DETAILS OF BUDGET INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED: On 1/12 the White House released further details on its Lands Legacy Initiative that requests $1 billion for the year 2000 budget to be used for land acquisition and habitat protection. The budget gives $442 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and $588 million for state and local conservation initiatives. Along with the substantial increase in funding levels, the administration is seeking to extend permanent wilderness protection to 5 million acres in 17 national parks and monuments.

WV COAL INDUSTRY VOWS FIGHT: The 1/8 Charleston Gazette reported the state coal industry will fight a plan to force new mountaintop mine permits to undergo intensive environmental review. The plan was the result of a lawsuit filed by the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy against federal agencies for violating the Clean Water Act in their permitting of mines. A settlement between the government and the Conservancy would begin a two-year environmental impact study of all mountaintop mines and require additional studies of individual mines. The judge said the parties must submit reasons why the settlement is fair and in the public's interest. The industry will be allowed to argue against the plan in court before it can be finalized.

DAM BREACHING STUDIES DELAYED: The AP 1/8 reported the National Marine Fisheries Service may not make its end of the year deadline for recommendations to Congress on the feasibility of breaching four Snake River dams. The agency blamed the delay on the tardiness of a report from an independent panel of scientists. The federal government is considering breaching the four dams to rejuvenate threatened salmon species. The draft independent study found breaching the dams would improve recovery chances for salmon by 2-to-1 over other options.

GROUPS HOUND AGENCIES IN NW: The 1/7 Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce reported environmentalists requested documents on proposed timber sales from federal agencies to ensure they are completing species surveys as agreed to in the Northwest Forest Plan. Kyle Haines of the Klamath Forest Alliance checked records for one timber sale and said, "I was shocked to see so much missing. It was so sloppily done." Environmentalists are asking a federal court to force compliance with the NW Forest Plan because of the failure to meet the survey requirement.

WARD VALLEY ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED: The Colorado River Native Nations Alliance will be celebrate 2/12 the one year anniversary of its successful campaign to oppose a nuclear dump in Ward Valley with a series of meetings and workshops. The site is considered sacred ground by Native Americans and is prime habitat for the endangered desert tortoise. For more information: 760-326-6267.

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