National

Committee to question 3 top Interior picks. “Three top Interior Department nominees face questioning before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week. Taken together, the trio has been tapped to oversee core Interior responsibilities from parks and refuges to science and Western water, as well as the legal underpinnings for it all. In some cases, they have already started to make their mark. Interior solicitor nominee Robert Anderson, for one, has effectively been the department's top lawyer since January as principal deputy solicitor.” [E&E News, 5/17/21 (=)]

Haaland: No timeline on monuments decision. “Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said last night she has "no doubt" about the value of millions of acres of public lands that former President Trump culled from two national monuments in Utah but emphasized there is no time frame yet for when President Biden could restore those sites. In remarks at a virtual University of Colorado Law School event last night, Haaland also acknowledged that her agency has yet to complete its review of a trio of sites: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean.” [E&E News, 5/14/21 (=)]

BLM gives Native vets first crack at Alaska tracts. “The Bureau of Land Management will allow Alaska Native Vietnam War veterans to apply for allotments within a 28-million-acre region of federal land that the Trump administration had proposed opening to new mining and oil and natural gas development. BLM last month delayed by two years the implementation of a series of public lands orders issued during the final weeks of the Trump presidency. The bureau did so in order to review and "correct defects" associated with the environmental analysis used to justify opening the 28 million acres to energy development (Greenwire, April 15).” [E&E News, 5/14/21 (=)]

Crying about hamburgers is dead-end on climate crisis, Republicans warned. “On 4 May, a bill put forward by Lauren Boebert, a Republican congresswoman from Colorado, to prevent the federal government acquiring more land was first announced in a newsletter sent by American Stewards of Liberty, a property rights group whose members have likened the Biden conservation plan to a famine caused by Joseph Stalin, as well as to the actions of Adolf Hitler. A spokesman for Boebert denied that American Stewards of Liberty crafted the bill and said it was “common practice” to consult outside groups before public announcements.” [Guardian, 5/14/21 (+)]

Nev. Republican looks to accelerate project permitting. “Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei introduced legislation today to speed up permitting for mines that target metals considered critical to national security and energy infrastructure. The bill comes as both major political parties look to enact their visions for mining reform in light of a potential supply crunch for minerals used to manufacture clean energy technologies (E&E Daily, May 4). Amodei, whose state is one of the world's foremost mining jurisdictions, said his "National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act" could help the United States gain control of supply chains.” [E&E News, 5/14/21 (=)]

Biden dumps Trump's statue park plans. “Former President Trump's statue garden is no more. President Biden today signed an executive order scrapping his predecessor's order calling for a "National Garden of American Heroes," which grew from 32 honorees to 244 just before Trump left office (Greenwire, Jan. 19). The concept became a passion project for then-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, but it was criticized by former New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland (D), who now leads the agency. Haaland noted the original list of 32 heroes didn't include any Native Americans or Latinos, although Trump's more lengthy list of statue candidates included Sacagawea, Red Cloud and Sitting Bull.” [E&E News, 5/14/21 (=)]

Agency delays logging project near Yellowstone park. “The Forest Service has delayed a proposed logging project just outside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park that the agency said was meant to reduce the risk of fire and improve forest health, but that opponents said would harm habitat for grizzly bears, lynx, pine martens and wolverines. The project, announced last summer, called for up to 7 square miles of scattered clear cuts and tree thinning on up to 24 square miles of forest land.” [E&E News, 5/14/21 (=)]

State and Local

Kane County paid $483,000 to nonprofit fighting Biden conservation plan. “Utah’s Kane County has handed nearly half a million dollars in recent years to a Texas-based nonprofit for consulting and legal services regarding public land management. The spending comes on top of the millions it has spent litigating legal claims based on “R.S. 2477,” a frontier-era law that allowed counties to own roads built across public land. Now that organization, American Stewards of Liberty, or ASL, has emerged as a leading voice against President Joe Biden’s conservation agenda in potential violation of its tax-exempt status.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 5/14/21 (+)]

Hickenlooper floats Animas River in Durango to mark Public Lands Day. “Sen. John Hickenlooper took a hands-on approach to meeting with Durango locals about outdoors issues Friday: hopping on a whitewater dory and floating the Animas River. The Colorado senator’s visit to Durango and other Southwest Colorado communities was, in part, to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day, signed into law by Hickenlooper in 2016. But with more than 15 conservation and outdoors business representatives in tow, the conversation quickly turned to key concerns and priorities for Colorado’s public lands.” [Durango Herald, 5/15/21 (+)]

'Nebraska Speaks Out' plans 30x30 event including Gov. Ricketts, Trent Loos. “A local group called “Nebraska Speaks Out” will host national speaker Trent Loos next week in McCook as well as Gov. Pete Ricketts. Loos will speak about President Joe Biden’s 30x30 executive order (https://bit.ly/2Q9QBtZ) of Jan. 27, more commonly called the 30x30 plan. Organizer Kandie McCauley said Gov. Ricketts' visit was confirmed Friday afternoon.” [McCook Gazette, 5/14/21 (-)]

Op-Ed, Editorial, and Analysis

Op-Ed: It's time to invest in our trails. “As we managed our way through the pandemic, the lockdowns and working remotely, many of us came to appreciate and value the great outdoors and the trails we have in our region. While our trails are amazing and an essential component of our quality of life, they are also limited, not connected, and in need of repair.” [Reno Gazette Journal, 5/13/21 (+)]

Op-Ed: The mission: To conserve 30% of the San Joaquin Valley’s remaining open lands for all. “The San Joaquin Valley cannot afford to sit out this process. We must ensure that the state fulfills its promise to conserve 30% of our natural spaces for generations to come with strong protections. We encourage the public to participate throughout the community engagement process that our government is holding as part of its 30x30 implementation. Together, with your help, we can advocate for new parks and open space and help benefit our economy through ecotourism and local stewardship jobs while improving our region’s air and water.” [Fresno Bee, 5/14/21 (+)]

Op-Ed: Let’s use the Antiquities Act to build back. “New Mexico’s public lands are an economic keystone that must be protected before it’s too late. We’ve seen too many beautiful landscapes across our state exploited by the oil and gas industry, polluting our land, water, and air, and putting in danger the health of our communities. From New Mexico to Maine, I’ve witnessed the profound impact that public lands can have on communities when they are protected. One key tool to accomplish this is the Antiquities Act.” [Las Cruces Sun-News, 5/16/21 (+)]

Op-Ed: Public land leasing needs overhaul. “Throughout his career Manchin has shown his commitment to a commonsense, bipartisan approach to governing, and the administration’s leasing pause is just that. Year after year of disrepair has left our public lands at risk of irresponsible development. We all will benefit when Congress and the administration work to finally reform the system. I am proud to have a leader in Manchin, who is addressing the glaring flaws within the leasing system — because it’s just common sense — and working with leaders in Washington to make our public lands work in the best interest of our communities.” [Charleston Gazette-Mail, 5/14/21 (+)]

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania’s public lands should be protected for everyone, not drilled into oblivion. “An employee for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which manages Pennsylvania’s state forests, confided to me that he didn’t understand why locals were so up in arms about fracking in the area. There are a hundred Rock Runs, he said. But to me, this fact only clarified why we need to save every Rock Run. I imagined 100 other reluctant Americans to whom, like my wife, these spots introduced them to the joys and feeling of absolute freedom only nature can provide. That freedom should be available to every American — including the future generations stuck with the consequences of our choices today.” [Philadelphia inquirer, 5/15/21 (+)]

Op-Ed: “Getting out, getting along” should be our common environmental mantra. “Horse and cow manure, lobster buoys and lines – they are just signs of people interacting differently. Enjoying the outdoors is not about getting your nature fix. It’s not about the elevation gain or the epic selfie. It’s a communion for which you should ask yourself: How did I interact? How can I give back to that which gave me such fulfillment?” [Colorado Sun, 5/16/21 (+)]

Op-Ed: Biden should end pause on new oil and gas leases on federal lands. “It’s understandable that President Biden wants to follow through on a campaign promise. But good governance means being practical. If there are specific problems with oil and gas production on federal lands, let’s solve them. Implement rules that address methane leakage. Update the royalty schedule. But don’t roll out a policy that won’t achieve your goals, and will still impose real costs on workers, budgets and conservation projects. A blanket ban on production of oil and gas on federal lands is not the answer.” [The Hill, 5/14/21 (-)]