National

GOP Senators Attack Biden’s Interior Secretary Pick For Wanting To Protect Land, Air. “But a handful of Republican senators have begun criticizing Haaland, and there’s a theme to their attacks: she’s radical. “I’m deeply concerned with the congresswoman’s support on several radical issues that will hurt Montana, our way of life, our jobs and rural America,” Sen. Steve Daines (Mont.) said in a statement earlier this month.” [HuffPost, 2/18/21 (+)]

Pendley rips Texas for 'drinking the renewable energy Kool-Aid' “ount William Perry Pendley among those blaming renewable energy for the disastrous blackouts this week in Texas that left millions of people without power in the Lone Star State. Pendley, BLM's top official during the last 18 months of the Trump administration, issued a series of tweets from his @Sagebrush_Rebel Twitter handle this week supporting critics who blame the Texas blackouts on freezing wind turbines and increased reliance on renewable energy.” [E&E News, 2/18/21 (=)]

Native Americans ‘Left Out in the Cold’ Under Trump Press Biden for Action. “When President Biden introduced Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico as his pick for interior secretary, making her the first Native American to be selected for a cabinet position, he acknowledged the country’s long history of failing the land’s first citizens. “The federal government has long broken promises to Native American tribes who have been on this land since time immemorial,” he said. “With her appointment, Congresswoman Haaland will help me strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship.” But with Mr. Biden’s election and Ms. Haaland’s nominate on, tribal communities are looking for more than vague pledges.” [New York Times, 2/18/21 (+)]

Committee's first meeting turns into partisan brawl. “A perfunctory House Natural Resources Committee organizational meeting yesterday at times turned into a partisan free-for-all, including on the issue of guns. Convening virtually to adopt a rules package for the 117th Congress, members of the panel squabbled over issues including jurisdictional turf, the pros and cons of remote proceedings, the majority's power to issue subpoenas, and the individual rights to carry guns inside the hearing room.” [E&E News, 2/19/21 (=)]

Democrats revive push for conservation corps. “House and Senate Democrats are reviving their efforts to fund a new conservation jobs program, energized by a newly unified Democratic Congress and a nod of approval from President Biden, who sees climate change and the coronavirus pandemic-caused economic downturn as twin crises in need of attention. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) today will reintroduce the "21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps Act," modeled after the initiative of the same name in the New Deal era that provided employment and job training to 3 million out-of-work Americans between 1933 and 1942.” [E&E News, 2/19/21 (=)]

Bill would block Devils Tower name change. “Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis has introduced a bill to permanently protect the name of Devils Tower National Monument, reviving a lengthy battle over the landmark's name. Senator John Barrasso is a co-sponsor.” [Billings Gazette, 2/18/21 (=)]

National monuments outreach opaque. “With just over a month left before the Interior Department must issue a formal recommendation to President Biden on the restoration of millions of acres of public lands to two Utah monuments, the agency revealed it has begun outreach — but exactly who gets input isn't clear. Biden signed an executive order last month directing a 60-day review to examine President Trump's removal of more than 2 million acres from the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. The clock on that decision runs out March 22.” [E&E News, 2/18/21 (=)]

President Biden’s Order to Protect 30 Percent of the Nation’s Land Could Be a Massive Win for Fish and Wildlife—If Hunters, Anglers, Farmers, Tribes Have a Say. “Among dozens of executive orders President Joe Biden signed his first weeks in office, the one that caught most conservation organizations’ attention was aimed at slowing climate change by conserving wildlands. While Executive Order 14008′s stop on all new oil and gas leasing on federal lands drew the most buzz, another portion, often called 30 by 30, or even 3030, is drawing the most interest from the nation’s sportsmen and women.” [Outdoor Life Magazine, 2/18/21 (+)]

49 new US roads deemed scenic by feds amid rising interest in road trips. “The Federal Highway Administration announced on Tuesday that 49 roads have earned new designations. Fifteen roads were designated as All-American Roads and 34 were designated as National Scenic Byways under the America’s Byways collection, the announcement said.” [The Hill, 2/16/21 (+)]

Rosendale talks public lands, blocking Biden agenda. “Rosendale pointed to his four-year tenure on the Montana Board of Land Commissioner, which manages more than 5 million acres of state trust lands, where he said his priorities included responsible development of resources, expanding access and maintaining "pristine wilderness." "We were able to expand access to the public lands by purchasing additional properties and selling off the properties that were locked [to] public access," said Rosendale.” [E&E News, 2/19/21 (-)]

State and Local

Fond du Lac Band contradicts Stauber, who says he’s ‘heard out’ tribes. “But the local Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa disputed the congressman’s claims, saying Stauber, R-Hermantown, does not communicate with them in any meaningful way, and called his efforts “failure.” Through its spokesperson, the band said Stauber declined an offer to sit down with its leadership council to discuss U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland's nomination to be President Joe Biden’s interior secretary overseeing federal lands and natural resources.” [Duluth News Tribune, 2/18/21 (=)]

Utah leaders to Biden: 'We expect and hope for closer collaboration' on monuments under review.“Utah's top state and federal leaders delivered a message for President Joe Biden: Please work with the state before you return Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante to their original boundaries. In a letter to the White House dated Wednesday, Utah's highest-ranking leaders wrote they were "disappointed" that the state wasn't looped into the president's decision to review the boundaries of the two monuments, which shrank following a decision by President Donald Trump in 2017. Biden issued an executive order quickly into his presidency that seeks to review changes to the boundaries.” [KSL, 2/18/21 (=)]

Op-Ed, Editorial, and Analysis

Op-Ed: Deb Haaland is the right person for Interior. “With all of this in mind, I’m deeply disappointed by Senator Daines and Congressman Rosendale’s hostile opposition to Congresswoman Haaland’s nomination to be the next Secretary for the Department of Interior. Daines and Rosendale are on the wrong side of history, as the Montana Legislature’s Indian Caucus has formally noted. Senator Daines and Congressman Rosendale, it’s not too late for you to stand with those of us supporting the Congresswoman’s historic nomination to Secretary of Interior — and stand on the right side of history. Deb Haaland is the right person for this job, and now is the right time for her leadership.” [Billings Gazette, 2/19/21 (+)]