05/04/05 Burns to continue; Salmon season to end

Bluegrass seed farmers in North Idaho have to wonder how many times their opponents will take a loss as a loss. The US Supreme Court this week refused to hear the field burning case and thus ended a three year attempt to stop all burning. The nation's highest court let stand the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision which upheld Federal Judge Edward Lodge who had dismissed a petition from the environmental group SAFE. A few months ago the US Supreme Court also refused to review an Idaho law that protected growers from liability when they followed state burning rules and regulations. Despite the latest court loss a SAFE spokeswoman insisted it was 'on the beginning' of the legal fight. Idaho is considering an end to the Snake River salmon season because of low numbers. Earlier this week fewer than 600 salmon have cleared the eight Columbia and lower Snake River dams. Last spring at the same time nearly 24 thousand were counted and in the record year of 2001 more than 92 thousand salmon made the trip. Look for a new estimate to be released any day now on spring salmon migration numbers. Later this month you can expect to hear what a federal judge thinks of the Bush administration's plans to save the endangered salmon. Again one of the key arguments centers around the four lower Snake Dams which environmentalists argue should be removed to aid the fish. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott