National

Republican Fervor Ebbs for Offshore Drilling. “The wake from Chip Campsen’s fishing boat has rippled all the way from the South Carolina coast to the White House. Mr. Campsen is a Republican state senator and dedicated supporter of President Trump. He parts ways with the president, though, when it comes to drilling for oil in the waters his family has plied for decades, running tour and charter boats out of Charleston Harbor.” [Wall Street Journal, 11/29/19 (=)]

Panel mulls bills to rename mountain, establish memorials. “House Natural Resources lawmakers will consider legislation this week to rename a mountain in Utah and establish memorials to honor the victims of tragedy.” [E&E News, 12/2/19 (+)]

State and Local

AP | Utah ski resorts pull out of proposed land swaps. “Four Utah ski resorts are backing out of proposed land swaps that would have set aside some of their mountainside terrain for conservation in exchange for public lands near their bases. The resorts made the decision after determining their lands on the steep slopes are worth so much less that they would have trade 100-200 acres for a single acre near the bases, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.” [Sacramento Bee, 12/1/19 (=)]

Rep. Diana DeGette striving to protect more than 600,000 acres in Colorado. “The game we see in Washington is not usually the game being played. And there’s no bigger football than conservation right now.” [Colorado Springs Gazette, 12/1/19 (+)]

Montana trust lands see uptick in revenue. “Revenue produced from Montana state trust lands climbed for the second consecutive fiscal year in 2019, totaling nearly $100 million. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation manages state trust lands under the oversight of the State Land Board. Montana has about 5.2 million surface acres and 6.2 million mineral acres with a staff of about 125 managing those lands.” [ABC Fox Montana, 11/29/19 (=)]

Op-Ed, Editorial, and Analysis

Op-Ed: Our national parks are in crisis. Trump’s solution is absurd. “There are plenty of commercial campgrounds outside park boundaries for those looking for take-out barbecue and speedy Wi-Fi. But those who wish to camp in a more rustic setting should be able to do so in peace. The recommendations from Trump to “modernize” park campgrounds would bring rank commercialization of one of America’s most precious assets.” [Los Angeles Times, 12/2/19 (+)]

Op-Ed: As Backcountry.com discovered, outdoor-recreation fans are joining together. “The inherent risks of navigating wild landscapes — trying to traverse avalanche terrain in the mountains, for instance — can be reduced when a group of adventurers works together to solve the problem. It’s an increasingly popular tactic used to hone backcountry decision-making in dicey situations: Come together, listen to every voice and find a solution that works for everyone.” [Washington Post, 11/28/19 (+)]

Op-Ed: LWCF is good for New Mexico businesses - so let's fund it. “This legislation would ensure that Congress can no longer take money meant for our public lands and use it elsewhere. Money from the LWCF has been used for everything from public access to the Chama River to a city park in Las Cruces. As a fellow hunter, I know Sen. Heinrich really gets it when he talks about the importance of our public lands, and I'm proud that he is leading the charge to finally make guaranteed, full funding of LWCF a reality. Rep. Ben Ray Luján is a strong supporter of LWCF as well, and I hope that he will use his position of leadership in the House to make sure that this bill gets a vote as soon as possible.” [Taos News, 11/27/19 (+)]

Op-Ed: Recent study yet another reason to ban lead, says former outdoors writer and hunter. “Minnesota’s small-game hunters have deposited more than 5,300 tons of lead shot on state lands over the past 30 years, based on estimates from a state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) study. During that time, an estimated 1,300 tons were left on state wildlife management areas in the farmland zone — lands that often contain wetlands where waterfowl feed.” [Minneapolis Star Tribune, 11/28/19 (+)]

Op-Ed: Let the mine permit process work. “We have a long road ahead, and we believe that ultimately these processes have and will continue to protect Minnesota’s environmental resources. We intend to make our mine a model for sustainable, modern underground mining — and yield to no one in our concern for the protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. If we can’t demonstrate that in objective, credible ways, the project won’t be approved. Nor should it be.” [Minneapolis Star Tribune, 11/30/19 (-)]

Editorial: Don’t turn national parks in to amusement parks. “But the parks’ problems are chiefly related to underfunding and traffic, not people and a lack of private vendors. Visitation has climbed 16% over the past decade, a manageable rate of increase if parking and traffic circulation headaches can be resolved. Once visitors get away from their cars and RVs, the national parks experience can be a splendid as it always has been. Turning the parks into shopping malls won’t improve that.” [Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 11/29/19 (+)]

Editorial: Full funding for land and water conservation. “With the planned expansion of oil leases on federal lands, it makes sense to direct some of that money into conservation by fully funding the LWCF. The Senate should deliver the bill to the president without delay, and the president should deliver the funding for the American people.” [Charleston Post and Courier, 11/28/19 (+)]

Editorial: An important step for Alaska oil: Trump administration decision could lead to more NPRA activity. “It’s taken 2 ½ years, but an Obama-era activity plan that severely limited oil development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska appears on the way out under the Trump administration” [Fairbanks Daily News Miner, 12/1/19 (-)]