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Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; Court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; Landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

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Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

Groups Ask Army to Ground North Cascades Chopper Training Plans

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Friday, July 31, 2015   

METHOW, Wash. - More than two dozen recreation and conservation groups have voiced their concerns about a U.S. Army plan to shift some helicopter training from Colorado to Washington for pilots from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

A few of the proposed training spots are in southwest Washington, but others are in the North Cascades, near wilderness areas and the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Army said it needs the mountain access for high-altitude training, but Laura Super, who lives in the Methow Valley and works as a guide and outfitter, said the plan is incompatible with the area.

"Our clients don't come here to experience military exercises," she said. "They come here to relax and experience what we call 'mountain time.' They pay good money to escape the sights and sounds of civilization. You don't get much more remote or beautiful than the North Cascades."

Army spokesmen have said training locally is more cost-effective than flying to Colorado. The plans include year-round exercises and up to 75 practice landings per month at a site.

According to the groups that signed a letter asking the Army to rethink the North Cascades training sites, their concerns are about recreation, the environment and the local economy. Tom Uniack, conservation director at Washington Wild, said no one should interpret them as anti-military.

"As Americans, I think we can all agree that we want our military to be ready to defend our country when the time comes," he said. "At the same time, we can and should achieve that goal while also protecting the significant investment that we've all made in conservation, recreation and wildlife."

The Army also would need a special-use permit for each landing site from the U.S. Forest Service, which would then do its own review.

The proposal isn't final, and the initial comment period ended this week. The Army plans to hold public meetings and take more comments in September.


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