postMigrator

Maine Seeks Pre-Approval for Wetlands Destruction

By postMigrator July 11, 2008 July 11, 2008 RT Newswire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2008 10:33 AM

CONTACT: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Kyla Bennett (508) 230-9933;
Carol Goldberg (202) 265-7337

Maine Seeks Pre-Approval for Wetlands Destruction
Maine DOT ‘Umbrella Mitigation Bank’ Tries to Exploit Weakened Federal Policies

BOSTON – July 10 – One of the first state agencies to submit a plan under a new federal rule is seeking a sweeping grant of authority to pave over wetlands in return for use of mitigation banking, according to regulatory comments filed today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed “Umbrella Mitigation Bank Prospectus” would permit destruction of wetlands in exchange for preservation of other land or creation of new wetlands elsewhere in the state to replace what has been destroyed.

Fish & Wildlife Service Hiding Influence of Refuge Driller

By postMigrator July 11, 2008 July 11, 2008 RT Newswire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2008 10:11 AM

CONTACT: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Ceal Smith [Citizens for San Luis Valley Water Protection Coalition] (719) 256-5780;
Travis Stills [Energy Minerals Law Center] (970) 375-9231;
Jeff Ruch [PEER] 202-265-7337

Fish & Wildlife Service Hiding Influence of Refuge Driller
Federal Court Asked to Force Government to Release Records

ALAMOSA, Colorado – July 10 – The federal government is refusing to release documents that could show whether a Canadian company that wants to drill in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge had inappropriate influence over a study of the project’s impacts.

Records of emails between Lexam Explorations Inc., a Canadian “wildcatter,” and a Department of Interior lawyer indicate that the company was repeatedly invited to review and comment on internal drafts of an environmental assessment that was being prepared to evaluate the impact of drilling on the San Luis Valley refuge. Other documents suggest the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relied on the oil and gas company to compile data on wildlife in the nation’s newest wildlife refuge.

Suit Filed To Stop Four Timber Sales on Largest National Forest

By postMigrator July 11, 2008 July 11, 2008 Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2008 12:40 PM

CONTACT: Greenpeace
Larry Edwards, Greenpeace (Sitka). (907) 747-7557 (O) Gabe Scott, Cascadia Wildlands Project (Cordova), (907) 424-3835 Chris Winter. Crag Law Center (Portland), 503-525-2725

Suit Filed To Stop Four Timber Sales on Largest National Forest

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – July 10 – Environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service in federal court today arguing that the agency has concealed impacts of old-growth logging to the environment and to subsistence hunting in four Tongass National Forest timber projects. At issue is whether environmental impact statements have thoroughly evaluated the effect of the projects on Sitka black-tailed deer – a species that is key to viability of the “Islands Wolf” (Alexander Archipelago wolf) and is among the most important subsistence foods in the area. he plaintiffs are Greenpeace and Cascadia Wildlands Project, both of which have offices in Alaska. They say the Forest Service has violated bedrock environmental laws by deliberately ignoring their legitimate criticisms of how impacts to deer were assessed in the decision process and not providing a “full and fair discussion” of their concerns. While not a plaintiff in the suit, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game has repeatedly challenged these same flaws.

Statement on The Bureau of Land Management’s Assessment of Grazing Impacts in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

By postMigrator July 11, 2008 July 11, 2008 Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2008 12:06 PM

CONTACT: Center for Biological Diversity
Amy Atwood, cell: (541) 914-8372; atwood@biologicaldiversity.org

Statement on The Bureau of Land Management’s Assessment of Grazing Impacts in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
Agency’s Findings Confirm Grazing’s Environmentally Destructive Impacts

TUSCON, Ariz. – July 10 – Today the Bureau of Land Management released assessments of the impacts of livestock grazing on the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which add to a growing body of scientific evidence to confirm that livestock grazing is fundamentally incompatible with protecting the rare plants, fish, and wildlife the monument was created eight years ago to protect.