COURT UPHOLDS WOLF REINTRODUCTION: In a major victory for long-term wolf recovery, a federal appeals court upheld reintroduction programs in Yellowstone and central Idaho, says AP 1/14. In reversing a 1997 decision on a lawsuit brought by state and federal farm bureaus, environmental groups, led by Defenders of Wildlife, successfully argued that "science - not politics - should guide wildlife restoration in America." The decision also affirms the "experimental population" designation, a provision allowing ranchers to shoot wolves caught harassing livestock, that some say could be used by FWS to undermine full ESA protection.

"FLOWERING OF A NEW SOCIAL MOVEMENT?": Grassroots activists representing environmental, labor, religious, family farm, and other groups rallied on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, says ENS 1/12. The "melting pot of activists" had a unified purpose, to challenge the major presidential candidates to clearly define the "steps they would take to protect the environment, labor rights and family farms."

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FAILING MANATEE?: A coalition of environmental groups is suing the state of FL and several federal agencies "accusing them of failing to do enough to save the endangered mammals," says the St. Petersburg Times 1/14. A record number, 268, of manatees were killed last year and with annual death rates around 10% over the last four years biologists say they could be headed for extinction. The lawsuit seeks better regulation of watercraft and more controls on "waterfront development" to protect manatee habitat.

SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS CITIZEN SUITS: In what has been called "one of the biggest legal victories" for environmentalists in two decades, the US Supreme Court upheld "the right of citizen groups" to use lawsuits to enforce environmental laws, says the LA Times 1/13. Although the case involved a citizen suit against polluters under the Clean Water Act, the ruling would apply to "20 other environmental laws that have citizen suit provisions."

RADIOACTIVE MINE WASTE POLLUTING COLORADO RIVER: Water tests reveal that "uranium mill waste" leaching into the Colorado River has made the water radioactive at "one-third the level considered dangerous," says the San Diego Union Tribune 1/10. The mine's owner, Atlas Corporation, has declared bankruptcy, leaving the bulk of the enormous clean up costs to taxpayers. The huge pile of mine waste "sits 750 feet from the river," and is leaking "an estimated 28,800 gallons of radioactive pollution and toxic chemicals" into the river each day.