BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 29 -- The Center for Biological Diversity issued the following news release on Feb. 27: * * * - Ruling Rejects Policy Excluding Public From Fossil-fuel Leasing Decisions on Public Lands * * * A federal judge rejected a Trump administration policy to sharply curtail public participation in oil and gas leasing decisions on public lands and voided nearly 1 million acres leased under the policy. The ruling applies to lease sales in greater sage-grouse habitat across 67 million  more

SILVER CITY, New Mexico, Feb. 27 -- The Center for Biological Diversity issued the following news release: * * * - Rivers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, Utah to See Better Protection * * * In response to litigation and decades of advocacy by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed 493,665 acres, including more than 1,200 linear miles in seven states, as protected critical habitat for western yellow-billed cuckoos. The mig  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Earthworks issued the following news release on Feb. 28: The Forest Service issued a preliminary approval for another expansion of Simplot's Smoky Canyon phosphate mine in southeast Idaho, despite the mine's ongoing selenium pollution. The mine, which began operations in 1984, was pulled into the federal CERCLA (Superfund) program in the mid 1990s to investigate selenium pollution at the mine. Decades later, discharges from the mine continue to release selenium into Sage   more

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 29 -- Lambda Legal issued the following statement: The Idaho House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban transgender people from changing the sex listed on their birth certificates despite a federal court ruling two years ago declaring such a ban unconstitutional. Lambda Legal brought the lawsuit that resulted in that ruling. Lambda Legal Staff Attorney Kara Ingelhart, and member of that legal team, issued the following statement. "This is a shocking development th  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Feb. 29 -- The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry issued the following news release: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation released a report examining the impact of childcare issues on Pennsylvania's state economy. The report is part of a broader "Untapped Potential" study of four U.S. states - Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania - that reveals the cost of childcare challenges in each state and provides opportunities to unlock economic potential for  more

MOSCOW, Idaho, Feb. 26 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Feb. 25: * * * - University of Idaho Students Will Hold PETA Protest Against the Penalty for Choosing Eco- and Animal-Friendly Options * * * Twenty-year-old Kaylee Carr will lead a group of University of Idaho students armed with giant PETA posters proclaiming, "Soy Milk Surcharge Sux," in occupying a local Starbucks on Wednesday. When: Wednesday, February 26, 5-6 p.m. Where: Starbuck  more

DETROIT, Michigan, Feb. 29 -- The United Automobile Workers issued the following news: The UAW International Executive Board (IEB) voted on December 5 to merge the states represented by UAW Region 5 between UAW Regions 4 and 8. This merger became effective, February 28, 2020. States have been apportioned between Region 4 and 8 in the following way: UAW REGION 4 * Current Region 4: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana * Added Into Re  more

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 29 -- The Western Watersheds Project issued the following news release: * * * - Ruling Rejects Policy Excluding Public From Fossil-fuel Leasing Decisions on Public Lands * * * A federal judge rejected a Trump administration policy to sharply curtail public participation in oil and gas leasing decisions on public lands and voided nearly 1 million acres leased under the policy. The ruling applies to lease sales in greater sage-grouse habitat across 67 million acres in 11 Wes  more