Idaho governor says no to coal, yes to whoopin' it up

Party at Jim's House!

Exhibiting the flair and confidence only a short-timer can afford, Idaho Gov. Jim Risch (R) has announced that the state don't need no stinkin' coal. Risch, who took office when Dirk Kempthorne resigned in May to head the Interior Department, will step down when the term ends in January. So why not have some fun? The guv will opt out of a federal mercury-trading program Kempthorne committed to, and told a cheering crowd on Wednesday that the state can meet its energy needs without mercury-spewing, coal-fired power plants -- in particular, one proposed by Sempra Energy. "Had that plant been constructed, it would have been the largest polluter of mercury in the state," Risch said. "That is simply not going to happen on my watch." Which ends, as we might have mentioned, real dang soon. But activists in Idaho -- one of only three states without a single coal-fired plant -- have high hopes. Risch's decision "shows what people can do if they care," said a member of the state's Board of Environmental Quality. Aww.

straight to the source: The Idaho Statesman, Rocky Barker, 10 Aug 2006

straight to the source: Reuters, 10 Aug 2006

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Gun in 60 seconds

That seems to have worked for the white-tail deer and turkeys on our side of the pond. Remains to be seen what the Chinese government will do with the money.

by atreyger at 12:41 PM on 11 Aug 2006

What's Chinese for "U-Turn"?

Shanghai Daily published the following update today (August 11):

Auction on wildlife hunting licenses suspended
Gu Jia
2006-08-11
CHINA postponed its first auction of wildlife hunting licenses, which was originally scheduled on Sunday, following a public outcry, the wildlife authority said this morning.

"The public response to the auction is much more active than expected," Xinhua news agency said, citing Cao Qiangyao, a spokesperson for the State Forestry Administration. "We will pick a proper time to hold the auction after soliciting public opinions."

The planned auction has prompted criticism on Websites that such hunting was inappropriate and that the sale of licenses was commercially motivated.

Wang Wei, a vice director of the administration's wildlife protection department, said that the country has conducted international wildlife hunting for 20 years since 1985.

"The auction will help the administration regulate the market, and the issuance of hunting licenses will help curb illegal hunts," Wang said.

He also said that the auction is also open to licensed Chinese hunters.

The planned auction this Sunday involved 289 animals of 14 species, three species of which are under first-level state protection and 11 of which are under second-level protection, the report said.

Currently, China has 25 international hunting areas open to overseas hunters only. The hunting quantity of each hunter has been raised from three per year to 123 per year in 2005, it said.

Overseas hunters have to strictly follow international practices that only "male animals rather than female ones, and older animals rather than young ones are hunted," Wang said.

By end of last year, China has received 1,101 overseas hunters, who have paid US$36.39 million yuan for their 1,347 quarries, the report said.

"It will be an efficient way for local residents to raise their income," Wang said. "And most of the income from hunting will be used to protect local wild animals."

The basic price for a wild yak will be US$40,000 and for an ovis ammon US$10,000, a blue sheep will cost US$2,500; and a cervus elaphus will cost US$6,000, said a previous report.

Carnivores and fowls are not included in the hunting. But wolves are an exception and will cost US$200 each, it said.

by Environmental Netowrk at 4:11 PM on 11 Aug 2006

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