A federal judge threw out a lawsuit challenging a
1997 ban on oil and gas drilling on the Rocky Mountain
Front, imposed by then Lewis and Clark Forest Supervisor
Gloria Flora (HCN, 10/13/97: Forest Service acts to preserve ‘the
Front’). The lawsuit claimed Flora was unduly influenced by public
opinion and ignored her agency’s analysis that drilling should be
allowed. Judge Charles Lovell disagreed, telling the Associated
Press that “nothing in NEPA forces agencies to submit blindly to
the proposals of agency scientists and technical staff.”
Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., became the
first member of Congress to support breaching
Washington’s Lower Snake River dams (HCN, 12/20/99: Unleashing the
Snake). “I think we’re at a point where we’ve studied this enough
and we need to take action,” Udall told the Santa Fe New
Mexican.
The government’s General Accounting
Office says the $101 million Baca Ranch near Los
Alamos, N.M., is overpriced. But the Forest Service, which is
eyeing the ranch for federal protection, calls it a bargain. The
95,000-acre ranch is home to a large elk herd and contains the
headwaters of the Wild and Scenic Jemez River (HCN, 8/3/98:
Congress drags its feet on Baca Ranch deal). GAO officials came up
with a figure that is half of the asking
price.
Once again, Louisiana-Pacific
must pay for polluting. Faced with 422 counts of toxic
dumping at its particle-board plant in Arcata, Calif., the company
agreed to pay $712,500 in fines. The settlement follows years of
complaints about the plant’s formaldehyde and sawdust discharges.
In 1998, Louisiana-Pacific was convicted and fined for violating
the Clean Air Act at its Olathe, Colo., plant (HCN, 6/22/98: Judge
disciplines L-P).
Albuquerque, N.M., Mayor Jim
Baca says Mexican gray wolves are welcome in the Gila
Wilderness (HCN, 1/31/00: Yellowstone wolves are here to
stay). Thirty-three have been released in Arizona over the last
couple years. Deaths and Fish and Wildlife Service roundups have
reduced the Southwest wolf population to less than 10. Fish and
Wildlife officials hope to translocate wolves into the more remote
Gila, but have met resistance from locals and state
leaders.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The Wayward West.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
