Magazine
December 9, 2002
Eureka, Utah, unearths a toxic legacy just as its only hope for rescue, the federal Superfund cleanup program, blows away. Also in this issue: Thousands of park and forest jobs could go to private contractors.
Feature
Eureka, Utah, a struggling former mining town, was named a
Superfund priority site in September, but the Environmental
Protection Agency is running out of funds for cleanup, and the Bush
administration shows no interest in replacing them.
Sidebar
Timelines trace the birth, life and decline of the
Superfund law, both on Capitol Hill and on the ground in the
West.
The "Brownfields" program, an offshoot of Superfund, is
designed to redevelop contaminated sites into real estate, but
critics say it is not always up to the challenge.
Essays
A mysterious, mangy, half-wild dog known locally as "The
Auditor" has made the moonscape of the Butte’s Berkeley Pit
his home for 16 years, hanging on to life as stubbornly as the town
of Butte itself.
Writers on the Range
Dick Cheney once lived in the boom-and-bust community of
Rock Springs, Wyo., but didn’t learn there the lessons that
he might have learned to help him deal with unintended consequences
in a war against Iraq.
Book Reviews
Welfare Ranching’s authors, George Wuerthner and
Mollie Matteson, are romantics who ignore the threat of sprawl and
the studies of scientists in their quest to ban all cattle grazing
on the West’s public lands.
Ranching West of the 100th Meridian is a book of essays
that promotes the false idea that Westerners must choose between
condos and cows in a landscape never meant for cattle
grazing.
Heard Around the West
Camouflage for consumers; SWAT team busts dog; saving
Smokey’s job; New Mexico "most stupid" state; turning a mine
into a tourist attraction; and hermit "Dugout Dick" lives in a cave
in Idaho.
Dear Friends
Kiss a super idea (Superfund) goodbye; more election
reflection; visitors; correction and apology; and hello to Utah,
radio station KUER.
News
The auto industry, backed by the Bush administration, is
trying to halt California’s progressive auto-emissions
regulations.
The Bush administration has ordered federal
land-management agencies to identify jobs that might be performed
more cheaply by the private sector.
Displaced federal employees may find it difficult to adapt
to work in the private sector.
Beef checkoff rule upheld by courts; California red-legged
frog loses critical habitat; Hanford’s Fast Flux Test
Facility will not be shut down; Neal McCaleb announces resignation
as director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and EPA eases rules on
coal-fir
In California’s Central Valley, farmers are working
together to create "farmland security perimeters" to protect their
land from development.
Fed up with energy companies and the BLM, several ranchers
in northwestern New Mexico have locked their gates, blocking
private roads to natural gas wells.
Plans to take down Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in
Washington are stalled over the problem of what to do about the
sediment that has backed up behind the dam.
A U.S. Geological Survey study, suppressed by the Interior
Department in October, says that recreation adds more than
agriculture to the economy of the Klamath River Basin.
Montana’s Supreme Court rules that citizens and
government agencies can maintain water rights without "using" the
water, while the Wyoming Legislature stalls over a bill that would
allow irrigators to leave water instream temporarily.
Letters
Today's Featured Stories
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STAFF ATTORNEY STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION OPENING www.westernlaw.org/about-us/clinic-interns-careers The Western Environmental Law Center (WELC) is a nonprofit public interest environmental law firm with a 25-year legacy of success...
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR MOJAVE DESERT LAND TRUST Organization Background: The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is a non-profit 501(3)(c) organization, founded in 2006. Our mission is to protect the ecosystems of the...
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR If you are deeply committed to public service and would like to become part of our high performing, passionate and diverse team, NCAT is looking...
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FOREST STEWARDSHIP PROJECT DIRECTOR Become a force for nature and a healthy planet by joining the Arizona Chapter as Forest Stewardship Project Director. You will play a key role...
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ranchers Stewardship Alliance is accepting applications for an Executive Director. This position will provide leadership to RSA, develop a fund raising plan, and effectively communicate...
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EQUITY IN THE OUTDOORS COORDINATOR The Equity in the Outdoors Coordinator will lead community engagement, program implementation and development, and data collection for the Eagle Valley Outdoor Movement (EVOM). EVOM...
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASSISTANT The Idaho Conservation League is seeking a personable individual who is passionate about conservation to join our Sandpoint Field Office. The Community Engagement Assistant will...
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LIGHTWEIGHT FLY ROD CASES 4 standard or custom lengths. Rugged protection for backpacking. Affordable pricing.
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EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION INTERN/ASSISTANT Actively introduce students to Experiential Education, Outdoor Recreation, and Sustainability while engaging and challenging them to learn and participate in these diverse opportunities. Room, board,...
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ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIVE MEDIA SERVICES In-depth investigations of polluters, lobbyists, regulators, elected officials and others focused on environmentally damaging projects in the U.S. and internationally. We specialize in mining projects,...
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UNDEVELOPED 40 ACRES - SOUTHWEST COLORADO in beautiful Montezuma County. -
TRUCK DRIVER Class A & B drivers, pass all DOT requirements and clean driving record
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MARIA'S BOOKSHOP FOR SALE - Thriving Indie bookstore in the heart of Durango, Colorado. General bookstore with 34-year history as a community hub for Southwest region of CO. 1800...
