Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

This is hilarious. Sad, but hilarious and I wonder how many other people found this inconsistency.

Freudenthal to Idaho: Ban game farms

In the wake of domestic elk escaping from an Idaho game farm, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is asking the neighboring state to ban game farms and to help enact a communication system among the two states and Montana.

In a letter dated Thursday, Freudenthal thanked Idaho Gov. Jim Risch for the actions he took calling for a hunt on the escaped elk, and for the state notifying Wyoming.

Freudenthal said Wyoming banned game ranching 30 years ago "because of the obvious risks to wildlife and, further, to avoid situations like the one at Conant Creek from happening."

"We still firmly believe the ramifications of such operations to legitimate hunting recreation, and disease transmission -- including brucellosis -- to wildlife and domestic livestock, is not in the public interest," the Democrat wrote. "I'm hopeful that as a result of this regrettable development, that Idaho will consider implementing similar restrictive measures against game ranching and related high fence shooting operations."

So, the Governor of Wyoming wants Idaho to ban game farms because, among other things, the danger of Brucellosis transmission to domestic critters is too high.

EXCUSE ME GOV. FREUDENTHAL, YOU CONTINUE TO SPREAD BRUCELLOSIS AMONG ELK IN YOUR STATE ON THE FEEDING GROUNDS YOU SUPPORT AND ENDANGER YOUR STATES, AND OTHERS, BRUCELLOSIS FREE STATUS BY DOING SO. HOW DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING IDAHO DOES WHEN YOU ARE THE MAIN PROBLEM IN THE REGION WHEN IT COMES TO BRUCELLOSIS.

I always find hypocrisy like this funny, maddening but funny. Here Wyoming is just relaxing Brucellosis restrictions from their Brucellosis wreck and are now blaming other states. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Wyoming needs to get its own house in order before they start running around telling other people what to do with theirs.

As for a personal comment on game farms in Idaho. I have no problem with game farms. Montanans outlawed them by initiative a few years ago but if Idaho wants to have them, fine. The game farm in question where the elk got loose was not being run in accordance with Idaho law so the owner is getting what he deserves and ought to be financially responsible for the mess he is creating. As long as sufficient protections exists for wildlife it's fine. There could always be a problem, but with the proper safeguards they are minimal.

Democracy is hypocrisy without limitation. Iskander Mirza

Brand inspections for horses debated

A proposal to make brand inspections optional for horses is being criticized by some horse owners - and by some brand inspectors, as well.

The Wyoming Legislative Brand Inspection Task Force voted last week to recommend that brand inspections be made optional for horses.

Making brand inspection on horses optional is wrong. With the Federal government eying all livestock in the US for the NAIS program, removing a very good program that is all ready working is wrong. It just gives the Federal government ammunition to shove Mandatory NAIS down our throats. Wyoming needs to wake up and smell the horse manure and do the right thing. Keep the program in place for the good of all.

An idea is not responsible for the people who believe in it. Don Marquis

Wyoming regains brucellosis-free status

The federal government declared Wyoming's cattle herds free of brucellosis, meaning costly restrictions placed on the state's producers over the last 2 1/2 years can now be eased, state officials said Tuesday.

The decision by the U.S. Agriculture Department to declare the state brucellosis-free will be official in the next several days when it is published in the Federal Register, according to Gov. Dave Freduenthal's office.

It's about time. Good deal for Wyoming cattle producers. The root cause of this problem has not been eliminated yet for Wyoming. State controlled elk feed grounds. Until these are closed the threat will remain for Wyoming cattle producers.

We live under continual threat of two equally fearful, but seemingly opposed, destinies: unremitting banality and inconceivable terror. Susan Sontag

Group backs CBM water rule

A group of landowners in Wyoming's Powder River Basin says state leaders refuse to help protect against harm from coalbed methane water, so they're looking downstream to Montana for help.

"We really struggled with ourselves about whether we wanted to file suit against our own governor," said Bob LeResche, a Clearmont rancher who chairs the Powder River Basin Resource Council's board. "But we decided he couldn't be any more negative toward us."

I kept wondering why Wyoming citizens weren't more up in arms about coalbed methane production but signs of intelligence are emerging. I sure am glad to see this. Standing up to protect their resources from a government that doesn't care. True democracy in action.

A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine. Thomas Jefferson

I see that the Governor of Wyoming doesn't care that elk have Brucellosis in Wyoming and are spreading it throughout the area, Montana and Idaho. The Ranchers in Wyoming really need to consider how Gov. Dave Freudenthal is not supporting their industry come election time.

What I don't understand is he wants to save the elk for tourism but kill the wolves. Like it or not the wolves would bring in as much, if not more, tourism dollars as the elk but all the Governor wants to do is shoot the wolves on sight while destroy the elk herds with diseases. Maybe some long term thinking would be a little more useful here instead of short-sighted political calculation.

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating that Wyoming should let wolves run all over the place, I am just pointing out the inconsistency of their arguments. It tourism dollars are so important, let the wolves in gladly, it will bring in more tourism dollars.

Hypocrisy is the essence of snobbery, but all snobbery is about the problem of belonging. Alexander Theroux

Wyo. Game department finds more brucellosis on feedgrounds

A survey by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department suggests that 14 percent of the elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge near Jackson have been exposed to brucellosis, a far higher rate than in areas where the state doesn't feed elk during the winter.

Duh!!! I could have told you that would be the case without all the testing but I understand they needed the information in hand to prove to the people that think feeding the elk is such a wonderful thing that there is a problem with it. Whether this information will do any good to close the feedgrounds down will have to be seen.

Information, usually seen as the precondition of debate, is better understood as its by-product. Christopher Lasch

Wyoming is the state who has told the Feds to keep out of it's business when it comes to wolves, they will manage them on their own and they don't care how any other state or the Feds want them to do it. They have even taken the Feds to court over this.

Now Wyoming is crying to the same Feds that those evil people in Montana are demanding clean water in their streams (how horrible that is) and it will affect their Coal Bed Methane industry and it just isn't fair.

Wyoming asks EPA to discard Montana rules

Gov. Dave Freudenthal has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to reject Montana water quality rules that he says would severely limit natural gas production in Wyoming.

Ahhhh, poor babies. Want the Feds out of their business until it's convenient for them. Don't you feel sorry for them? They don't care about water quality so why should anybody else.

This sounds just like a spoiled child running to it's parents for protection. Suck it up Wyoming and do the right thing. Water quality affects us all and maybe you need to pay more attention to it instead of polluting this vital resource we all consume.

I haven't turned into some rich monster. I've kept my perspective. But I am a bit spoiled. It's hard not to be a little spoiled by having a lot of money. Christine McVie

Boy, don't disagree with our Governor. He gets a might testy.

Schweitzer pans professors' business ideas

Gov. Brian Schweitzer has criticized two University of Montana professors for suggesting that Montanans debate some controversial changes in law to make the state more attractive to business.

Among the issues raised by business professors Jack Morton and Michael Harrington are whether Montana ought to enact a right-to-work law and weaken its strong constitutional guarantee of a clean environment. They also questioned Montana's high workers' compensation premiums and the lack of an at-will employment law, making it harder to fire an employee.

Without naming the professors, Schweitzer last week blasted them for trotting out "the same worn-out, tired" solutions Montanans heard when their economy lagged in the 1990s.

Try to bring some points out for discussion and Schweitzer can't stand it. I am not saying I agree with what these guys are saying but what is so wrong with bringing the point up that they did?

"Whenever we compare Montana's business sector to surrounding states, we are envious," the professors wrote. "We often wonder why Montana hasn't grown more of the types of firms that we see in our neighboring states of Idaho and South Dakota."

They cited the presence of Hewlett-Packard, Micron Technology and J.R. Simplot, among others, in Idaho. South Dakota attracted Citibank and grew Daktronics and Gateway Computers.

"We'd love to have our students get jobs in Montana instead of going to Boise, Idaho," Morton said in an interview.

Wanting Montanans to get jobs in Montana, seems like an idea to me.

In an article in the booklet distributed at the seminar, the UM professors suggest Montana's business climate suffers compared to that of Idaho and South Dakota. They suggest Montanans at least ought to debate whether to change their laws and constitution to make them more business friendly.

"Montanans at least ought to debate whether to change their laws and constitution to make them more business friendly." This seems reasonable to me, a "friendly" debate on the issue would air the issues out. I don't see anything that was said that needs such a virulent attack. Name calling, "pointy headed people and not listening to the issues brought forward is a sign that the Governor is being a little close minded on the issues.

One other thing to bring to the front here on business in Montana. The Governor has been busy flying all over creation looking to woo some company to build a coal to fuel plant to Montana to expand our business opportunities. Instead of flying all over at government expense trying g to woo them look what Wyoming is doing.

Breaks for coal plants considered

With some of the nation's largest energy companies already eyeing Wyoming as a possible site for construction of coal gasification and liquefaction plants, some people question the need for proposed legislation that would give firms massive tax breaks on plant construction.

No such plants have been built in Wyoming, but the state is competing with Montana and other states in the effort to lure some here.

Now I've never been a big fan of tax breaks to bring businesses in but if Wyoming does this the chance that Montana will be able to compete for a coal to fuel plant is slim to none. Companies just love these tax breaks, I can't blame them, and will go where the best deal can be offered. A sweet talking Governor in Montana is not going to trump these kinds of deals found in Wyoming. Discussing how to make Montana more business friendly might be the right thing to look at.

Do I want Montana to follow Wyoming's lead when it comes to energy development? No. I feel the damage they are doing to the environment is too great for Montana but to debate business issues in Montana might be the right thing to do at this point. Relying on the same old formula we've used for years isn't bringing in the boom of business that other states are seeing so looking things over is a wise idea. A debate on the issues never hurt anyone, unless they are afraid they are going to lose the debate.

You win some, lose some, and wreck some. Dale Earnhardt

All the proponents of coal bed metahnae (CBM) development keep telling us that the water they discharge is all fine and dandy and we as ranchers should quit complianing and let this development continue like it has in Wyoming. Now I see Wyoming ranchers are starting to see the problems of this CBM water.

Ranchers seeks limits on methane water

Some ranchers and landowners complain that they have lost fields and trees because of poor quality groundwater pumped to the surface by the wells in order to release the methane from coal seams.

"The vast majority of water is flushed down draws and run down ephemeral drainages. It destroys the land," Marge West, a Campbell County rancher, said. "We had 80 acres of prime hay meadow destroyed, and we lost 200 cottonwood trees."

So I guess no matter what the CBM proponents say, we see the real truth here. Hopefully these Wyoming ranchers can rein in this uncontrolled discharge of water that hurts us all.

Details create the big picture. Sanford I. Weill

Montana and many people in Montana oppose dumping possibly contaminated water into our streams and that is getting the attention of Wyoming coal bed methane (CBM) producers. The solution? The Wyoming Governor wants to pipe the contaminated water to a different river that doesn't flow into Montana. They will just contaminate Nebraska's water instead. I just think this is funnier than hell. How short sited can you be to contaminate every body's water, whether it's Montana or Nebraska, for a little tax income.

One of my problems, so to speak, is that, in America, we tend to thing in relatively short-term. In the Middle East and Asia and other parts of the world, they think in terms of centuries or 500 years or 1,000 years. Jay Rockefeller

Illegal CBM water discharge alleged

An oil and gas company in the Powder River Basin is being investigated by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality after apparently attempting to hide illegal water discharge from its coalbed methane fields.

A rancher recently discovered what appeared to be a hidden water pipeline that directed water into a roadway culvert in the Spotted Creek area.

Why does Wyoming keep processing applications for this company even though they have numerous violations?

Lance Oil & Gas was assessed $72,000 in penalties for six illegal discharges in the coalbed methane fields in 2004 and 2005.

Despite the violations, DEQ officials said they would continue to process water discharge permits for the company.

This seems just stupid as hell. You know they are going to violate there permits, but you keep giving them more permits. The Government at work for you.

We need to keep a close eye on this whole CBM issue here in Montana to prevent these kinds of abuses.

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. John Muir

Isn't the decision those in power make just wonderful sometimes. The federal government tells ranchers they have to control brucellosis or face severe restrictions on their abilities to move cattle across state lines like our friends in Idaho and Wyoming recently found out. Yet Gov. Brian Schweitzer decides that letting possibly infected bison roam lose in the State and put our whole cattle industry at stake of severe restrictions from the Federal Government.

With agriculture being the number one industry in our state how smart is it to endanger a large part of that industry in such a callous way? Idaho and Wyoming have both discovered domestic cattle can get brucellosis from wild animals, are Montana's cattle somehow immune from this happening to them too? I don't think so. This might be a politically popular decision for someone to make who has Presidential ambitions but it is a poor decision to make for the state of Montana. Schweitzer needs to take care of our state first and not his and Sirota's political ambitions.

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty. John Adams