Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** BLM designates 120,000-acre conservation area in Idaho
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Thursday, August 24, 2023
Pronghorn drinking water in southwest Idaho; Thayne Tuason, Wikimedia ([link removed])
Over 120,000 acres of rolling grasslands in southwest Idaho will be better conserved ([link removed]) thanks to a new Bureau of Land Management Backcountry Conservation Area (BCA). The region is home to upland game bird species and serves as elk and mule deer habitat.
“The Bennett Hills are a bird hunting destination and an essential winter area for the famed King Hill mule deer hunt. It is worthy of protections that help wildlife and sportsmen,” said ([link removed]) Brian Brooks, executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation.
The Bennett Hills BCA is part of the BLM's new Four Rivers Field Office Resource Management Plan ([link removed]) . The plan sets guidance for ([link removed]) the management of fish and wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and livestock, as well as renewable energy development, mining, and drilling across approximately 783,000 acres of public land in southwest Idaho. The plan also closes areas
([link removed]) with low and no potential of oil and gas development to leasing.
Bennett Hills is the first ([link removed]) BCA designated in Idaho. The BLM issued formal guidance in 2017 ([link removed]) for the adoption of BCAs, which are intended to “support wildlife-dependent recreation and hunting activities” while still allowing grazing, drilling, and mining, according to the Four Rivers Field Office Resource Management Plan ([link removed]) .
While the BCA designation allows for multiple land uses, it recognizes that “the highest value and use of this landscape is the habitat and the wildlife and the recreation and economy derived from those things,” Brooks told Boise State Public Radio ([link removed]) .“So it's sort of unique.”
Report highlights dirty legacy of mining in the West
Extractive industries have essentially worked under the same legal and regulatory framework for over 100 years, leading to pollution and the destruction of public lands, according to a new report from the Center for Western Priorities ([link removed]) . The Sierra Nevada Ally spoke to CWP Policy Director Rachael Hamby about the report. Read the interview here ([link removed]) .
** Quick hits
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Draft BLM plan would improve protections for 2 million acres in Colorado
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Court says DEQ can clean up ‘disturbances’ at Zortman-Landusky mine site
Daily Montanan ([link removed])
Wyoming hunter offers prizes to those willing to turn in their deer tags
Wyoming Public Radio ([link removed])
New Mexico conservation fund set to run out of money without new appropriations
KUNM ([link removed])
Colorado River Basin states stake out positions on the future of Mead, Powell reservoirs
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Flooding at Grand Canyon's South Rim forces over 100 to evacuate
Washington Post ([link removed])
Zion is getting a new visitor center—outside the park
Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Opinion: We need to rethink wildfire in order to better protect ourselves
Time ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” With the results of this resource management plan really reflecting the voices of the folks who took part, I think it sends a message that it's really important to continue to voice your concern... These are public lands and public agencies will respond to the public.”
—Brian Brooks, executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation, Boise State Public Radio ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@rockynps ([link removed])
Rain, thunderstorms, and lightning are in the forecast for Rocky Mountain National Park throughout the week.
When recreating, take time to be aware of your surroundings and know the most high-risk places to be compared to the safest locations when a storm rolls in. With lightning, there are no fully safe options when recreating in the outdoors.
If possible, shelter inside a vehicle or a building. If you are out on a hiking trail, the next best option is to get below tree line and shelter at the base of a cluster of low elevation trees or in a lower elevation ditch or gully.
Avoid these locations during a thunderstorm:
🌩️ The top of a mountain peak
🌩️ Exposed open slopes above tree line
🌩️ Caves or rock outcroppings on the side of a mountain
🌩️ Open water
🌩️ The base of a single tall tree
🌩️ The inside of a tent when camping in an exposed area
For more information and tips on lightning safety visit [link removed]
Image Credit: NPS Photo
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