The uproar continues over the proposed critical habitat designation for woodland caribou in the Selkirk Mountains. Recently, more than 200 people turned out at an event orchestrated by the Bonner County Commissioners purporting to “coordinate” with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) over the proposal. In an irony lost on the angry crowd, much of the heated argument against the proposal establishing critical habitat more »
In its first substantive effort since being formed, the Bonner County Property Rights Council (PRC) is taking aim at a proposed watershed protection ordinance. In documents obtained by KEA, it appears that the Council is taking a comically theoretical approach in their continuing attack on common sense. The watershed ordinance (a pdf of the original draft is available here) is designed to give an additional more »
By most accounts, it was a tough day for EPA in the Supreme Court on Monday. Although the Sacketts got their share of skepticism from the Justices, the EPA really took it on the chin during the oral argument of the Priest Lake wetland case. The issue before the court was whether a “compliance order” issued by EPA to the Sacketts for a Clean Water more »
The Supreme Court wetland case involving a Priest Lake lot will be heard by the Court on Monday morning, and the legal and environmental pundits have been previewing the case. The Court has yet to rule on whether a brief by conservation groups will be filed, but a ruling could come as early as tomorrow. In the mean time, here are some of the more more »
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Priest Lake residents Mike and Chantell Sackett. We’ve written about this complicated wetlands case before. The Sacketts are suing the EPA over a wetland determination on their property, and that a compliance order issued by EPA in the case should be immediately reviewable in a Court. In support of the Sacketts’ more »
If there’s one thing we notice in the KEA office, it is that the days on the calendar keep flying at us. Every day is a new challenge. In the brief respite afforded by a slightly less frantic holiday week, here is a compilation of things we’ll be watching as the new year unfolds. 1. Dike Road Trees — At some point in 2012, we’re more »
It’s the end of 2011 and so we take quantitative stock of what we’ve accomplished in the last 52 weeks. The following are the most-viewed blog posts of 2011, which are actually quite representative of the issue work we’ve done over the last year. When it comes to North Idaho conservation controversies, from Bonner County craziness to messes in the Coeur d’Alene basin, from Tubbs more »
A generous member has offered to match end-of-year contributions to KEA, dollar for dollar, up to $5000. For the next week, your donation goes twice as far. So here are the top ten reasons why you should click our nice new donate button. 1. Tubbs Hill and Cougar Bay. KEA is the leading defender of our local jewels. This past year we defended Tubbs Hill from unnecessary more »
‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through Bonner County, a lot of creatures were stirring… because, well, both the Bonner County Commissioners and the Property Rights Council were both still holding meetings. Indeed, this week, the Bonner County Commissioners have an attack on caribou habitat scheduled, and the Property Rights Council will be discussing how to eliminate drinking water protections for county water supplies. more »
In response to a successful petition and lawsuit by some of our regional colleagues, last week the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a mapping of critical habitat for the woodland caribou in the Selkirk Mountains. Some 375,500 acres are designated, most of which is in remote roadless areas in Boundary County, Idaho, with some lands designated in Bonner County, Idaho and Pend Oreille County, more »
