WV RULING RESTRICTS MOUNTAINTOP MINING: The 1/3 Charleston Gazette reported a lawsuit brought by the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy against the federal government over mountaintop mining may result in a moratorium on large-scale projects until federal agencies complete a two-year environmental study. Environmental studies will be required of every new mountaintop permit that proposes to fill a stream with a drainage of 250 acres or greater. EPA Regional Administrator W. Michael McCabe said, "[Mountaintop mines] are going to have to undergo much more scrutiny. This is something that should have been done before, but we're going to do it now."

EDITORIAL BLASTS BISON DISASTER: A recent editorial by Slyvia Torvik in the Seattle Post Intelligencer criticized Montana and federal officials for their "numbskullery" in managing bison around Yellowstone National Park. Officials are proposing to build a $2.1 million quarantine facility to prevent the spread of brucellosis, and "to protect a mere 1,000 head of cattle whose owners collectively…pay the US Treasury less than $5,000…a year to graze their cattle." Public comments on the proposed bison capture facility are being accepted until January 15th. For more info see http://www.wildrockies.org/PlanB/.

HEADWATERS NEGOTIATIONS CONCLUDE: The Los Angeles Times 1/2 reported negotiations between the federal government and Pacific Lumber over the Headwaters Forest ended without agreement last week. Pacific Lumber agreed in principle to the federal government's final offer but has refused to finalize an agreement. Responding to public comments on the Habitat Conservation Plan, the federal government asked for increased streamside buffers to protect water quality and salmon habitat. The final deadline for the purchase is March 1st.

US ATTORNEY URGED TO PROSECUTE ADC: Defenders of Wildlife 12/31 announced they want the US Attorney's office to prosecute the Animal Damage Control program for illegally setting a predator control device that claimed the life of an endangered gray wolf in Wyoming. "This incident can be explained by exceptionally poor judgement or by an active disregard for the law," said Defender's President Roger Schlickeisen.

MEXICAN WOLF PAIR SEPARATES: The 1/5 Albuquerque Journal reports one of the recently released pairs of Mexican gray wolves has separated, but all four wolves released in December are healthy. The male-female pair split up only four days after their release, and officials are hoping they will rejoin next month to breed. Meanwhile, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported finding a female gray wolf dead of a gunshot wound last December. This was the second such incident in Michigan since November.

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