02/15/05 One for truth

One for Truth Seems like one environmental group finally went a little far trying to keep a rancher from renewing a grazing lease. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back with the details. The Center for Biological Diversity, an established environmental group, used common and well-known tactics trying to block Jim Chilton's grazing lease renewal on the Montana Allotment northwest of Nogales, Arizona. The news advisory on The Center's July 2002 website contained 21 misleading photographs, an inaccurate description of the grazing allotment condition, and other false statements. These are the tools of many environmental groupsunscientific half-truths and scare tactics. Mr. Chilton, a fifth generation southern Arizona rancher, took the Center for Biological Diversity to court. A Tucson, Arizona jury found the environmental group guilty of making "false, unfair, libelous, and defamatory statements" against Jim Chilton. The jury awarded Mr. Chilton $100,000 in actual damages and $500,000 in punitive damages for defaming him and his family business in a two-page press release on The Center's website. The lawsuit named The Center for Biological Diversity and three current or former employees including the author of the news release, the website designer, and one photographer. Also named was the Center's Executive Director who was responsible for setting the tone of the false statements. You can write this down in your book as one for truth and justice. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 1/26/05