Chronology of Success 2005

‘Winning for the West’

January 2005

  • Staff Attorney Sara Eddie helped broker multi-party settlement over interim Hells Canyon Hydropower Complex project operations, to lessen impacts on salmon and steelhead

February 2005

  • Setting national precedent, settlement reached with Idaho dairy industry to establish Clean Air Act regulatory process for new dairies, with “emissions factors” stipulated on dairy releases of ammonia and other pollutants.

March 2005

  • Historic agreement between conservation groups and City of Albuquerque provides permanent storage for 30,000 acre-feet of water to maintain river flows in the Middle Rio Grande, while launching new programs for farmers and Albuquerque residents to contribute further water.
  • Settlement requires U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine whether North American pygmy rabbit deserves protection under Endangered Species Act.
  • U.S. District Court rules that Air Force violated Freedom of Information Act in refusing to disclose documents relating to its efforts with ranchers and State of Idaho to avoid listing of Slickspot peppergrass (a rare desert flower) under the ESA.

April 2005

  • Two separate federal court injunctions halt timber sales proposed to log 50 million board feet of old growth forest in Clearwater basin.
  • Settlement with BLM requires comprehensive analysis of grazing impacts and protections for streams on 2.5 million acres of public lands in northern Utah.

May 2005

  • Court rules that BLM violated NEPA in approving large flagstone mine within the Wild and Scenic corridor of the upper Salmon River.

June 2005

  • Settlement requires Fish and Wildlife Service to finally determine whether to list Montana fluvial Arctic grayling under the Endangered Species List by April 2007.
  • Clean Water Act settlements net $30,000 for water quality and wetland habitat projects in the Mid-Snake; and protect Clearwater River near Lewiston.

July 2005

  • Lawsuit and injunction motion force BLM to withdraw proposed grazing regulation rollbacks, intended to weaken environmental protections and public involvement in grazing management.

August 2005

  • Federal court holds that BLM violated NEPA and FLPMA in doubling grazing for Simplot Livestock and other corporate ranchers on Jarbidge Resource Area.
  • Another court ruling rejects effort by Idaho politicians and ranchers to prevent the listing of slickspot peppergrass (a rare Idaho desert flower) under Endangered Species Act.

September 2005

  • In response to Advocates for the West‘s work in a rate case, the Idaho PUC ordered Boise’s water utility to prepare a new comprehensive water conservation plan.

October 2005

  • Settlement reached in Clean Water Act case against Atlanta Gold Company requiring clean up of mine adit leaking high levels of arsenic to the Middle Fork Boise River, and setting aside $25,000 for water quality improvement projects.
  • Settlement reached with ranchers and BLM to reduce grazing levels, establish management restrictions, and implement mandatory monitoring of livestock grazing on 28 allotments in Jarbidge Resource Area, to protect sage-grouse and other wildlife.

November 2005

  • U.S. District Judge James Parker enters final judgment in Rio Grande Silvery Minnow v. Keys, ruling that Bureau of Reclamation has broad discretion to manage Middle Rio Grande Project dams and water releases to preserve river flows for endangered fish, and approving settlement with Albuquerque to set aside permanent water storage for river flows.

December 2005

  • Federal district court in Spokane issues injunction barring Forest Service from grooming trails for snowmobile access to critical winter habitat for Mountain Caribou–the most endangered mammal in the lower 48 states–in the Selkirk Mountains.