3/21/13

Black Hills aquifers in big trouble; Minnesota honey producer suing EPA

The scale of pine infestation is changing daily even as the beetle gets the rap. Now, it has been labelled an invasive species although the insect has been managing the habitat effectively for eons before European cattle began destroying the region.

Creeks in the Southern Hills are dry with little relief in sight: it's staggering to see so many real estate signs on properties surrounded by dead and dying ponderosa pine as people and cattle have sucked up all the water.

LawCo is panicking:
Lawrence County Commissioners gave county officials the go-ahead Tuesday to apply for state funding to assist in the ongoing pine beetle fight. Lawrence County Deputy State’s Attorney Bruce Outka said that in-kind, as well as monetary resources, count in the match process giving the county about $955,000.--Jaci Conrad Pearson, Black Hills Pioneer.
Investors: stay away from the Hills until after it burns to the ground then enjoy bargain basement prices as it renews in juniper, aspen and oak.

Minnesota Public Radio News is reporting that David Ellingson and his Ortonville-area honey-producing family are suing the EPA for not regulating the neonicotinoids killing their colonies. The operation is one for whom I worked one summer between semesters at SDSU: it was one on the most fascinating lessons of this life.

3 comments:

Bill Dithmer said...

Larry maybe the infestation will slow the migration of people to the hills. For twenty years now if you owned land there you could almost ask what you wanted for it, and pay property taxes to match.
Water is gold, and like gold it is getting more valuable buy the year. No water, no nothing! We are looking at a little piece of inholding property south of Helena that has a bad infestation problem. We look at it as an opportunity to see changes, not as if the world is dyeing. The Blindman

larry kurtz said...

Exactly, Bill: the Front Range is a moving pile of blowing dust. Just a matter of time before the Hills look like that.

Anonymous said...

Howdy Mr. Dithmer, I live just south of Helena and if I could be of assistance feel free to contact me. I know what your sayin about water as we hauled it for household use for over ten years. We have built many different ways to harvest and reuse all our water that comes onto the land. I have many more projects for water harvesting and smart use planed. Be well