BUCKLES AND BOOTS IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL

Western Lawmakers Hound Congress, Each Other, on Energy and Endangered Species

By Headwaters News, 3-02-07

Governors and lawmakers from Western states were in Washington, D.C., most of this past week, and they were busy pressing Congress on a slate of regional issues, making it a busy week in the nation’s capital for regional concerns.

Former Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., was unsuccessful in his bid to revamp the Endangered Species Act, but Idaho Sen. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, thinks he might have a plan that will work. Sen. Crapo is the chief sponsor of a bill that would provide $2.7 billion in tax credits over 10 years to landowners who take steps to help endangered species recover. He and others think the bill actually has a shot at passing, even in the Democratically controlled Congress.

Testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee’s national parks subcommittee, National Park Service Director Mary Bomar took a beating from lawmakers while supposedly celebrating Yellowstone National Parks 135th anniversary. The reason: continued snowmobile studies. New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt wanted to know why the park is in the fourth year of developing a winter use plan and why the Park Service has spent $10 million on the scientific research underpinning the winter-use plans, especially related to snowmobile use.

Her response, at least according to a reading of the Casper Star-Tribune’s account, devolved into a discussion on regional economics and a clash between science and politics.

Many Western governors were also in D.C. this week for a meeting of the National Governors Association, and the region’s lawmakers made their voices heard. Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter laid out his plan to develop wind, solar and biofuel energy sources and to use less oil. But he also tried unsuccessfully to lobby President Bush to reverse a proposed 3 percent decrease in funding for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.

Also at that meeting, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announced their intention to work with the governors of California, Oregon and Washington to come up with a regional plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions. (Gov. Richardson also took the opportunity of being in D.C. to do a bit of campaigning for his 2008 presidential run.)

Meeting with just Western governors, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal led them to sign a resolution calling for an amendment to the federal Energy Policy Act to slow down approval of energy leases and strengthen protection for big game herds.

But the event that perhaps best illustrates the “cowboy boots in the capital” events of the last week was the “Evolving West” hearings in front of the House Natural Resources Committee. The idea behind the hearings was to paint a picture of what the region’s chaining economy looks like.

The panel initially consisted of Democrats Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and former U.S. Rep. Pat Williams, but at the last minute Western Republican lawmakers were also asked to join the discussion.

That addition turned the hearings into a lively debate, chronicled here on New West, on how much of the old extraction economy is still alive and how much it is influencing the new economy of tourism, environmental restoration and high technology.

And as an aside, up the road in New York City, Arizona Sen. John McCain announced on Wednesday night’s David Letterman show that he is going to run for President.

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