Casper, Wy – Newly appointed Senator John Barrasso says
he would support buying back oil and gas leases to prevent further
energy development in the Wyoming Range.
Barrasso stopped short of saying he would introduce legislation
backed by the late Senator Craig Thomas. That bill would have
curbed further leasing and retired leases acquired by conservation
groups in the area in western Wyoming.
But Barrasso says he would support limiting development in the
Wyoming Range if property rights could be upheld.

Laramie, Wy – There's a big development in the wolf-delisting process this week. The federal government is proposing to make it easier to kill wolves in order to protect elk and other animals. Right now, states have to prove that wolves are the primary reason that elk herds are not meeting their population goals. With the new rules, wolves only have to be one of the major causes. Jenny Harbine is an environmental attorney who follows wolf issues. She says the bar has been lowered too much.

Powell, Wy – Hopes are dashed of filling one of several physician vacancies at the hospital in Powell.
Officials at Powell Valley Healthcare say that a family practice
physician had been eyeing the vacancy. But they say that the doctor
decided to stay where he was, instead.
Rod Barton is C-E-O of Powell Valley Healthcare. He says there seems to be fewer doctors available for hire and regional hospitals are facing the same thing. The hospital also is looking for a general surgeon and an

By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, WY – Wyoming is now the only state in the lower 48 without a noxious aquatic weed that clogs afflicted waterways.

Montana recently announced it has found Eurasian Aquatic Milfoil in a local reservoir.

And now the Department of Agriculture's Slade Franklin says it's only a matter of time until the weed crosses the border into Wyoming. That can be costly if left unchecked.

By Elsa Heidorn

Laramie, WY – China has agreed to stop subsidizing the soda ash produced in that country.

University of Wyoming economics professor Jason Shogren says that will boost Wyoming's soda ash sales.

"What it means for Wyoming is, it means a few more jobs, a little more tax revenue. Anytime you level the playing field like this, it generally means something good for the local economy," he said.

Laramie, WY – New research says sage grouse populations are suffering from energy drilling in the Wyoming's Powder River Basin.

Studies released this week by University of Montana professor Dave Naugle and other researchers say that sage grouse populations dropped by 86 percent from 2000 to 2005 in areas where there was coal-bed methane activity. The grouse populations outside those areas dropped by 35 percent.

The BLM says it will take the new information into account as it makes management decisions in the area.

Laramie, WY – A federal judge has upheld the National Park Service's decision banning the use of snowplanes at Jackson Lake.

US Judge William Downes last week rejected arguments from a group called Save our Snowplanes that sued the Park Service two years ago.

The group claimed that the federal agency had failed to provide a reasoned analysis of its decision to ban the vehicles from the lake.

By Elsa Heidorn

Laramie, WY – Nationwide, July 4th often sees more highway deaths than New Year's Eve.

The University of Minnesota's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety tracks those numbers.

Researcher Tom Horan says perhaps that's because people are more aware of the risks on New Year's Eve than on Independence Day. "It's summer, holidays, visiting people, so there are plenty of good reasons to travel. We just want to make people aware that statistically, it's kind of a dangerous time," he said.

By AP

By AP