National

 

Proposed Roosevelt library gets a boost with Bernhardt visit. “Interior Secretary David Bernhardt will be in North Dakota tomorrow to tour the site of a proposed presidential library and museum honoring Theodore Roosevelt, giving another boost to a project set to be complete by next year. Bernhardt is expected to tour the site in Medora with the state's governor; two U.S. senators; and Edward O'Keefe, a media executive who yesterday was appointed chief executive officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.” [E&E News, 10/2/19 (=)]

Bipartisan Report Says Trump’s Abuse Has Pushed Federal Science to a ‘Crisis’ “On October 13, 2017, the Interior Department sent a supportive letter to border patrol officials considering Mr. Trump’s proposed wall along the southwestern frontier, but deleted concerns by scientist about the harm that a physical structure could cause the habitats of rare cats and other wildlife in the area, according to the report.” [New York Times, 10/3/19 (=)]

Greens seek 'no go' pledges to curb new drilling. “Environmental advocacy groups today unveiled a campaign aimed at curbing fossil fuel extraction on previously off-limits federal lands in areas such as Alaska and Utah, calling on industry, banks and investors to adopt "no go policies" for more than 150 million acres of public lands. The "Keep Our Public Lands Free From Corporate Hands" effort is modeled on an international push to prevent extraction at United Nations-designed World Heritage sites, according to campaign spokeswoman Amanda Hurowitz of Mighty Earth.” [E&E News, 10/2/19 (=)]

White House extends monument advisory panels, scraps others. “The White House has extended the life of four advisory committees that deal with national monuments while disbanding two others that provide advice on issues involving marine life and invasive species. The Commerce Department said today it will allow the charter of the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee to expire, with its work transferring to other active panels.” [E&E News, 10/2/19 (=)]

 

State and Local

 

Are State Lands Really Public? “The way Dan Harrison sees it, the “Keep It Public” movement gets it doubly wrong when it comes to state school sections. First, school trust lands aren’t public, he says, in the same way that federal Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management lands are. Second, the rising interest in public accessibility to these lands is relatively new, and contrary to the origin and purpose of this class of property, which cover some 43 million acres across the Western states.” [Outdoor Life, 10/1/19 (+)]

 

Op-Ed, Editorial, and Analysis

 

Op-Ed: NPS can't justify reckless decision to keep national parks open during shutdown. “Government shutdowns cause significant hardships and inconveniences for many Americans and the one that carried on for 35 days was extremely trying. Keeping national parks open, especially without enough staff to protect the incredible natural and cultural resources was a major mistake. Violating laws in order to mitigate the damage to our national parks caused by the administration’s actions is appalling. Deputy Director Smith’s opinion piece should have been an apology to Congress and the American public not a ham-handed justification for the administration’s reckless actions.” [The Hill, 10/2/19 (+)]

Op-Ed: In the age of Trump, it’s clear government scientists need protection from political interference. “This isn’t the first time this administration has retaliated against scientists for doing their jobs. The Agriculture Department recently decided to relocate an entire staff of career economists from Washington to the Kansas City area after they published reports on the financial harms of Trump’s trade policies. The Interior Department moved a climate scientist to an accounting role after he stressed the dangers of climate change to Alaska’s Native communities. A recent tally by the Union of Concerned Scientists listed more than 120 attacks on science by the Trump administration.” [Washington Post, 10/3/19 (+)]