Western Governors Bi-Monthly News Roundup

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Gov. Mead’s push to streamline government (8/20): Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead continues to work for more efficient state government, steamlining agency rules, merging departments and more.

BiNational Community Master Plan (8/9): New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (right) joined Chihuahua Gov. César Duarte and Chihuahua Secretary of the Economy Álvaro Navarro to announce a 70,000 acre, bi-national, master-planned community around the Santa Teresa-San Jeronimo border crossing.

Looking into DM&E obligations (8/8): South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard has asked federal authorities to look into whether Canadian Pacific Railway has lived up to its obligations since its purchase of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad. 

Main Street Montana Project (8/7): Gov. Steve Bullock says a new online survey will allow state residents to offer economic development ideas as part of the Main Street Montana Project. Find the survey here.

ENERGY

Baseline Water Testing Initiative (8/16): Gov. Matt Mead thanked all who provided input on Wyoming’s baseline water testing rule and the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has published the draft rule and will take public comments until Oct. 7. 

FORESTS

Now Feds Want To Kill Owls (8/13): Read a piece by Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter decrying U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to spend about $3 million to kill 3,603 barred owls in areas of Oregon, Washington and northern California. 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Bill to protect Salmon habitat (8/15): Gov. John Kitzhaber (right) signed Senate Bill 838 (SB 838) to protect salmon habitat throughout Oregon through reductions in levels of harmful suction dredge gold mining.

Ocean Resources Management Plan (7/25): Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed the 2013 Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan, which brings county, state and federal partners together to ensure the sustainable use and conservation of Hawaii’s ocean and coastal resources.

WATER

Protecting New Mexico Rivers and Watersheds (8/15): Gov. Susana Martinez has announced a plan to protect the health of rivers and watersheds through the New Mexico River Stewards Initiative.

ET CETERA

Federal Overreach Summit (8/12): Gov. Sean Parnell reiterated his commitment to defending Alaska from federal overreach in a speech to the Citizens' Advisory Commission on Federal Areas at which the governor outlined work the State is doing to ensure Alaskans’ rights and freedoms are upheld.

Oklahoma Special Session on lawsuit reform (8/12): Gov. Mary Fallin has called for a special session of the Legislature, to begin Sept. 3,  to re-institute components of House Bill 1603, a comprehensive lawsuit reform package from 2009 struck down this year by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Oregon criminal sentencing bill (7/25): Gov. John Kitzhaber has signed a bill he hopes will curb the state's prison population. Among other things, the measure reduces sentences for certain drug and property crimes and driving with a suspended license. 

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