and toasted the newly-created commission tasked with cleaning up mining waste in the lake. But the Coeur d'Alene Tribe wants the problem to be taken seriously.
Feature
In Gallatin County, Mont., and Delta County, Colo., local
citizens and county governments are fiercely resisting the recent,
no-holds-barred push to drill for coalbed methane.
Sidebar
Poor but coal-rich Delta County, Colo., made history when
its county commissioners, responding to a determined citizens'
movement, voted to deny four coalbed methane test wells and attach
conditions to the drilling of a fifth.
Essays
For environmental as well as aesthetic reasons, parks like
Grand Teton in Wyoming are doing away with wilderness outhouses,
and requesting hikers to use "poop bags" to pack out human
waste.
Perspective
The Bush administrations' push to drill and drill yet more
in the West is likely to have surprising consequences, arousing
even some Republicans to protest.
Writers on the Range
The term "NIMBY" is used as a term of abuse, but the
writer says that when it comes to things like coalbed methane
drilling on Colorado's Western Slope, he is eager and proud to
declare: NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
Book Reviews
Land, Wind and Hard Words: A Story of Navajo Activism by
John W. Sherry tells the story of the Navajo grassroots
environmental group Dine CARE and the dedicated small group of
people who founded it, 10 years ago.
The Culminating Conference for the year-long series,
Moving Waters: The Colorado River and the West, is set for four
days in September in Flagstaff, Ariz.
As part of the United Nations' 2002: The Year of the
Mountains proclamation, a program on the problems facing mountain
peoples will be held in Silverton, Colo., Sept. 26-28.
In Barefoot Hearted: A Wild Life with Wildlife, Kathleen
Meyer relates her adventures in Montana's Bitterroot Valley, where
she shares an old dairy barn with her boyfriend and numerous
uninvited animal guests.
Bradford Morrow's novel, Ariel's Crossing, tells a
poignant story of family and reconciliation in New Mexico, where
the nuclear weapons testing of 40 years ago still haunts the land
and the people.
Outdoor Classroom on Rangeland Health
Sopris Foundation's Web site
Western Colorado Congress
Heard Around the West
Mini-ranch sold on eBay; smashed toilets become office
foundation; Aspen man blown away by job requirements; "Russian
Mafia" robbing Idaho hikers; meth addicts stealing old-growth
trees; Water Board plans cloud-seeding; and grasshopper
plague.
Dear Friends
Breaking all the rules, HCN writes about local coalbed
methane story; Visitors; interesting mail about enviro
"psychohistory"; no Centennial Hotel in Elko; HCN goes to Seattle
for board meeting, potluck
Mountain photographers Galen and Barbara Rowell die in a
California plane crash.
News
The planned Superfund cleanup of Idaho's Lake Coeur
d'Alene is taken from the EPA and given to a controversial new
local commission, although the Coeur d'Alene Tribe says it will
force the EPA to take back the project, if necessary.
180 lynx to be released in Colorado; stricter noise rules
in Grand Canyon; Bureau of Indian Affairs to create federal Indian
Energy and Minerals office; bark beetles hit Arizona pinon
pines.
On the Navajo Reservation, Indigenous Community
Enterprises is using thinned small trees from fire-prone, overgrown
forests to build hogans for housing - and the tribal economy as
well.
Fire-proofing houses is a thriving new business in
Durango, Colorado's fire-prone forests, but the only real solution
to the problem is to quit building in the urban-wildland interface,
many say.
Letters
Today's Featured Stories
-
WATERSHED PROGRAMS COORDINATOR Are you looking for a positive and success oriented work environment, the opportunity to join a (small but) dynamic group of people supporting watershed activities...
-
BACKCOUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL MANAGER Boise-based Winter Wildlands Alliance is looking for an experienced and highly motivated individual to organize our annual Backcountry Film Festival and Tour and coordinate additional...
-
LAND CONSERVATION MANAGER SUMMARY Leads, administers and manages the land conservation, conservation easement stewardship, and property management activities of the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department within...
-
CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAM ATTORNEY, NEVADA Position Summary: Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is seeking a Staff Attorney who is passionate about Western communities and the protection of the natural environment to...
-
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Deschutes River Conservancy in Bend, Oregon
-
WATER POLICY ANALYST WITH WRA (BOULDER) Position Summary: Western Resource Advocates seeks a passionate Water Policy Analyst with knowledge of western water issues to join our Healthy Rivers Team to strengthen...
-
GILA NATIONAL FOREST 9+ acre inholding. Passive solar strawbale off the grid and next to the Continental Divide Trail in ponderosa pine/doug fir forest at 7400.
-
HIRING BEARS EARS EDUCATION CENTER DIRECTOR Conservation nonprofit Friends of Cedar Mesa in Bluff, Utah is hiring an Education Center Director to oversee the operation of the Bears Ears Education Center....
-
PROGRAM MANAGER, SUSTAINING FLOWS Friends of the Verde River, Cottonwood, AZ. Apply at https://verderiver.org/employment-opportunities/
-
PROGRAM ASSOCIATE - VERDE RIVER EXCHANGE Verde River Exchange - Friends of the Verde River, Cottonwood, AZ. Apply at https://verderiver.org/employment-opportunities/
-
CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER Teton County Planning & Building is hiring! Our ideal candidate is a team-player, a problem-solver, pays attention to detail, and can clearly communicate technical material...
-
ARCHITECTURE DRAFTSPERSON/PROJECT MANAGER Studio Architects is seeking a full time Architectural drafts-person/project manager with1-3 years of experience to join our firm. At Studio Architects our mission is to...
-
ASSISTANT MANAGER/TRAINEE, COLORADO RANCH needed for 16,000+ acre conservation property in south central Colorado. Qualified candidate would have experience working on a ranch or wilderness property, general forestry/fire management... -
FARM HAND &/OR NANNY IN ESCALANTE Nanny for 18-mnth-old. Yearly salary, vacation, health insurance. Spanish/other foreign-language native spkr prefrrd. -
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Washington Association of Land Trusts seeks an ED to build on WALTs significant success & to lead the association to new levels of achievement. See...
-
BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM STRAWBALE HOME IN WESTERN COLORADO! Secluded, energy efficient Southwestern home on 40 wooded acres. Broker - Rand Porter - United Country Real Colorado Properties. 970-261-1248, $425K
-
FORMER RETREAT CENTER/CONSERVATION PROPERTY FOR SALE 57 acres in Skull Valley, AZ, 17 miles from Prescott, year-round creek, swimming holes, secluded canyon, hiking/meditation trails, oaks, pines, garden, greenhouse. House, office building,...
-
HISTORIC RANCH HOME W/ 20 ACRES Historic 1893 Ranch Headquarters. 4 Bdrm, 3.5 Ba, 4000 ft2. Remodeled 2002. Includes 2 studio apts, stables, arena, workshop, 5 RV hookups. Chirachua & Peloncillo... -
VICE PRESIDENT OF RETAIL OPERATIONS The Vice President of Retail Operations will provide overall leadership and accountability for purchasing, product development, merchandising planning, visual merchandising, retail operational excellence, oversight and...
-
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Grand Staircase Escalante Partners seeks an experienced fundraiser with excellent communication and organizational skills.
