Public Lands Clips: October 29, 2024

 

 

Karine Jean-Pierre Is Always On The Go — “Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland joined me for the press gaggle on Air Force One en route to Arizona. When President Biden travels, I speak to members of the press who travel on the plane with us. I usually give a rundown of the trip before taking questions. This gaggle with Secretary Haaland was incredibly touching. She spoke about how President Biden has led on generational change for Indigenous communities, such as expanding access to electricity on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona for homes that have never had electricity or protecting cultural resources, like salmon, which Pacific Northwest tribes have depended on for thousands of years.” [Vogue, 10/29/24 (+)]

 

 

House

 

Lauren Boebert: The Maga Flamethrower Just Won't Go Away — “‘Boebert blasted the Biden-Harris administration for its plans to protect an ‘ugly’ animal in her home state,’ The Independent reported. ‘The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that it planned to conserve public lands in Colorado in an effort to protect the Gunnison sage-grouse, a bird designed as ‘threatened’ under the Endangered Species Act.’ As Boebert told Newsweek: ‘The Biden-Harris Administration and the radical progressives in charge of BLM are attempting to lock up our public lands from critical uses like oil & gas exploration. Instead of putting Coloradans first, they’re continuing to bend the knee to Green New Deal worshippers who want to destroy Colorado’s oil & gas industry and the tens of thousands of good-paying jobs that support families across the state.’ The quote is vintage Boebert in its vehement hostility towards top Democrats. If nothing else at least Boebert is consistent. Although, there is a slight problem with her criticism of the Biden-Harris decision to ‘lock up public lands’ – the announcement was approved in 2020, when Donald Trump was still president.” [The National Interest, 10/28/24 (+)]

 

 

 

Stratospheric Balloons To Aid Forest Service In Fighting Wildfires — “Forest managers looking for a better view of wildfires are finding their answer at 70,000 feet. That’s where the Forest Service plans to monitor fires with high-altitude balloons next year, on the heels of successful test runs in Idaho and other Western states. Flying about twice as high as airplanes and loaded with high-tech cameras and communications equipment, the remote-controlled balloons give officials a more accurate picture of fires and help teams communicate better across rugged and isolated terrain. ‘It was a very large team effort to get this done,’ said Sean Triplett, branch leader for tools and technology at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, which worked with NASA and Aerostar, an Arlington, Virginia, aerospace company, on balloon deployments this summer. The project is called the Strategic Tactical Radio and Tactical Overwatch, or STRATO.” [E&E News, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

 

 

NOAA Closes RFK Jr. Whale Carcass Investigation — “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not face federal charges over allegations he transported the head of a dead whale from Massachusetts to New York decades ago and kept the animal’s skull at his home. A NOAA spokesperson confirmed the agency’s Office of Law Enforcement investigation of the claim, first made by Kennedy’s daughter Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy in a 2012 article published in Town & Country magazine, was closed Oct. 16 after authorities ‘determined the allegation to be unfounded.’ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the story is false. Shortly after suspending his campaign as an independent presidential candidate on Aug. 23, Kennedy threw his support behind Donald Trump’s candidacy for a second presidential term and become a surrogate at campaign rallies. The story from the magazine article resurfaced after Kennedy endorsed the Republican ticket. In fact, Kennedy first referenced the NOAA investigation at a Trump campaign event in Arizona, casting the probe as an example of ‘the weaponization of our government against political opponents.’” [E&E News, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

 

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

 

What Project 2025 Has To Say About Indigenous Affairs — “‘At this point, our main obstacle to practicing our belief systems is climate change, is energy extraction and is the selling off of public lands,’ all of which would be made worse by the plans laid out in Project 2025, said Judith LeBlanc (Caddo Nation), executive director of the Native Organizers Alliance and the NOA Action Fund, which in October endorsed the Harris-Walz campaign. ‘Under Project 2025, and a Trump administration, we will go backwards.’ According to a survey published last year by the Native Organizers Alliance and partners, the top priorities for Native voters are climate change, racism and healthcare. Project 2025’s vision does not address them or the way they affect Native communities. Other issues critical to Indigenous communities are omitted: There’s nothing about addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, for example, or sustaining and improving on tribal co-stewardship of public lands and the protection of cultural sites, extending investigations into boarding schools or details on improving the Indian Health Service. ‘At this point, our main obstacle to practicing our belief systems is climate change, is energy extraction and is the selling off of public lands.’” [High Country News, 10/28/24 (+)]

 

Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)

 

Colorado River Negotiators Vow To Slog On As Timelines Shift — “Key state officials negotiating the future of the drought-ravaged Colorado River said Monday that a multi-state agreement is still in the works, even as ‘sticky issues’ continue to bar consensus and prompt the Interior Department to shift back an expected analysis of any plans. Anne Castle, the Biden administration’s appointee to the Upper Colorado River Commission, outlined the change in timing for developing the next operating plans for the Colorado River during a meeting of the group on Monday. She said the Bureau of Reclamation will not publish in December a full draft environmental impact statement analyzing the options, as had been originally planned. The delay comes as the seven Colorado River states — Arizona, California and Nevada in the Lower Basin and Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming in the Upper Basin — continue to debate a potential consensus agreement dictating how the pain of future cuts to water supplies would be shared. ‘The discussions among the seven basin states regarding post-2026 operations are ongoing,’ said Castle, a former Interior assistant secretary for water and science in the Obama administration.” [E&E News, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

 

Feds Float Plan To Protect Bats While Streamlining Permits — “The Fish and Wildlife Service is airing a new proposal to help endangered bats in three Eastern states coexist with potentially dangerous humans. If it flies, the proposed ‘general conservation plan’ is meant to protect bats and streamline the Endangered Species Act permit process for tree removal or habitat modification associated with routine development projects such residential developments, transportation, and utility projects such as sewer lines and solar farms. Because it’s the first of its kind for bats, it could also become a model for similar plans elsewhere. The proposed general conservation plan covers the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat, which are both listed as endangered under the ESA. It also covers the tricolored bat, which has been proposed for listing. ‘The [proposed] plan establishes associated conservation measures an applicant would agree to undertake first to avoid and then to minimize and mitigate for the impacts of the incidental take of the listed and proposed bat species to the maximum extent practicable,’ FWS stated.” [E&E News, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

 

Tribe Urges Supreme Court To Review Offshore Wind’s Impact On Whales — “A Massachusetts tribe is backing a Supreme Court petition seeking more federal review of how planned offshore wind projects along the Eastern Seaboard are affecting the endangered North Atlantic right whale. The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) said in a friend of the court, or amicus, brief last week that protection of the whale is ‘fundamental’ to its cultural heritage and protected resources. But the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management never consulted with the tribe — or other affected tribes — about the cumulative effects of the planned development of a few dozen projects along the East Coast, starting with Vineyard Wind 1, the Wampanoag tribe told the Supreme Court in a brief Friday. ‘The lack of environmental justice for the Amicus Tribe cannot be overstated,’ the tribe wrote. ‘The Vineyard Wind 1 Project is not isolated, but instead, is part of a much larger project, and all of the planned offshore wind projects within the Amicus Tribe’s ancestral lands need to be assessed and mitigated.’ The Wampanoag tribe is supporting a legal fight brought by Nantucket Residents Against Turbines. The group is challenging the Biden administration’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) analysis for Vineyard Wind, located 15 miles offshore from the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and 35 miles off the coast of mainland Massachusetts.” [E&E News, 10/29/24 (=)]

 

 

Arizona

 

Plan To Capture Mexican Gray Wolves Near Grand Canyon May Violate Law, Wolf Advocates Warn — “Wildlife advocacy groups are warning state and federal agencies that ongoing efforts to capture and relocate a pair of Mexican gray wolves near the Grand Canyon violate federal law, and the groups are threatening legal action that could redefine where these endangered wolves can roam. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, a coalition of advocacy groups claim that efforts to relocate two wolves, known as the Kendrick Peak Pack, is forbidden by the Endangered Species Act. The groups argue that a section of the law prohibits the ‘taking’ of a protected species, even by state or federal agencies. State wildlife managers have relocated Mexican gray wolves who have wandered north of Interstate 40 in the past under the authority of a recovery permit. This permit, issued by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, allows agencies to trap and move wolves that originated from a reintroduced population back to a designated recovery area located south of the highway.” [Arizona Republic, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

California

 

KYMA-TV / KECY-TV | Tribal Representatives Call On President Biden To Designate New Desert National Monuments In California — “Tribal representatives are calling on President Joe Biden to designate new national monuments in the California Desert. In a press release, this is to protect ‘sacred Tribal lands and cultural landscapes and imperiled biodiversity.’ The press release says the representatives issued their call to action from Cali, Columbia, ‘where they are participating in the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (COP16),’ and the proposed national monuments in the desert include the following:” [KYMA-TV, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Colorado

 

Energy Department Closes $2.3B Loan Supporting Thacker Pass Lithium Mine — “The Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office officially closed a $2.26 billion loan Monday to support processing at the Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada. It marks the latest move by the Biden administration to boost U.S. production of critical minerals crucial to electric vehicle batteries and to reduce dependence on China. The loan is the 10th loan or loan guarantee closed under President Joe Biden. The Loan Programs Office — which was largely dormant under the Trump administration — faces an uncertain future depending on the outcome of the November election. Details: The loan office announced the closing of the loan to Lithium Americas’ subsidiary, Lithium Nevada Corp., which will help finance the construction of lithium processing facilities located next to a mine site. The site contains the largest-known lithium resource in North America. The facilities are expected to produce about 40,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate once operational — enough to support the production of batteries for up to 800,000 electric vehicles annually. The project is also expected to create 1,800 construction jobs and 360 permanent jobs.” [Politico, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Lithium Americas Secures $2.26bn DOE Loan For Thacker Pass Project — “Canadian company Lithium Americas has closed a $2.26bn loan with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. This funding is earmarked for the construction of processing facilities at the Thacker Pass lithium project in Humboldt County, Nevada, US. The loan will support the development of Thacker Pass, which is currently North America’s largest known lithium resource. The company is on track to make the final investment decision and issue a full notice to proceed by the end of this year. The mine will be developed in two phases with a total planned production capacity of 80,000 tonnes per annum of battery-quality lithium carbonate.” [Mining Technology, 10/29/24 (=)]

 

Reuters | US Energy Dept Finalizes $2.26bn Loan For Lithium Americas’ Nevada Mine — “The US Department of Energy finalized a $2.26 billion loan for Lithium Americas on Monday to build Nevada’s Thacker Pass lithium mine, one of Washington’s largest mining industry investments and part of a broader push to boost critical minerals production. The loan, provisionally approved in March, is a key part of US President Joe Biden’s efforts to reduce dependence on lithium supplies from China, the world’s largest processor of the electric vehicle battery metal. Biden officials permitted a similar lithium project under development by ioneer last week. The Thacker Pass project is slated to open later this decade and be a key supplier to General Motors, which earlier this month boosted its investment in the mine to nearly $1 billion. ‘The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes mineral security is essential to winning the global clean energy race,’ said Ali Zaidi, the White House national climate advisor.” [Mining.com, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Florida

 

Stepping Into A Hidden World In The Everglades — “Betty Osceola, a member of the Miccosukee Tribe whose salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back in a ponytail, ushered our group into the shade of a palm-thatched structure called a chickee…. At the tour’s start, Ms. Osceola introduced herself merely as ‘guide,’ but I knew otherwise. Besides owning the tour company, Ms. Osceola is a tribal judge and a well-known activist for the environment, a subject she brought up during the tour. Only about 30 percent of the tree islands that once harbored her people remain, she told us. I wanted to know more, so after the excursion, I asked her why so many had disappeared. More than a century of dredging, ditching and developing the Everglades has altered the natural flow of water through the southern half of the state, she explained. Today, the Everglades — which has shrunk to about half of its historical footprint — is artificially managed through pump stations, levees and other infrastructure. But Ms. Osceola said current water management practices allow too much water to accumulate on the tribe’s land, resulting in extended periods of flooding that are killing the tree islands and the wildlife they support. ‘That tree island we were just on was underwater for six months,’ she said. An unusually wet winter had made the situation even worse. Ongoing restoration efforts could someday address the floods, but the process is slow.” [The New York Times, 10/29/24 (+)]

 

Hawaii

 

Bill Would Establish Invasive Species Strike Teams — “New legislation introduced last week by U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, would authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to adopt a more strategic, ecosystem-wide approach to managing emerging invasive species. What You Need To Know The bill calls for the formal establishment of the existing Invasive Species Strike Teams program within the Department of the Interior The program would work with federal, state, local and tribal governments as well as nongovernmental institutions and other organizations to identify and respond to invasive species threats within the National Wildlife Refuge System The teams would adopt common standards and reporting platforms in a coordinated effort to address priority invasive species that could potentially threaten native species, alter habitats and negatively impact both human health and the economy Under the bill, FWS would receive $15 million annually through 2029 to operate the program” [Spectrum News 1, 10/28/24 (+)]

 

Iowa

 

Iowa Reclaims Abandoned Coal Mines That Created ‘Ecological Disaster’ — “The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship embarked this month on a 162-acre abandoned mine land reclamation project in the Pella Wildlife Area. This is one of about 120 reclamation projects that have taken place in Iowa since the 1980s, several of which have garnered national recognition for their ingenuity. Coal mining was a short but significant part of Iowa’s history. When the miners left midway through the 20th century, there was no regulation in place to ensure they cleaned up the land. The result is that sites like the one near Pella have acid soils that are largely unsupportive of native plants, huge sloping mounds of soil and pits, often filled with similarly inhospitable water. ‘You look at it, and currently it’s basically like an ecological disaster right now,’ said Todd Gosselink, a wildlife biologist with Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Gosselink helps manage the Pella Wildlife Area, which has been owned by DNR since the 1950s after the strip mining company left the area. Gosselink said invasive species, like honeysuckle and Japanese raspberry, have ‘taken advantage’ and taken over the ‘highly disturbed’ areas.” [Oskaloosa News, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Kansas

 

Keystone Operator Blamed For Contributing To Kansas Oil Spill — “The operator of the Keystone pipeline is partly to blame for failures that contributed to the spilling of nearly 13,000 barrels of crude from the line in 2022, according to a report by U.S. regulators. The failure occurred at a weld that had been under stress because the soil under the line wasn’t adequately compacted after the pipeline was excavated to replace fittings in 2010, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said in the report. ‘This stress has been determined sufficient to initiate cracking of the failed girth weld,’ PHMSA said. The spill happened on farmland in Kansas on Dec. 7, 2022, with most of the oil entering a creek, the worst of multiple such incidents that happened since the pipeline began operation in 2010. A Bloomberg investigation last year revealed that PHMSA had notified TC Energy, which operated the line then, at least five times that elements of Keystone’s building and operating practices posed safety risks. TC Energy spun off its liquids pipeline business this year, with Keystone going to the new company, called South Bow. TC Energy referred questions about the report to South Bow.” [E&E News, 10/29/24 (=)]

 

Gov. Kelly Announces $9M Investment For Drought Mitigation In Kansas — “Gov. Laura Kelly has announced Kansas is receiving $9 million from the federal Inflation Reduction Act for two projects aimed at mitigating the impact of drought in Kansas. ‘Decades of over-appropriation and more frequent droughts have now put communities across Kansas in crisis,’ Kelly said. ‘These projects will be instrumental in our work to increase our state’s water quality and quantity.’ The Kansas Equus Beds Aquifer Recharge, Storage, and Recovery Project near Wichita will receive $7 million. This is a critical supply for more than 20% of municipal, industrial, and irrigation water users in Kansas. The Kansas Voluntary Agreements Program was selected to receive $2 million for the state-implemented Kansas Water Transition Assistance Program in either the Prairie Dog Creek or Rattlesnake Creek Basins. … This announcement builds upon previous investments of almost $33 million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for aging infrastructure, water recycling, and WaterSMART projects in Kansas. The Inflation Reduction Act includes an overall $550 million for domestic water supply projects and $4 billion for water conservation and ecosystem projects in the Colorado River Basin and other areas experiencing similar levels of long-term drought. To date, U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation has announced 222 drought mitigation and 16 domestic water supply projects from Inflation Reduction Act funding for a total of more than $2.5 billion.” [High Plains Journal, 10/28/24 (+)]

 

Kentucky

 

AMLER Program Sending $30M To Eastern Kentucky — “Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Rep. Harold ‘Hal’ Rogers announced on Oct. 18 the allocation $30.2 million to help support Eastern Kentucky’s efforts to rebuild from natural disasters and boost economic growth in the region. Twelve recipients in eight counties are receiving the funds as part of the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program. When completed, the projects are expected to retain or create up to 250 jobs, train up to 1,000 Kentuckians annually and serve more than 100,000 people via tourism, infrastructure development or training opportunities, according to a statement from Beshear’s office. Projects receiving funding will expand quality health care throughout the region, provide clean drinking water for underserved communities, improve wastewater treatment facilities, enhance high-tech training and employment opportunities and support economic development and tourism, the statement said. ‘Kentucky’s economy has been on fire for several years now, and these projects are proof of the vitality of this region and the innovative thinking that is bringing jobs to Eastern Kentucky,’ said Beshear. ‘The work isn’t finished, and we have a lot more to do.’” [Floyd County Chronicle, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Floyd County Area Technology Center Receives Amler Program Grant — “The Floyd County Area Technology Center (ATC) is thrilled to announce its receipt of the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program Grant. This prestigious grant, presented at the 2024 SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region) summit, will support initiatives that repurpose legacy coal mining sites for productive, community-focused use, contributing to the sustainable development of the local economy. Since its inception in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, the AMLER Program (formerly known as the AML Pilot Program) has been funded by Congress to help economically revitalize coalfield areas. The program, administered by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), seeks to convert legacy mine lands into beneficial assets that stimulate economic growth and community engagement. The grant awarded to the Floyd County ATC will allow the center to foster skill development and create new opportunities that directly benefit the local economy. Dr. Jeff Shannon, Principal of the Floyd County ATC, expressed the importance of the award: ‘Receiving this grant will have such a positive economic impact on Floyd County and surrounding areas. These upgrades empower our Floyd ATC students to reach their training goals and fill the many skill trades positions in our region.’” [WKLW-Radio, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Maine

 

Auction Kicks Off Tuesday For Gulf Of Maine Offshore Wind Leases — “A federal bureau will kick off its auction Tuesday for offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Maine, which it estimates could power up 4.5 million homes in the region. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will choose winners for eight lease areas off the shores of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine. When the auction opens Tuesday at 9 a.m., the minimum bid starts at $50 an acre, the equivalent of between $4.8 million and $6.2 million per lease area. The auction is expected to last one to two business days, according to BOEM, after which provisional winners will be announced. Winning a bid ‘does not authorize the construction and operations of an offshore wind facility,’ BOEM said in a news release in September. Instead, the bidder has the opportunity to submit ‘project-specific plans,’ which will be subject to ‘environmental, technical, and public reviews’ before BOEM decides whether to approve it, the bureau said.” [New Hampshire Bulletin, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Huge Offshore Wind Lease Sale Comes To The Gulf Of Maine’s Deep Waters — “On October 29, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold the largest offshore wind lease sale the country has ever seen, offering up eight swaths of ocean in the Gulf of Maine. Depending on how the sale goes, up to 13 gigawatts of wind power could be developed there in the coming years — enough to bring clean electricity to 4.5 million homes. The sale comes amid a tumultuous period for offshore wind. Supply-chain constraints, rising material costs, and higher interest rates have all set the industry back in recent years. This summer, a lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico drew low bids. And in September, a sale off the coast of Oregon was canceled due to lack of interest. If successful, the new lease sale will put the Gulf of Maine on track to be one of the first commercial sites in the U.S. for floating wind turbines. Normally, offshore wind turbines are cemented directly into the ocean floor. That works well in shallower waters, but in deeper areas, like the Gulf of Maine, construction underwater is difficult and floating wind becomes necessary. Turbines are connected to large buoyant platforms made of steel and cement, and are moored with heavy chains to the seabed.” [Canary Media, 10/29/24 (+)]

 

Maine Attraction — “The Interior Department today will sell leases for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine, the first such auction for those waters and likely the last offshore wind lease sale to be held under the Biden administration. Fourteen developers qualified to bid on eight lease areas totaling 828,000 acres, which if fully developed could provide roughly 13 gigawatts of clean power, Interior said. It comes after the department postponed a sale for acreage off the coast of Oregon planned for earlier this month amid concerns from local Democrats. Both Maine and Oregon have deep waters that will require floating wind turbines. Interior recently granted the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease in the Gulf of Maine, allowing the state to install up to 12 turbines to advance research into the technology.” [Politico, 10/29/24 (=)]

 

Maryland

 

Ocean City Files Anti-Offshore Wind Lawsuit, Joined By Thrasher’s, Jolly Roger And Others — “The town of Ocean City has filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the wind farm that is closest to beginning construction along its shoreline. The suit, filed Friday by a Washington, D.C., law firm representing the resort town, alleges that the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management violated federal law when it approved the construction plan for U.S. Wind’s project in the Atlantic earlier this year. The lengthy list of co-plaintiffs also includes the owners of beloved local businesses, such as the Jolly Roger at the Pier amusement park and Thrasher’s French Fries, and hotels such as the Carousel Oceanfront Resort and Castle in the Sand. Also included are commercial fishermen, a marina owner and the company that operates the White Marlin Open fishing tournament annually, which draws more than 1,500 anglers per year and has a 50-year history. Neighboring Fenwick Island, Delaware’s town council are also plaintiffs, as are the commissioners for Worcester County, which includes Ocean City, and other local organizations opposed to the turbines. The filing represents the latest step in town officials’ long battle against the installation of massive ocean-based turbines that would be visible from its beaches.” [The Baltimore Sun, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Ocean City, Others Sue Federal Government Over Offshore Wind Project — “After months of threats, Ocean City on Friday filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the siting of a massive wind farm a little more than 10 miles off its coast. The Maryland tourist town was joined in its suit by a large and eclectic group of plaintiffs, including Worcester County, a Delaware town, a host of community associations, a hotel management company, the Ocean City Marlin Club and a national group dedicated to protecting the endangered right whale. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, comes as seaside communities along the East Coast have pushed back against a nascent U.S. offshore wind industry, considered by many climate experts and the Biden administration to be a crucial piece in the country’s transition away from fossil fuel. The project off the coast of Ocean City, known simply as the ‘Maryland Offshore Wind Project,’ is being developed by Baltimore-based US Wind and received permitting approval last month from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a division of the Interior Department.” [The Baltimore Baner, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Ocean City Secures Law Firm For Lawsuit Against BOEM Over US Wind Project — “The Town of Ocean City, joined by multiple local organizations, has retained Marzulla Law, LLC, to file a lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management regarding the US Wind project. Marzulla Law, LLC lists on their website several cases involving environmental law and property rights. The lawsuit is comprised of several local organizations including; the Town Council of Fenwick Island, the Worcester County Commissioners, Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, Delmarva Community Managers Association, Ocean City Development Corporation, Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Association of Realtors, the Commercial and Recreational Fishing Industry, who will serve as co-plaintiffs said the town. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan says this step is part of the town’s responsibility to protect the ecosystem, economy, view shed and future, … The project, which includes 114 offshore wind turbines situated 10.7 miles off Ocean City’s coast, has sparked concerns over potential impacts on views the local environment tourism and fishing industries.” [CoastTV, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Biden’s 30 GW Offshore Wind Goal Faces New Legal Setback In Maryland — “Maryland’s offshore wind goals have hit another significant roadblock as Ocean City and several plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against federal authorities over the Maryland Offshore Wind Project. This development comes on the heels of Orsted’s cancellation of the 966 MW Skipjack project earlier this year due to inflation, high financing costs, and supply chain disruptions, dealing a double blow to the state’s renewable energy aspirations. Despite receiving necessary permits and a favorable Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which included measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential environmental impacts, the US Wind project now faces significant legal challenges. The lawsuit, filed by Ocean City, Worcester County, and various community groups, highlights a crucial oversight in project development: the failure to build what researchers call a ‘chain of trust’ with local communities.” [Forbes, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Ocean City, Interest Groups Sue Feds To Block Offshore Wind Farm — “Ocean City and a coalition of business, tourism, environmental and other interest groups sued the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Friday in an attempt to block a controversial offshore wind project. In suing, the Eastern Shore tourist town made good on legal threats after BOEM last month gave final approvals for US Wind’s proposed wind farm. The project would power more than 718,000 homes in the Delmarva Peninsula with up to 114 turbines, the closest of which would be visible from Ocean City and parts of Delaware. The Maryland Offshore Wind Project is a key part of President Joe Biden’s and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s plans to transition to renewable energy sources, but the plaintiffs argue the plan would harm the environment and the industries that depend on it. ‘We have a responsibility to protect our ecosystem, our economy, view shed and our future,’ Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan stated in a news release. ‘For the past seven and (a) half years we have been trying to work with the State of Maryland and the federal government to address our concerns with this project. All of our concerns were either ignored or considered insignificant. It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but the Town was left with no choice but to file suit against BOEM and challenge their favorable record of decision on the US Wind project.’” [The Maryland Daily Record, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Ocean City Sues To Block US Wind Turbines — “After weeks of saying they were contemplating taking legal action against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Ocean City mayor and City Council, along with several co-plaintiffs, have filed a federal lawsuit suit against the bureau in an attempt to block the development of an offshore wind farm. The Town of Ocean City announced last Friday that it has retained Marzulla Law, LLC to file a lawsuit that challenges the agency’s process for approving the US Wind project, which will involve the construction of 114, 938-foot-tall wind turbines as close as roughly 10 miles off the coast of Ocean City. ‘We have a responsibility to protect our ecosystem, our economy, view shed and our future,’ Mayor Rick Meehan said in a news release. ‘For the past seven and half years we have been trying to work with the State of Maryland and the federal government to address our concerns with this project. All of our concerns were either ignored or considered insignificant. It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but the Town was left with no choice but to file suit against BOEM and challenge their favorable record of decision on the US Wind project.’” [OC Dispatch-Today, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Video: Ocean City Officially Files Lawsuit Over Offshore Wind Project — “The Town of Ocean City, along with numerous co-plaintiffs including Fenwick Island, have filed a lawsuit against the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and several other federal agencies over a planned offshore wind project by US Wind.” [WBOC-TV, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Ocean City, Fishing Clubs And Thrasher’s French Fries Sue Federal Government Over Offshore Wind Project — “Ocean City, Maryland, neighboring towns, counties, sportfishing groups, hotels, amusement parks and boardwalk staple Thrasher’s French Fries have filed a lawsuit against the federal government for approving a massive wind farm approximately 10 miles off the tourist town’s coast. Rendering of Ocean City morning view, contained in U.S. Wind project plan.(Courtesy BOEM) Last month, on Sept. 5, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a division of the U.S. Interior Department, announced the approval of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project. It’s the nation’s 10th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project, according to the Biden Administration. The suit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Ocean City has opposed the project for several years. At the end of July, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released its final environmental impact statement for the project, which the government said could support an estimated 2,679 jobs annually over seven years.” [WTOP-TV, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Massachusetts

 

Massachusetts Provides Approvals For Large, Two-State Offshore Wind Farm — “New England’s next large offshore wind farm known as SouthCoast Wind and one of the first projects to supply power to two states has moved a step closer with key regulatory approvals. Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGINE, has received several important approvals from Massachusetts in the permitting process for its first offshore wind project while Rhode Island continues to review the applications. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) unanimously approved SouthCoast Wind’s request to construct and operate transmission facilities at Brayton Point in Somerset, MA. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection also granted a Ch. 91 Waterways license for project-related nearshore equipment and work and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management signed off on the project’s Federal Consistency Review. ‘These important permitting milestones bring our project closer to construction,’ said Jennifer Flood, Head of Permitting for SouthCoast Wind and Ocean Winds North America. She notes these approvals keep the SouthCoast Wind 1 project on track to deliver its offshore wind energy to the New England regional electric grid by 2030.” [Maritime Executive, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Ocean Winds Secures Massachusetts Permits For SouthCoast Wind — “SouthCoast Wind on Friday announced several permit approvals from Massachusetts, keeping the SouthCoast Wind 1 project on track to supply offshore wind power to the New England grid by 2030. SouthCoast Wind, owned by Ocean Winds, the joint venture between EDP Renovaveis SA (ELI:EDPR) and Engie SA (EPA:ENGI), is developing a 2.4-GW lease area off the coast of Massachusetts. After a rebid, the developer was recently awarded power purchase agreements with Massachusetts and Rhode Island for 1,287 MW and is currently negotiating the contracts. SouthCoast Wind has secured approval from Massachusetts’ Energy Facilities Siting Board to construct and operate transmission facilities at Brayton Point in Somerset. It has also obtained Chapter 91 Waterways license from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for project-related nearshore equipment and work. In addition, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management has signed off on the project’s Federal Consistency Review.” [Renewables Now, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

New Bedford Officials Express Concerns Over Possible Development Of Offshore Wind — “New Bedford officials are demanding more consideration for fishermen as the offshore wind industry continues to expand. These concerns are not new but the frustration is starting to grow. Recently, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed a Central Atlantic 2 Call Area, showing development plans that could potentially impact New Bedford fishermen. ‘We are a commercial fishing port first,’ said Gordon Carr, the executive director of New Bedford Port Authority. ‘We support the development of offshore wind, but it needs to be done responsibly and intently.’ Some commercial fishermen completely disagree with the increased development.” [WJAR-TV, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: Is BOEM Not Learning From Mistakes With Fishermen? — According to Kirk Moore, “New Bedford is the most profitable U.S. fishing port – mostly on the strength of the sea scallop fishery – and the nation’s first big ‘offshore wind industrial marshalling port,’ Carr noted. Port advocates have been ‘diligent in providing comments for multiple offshore wind projects underway and proposed for the future,’ Carr added. ‘However, we have become more and more concerned that development must only be accomplished in a responsible manner by protecting established industries that share our waters.’ That must ‘include learning from mistakes made in failing to avoid and address the interaction and conflicts between offshore wind and commercial fishing’ already, and avoiding more conflicts early in BOEMs’s planning, the letter says. In drawing the Central Atlantic call area, excluding scallop grounds ‘would have left the vast majority of the more than 13 million acres and have virtually no effect on the overall area potentially available for future leases,’ according to the letter. Setting the call area’s northern boundary 150 miles to the south would still leave 400 miles and millions of acres to South Carolina available for future wind projects, it says. The letter echoes longstanding, insistent complaints in the commercial fishing industry that BOEM’s planning process fails to head off user conflicts. Wind power supporters can point to cases where fishing advocates have made some headway – such as excluding productive shrimp fishing areas from Gulf of Mexico wind planning.” [Workboat, 10/28/24 (~)]

 

New Mexico

 

Dispatches From The IRA Front Line — “New Mexico’s 2nd District, Michigan’s 7th District and Virginia’s 2nd District differ greatly in their geographies, economies and political dynamics. But in all three, tight House races are being shaped in part by the Inflation Reduction Act, which injected millions into clean energy industries that have brought both jobs and suspicion — depending on voters’ party affiliation — our Jordan Wolman and Josh Siegel report this morning. In New Mexico, first-term Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez is leaning into the clean energy investments and hundreds of jobs flowing into the region as he fights to keep his seat against former Rep. Yvette Herrell. But he’s also had to remain cognizant that the district is home to two of the top crude-producing counties in the United States. Herrell, meanwhile, told Josh she is a ‘huge proponent for our fossil fuel industry’ and voted against the IRA. But in a sign of the law’s potential staying power, she vowed to oppose any effort to repeal its clean energy incentives. ‘If we can build clean energy up in our state and create those manufacturing jobs, I am supportive,’ she said.” [Politico, 10/29/24 ()]

 

Nevada

 

DOE Finalizes $2.26B Loan For Nevada Lithium Project — “The Biden administration closed a $2.26 billion loan Monday for a project that will process lithium from one of the largest deposits in the nation for electric vehicle batteries. The loan is part of the administration’s goal of shoring up critical minerals and building up EV supply chains while reducing reliance on China, which dominates processing of the mineral. Jigar Shah, who leads the Department of Energy’s loan office, shared in an online post that DOE has put the finishing touches on its commitment — first unveiled in March — to support construction of Lithium Americas’ refining plant in Humboldt County at its Thacker Pass mine. The project, about 230 miles northeast of Reno in Humboldt County, will initially pump out up to 40,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate each year for EV batteries. The project supports ‘good-paying, high-quality jobs while helping ensure the United States can meet anticipated skyrocketing demand for the critical minerals necessary for the clean energy future,’ Shah wrote.” [E&E News, 10/29/24 (=)]

 

Nevada Lithium Mine Gets $2.26B Department Of Energy Loan — “The developer of a lithium mine in Nevada’s Humboldt County has received a $2.26 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to help finance the mine’s construction. Through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda and the DOE’s Loan Programs Office, the closure of the loan marks the next step towards financing Lithium Americas’ Thacker Pass mine and increasing the United States’ stock of lithium batteries for electric vehicles. ‘This essential loan helps us reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and secure America’s energy future,’ Jonathan Evans, president and CEO of Lithium Americas, said in a statement. The project was approved by the Bureau of Land Management in 2021 and is set to be one of the largest lithium mines in North America, covering 18,000 acres. The site started the first phase of construction in 2023 and plans to be fully operational by 2028 with a 40-year shelf life. Located near the Nevada-Oregon border, tribes in the area have attempted to stave off the mine saying an 1865 massacre occurred about 25 miles from the Nevada-Oregon border. In 2023, a federal judge in Nevada ruled against the tribes.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/29/24 (=)]

 

Australian Lithium Company Gets US Government Nod To Develop Nevada Project — “Australian company, Ioneer Ltd (ASX: INR) (NASDAQ: IONR), received approval from the U.S. government to develop the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Announced on Friday, this project is poised to become a pivotal source of lithium in the United States, aiming to bolster domestic supply chains for critical minerals essential for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies. The approval of the Rhyolite Ridge Project is set to bring significant economic benefits to the local community, with projected annual wages reaching approximately USD$125 million during the mine’s operation and the creation of hundreds of high-paying jobs. However, the project has sparked debate over its environmental impact, particularly concerning the conservation of Tiehm’s buckwheat, a rare wildflower native to the area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that although the mine will affect some of the plant’s critical habitat, it will not threaten the species’ survival.” [Mugglehead Magazine, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

The Biden Administration Just Approved Its First Lithium Mine — “The Biden Administration approved its very first lithium mine last week. According to Australia-based Ioneer, the Rhyolite Ridge will supply enough lithium for more than 370K U.S.-made electric vehicles annually. Last week, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment’s Office of the State Geologist announced the discovery of a vast lithium reserve.” [Oil Price, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Proposed Lithium Mine Delights EV Enthusiasts But Troubles Some Environmental Groups — “It isn’t easy being green. Last year, a study published in the journal Science Advances claimed that there was enough lithium — as much as 40 million metric tons — in the McDermitt Caldera, a volcanic area on the border between Nevada and Oregon, to make enough lithium-ion batteries to power as many as 370,000 battery electric cars a year for 20 years. The amount of lithium in the so-called Rhyolite Ridge is nearly double the size of the lithium deposits in the Bolivian salt flats, which contain an estimated 23 million metric tons of lithium. ‘If you believe their back of the envelope estimation, this is a very, very significant deposit of lithium,’ Anouk Borst, a geologist at KU Leuven University who was not involved in the study, told Chemistry World. ‘It could change the dynamics of lithium globally, in terms of price, security of supply, and geopolitics.’ That is a lot to put on a pile of dirt in Nevada, but if we want to see supplies of lithium that do not come from China increase, this could be a discovery of monumental proportions.” [CleanTechnica, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Nevada Lithium Mine Gets Federal Approval, Faces Legal Challenge — “The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management last week (Oct. 24) gave a green light to a major new lithium mine on federal land, the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron mining project in southern Nevada’s Silver Peak Range in the Great Basin region between Reno and Las Vegas. The decision is the first Biden administration approval of a lithium mine. The BLM decision is likely to face a lawsuit by environmental groups. Announcing Interior’s ‘final decision’ on the project in Reno, Acting Deputy Interior Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis said, ‘We have moved quickly to build a robust and sustainable clean energy economy that will create jobs to support families, boost local economies, and help address environmental injustice. The Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine project is essential to advancing the clean energy transition and powering the economy of the future.’” [Energy Central, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

USGS Finds Enough Lithium To Meet Annual Demand Nine Times Over — “‘Our research was able to estimate the total lithium present in the southwestern portion of the Smackover in Arkansas for the first time. We estimate there is enough dissolved lithium present in that region to replace U.S. imports of lithium and more. It is important to caution that these estimates are an in-place assessment. We have not estimated what is technically recoverable based on newer methods to extract lithium from brines,’ said Katherine Knierim, a hydrologist and the study’s principal researcher. The USGS estimates there is enough lithium brought to the surface in the oil and brine waste streams in southern Arkansas to cover current estimated U.S. lithium consumption. The U.S. relies on imports for more than 25% of its lithium. The Smackover Formation is the latest among a series of large lithium discoveries made by the USGS in recent years. Last year, USGS fortuitously discovered lithium deposits bigger than Bolivia’s salt flats, home to the world’s biggest lithium reserves. While the discovery itself was not news, a new study published in the journal Science Advances estimates that the McDermitt Caldera, a volcanic crater on the Nevada-Oregon border, harbors 20 to 40 million metric tons of lithium deposits, nearly double Bolivia’s 23 million metric tonnes at the upper range.” [Oil & Gas 360, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Upside Down In Nevada: GOP Voters Embrace Climate Programs, While Democrats Oppose Solar — “President Joe Biden’s climate agenda is taking root in this old mining town. Just don’t tell its residents that. Hundreds of millions of federal dollars are flowing into projects to extract lithium for electric car batteries from the nearby desert, where two new plants are expected to create around 500 permanent jobs. That’s an economic bonanza in a community of 2,730. … The energy shift has been propelled largely by Biden’s presidency. He signed four bills into law that direct $1.6 trillion in loans, grants and tax credits toward greening the economy and rebuilding the nation’s manufacturing base. Power companies have responded with plans to string transmission lines across Nevada to ship wind and solar energy between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast. Solar generation in the state has doubled in the last five years and is poised to grow even more as the Biden administration puts the finishing touches on a plan to open a swath of federal land larger than Maryland to new installations. Miners are rushing to exploit some of the best lithium deposits in the country to unlock an electric vehicle revolution. … Three hours to the east, outside Ely, Delaine Spilsbury describes an opposite scenario: She supports Harris but has concerns about a proposal that would open a sacred site to solar development.” [E&E News, 10/29/24 (~)]

 

Pennsylvania

 

DCNR’s Erie Bluffs State Park Inducted Into National Old-Growth Forest Network — “Today, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) State Parks Director John Hallas celebrated the induction of Erie Bluffs State Park in Erie County into the national Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN), an organization that connects people with nature by creating a national network of protected forests. Erie Bluff’s woodlands are the 33rd forest in Pennsylvania to join the OGFN as it works to preserve at least one forest in every county in the U.S. that can sustain a forest. The network’s mission is to identify forests, ensure their protection from logging, and inform people of the forest locations. ‘Erie Bluffs State Park is a tremendous place to visit and I am happy to be here today to celebrate the induction into the Old-Growth Forest Network,’ said Director Hallas. ‘This beautiful, pristine park stands out among our wonderful state park system and I am grateful to the network for recognizing the importance of this unique natural space.’” [TalkErie News, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Texas

 

Texas Sues Biden Admin Over Mussels' Endangered Status — “Texas sued the U.S. Department of the Interior over a recent federal classification naming several central-Texas mussel species as endangered or threatened, telling a Texas federal court Monday that the agencies failed to consider current conservation efforts and economic impacts of the new rule. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a bureau within the Department of the Interior, issued a final rule in June naming several freshwater mussel species located in central Texas such as the Guadalupe Fatmucket, Guadalupe Orb, Texas Pimpleback and Balcones Spike, as endangered or threatened. But the agency ignored Texas’ own conservation efforts regarding the Lone Star mollusks, the state says. ‘The Central Texas Mussels have been — and continue to be — protected by Texas law,’ Texas said in the Monday complaint. ‘Furthermore, Texas has worked closely with private property owners and industry partners to ensure the continued conservation, management and protection of the species.’ Texas has to maintain its ability to manage wildlife resources at the state level because while rivers and riverbeds are state-owned, most land is privately owned. These local efforts, balanced with ongoing economic development, are central to protecting the animals, Texas says.” [Law360, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Virginia

 

Menhaden Fishing Company Requests Increased Buffer For Future Offshore Wind Projects — “An Ocean Harvesters fishing vessel, which Omega Protein uses. (Courtesy of Omega Protein) Omega Protein, the menhaden fishing operator in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean east of Virginia, is asking for a 15-mile buffer from the coast wherein future offshore wind projects can’t be built, to avoid conflicts with their operations. The company submitted the Oct. 16 request to the federal government’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management as part of the process to identify future offshore wind energy areas, or WEAs, as President Joe Biden’s administration has a goal of producing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. After giving Dominion Energy the green light to construct its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project in one WEA 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, and in August awarding the utility a second WEA directly east of CVOW, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is accepting comments ahead of drafting the new WEAs in what is called the Central Atlantic 2 Call Area, a span of about 13.4 million acres off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.” [Virginia Mercury, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

West Virginia

 

WBOY-TV | Gov. Justice Announces $1 Million To Further Develop Formerly Abandoned Mine Land – “Governor Justice visited Mylan Park on Monday to announce $1 million of funding to help develop a Kampgrounds of America (KOA) campsite that was formerly abandoned mine land. The money comes from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program. With the money, 26 cabins will be built on the Mylan Park KOA. The campground is also expected to have 137 full RV hook-up sites as well as 6 to 10 tent sites. UHS students chosen to perform in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Frank Witt III, General Manager of the Mylan Park KOA, said he expects the location to help tourists access the natural beauty of the area. ‘We have hotels and a number of those throughout Morgantown. This is the opportunity for people to be closer.’ The KOA is currently planning to open in Spring 2025.” [AOL, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Video: Justice Makes Multiple Stops In Morgantown To Announce Millions In Funding — “Governor Jim Justice made multiple stops in Morgantown Monday to announce millions of dollars in funding for projects in the area. … Justice also stopped by Mylan Park, where he announced another $1 million in funding. These funds are distributed through the Department of Environmental Protection’s Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program for Phase II of Mylan Park’s KOA RV Resort and Campground project, which includes the construction of 26 modular Lancaster Log Cabins and the paving of interior campground roads.” [WDTV-TV, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Wyoming

 

Rangers, Biologists, Photographers Mourn The Death Of Grizzly 399  — “On the night of Tuesday, Oct. 22, grizzly 399, known as the matriarch of the northern Rockies, Queen of the Tetons, was fatally struck by a vehicle along Highway 26/89 in the Snake River Canyon. ‘I was devastated as many people are, and upset,’ filmmaker and photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen told EBS in a phone call. ‘She was weeks away from going into hibernation.’ 399’s yearling cub is unharmed and although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Wyoming Game and Fish haven’t yet located him, they believe he has a strong chance of survival due to age, size and the time of the year. The tragic news shocked many wildlife lovers, including photographers, filmmakers, park rangers, biologists and tourists. No one was possibly as devastated as Mangelsen, who first discovered 399 and her three cubs eighteen years ago. In the years since, Mangelsen estimates he has photographed and filmed her anywhere from 100 to 150 days a year.” [Gillette News Record, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

AP | The Vehicle Collision Death Of A Famous Wyoming Grizzly Bear Was An Accident, Authorities Say — “The driver who struck and killed a famous grizzly bear south of Grand Teton National Park earlier this week was not speeding and the bear’s death was an accident, law enforcement officers said Friday. The death of grizzly No. 399 on Tuesday night in the Snake River Canyon south of Jackson saddened tourists, wildlife biologists and amateur and professional photographers who for years studied and captured images of the bear and her many cubs and followed her comings and goings on social media sites. ‘The bear stepped right out into the road,’ Lincoln County Sheriff’s Patrol Lt. John Stetzenbach told the Jackson Hole News & Guide on Friday. The driver ‘was unable to brake in time to avoid the bear, and the collision occurred.’ He said the collision ‘truly was an accident’ and the driver was not speeding or distracted and was not cited. The Subaru that hit the bear had to be towed from the scene, Stetzenbach said.” [CNN, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

Grizzly 399's Cub Wasn't Collared But Has A 'High Chance Of Survival,' Officials Say — “Grizzly 399’s cub was not collared when its famous mother was hit and killed by a car Tuesday evening in the Snake River Canyon. That means wildlife managers do not have an easy way to locate the yearling. The cub has not been seen since the accident, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said Thursday. But biologists said they’re optimistic about the cub’s chances because denning season is approaching. The cub is large and approaching 2 years old, when grizzly mothers typically kick off their young. ‘High chances of survival going forward for the yearling, even being on its own,’ Justin Schwabedissen, Grand Teton National Park’s bear biologist, said in a Wednesday call with reporters. On Thursday, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials confirmed that the cub, which bear buffs have alternatively nicknamed ‘Spirit’ and ‘Rowdy,’ did not have a radio collar. The service is, however, monitoring the highway in the Snake River Canyon to deter the cub from staying near the road.” [Gillette News Record, 10/28/24 (=)]

 

 

 

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