Congress

 

Senators Ask DOI To Extend Public Comment Period For Proposed Offshore Rule — “U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy is leading a group of U.S. senators in calling for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to extend the public comment period for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) financial assurance proposed rule to allow for a more detailed and robust public record on its impact on small businesses. Senators Bill Cassidy, Joe Manchin, Ted Cruz, and John Kennedy wrote a letter to DOI Secretary Debra Haaland to extend the comment period deadline for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, titled Risk Management and Financial Assurance for OCS Lease and Grant Obligations, to 120 days from 60 days, according to a news release from Sen. Cassidy’s office Thursday. The comment period for the rule ends on August 28. The letter stated that the proposed rule would make changes to the financial assurance regime to secure decommissioning obligations for the offshore oil and gas industry and would impose additional bonding requirements on small businesses, which produce 35 percent of the oil and gas from the Gulf of Mexico.” [RigZone, 8/18/23 (=)]

 

 

Department of the Interior (DOI)

 

Haaland Hit With Ethics Complaint After Stripping Oil And Gas Opportunities From Navajo Nation — “Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was hit with an ethics complaint Thursday over her controversial decision to choke off hundreds of thousands of acres in New Mexico from oil and gas development. The government watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) filed the complaint with the Interior Department inspector general’s office, citing the secretary’s prior activism to eliminate opportunities for exploration in the same area. ‘In June 2, 2023, Secretary Haaland withdrew public lands from future fuel leases within the Greater Chaco area,’ read the complaint. ‘Somah Haaland, Secretary Haaland’s child, is a prominent member of an activist organization that lobbied federal officials seeking to restrict oil and gas leasing in the area.’ Somah Haaland works for the Pueblo Action Alliance (PAA), an Albuquerque-based climate group. Prior to Deb Haaland’s cabinet appointment, the secretary gave testimony to a film narrated by Somah that opposed drilling in the area.” [The Federalist, 8/18/23 (-)]

 

Biden's Interior Secretary Hit With Ethics Complaint Over Possible 'Conflicts Of Interest' Related To Oil Leasing Ban — “Government watchdog group Protect the Public’s Trust filed an official ethics complaint against the Biden administration’s Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, questioning her ‘impartiality’ regarding the decision to implement an oil leasing ban in New Mexico. In June, Haaland placed a 20-year ban on oil, gas, and mineral leasing within 10 miles of Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. The stretch of land includes 53 allotments that bring in roughly $6.2 million annually for 5,000 Navajo Nation citizens. by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren slammed the prohibition, noting that it would put residents in poverty and undermine the tribe’s sovereignty. PPT director Michael Chamberlain told Fox News Digital that the watchdog group filed an ethics complaint against Haaland because ‘she is anything but impartial.’” [Blaze Media, 8/16/23 (-)]

 

Interior Secretary Hit With Ethics Complaint Over Oil/Gas Lease Decisions — “Haaland’s DOI closed off public lands within ten miles of the Chaco Canyon in New Mexico from any future fuel leasing activity in June for the next two decades, a move which the complaint says raises questions about her impartiality given that her daughter is a member of an activist group that pursued this exact policy outcome. Pueblo Action Alliance, the group to which Haaland’s daughter belongs, advocates for ‘indigenous solutions as means to dismantle and eradicate white supremacy, capitalism, imperialism, hetero-patriarchy and extractive colonialism’ and seeks the ‘rematriation of everything stolen,’ according to its website. [Given the corruption involved with Biden Inc, this seems like small potatoes, but it is still worth pursuing. — Ed]” [Hot Air, 8/18/23 (-)]

 

Watchdog Group Files Ethics Complaint On Interior Secretary Haaland Over New Mexico Gas, Oil Leases — “The watchdog group Protect the Public’s Trust filed a complaint Thursday against Interior Secretary Deb Haaland accusing her of an ethic violation in connection with her agency’s ban on oil and gas leases within 10-miles of New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon. The complaint, which was filed with the agency’s inspector general’s office, includes a request for an immediate investigation and centers on potential conflicts of interest – considering Haaland’s involvement in an anti-fossil fuel film about Greater Chaco Canyon and her daughter’s involvement with lobbying groups. ‘Somah Haaland, Secretary Haaland’s child, is a prominent member of an activist organization that lobbied federal officials seeking to restrict oil and gas leasing in the area,’ the complaint reads.” [Just The News, 8/18/23 (-)]

 

Biden Interior Secretary Hit With Ethics Complaint By Watchdog Org — “Protect the Public’s Trust, a government oversight and accountability organization, filed an ethics complaint Thursday against Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland with the inspector general of the Department of the Interior (DOI). The ethics complaint alleges that Haaland may not have been impartial when making decisions regarding oil and gas leasing around the Chaco Canyon, and it requested that the DOI’s inspector general initiate an investigation into any potential conflicts of interest. President Joe Biden signed a January 2021 executive order requiring every executive branch appointee to sign an ethics commitment, pledging to make decisions ‘on the merits and exclusively in the public interest, without regard to private gain or personal benefit.’ Haaland’s DOI closed off public lands within ten miles of the Chaco Canyon in New Mexico from any future fuel leasing activity in June for the next two decades, a move which the complaint says raises questions about her impartiality given that her daughter is a member of an activist group that pursued this exact policy outcome.” [Tampa Free Press, 8/18/23 (-)]

 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

 

Op-Ed: Study Shows $1 Billion Potential Bill For Oil And Gas Clean Up Without BLM Rule Change — According to Amber Wallin, “From a young age, we teach our children the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and cleaning up after themselves when they make a mess. We should expect the same from the oil and gas industry working in New Mexico. But for far too long, antiquated policies under the current leasing system have left our families on the hook to pay to clean up messes left behind by bankrupt oil and gas companies – messes involving orphaned wells with decaying and leaking infrastructure that can pollute our air and water. This has robbed our communities of tax dollars that could have been put to use improving our children’s classrooms, and our hospitals and roadways. Thankfully, improvements are underway. We are grateful to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for recently proposing reforms that modernize the outdated oil and gas leasing program. With updated bonding rates, the BLM will finally be able to hold the oil and gas industry accountable to pay to clean up abandoned wells. These reforms would also increase certain fiscal rates to help ensure New Mexicans receive a fairer share for the use of the natural resources that belong to us all. More responsible leasing and development protections will also help address the potential harm oil and gas wells pose to our communities’ health, well-being, and cultural lands.” [KRWG-Radio, 8/18/23 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: Proposed BLM Well Bonding Rule: What’s Not To Like? — According to Bob LaResche, “Many Wyomingites find it surprising when the federal government does something worthy of our approval, but the Bureau of Land Management actually did so last month. In mid-July, the BLM proposed new rules to hold drillers of oil and gas wells financially responsible for cleaning up after themselves. The new rules would update 60-year-old requirements for financial assurance to plug and reclaim oil and gas wells drilled into federal subsurface. Many of these wells in Wyoming are drilled from private surface, and many have sat for decades unplugged and unreclaimed on our ranches and other private lands. The new standards will do something landowner, conservation, and taxpayer advocates have long called on BLM to do – make industry pay for cleaning up.” [The Sheridan Press, 8/18/23 (+)]

 

BLM Tests Fresh Strategy For Wild Horse Birth Control — “On parched Nevada rangelands this summer, wild horse specialists with the Bureau of Land Management quietly tested a new strategy to reduce the number of animals living on Western federal land that’s under increasing stress after decades of drought. The bureau early last month rounded up 115 wild horses from the Reveille Herd Management Area, located in largely rural Nye County, about 200 miles from Las Vegas. Almost all of those horses were permanently relocated to BLM holding areas where they will either be cared for by the federal government or adopted out to private owners. But BLM tried something new with 27 mares. They were placed into temporary corrals on the 105,000-acre herd management area and given an initial shot of a birth control vaccine. The mares stayed in the corrals for 30 days, after which each got a vaccine booster that will hopefully keep them infertile for up to four years. Then, earlier this month, BLM released the fully vaccinated mares back onto the range. It was the first experiment with a process BLM is calling ‘catch, treat and release,’ and it could mark a significant shift in how the agency manages wild horse and burro herd sizes — embracing the birth control approach long sought by advocates and some members of Congress in place of the large-scale roundups used by successive administrations, including earlier in the Biden administration.” [E&E News, 8/18/23 (=)]

 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

 

Op-Ed: Heavy Hand Of Federal Government — According to Jason Smith, “On August 8, President Joe Biden once again bowed to climate extremists by unilaterally designating nearly 1 million acres of public lands surrounding the Grand Canyon as a national monument. This federal takeover is strongly opposed by local farmers, businesses, and mining operations but a major win for radical environmentalists. Whether it’s the Grand Canyon or southeast Missouri’s Upper St. Francis River Watershed, the Left will use any tool they can to expand the power of government over the lives of rural Americans. And that’s especially true when it comes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For too long, decisions about which species are protected by the ESA have been made by Washington bureaucrats without any consideration about how local communities are impacted. These heavy-handed regulations that are put in place because of these listing decisions often hinder critical infrastructure investments and stifle economic growth. I’ve been sounding the alarm on the damaging impact of the ESA for years. Last month, I helped the House of Representatives pass a measure to overturn the northern long-eared bat’s endangered listing under the ESA. Listing this bat as endangered only creates significant challenges for landowners and stifles construction of critical infrastructure projects. With this designation, radical environmental groups have more tools to block the harvesting of timber in our region.” [Republic Monitor, 8/17/23 (-)]

 

 

States & Local

 

Arizona

 

Op-Ed: Native Peoples Are The Grand Canyon’s Original Stewards — According to Mandela Van Eeden, “Earlier this week, President Biden designated the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni — Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The sun was high in the sky when he signed the proclamation and permanently protected nearly 1 million acres of public land surrounding our iconic national park. Baaj Nwaavjo means ‘where tribes roam’ for the Havasupai Tribe and I’tah Kukveni means ‘our footprints’ for the Hopi Tribe. The advocacy work was led by the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and the name of the monument reflects the long history that Indigenous people have played in stewarding these lands. My decision to step away from guiding full-time in the Grand Canyon and play a larger role in protecting it has been a grand adventure. The transition from guiding 250 days a year to rowing a desk 40 hours a week for the National Wildlife Federation has been challenging yet equally rewarding. Joining the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and speaking at the White House felt pivotal for this life-changing decision and our collective efforts to permanently protect critical lands, water supplies, wildlife, and cultural and religious sites.” [Boise State Public Radio, 8/19/23 (+)]

 

Idaho

 

Grizzlies Could Have Protections Removed Under Bill In Congress — “Members of Idaho’s Congressional delegation want to remove endangered species protections for grizzly bears. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, has introduced a bill to take grizzlies off the endangered species list in the lower 48 states. Risch said it’s ‘clear grizzly populations have rebounded.’ Nick Gevock, field organizer of Northern Rockies wildlands and wildlife for the Sierra Club, is not so sure. He said if states are left in charge of management, it likely will halt recovery of the species. ‘The states have made clear -- all three states that are essential for this, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho -- that they want to manage for absolute bare minimum numbers of grizzly bears in isolated populations,’ Gevock pointed out. Before their decline, there were an estimated 50,000 grizzlies in the West. When they went on the endangered species list in 1975, there were about 700-800. Current estimates put the number around 1,900. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, who also supports delisting, said the species would be better managed at the local level.” [Public News Service, 8/21/23 (=)]

 

Montana

 

Wildlife Advocates React To MT Elk Management Plan — “After months of public input and work by wildlife officials, Montana is set to release a new Elk Management Plan this fall. Montana’s last Elk Management Plan was drafted 18 years ago. Advocates say the new strategy reflects changes the state has seen in that time - focusing on thinning Montana’s elk population, which has been booming along with the human population. Jeff Lukas - acting conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation - said while the plan is new, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ strategy relies on an age-old tradition to manage elk numbers - by hunting. ‘We’re seeing FWP be more responsive to the public’s desires, as far as opportunity to harvest, helping relieve pressure off of public land,’ said Lukas, ‘so that those elk come off of private land back onto public, where folks will get more opportunity.’ Private landowners are doing their part to help thin the herd, too, and have been involved in crafting the plan that encourages hunting - even on their property. The final Elk Management Plan is due out this fall.” [Public News Service, 8/21/23 (=)]

 

Texas

 

Texas Land Official Reels In Biden's Fish And Wildlife Attempt To Sink Border Buoys — “The state’s top land official denounced the Biden administration’s attempt to protect a mussel species as a ‘political’ shell game aimed at stopping Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) from deploying buoys in the U.S.-Mexico water border to curb illegal immigration. ‘Unfortunately, the Biden administration is turning the Endangered Species Act into a political tool to push an agenda rather than ensuring true conservation efforts are implemented,’ Texas General Land Office Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in a statement Friday about her complaint to the Biden administration over the endangerment declaration. ‘This administration is proposing to roll back reasonable improvements made to this law and are simply ignoring the successful accomplishments of private preservationists, state, and local land managers by adding more federal red tape regulations.’” [The Gazette, 8/16/23 (=)]

 

Biden Tries To Sink Gov. Abbott’s Border Buoys — “The Biden Administration is taking steps to undermine Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R-TX) actions to keep illegal aliens out of the U.S. The state’s top land official called out the Biden Administration’s proposed federal protection for two Rio Grande mussel species as a ‘political’ game to stop Abbott from deploying his buoys in the U.S.-Mexico water border. ‘Unfortunately, the Biden administration is turning the Endangered Species Act into a political tool to push an agenda rather than ensuring true conservation efforts are implemented,’ Texas General Land Office Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in a statement. ‘This administration is proposing to roll back reasonable improvements made to this law and are simply ignoring the successful accomplishments of private preservationists, state, and local land managers by adding more federal red tape regulations.’” [Townhall, 8/19/23 (-)]

 

Utah

 

Judge In National Monuments Challenge Says Courts Have No Role To Play — “A federal judge recently dismissed the state of Utah’s lawsuit claiming that President Joe Biden had overstepped his authority by restoring two national monuments – and ruled that actions like Biden’s aren’t reviewable by courts. In 2021, the president restored the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears monuments to roughly their original size after his predecessor Donald Trump had shrunk them dramatically. Utah officials sued, claiming in part that Biden had ignored limits in the 1906 Monuments and Antiquities Act. ‘That the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante reservations constitute an abuse of the President’s authority under the [Act] follows from a straightforward reading of [its] text,’ the original complaint said. But U.S. District Judge David Nuffer rejected Utah’s claims. John Leshy, an emeritus professor at UC Law in San Francisco and former Interior Department solicitor, said there have been a number of unsuccessful legal challenges to new monuments. But he called this decision unique because the judge addressed whether courts can even evaluate monument designations.” [Boise State Public Radio, 8/18/23 (=)]

 

Washington

 

Federal Investment 'Incredible Opportunity' To Improve NW Fish Passage — “Fish passage is set to improve in the Northwest with an investment from Congress’s bipartisan infrastructure law. The Biden administration has announced its first round of grants totaling $196 million to fix or remove culverts across the country. Culverts channel water under structures like roadways, but can be barriers to fish who use streams and rivers. Michael O’Casey, deputy director of the Pacific Northwest region for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said culverts are especially hard for young salmon and other species to pass. ‘This is really an incredible opportunity to improve passage and ecological connectivity of rivers and streams here in the Northwest and across the country,’ O’Casey contended. Oregon will receive nearly $20 million for 26 culvert projects in the state. Investments for fish passage in the infrastructure law total $2 billion and will be allocated to tribal, state and local governments over the next five years. Christy Plumer, chief conservation officer for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said many culverts were designed only for temporary use, and called for an infrastructure improvement paradigm shift.” [Public News Service, 8/21/23 (=)]

 

Wyoming

 

Wyoming Senators Blast BLM's Rock Springs Plan As 'Land Grab' — “U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., blasted the Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs Draft Resource Management Plan that it released Thursday. In the announcement, the BLM stated that over 1.8 million acres of land in Wyoming, managed by the Rock Springs Field Office, would be given special designation as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. ‘The Biden administration continues to attack our Wyoming way of life. The latest hit job from the Bureau of Land Management aims to take control of 1.8 million acres of land in Wyoming,’ Barrasso said in a news release. ‘This blatant land grab completely dismisses practical solutions proposed by local land managers, local agencies, and the people who live and work on this land.’ The BLM has opened a 90-day public comment period, which closes Nov. 16.” [Wyoming Tribune Eagle, 8/17/23 (=)]

 

Narrowing The Impact Of Outdoor Recreation On Wildlife — “Wyoming has seen a rapid increase in outdoor recreation in recent years, and biologists are uncovering new details about how people are impacting wildlife health. Using motion-triggered speakers and trail cameras, researchers are capturing what happens when wild animals hear humans. Meghan Riley, public lands and wildlife advocate for the Wyoming Outdoor Council, said hikers or mountain bikers frequently enter what’s called a ‘zone of influence’ along a trail, which is especially stressful in winter months. ‘An animal might hear or smell you, and bolt, and you might not even see that has happened,’ Riley explained. ‘It might not look like a big deal, but that animal is expending energy at the time of year when it most needs to conserve energy.’ People making noise in wild spaces can lead to habitat fragmentation, and animals on constant high alert are more stressed and spend less time feeding. The U.S. Forest Service is collecting data on how human sounds affect animals calling the Bridger-Teton National Forest home as it considers revisions to its land management plan.” [Public News Service, 8/21/23 (=)]

 

 

 

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