Wednesday, March 27, 2024

National monument on California-Oregon border will remain intact after surviving legal challenge

 



ASHLAND, Oregon (AP) — The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, a remote expanse of wilderness along the California-Oregon border, will not lose any of its acreage after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up two challenges to its expansion.

Logging interests and several counties in Oregon had asked the high court to strike down a 2017 addition to the monument. Their lawsuit claimed President Barack Obama improperly made the designation because Congress had previously set aside the land for timber harvests, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. By gaining monument status, the area won special protections, including a prohibition on logging.

The challenges to the expansion raised the additional, and broader, question of whether the president’s authority to create national monuments unilaterally under the Antiquities Act should be restricted, the Chronicle said. Critics of the 1906 law, who have commonly opposed bids for new designations, have argued it gives too much power to the executive branch. The Supreme Court decided not to address the issue.

“The monument and its expansion, it’s now the law of the land,” said Kristen Boyles, an attorney for Earthjustice, which represented groups supporting the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. 

 ...At stake for logging companies with the monument designation was millions of board feet of timber that could be harvested there. The counties on O&C Lands stood to lose a cut of the revenue from timber sales.

“We’re disappointed the Supreme Court did not take this historic opportunity to provide balance to growing executive overreach on federal lands through the Antiquities Act, and legal clarity for our forests, communities and the people who steward them,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council, in a statement.  LINK

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas test positive for bird flu

 

Milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu, U.S. officials said Monday.

Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.

It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It’s believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza — was found in U.S. livestock...more

Monday, March 25, 2024

Albuquerque to host first statewide Earth Day Festival

 

The city of Albuquerque and other environmentally friendly groups will be organizing the state’s first Earth Day Festival on April 21.

“Our world needs change. That’s where you come in as an individual. You yield real power and influence as a consumer, a voter and a member of a community that can unite for change,” said Art Gardenswartz, the Earth Day Festival NM founder. “Don’t underestimate your power. With others around the world, we can create a movement that is inclusive and impactful.”

This local event has a theme of “Cut Costs and Carbon with Electrification,” which will promote ways New Mexicans can make a difference in reducing their negative impact on the planet. Attendees will also learn how to access $500 to $20,000 in tax rebates and savings on utility bills.

The event will feature a variety of informational booths, a series of presentations, a children’s activity center and a poetry and art contest with cash prizes.

“We are actively working to make Albuquerque a resilient, welcoming place for families for many generations to come,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We’ve made big strides in sustainability, renewable energy and equity, and we look forward to hosting this event to help even more folks get educated about how they can make a difference.”...more



We know that Albuquerque certainly pollutes the political environment and I'm sure they are a major contributor of bad stuff to our natural enviroment.


Ranchers Frustrated by Biden Administration’s Continued Steamroll over NW Washington Communities

 


Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) condemned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) indication that they intend to proceed with translocating grizzly bears to the North Cascades Ecosystem in northwest Washington state, despite longstanding and vocal objections from local communities and elected officials.

The final environmental impact statement released today is not a final decision, but indicates that USFWS is likely to translocate bears to the area with a Section 10(j) rule under the Endangered Species Act in place -- with the goal of eventually reaching a stable population of 200. A final decision is expected in the coming weeks. 

“The 10(j) status included in today’s announcement may be the administration’s attempt to placate the state, but we continue to stand with the ranchers and rural families in northwest Washington who do not want this proposal to move forward at all,” said Director of PLC and NCBA Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes. “Dropping new apex predators into rural Americans’ backyards is not something that the federal government should undertake without consensus. State and local stakeholders have made their serious concerns about this proposal known for years now, and plowing forward to the detriment of local farmers and ranchers would be unwise for both conservation of the species and health of the rural economy. We urge the administration to listen to local communities and reconsider this plan.” 

NCBA and PLC previous submitted comments to the administration opposed to this plan.

ABQ homeowner proves why the Second Amendment shall not be infringed

 


In Albuquerque, a recent incident has underscored the Second Amendment’s critical importance and citizens’ right to protect their homes and families. The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) apprehended 32-year-old Joseph Rivera following a dramatic sequence of events that ended with Rivera being shot by a homeowner during an attempted burglary.

...In a moment of quick thinking, the homeowner managed to lock Rivera out after he momentarily left the premises. However, Rivera, undaunted, forced his way back into the home, further demanding keys. Faced with an increasingly perilous situation, the homeowner retreated to her bedroom and armed herself with a firearm.

When Rivera refused to heed the homeowner’s warnings to leave, she was left with no choice but to defend herself. She shot Rivera and then, displaying remarkable composure, administered first aid until law enforcement arrived...more

21-year-old killed in mountain lion attack, younger brother survived

 

Abrutal mountain lion attack took the life of a 21-year-old California man, and left his younger with "traumatic injuries," according to authorities.

Two brothers – ages 18 and 21 – were reportedly antler shed hunting in Georgetown, California. A mountain lion attacked the pair in the wilderness of the remote area of Northern California on Saturday afternoon.

During the vicious mountain lion attack, the brothers were separated in the area about 40 miles northeast of Sacramento.

...Deputies and paramedics located the older brother and encountered the mountain lion that was crouched next to the 21-year-old California man on the ground, according to authorities. Law enforcement officers reportedly fired shots "scaring the mountain lion off so they could render aid" to the man on the ground.

Sadly, the older brother had succumbed to his injuries from the mountain lion attack and was already dead by the time emergency crews were able to get to the man.

...The 18-year-old brother suffered “traumatic injuries” to his face and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office stated...more