Federal Agencies Will Help Navajo Nation Clean Up its Uranium Contamination
June 2008 -- The Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Bureau of Indian Affairs have agreed to work together to clean up grounds throughout the Navajo Nation still polluted due to uranium contamination. Other communities in the West, however, still deal with legacy of contamination.
President Bush Pushes for Development of Oil Shale Resources in Area
June 2008 -- With much attention focused on securing domestic centers of energy production, President Bush announced his desire for oil shale exploration and development in the West, specifically Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Local governors and residents, however, have mixed reactions to the proposal.
BLM's Proposed Study on Solar Power's Environmental Impact May Delay Solar Projects
June 2008 -- The Bureau of Land Management recently announced that it plans to conduct an in-depth environmental impact report regarding solar power's impacts. The study may take up to two years, delaying the issuing of permits during that time.
Wildfires Start Up in West Already
June 2008 -- As summer temperatures heat up in the West and rain remains scarce, residents and firefighters are already dealing with blazes across the region, in states such as Utah, Colorado, and California.
Pests Invade Colorado River; Head West
June 2008 -- Despite warnings and ecologists' best efforts, the quagga mussel has been found in Lake Mead and are believed to be throughout the Colorado River. The mussels have caused terrible problems in the midwestern Great Lakes and ecologists worry that the same could occur all along the Colorado River.
Several Western States Work to Designate Wilderness Areas
June 2008 -- In recent weeks, the US House of Representatives has passed five bills designating about 500,000 acres of federal land as wilderness. Four more bills have been introduced, another designatewd 106,000 Washington acres as wilderness land, and several similar bills are on the table.
New Report Warns of Impending Water Shortages in Colorado
June 2008 -- A new report examines Colorado's Arkansas Valley, evaluating its furutre water needs. Among other findings, the report concludes that the water shortage faced by the region may be twice as large as originally expected.
Sonoran Institute Releases Report on Impact of Development Around Teton County
June 2008 -- The report, "Growth Impacts in the Teton Region of Wyoming and Idaho" issued last month, takes a look at "spillover growth" from the Wyoming county into adjacent counties in both Idaho and Wyoming. The report tracks the impact of having more than half the workers in the Wyoming county live outside that county, and the effect a commuting population has on the Idaho and Wyoming communities that feed workers into Teton County.
Small Ag Success Stories
June 2008 -- The Southwest Marketing Network, an organization dedicated to "expanding markets for Southwest small-scale, alternative, and minority producers," lists success stories of small agriculture producers on its website. These stories showcase the innovative approaches producers in the southwestern U.S. and other regions are implementing to boost their income.
Bill to Aid Rural Families Fails in US House
June 2008 -- The House Thursday defeated a bill that would have continued payments to rural counties hurt by federal cutbacks in logging. Lawmakers from both parties have tried for several years to salvage the program, which helps pay for schools, roads and public safety in 700 rural counties in 39 states.
US Senator Harry Reid and Others Fight New Yucca Mountain Application
June 2008 -- The Bush administration has just formally filed its application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license to build a nuclear waste repository in Nevada's Yucca Mountain and local politicians are upset. Jim Gibbons and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have both publicly commited themselves to keepign the repository out on their state of Nevada.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Announces Plans to Explore Solar Power Potential of West
June 2008 -- It seems the BLM will be joining forces with the US Department of Energy to examine the potential of a web of solar production to be carried on throughout the West. In particular, the two agencies are interested in focusing on the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The exploratory research has been attributed to a growing interest among utility companies and citizens in working with and providing solar-base power.
Western Governors Meet to Discuss Renewable Energy Ideas
June 2008 -- In the first meeting of the Western Governor's Association's Western Renewable Energy Zones project, Western governors met to discuss the potential for development of alternative energy projects in the West. They also discussed the need for greater cooperation between the western states as global warming concerns become more real (see below). The project comprises western governors, public utilities commissioners and premiers from 11 states, 2 Canadian provinces and areas of Mexico.
USDA Releases New Global Warming Report; News Not Good for West
June 2008 -- The US Department of Agriculture just released a comprehensive report that examines the likely trends in coming years due to the effects of global warming. Part of a broader federal review of climate change, the 200-plus-page report focuses on the next 25 to 50 years. It had 38 authors, was reviewed by 14 scientists and uses more than 1,000 references. Importantly for the West, the report predicts major impacts on rangeland and forests in this region, as well as drastic changes to waterway temperatures and availability, drought, and other problems, all of which could cause major complications for Western residents. The report was posted at: www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/default.php if you would like to read the actual document.
Funding Opportunity for Food Research Announced by University of Chicago
June 2008 -- The Harris School announces its Research Development Grants program for social science scholars interested in food assistance research. Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $40,000 for the 2008-2009 program. Start-up projects and projects by young and less experienced scholars will be offered grants of up to $20,000. Awards will be made to scholars who propose research including, but not limited to: Interactions between food assistance programs and other welfare programs with respect to participation, administration, budget exposure, and the role of food assistance as a personal and fiscal stabilizer; the effects of the macroeconomic environment on the need for food assistance, level of participation, and food assistance program costs; and the well-being of current and former food assistance recipients. Proposals are due by 1 July 2008.
Job Announcement - National Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) Executive Director
May 2008 -- The National ESP Extension professional organization is seeking candidates for the position of Executive Director. The successful candidate for this 75% position will have the skills necessary to maintain a national office, support the state organizations and the National Board through use of leadership, management, organizational skills and technical knowledge. Applicants are not limited to ESP membership. The position description details the leadership and management responsibilities of the Executive Director and can be found at http://espnational.org.
Broadband Access Opens Doors to Networking, Economic Development for Rural Areas
Science Daily May 2008 -- Proactive polices are needed to facilitate broadband Internet access and adoption in rural areas so that rural hospitals, schools and businesses can drive social and economic development and better position themselves to compete, say Penn State researchers in a recently released report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
Family Farming: A New Economic Vision New Edition by Marty Strange
May 2008 -- Americans decry the decline of family farming but stand by helplessly as industrial agribusiness takes over. The prevailing sentiment is that family farms should survive for important social, ethical, and economic reasons. But will they? This timely book exposes the biases in American farm policies that irrationally encourage expansion, biases evident in federal commodity programs, income tax provisions, and subsidized credit services. Family Farming also exposes internal conflicts, particularly the conflict between the private interests of individual farmers and the public interest in family farming as a whole. It challenges the assumption that bigger is better, critiques the technological basis of modern agriculture, and calls for farming practices that are ethical, economical, and ecologically sound. The alternative policies discussed in this book could yet save the family farm, and the ways and means of saving it are argued here with special urgency.
Job Announcement - Communications/Outreach Assistant - SARE
May 2008 -- The National Outreach Office of SARE is now accepting applications for a Communications/Outreach assistant. This position will be housed at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland. Applications will be accepted until June 27, 2008.
Mitigating the Impact of Foreclosures on Neighborhoods
May 2008 -- Randall S. Kroszner, Governor of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, announced what the Federal Reserve is doing in regards to the mortgage crisis in the U.S. One partnership announced in this speech is with NeighborWorks "to support local communities as they assess local housing conditions and evaluate responses to the challenges before them."