Booms in Idaho, Utah buck curve of slowing US growth

SALT LAKE CITY — Two Western states known for their rugged landscapes and wide-open spaces are bucking the trend of sluggish U.S. population growth, which dipped to the lowest level since the Great Depression, though different forces are powering the population booms in Utah and Idaho.

In Utah, births largely drove the fastest growth in the country over the past decade. In neighboring Idaho, newcomers from California and other states helped it capture the second spot.

For both states, which have long been lightly populated, the expansion comes with rapid economic growth, sparking concerns about strains on infrastructure, rising housing prices and a sharp increase in the cost of living that could threaten the area’s quality of life in the long term.

It's official: Colorado will have 8th congressional district

The majority of Idaho’s growth, about 60%, has been driven by people moving into the state between 2010 to 2019, according to data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. One in five of those came from California, many of them retirees seeking lower housing prices and some of the most pristine wilderness in the continental U.S.

The biggest growth driver in Utah, by contrast, is new births. As home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a faith that puts a high value on family, Utah has long been among the states with the highest birth rate, largest households and youngest overall population: 31 years old compared to 38 in the U.S. as a whole in 2019.

While the fertility rate has slowed a bit in recent years, natural growth still accounts for about 70% of the state’s boom.

In-migration was also strong. The state added tech jobs and the landscape of snowy mountains and five national parks promised a strong work-life balance. The state clocked a growth rate of 18.4%, more than double the national rate.

ARIZONA

Chance to shoot bison at Grand Canyon draws 45k applicants

FLAGSTAFF — More than 45,000 people are vying for one of a dozen spots to help thin a herd of bison at Grand Canyon National Park.

The odds aren’t as good as drawing a state tag to hunt the massive animals beyond the boundaries of the Grand Canyon, but they’re far better than getting struck by lightning or winning the Powerball.

The National Park Service opened a rare opportunity for skilled shooters to kill bison at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim where officials say they’ve been trampling on archaeological and other resources, and spoiling the water.

Denver City Council approves donation of over a dozen bison to tribal nations

Potential volunteers had 48 hours to apply. The opportunity drew 45,040 applicants, about 15% of which were Arizona residents. About one-third of the applicants were from Texas, California, Colorado and Utah, said Larry Phoenix, a regional supervisor for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

The department will select 25 names through a lottery, vet them and forward finalists to the park service. The volunteers who are selected will find out May 17.

The work is expecting to be grueling, done on foot at elevations of 8,000 feet or higher at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Volunteers can’t use motorized transportation or stock animals to retrieve the bison that can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and will have to field dress them with help from a support crew. Snow could also be a factor.

Park officials are clear that it’s not a hunt because it doesn’t involve fair chase. Hunting is prohibited within national parks, but the agency has authority to kill animals that harm resources, using park staff or volunteers.

Killing bison won’t decrease the herd by much. Each volunteer can take one animal out of the 300-500 estimated to be roaming the far northern reaches of Arizona. The goal population is 200.

NORTH DAKOTA

Governor signs Ten Commandments school bill

BISMARCK — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed a measure April 16 aimed at shielding schools and teachers from lawsuits arising from posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

The Republican’s endorsement of the bill comes after attorneys and school officials warned the legislation is unconstitutional and would spur costly and unwinnable legal fights.

The bill received broad support in both Republican-led legislative chambers, with a 76-16 vote in the House and a 34-13 vote in the Senate. Hoping to fend off legal challenges, the House amended the bill with a requirement that the Ten Commandments be included in a display with other historical documents.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which has been tracking the North Dakota legislation, has said that passage of the legislation would invite litigation. The organization said that not a single court has upheld the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools, even if they are displayed with other material.

Governor, state lawmakers announced new state department for early childhood

Proponents of the legislation said it is intended to promote moral behavior in schools, and that that the United States was founded on Ten Commandments’ principals.

Attorneys and education testified earlier that the bill likely violates the clause in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the establishment of religion by the government.

NEW MEXICO

State sues oil company for cleanup of abandoned wells

SANTA FE — The State Land Office on April 22 announced a lawsuit against two oil and natural gas companies, citing unmet obligations to plug at least 29 abandoned wells in western New Mexico, remove trash and debris and pay penalties for trespassing on an expired lease site.

The lawsuit against BC&D Operating and Dominion Production Company is the sixteenth in a campaign by the agency to increase accountability for cleanups among natural resources companies that lease state land.

Efforts to reach BC&D Operating and Dominion Production Company for comment were unsuccessful. The companies have no clear online listings, and corporate registrations with the state of New Mexico do not include contact information.

Colorado Oil & Gas Commission gets earful on orphaned wells

In a statement, New Mexico State Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard indicated that her agency is seeking voluntary compliance with lease provisions before resorting to litigation.

The new lawsuit concerns nearly a square mile of state trust land with 29 unplugged and 15 plugged well sites in McKinley County.

In the 1990s, BC&D Operating acquired leases that date back as early as 1922.

State to preserve historic sites from Billy the Kid era

LINCOLN — A major preservation project is underway in an area of southern New Mexico that was was once the stomping grounds of Billy the Kid and Sheriff Pat Garrett.

Officials with the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs announced May 6 that the $395,000 project involves the Lincoln Historic Site, which is home to some of the most significant Territorial Period structures in the state. Many of the structures are under the protection of New Mexico Historic Sites.

One of the six buildings included in the project is the Lincoln County Courthouse, best known as the location of Billy the Kid’s final escape in April 1881.

Another is the John Tunstall Store, which was constructed in 1877 and stood at the center of the Lincoln County War.

Denver City Council denies Channel 7 building landmark status

Work also is underway at the Montaño Store, San Juan Mission Church, Watson House and Brent House.

Tim Roberts, deputy director of facilities and interpretation for New Mexico Historic Sites, said the community of Lincoln is one of the most well-preserved frontier towns in the western United States and provides a tangible link between New Mexico’s unique history and those who visit the site today.

OUT WEST ROUNDUP | Fossils could prove T-Rex theory; Casper cops honored for bravery

OUT WEST ROUNDUP | Contest winners trap carbon in concrete; bankers report rural growth

OUT WEST ROUNDUP | New Mexico to require paid sick leave; protection sought for monarchs