National

BLM to suffer major staff losses in move West. “The Bureau of Land Management appears poised to lose the majority of its Washington, D.C.-based staff as part of its plans to relocate out West next year, numerous sources both within and outside the bureau have told E&E News. That could include dozens of employees in the departments that handle public lands planning, compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, management of hazardous materials, and oil and gas development on the 245 million acres BLM manages, according to multiple sources who asked not to be identified.” [E&E News, 12/3/19 (=)]

Why Trump’s New Border Policy Threatens National Park Visitors Everywhere. “But part of his plan to make sure of that has also involved taking park rangers out of U.S. national parks and into the borderlands near Mexico. The administration began reassigning law enforcement rangers to border parks in 2018 and now will extend the program into the end of next year. This type of action not only threatens the public lands these park rangers were hired to protect; it also threatens the Department of Interior’s efforts to help diversify visitors to national parks and other lands. Making park rangers, in essence, border patrol officers erodes the trust the agency has attempted to build with immigrant communities—especially Latinx families.” [Gizmodo, 12/3/19 (+)]

Fishing groups sue federal agencies over latest water plan for California. “The fracas over California’s scarce water supplies will tumble into a San Francisco courtroom after a lawsuit was filed this week claiming the federal government’s plan to loosen previous restrictions on water deliveries to farmers is a blueprint for wiping out fish.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 12/3/19 (=)]

Vote set on bill to boost wildlife conservation funding. “The House Natural Resources Committee will vote tomorrow on significant legislation that would provide more than $1 billion each year in mandatory funding for wildlife conservation. The bipartisan "Recovering America's Wildlife Act," H.R. 3742, would make the money available to state, territorial and tribal wildlife agencies to restore and protect thousands of species vulnerable to extinction. The money would come from the U.S. general treasury.” [E&E News, 12/4/19 (=)]

Team to take fresh look at artifacts in oil and gas basin. “Sandals and baskets that have withstood the ravages of time will be among the perishable artifacts analyzed by a team of scientists looking to learn more about a corner of the southwestern United States that was first excavated decades ago.” [E&E News, 12/3/19 (=)]

State and Local

BLM looks to give lands to Colorado to satisfy old debt. “The Bureau of Land Management is considering transferring about 17,700 acres of federal lands and minerals and another 6,000 acres of federal mineral estate to the state of Colorado to satisfy a debt dating back to the state’s founding.” [Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, 12/3/19 (=)]

Op-Ed, Editorial, and Analysis

Editorial: Fealty to state constitution — when it’s convenient. “The clear language of the Nevada Constitution prevailed concerning Ms. Swank and her job at the Division of Outdoor Recreation. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for nearly half a century when it comes to government workers illegally sitting in the state Senate or Assembly.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/3/19 (-)]