Public Lands Clips: August 2, 2024

 

 

Harris Campaign

 

Kamala Harris’ Fracking Flip-Flop Shows Perils Of Pa. Campaigning. Josh Shapiro Can Help. — “This week, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has been doing damage control for statements she made in 2019 in support of a ban on hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking. Politicians seeking votes in Pennsylvania have to stake middle ground on fracking, a method of drilling horizontally through shale to tap pockets of natural gas. Harris’ flip-flop is emblematic of the treacherous path Democrats tread in Pennsylvania where the fossil fuel industry flexes economic and political muscle. At the same, time state has forceful environmentalists pushing for renewable energy. Harris’ original call for a ban came during a CNN town hall in 2019 when she said there is ‘no question I’m in favor of banning fracking and starting with what we can do on Day 1 around public lands.’ Fracking in Pennsylvania takes place on private properties. It would require Congress to restrict fracking on private property. Harris backed away from the position in 2020 after she became President Joe Biden’s running mate. An official with the vice president’s campaign told The Inquirer on Thursday that she no longer supports a ban on fracking. Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, a potential Harris running mate, has managed to keep the natural gas industry from getting too uneasy, although bruising some people in the process. Observers say he could help Harris navigate a tricky landscape.” [The Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

How Can Harris Appeal To Climate Voters In Pennsylvania? — “When it comes to action on climate change, likely Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has a strong record compared with Republican Donald Trump. But that doesn’t mean people who see climate as a top issue will necessarily vote for Harris. On the campaign trail, former president Trump has painted Vice President Harris as an extreme liberal and has repeated her 2019 comment that if elected, she would ban fracking. Of course, that hasn’t happened, and Harris has said in recent days that she will not ban fracking. In fact, the Biden administration oversaw record-breaking oil and gas production because of fracking. ‘They’re taking two steps forward and one step back when it comes to…solving climate change,’ said Ned Ketyer, a retired Pittsburgh-area pediatrician, who is now president of the board of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, which is concerned about the health impacts of fracking on frontline communities.” [Allegheny Front, 8/1/24 (+)]

 

Josh Shapiro’s Popular Climate Crusade: Plugging Old Oil Wells — “There are an estimated 350,000 abandoned oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania — and Gov. Josh Shapiro is keeping track of the ones that have been plugged. The Democrat has seized on the issue since taking office in 2023, a move that could boost his environmental credentials as Vice President Kamala Harris considers him as a running mate in the presidential race. Shapiro announced in March that his administration had plugged its 200th well — more than the state had plugged in the previous nine years combined. ‘There is a broader, bigger story in plugging these gas wells, and Shapiro is very adept at telling that story,’ said John Hanger, who served as secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection under former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat. ‘He is very good at making the case that wise public investments make individuals’ lives better, communities stronger and our environment cleaner.’ One of the plugged wells can be found in the front yard of a gray ranch house on a quiet country road in Clarion County, in the state’s northwest corner.” [Politico, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Why Harris Is Backpedaling On Fracking — “Shortly after the Iowa caucuses—a moment that feels almost unfathomably long ago in this presidential race—Tom Philpott wrote about the peculiar role that corn-based ethanol plays in national politics. Because ethanol is important to Iowa, and the Iowa caucuses are important in the primaries because of their early date, candidates from both parties tend to declare their allegiance to federal ethanol subsidies. But ethanol subsidies are a pretty inefficient way to encourage energy production. Solar panels generate 100 times as much energy as corn per acre, Tom wrote. Installing them in place of cornfields would open up more land for growing actual food, while reducing pesticide and fertilizer runoff into waterways and reducing the destruction of Iowa’s soil layer. But the tangled history of Iowa corn, federal subsidies, and the primary schedule go back so far at this point that it’s very hard to start a serious political discussion about what better policies might look like.” [The New Republic, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Pipeline Worker Tears Into 'Lying' Kamala Harris Over Fracking Stance: Nobody Should 'Trust' Democrats — “He’s built his livelihood around America’s natural gas and oil industry, and now, Texas-based pipeline worker Bugsy Allen has harsh words for Vice President Kamala Harris over seemingly flip-flopping on her fracking stance. ‘I can tell you right now when that lady’s lips are moving, she’s lying,’ Allen said Wednesday on ‘America’s Newsroom.’ ‘A lot of the boys that I work with, and men and women, we’re thinking about jerking [from] our 401(k)s just to try to live.’ ‘These people are not going to keep fracking, because they’re pushing electric cars, they’re pushing their green ideology deal. And it’s not going to work. It never will work,’ he argued. ‘Oil and gas is going to be the driver of the United States of America.’ Allen’s comments come as part of the wave of responses to Harris recently switching her policy stance on fracking, or the drilling process used to extract oil and natural gas.” [Fox Business, 8/1/24 (-)]

 

Video: Biden, Harris Declared War On Oil And Gas On Day One: Sarah Phillips — “Pennsylvania petroleum engineer Sarah Phillips discusses Kamala Harris’ ‘flip-flop’ on fracking.” [Fox Business, 8/1/24 (-)]

 

Video: Kamala Harris Is A Danger For Pennsylvania: Rep. Dan Meuser — “Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., discusses Kamala Harris’ stance on fracking and how her energy policies will impact Pennsylvania.” [Fox Business, 8/1/24 (-)]

 

Dagen McDowell: Kamala Harris’ Stance On Banning Fracking Would “Destroy American Families’ — “Dagen McDowell, anchor and analyst on the Fox Business Network and Co-Host of ‘The Bottom Line’ at 6 PM ET, joined the Guy Benson Show to discuss the latest economic numbers released today, revealing a mixed bag on Biden’s failing economy. McDowell and Benson also explored Kamala Harris’ dangerous policies that could continue to damage the economy and drive up the federal deficit. You can listen to the full interview below!” [Fox News Radio, 8/1/24 (-)]

 

What Harris Needs To Know About Fracking — “Fracking ought to be easier to talk about—even for Harris, who comes from the yoga-class wing of the Democratic Party and not the rapidly vanishing work-in-the-mud wing of the party. But getting it right on fracking requires a few things that Harris has not shown an abundance of: intelligence, honesty, and a willingness to be frank about trade-offs. There isn’t a politically attractive way forward on fracking if you are from the progressive faction that opposes the use of fossil fuels per se, that seeks to eliminate their use as quickly as is possible (I did not write feasible), and that invariably resists efforts to make more oil and gas available for use. If you are against inexpensive and abundant oil and gas on ideological grounds, then, of course, you oppose fracking. If you take a more intelligent view—that prosperity requires access to economically viable energy sources and that all of these, including so-called green sources such as wind and solar, impose serious environmental costs—then there is a way forward.” [The New Republic, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Harris Should Take On Oil Industry If She Wins Election, Climate Advocates Say — “If elected president, Kamala Harris should take on the fossil fuel industry for its history of spreading climate disinformation, environmentalists say. … In her first campaign speech in Milwaukee last week, Harris called out Donald Trump for his ties to the oil industry, citing reports that the former president – as she put it – ‘literally promised big oil companies and big oil lobbyists he would do their bidding for $1bn in campaign donations’. But other statements from the vice-president give environmentalists pause. This week, for instance, Harris said she would not ban fracking if elected, walking back on statements she made in 2019. In 2015, she filed an opinion claiming a California-wide fracking ban would be illegal. ‘We’ve seen two different sides of Kamala Harris: she’s a really inspiring candidate when she embraces progressive issues and picks big fights, and then she can fall flat when she becomes too cautious,’ said Henn. In an emailed statement, the American Petroleum Institute, the top US oil lobby group, said, ‘Any future administration should be focused on building on the progress the US has made in leading the world in both energy production and emissions reductions,’ and called the demand for Harris to focus on climate accountability a ‘distraction’.” [The Guardian, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Trump Campaign

 

Is Trump Really Better Than Harris For Oil And Gas Investors? — “Are you voting for the pro-oil candidate or the anti-oil one? Former President Donald Trump is a vocal champion of the energy industry and wants the U.S. to ‘drill, baby, drill,’ while Vice President Kamala Harris has previously voiced support for a fracking ban. But figuring out which politician actually is more favorable to the industry is trickier than it seems. … Broadly speaking, removing barriers to drilling and pipeline-building can help support long-term growth but can also hamstring near-term commodity prices and industry profits. For example, lowering the cost of doing business—say, through less stringent environmental rules—could help smaller, wildcatter-type producers join the drilling party, potentially pinching profitability for the industry overall. By the same token, measures that stifle industry growth can actually be great for near-term prices and profits, though maybe not in the long term.” [The Wall Street Journal, 8/2/24 (~)]

 

 

 

Senate

 

Senate Energy Panel Advances Permitting Overhaul Bill — “The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding and speeding up the permitting process for fossil fuel, renewable energy and transmission projects. The bill, known as the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, passed through the committee with a 15-4 vote on Wednesday, and would establish a 150-day statute of limitations for court challenges of federal agency actions approving or denying an authorization for an energy or mineral project unless the authorizing statute contains a shorter statute of limitations. The bill also mandates the federal government hold at least one offshore lease sale per year between 2025 and 2029, and requires onshore oil and gas leases to accompany new wind and solar leases, extending the life of approved drilling permits and removing federal permitting requirements of wells drilled on non-federal surface lands. Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, in a press release Wednesday heralded the committee vote as ‘a major step to strengthen the American economy, increase the resilience of our power sector, and accelerate the deployment of clean energy.’” [Law360, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Permitting Reform Is Back. Is The Latest Deal Worth It? — “To advance his climate agenda, President Biden has prioritized one scheme above all others: infrastructure subsidies. The massive spending packages his administration pushed through Congress over the past four years — the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act — provided an infusion of dollars for green energy developers to erect solar farms, geothermal plants, and new transmission lines to carry clean electricity into American homes. But before companies can break ground on these projects, they must obtain approval from local communities and federal regulators, and that’s where the projects often hit a snag. The permitting process for new energy projects is notoriously long and complex, and sometimes funding and investor interest dry up before it’s ever complete. That’s why, many environmental advocates agree, there’s a real climate case for reforming the permitting process — making it easier to get approval for new energy projects more quickly. For a permitting reform bill to get through Congress, however, it would likely have to also make it easier for states to approve new permits from the fossil fuel industry.” [Grist, 8/2/24 (+)]

 

 

 

USDA To Pour $400M Into Western Water Conservation — “The Biden administration will spend up to $400 million to pay farmers in Western irrigation districts to conserve water, the Agriculture Department said Thursday. At least 18 irrigation districts in California, Oregon and other Western states will receive funding, which the local agencies will distribute to producers who carry out conservation while maintaining agricultural production, the USDA said in a news release. Districts would receive up to $15 million each, and more districts may be added later, according to the department. The program will set aside $40 million specifically for conservation in Indian country, in a partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribes, the USDA said. ‘Agricultural producers are the backbone of rural communities across the West and many of them are struggling under prolonged drought conditions,’ Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. ‘We want to scale up the tools available to keep farmers farming, while also voluntarily conserving water and expanding markets for water-saving commodities.’” [E&E News, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Biden Administration To Pay Western Farmers To Conserve Water — “The Biden administration will pay farmers in the Western U.S. to save water as the region contends with historic drought. The Department of Agriculture announced Thursday that it will invest up to $400 million in paying farmers in 11 states to reduce their water consumption while continuing to produce commodities. The department said the action is expected to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet of water — or about 16 billion gallons. ‘Agricultural producers are the backbone of rural communities across the West and many of them are struggling under prolonged drought conditions,’ Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a written statement. ‘We want to scale up the tools available to keep farmers farming, while also voluntarily conserving water and expanding markets for water-saving commodities,’ he said.” [The Hill, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

 

 

 

NOAA: Gulf Of Mexico’s ‘Dead Zone’ Larger Than Predicted — “The ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico this summer is more than twice the size of last year’s oxygen-deprived area that can’t support marine life, NOAA announced Thursday. Following a survey by a research vessel that ended last week, the agency found that there are low-oxygen conditions across 6,705 square miles. It’s the 12th-largest dead zone ever recorded. The hypoxic area, which lacks sufficient oxygen to support fish and other marine life, is about 1,000 square miles larger than NOAA predicted it would be earlier this year. The conditions are caused by fertilizer runoff and other nutrients that are carried downstream by the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Federal and state officials have been striving to reduce this runoff, which every summer stimulates the growth of algae that then depletes the oxygen levels in the water. Plants and animals that can’t escape are killed, while shrimp and fish swim away.” [Politico, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

 

Fishing Fight — “Two fishing groups are pushing federal regulators to keep a major offshore wind operation shuttered until a more thorough review is completed. More than 1,700 fishermen largely from the Northeast wrote to Kevin Sligh, director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, requesting that a suspension order pausing power production and construction on the Vineyard Wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts remain in place following a blade break that sent debris across a wide swath of the ocean. The groups want BSEE to identify the cause of the break, review all turbines for Vineyard Wind and other planned projects, and evaluate whether changes are needed to the permitting process. Vineyard Wind became the largest operating offshore wind project in the U.S. when it started delivering power in June.” [Politico, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

National Park Service (NPS)

 

NPS Law Enforcement Staffing Hits ‘Generational Low,’ Watchdog Says — “National Park Service law enforcement staffing continues to plummet, leaving park resources vulnerable and raising questions about visitor safety amid growing park attendance, according to a watchdog group. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, in a report released Thursday, says the number of NPS law enforcement rangers and special agents has declined by nearly half since 2010, and has now reached what the group calls a ‘generational low,’ according to data it obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. And things could get a lot worse, as the House last month approved an Interior-Environment fiscal 2025 spending package that proposes to cut the NPS budget significantly. If those cuts hold, it could result in the loss of 1,000 park staff, including law enforcement, said Jeff Ruch, PEER’s Pacific director. ‘The Park Service’s ranger force is in deteriorating condition and getting worse,’ Ruch said. An NPS spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the report.
 But the number of NPS law enforcement personnel has been declining steadily for years, raising concerns about safety as the number of visitors to park sites increases, according to the latest data.” [Politico, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

 

Conservation Groups Take Aim At ESA Regs — “Conservation groups are asking a California federal judge to throw out Endangered Species Act regulations put forward earlier this year, claiming federal agencies shortchanged their environmental review duties and moved ahead with changes that will harm the imperiled plants and animals the statute is supposed to protect. The Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and WildEarth Guardians filed the suit Thursday, calling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service regulations a ‘disaster for endangered animals.’ ‘It’s really disappointing to see the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service put forward regulations that fundamentally undercut its own ability to do what’s necessary to save plants and animals from extinction,’ Noah Greenwald, endangered species director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. ‘These regulations are a disaster for endangered animals like the spotted owl, polar bear and so many more,’ Greenwald added.” [Law360, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Proposed Refuge Hunting Rules Would Add A Few New Lead Ammo Limits — “The Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday proposed partially banning lead ammunition on a few refuges where new hunting opportunities could be opening up. In what’s become the most sensitive part of an annual regulatory exercise, the federal agency said it wants to require use of lead-free ammo in one newly added section of West Virginia’s Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The FWS is also proposing that elk hunters in four of North Dakota’s wildlife refuges use lead-free ammo. In each of these cases, the lead-free ammo requirement would extend to a region or a big-game species not previously covered by the FWS hunting regulations. The agency describes this as a policy where it ‘will not allow for any increase in lead use on Service lands and waters,’ even if there are more hunting opportunities being opened. ‘The best available science, analyzed as part of this proposed rulemaking, indicates that lead ammunition and tackle have negative impacts on both wildlife and human health,’ the FWS stated.” [Politico, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Fossil Energy

 

Exxon Earnings Jump, While Chevron Drops: What You Need To Know — “Exxon Mobil XOM -1.38%decrease; red down pointing triangle banked one of its highest-ever profits for a second quarter, bolstered by record production in the Permian Basin and Guyana as it stretched its lead over rival Chevron CVX -4.89%decrease; red down pointing triangle. Chevron posted lower earnings that came in under analysts’ expectations, largely due to narrowed refining margins and the loss of favorable tax items from last year. The company also said it was moving its headquarters to Houston from its longtime base in San Ramon, Calif. America’s two largest oil companies have experienced a reversal of fortunes since the end of the pandemic. On Friday, their results were underpinned by rising production and fuel sales, but offset by anemic natural-gas prices and narrowed refining margins. Both have benefited from a prolonged period of relatively high oil prices. In 2022 and 2023, their historically high earnings landed them among the most profitable American companies. … While long-term fossil-fuel demand is uncertain in a climate-focused world, the oil giants have benefited thus far from doubling down on oil and gas. In recent months, many investors have largely used the energy sector as a hedge against the highflying tech industry and a source of cash, said Dan Pickering, chief investment officer at Pickering Energy Partners.” [The Wall Street Journal, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Chevron To Quit California For Texas After Warning On Regulation — “Chevron Corp. is relocating headquarters to Houston from California after repeatedly warning that the Golden State’s regulatory regime was making it a tough place to do business. The move announced Friday will end the company’s more than 140 years of being based in the largest US state and comes amid a shake-up in senior leadership ranks apparently aimed at improving results. Chevron already had slashed new investments in California refining, citing ‘adversarial’ government policies in a state which has some of the most stringent environmental rules in the US. In January, refining executive Andy Walz warned that the state was playing a ‘dangerous game’ with climate rules that threatened to spike gasoline prices. Separately, Chevron missed second-quarter profit estimates, heaping pressure on Wirth to prevail in his $53 billion effort to acquire Hess Corp. Chevron shares fell as much as 3% in pre-market trading. … Chevron already had slashed new investments in California refining, citing ‘adversarial’ government policies in a state which has some of the most stringent environmental rules in the US. In January, refining executive Andy Walz warned that the state was playing a ‘dangerous game’ with climate rules that threatened to spike gasoline prices. Separately, Chevron missed second-quarter profit estimates, heaping pressure on Wirth to prevail in his $53 billion effort to acquire Hess Corp. Chevron shares fell as much as 3% in pre-market trading.” [The Washington Post, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Chevron Earnings Miss On Lower Refining Margins, Relocates Headquarters To Houston — “Key Points Chevron’s second-quarter profit fell due to lower refining margins. The oil major announced its headquarters will move from California to Texas. The results come as the Chevron-Hess deal is delayed until well into 2025 due to an arbitration case with ExxonMobil” [CNBC, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Chevron Reports Q2 Earnings Miss On Weak Refining Margins — “Chevron(CVX.N), opens new tab reported second-quarter earnings on Friday that missed Wall Street estimates due to industry-wide pressure from lower refining margins and natural gas prices, sending its shares down 1.5% in premarket trading. The company earlier had warned oil output this quarter would slip and refining would suffer from turnarounds at two refineries in California. Refining margins have been weak globally, hurting other oil majors like BP (BP.L), opens new tab and Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab. Chevron said it would relocate the company’s headquarters from San Ramon, California, where it was born 145 years ago as Pacific Coast Oil Co., to Houston, Texas. The company has been bitterly contesting state regulations on its oil producing and refining operations in the state. Chevron reported earnings of $4.4 billion, or $2.43 per share, in the quarter, compared with $6 billion a year before. It reported adjusted earnings of $4.7 billion, or $2.55 per share, compared to adjusted earnings of $5.8 billion, or $3.08 per share, in second quarter 2023.” [Reuters, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Exxon Delivers $9.2 Billion Second-Quarter Profit, Raises Output Target — “Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), opens new tab on Friday posted a better than expected $9.2 billion second-quarter profit based on rising oil prices and volume gains from its purchase this year of shale oil firm Pioneer Natural Resources. Exxon delivered a $2.14 per share profit that beat analysts’ estimates on oil production and pricing gains that offset refining weakness. Results mirrored profit beats by rivals BP, Shell and ConocoPhillips. Higher profit ‘was driven by record production both in Guyana and in the Permian,’ which offset lower natural gas and fuel prices, Chief Financial Officer Kathryn Mikells said. Net income was $9.24 billion, up from $7.88 billion a year ago, largely on higher oil prices and gains from asset sales that offset weaker refining earnings. Shares were up 1.3% in pre-market trading from $116.95 on Thursday.” [Reuters, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Exxon Earnings Beat As Production In Guyana And Permian Sets A Record — “Key Points Exxon earnings beat as the acquisition of Pioneer drove record production Production grew by 15%, or 574,000 barrels per day, to 4.4 million barrels per day from the first quarter. The Pioneer deal, which closed in May, contributed $500 million to Exxon’s earnings.” [CNBC, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

AP | Exxon: Q2 Earnings Snapshot — “Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) on Friday reported second-quarter earnings of $9.24 billion. The Spring, Texas-based company said it had profit of $2.14 per share. Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every weekend. The results topped Wall Street expectations, but Exxon does not adjust its reported results based on one-time events such as asset sales. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.04 per share. The oil and natural gas company posted revenue of $93.06 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $90.38 billion.” [The Washington Post, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Alaska

 

Millions Spent To Offset Alaska Roadless Restrictions — “A program to help southeast Alaska adjust to restrictions on timber harvesting on federal land had a total impact of about $9 million in its first two years, the Forest Service said. Recipients of grants through the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy put about $4.6 million into projects in 2023, out of a total of $25 million in federal funding for the multi-year effort, according to an economic impact report. The Forest Service said the report indicates that the program launched in 2022 is beginning to take hold, directing funds to younger-growth timber, fishing, recreation and other enterprises. The total $9 million impact includes an economic multiplier effect. The Biden administration announced the strategy in 2021 as officials reinstated prohibitions on road construction and timber harvesting in designated roadless areas of the Tongass National Forest, over the objections of the state’s political leaders. Funding began to flow in 2022.” [Politico, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Arizona

 

Federal Officials Renew Oak Creek Canyon Mining Ban That Lapsed In 2019 — “Federal officials have renewed a mining ban on thousands of acres of Oak Creek Canyon. The protections lapsed five years ago leaving the area open to possible mining claims. The 20-year ban expired in May 2019 and covered more and 10,000 acres of the tourist hotspot north of Sedona. Oak Creek Canyon also serves as a habitat to threatened and endangered species like the Mexican spotted owl and narrow-headed garter snake. ‘Given the recreational values, given the myriad biological values down there, it’s a place that should not be open to mining and it’s unfortunate that those protections lapsed. But we’re glad to see them reinstated,’ says Taylor McKinnon with the Center for Biological Diversity. Last week the U.S. Forest Service applied for a renewal of the mining ban with the Bureau of Land Management, which controls mineral rights. It triggered a two-year freeze on new claims and according to BLM data, none have been filed in Oak Creek Canyon since the ban lapsed.” [KNAU-Radio, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

California

 

A Renewed Bid To Protect Burrowing Owls Is Advancing. What Changed? — “Western burrowing owls are diminutive, adorable and goofy — and conservation organizations have renewed calls for the state to protect them before it’s too late. Now, more than 20 years since a formal request was made, California wildlife officials appear to be listening. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife this week recommended that state wildlife policymakers consider a petition to list the owls as endangered or threatened. It’s the first of several steps the native underground nesters need to clear to earn protection under the state Endangered Species Act. It doesn’t mean it’s warranted, but that it could be warranted. So while the species’ fate is in no way settled, the groups pushing for the designation are hopeful. This petition, submitted in March, has already soared farther than one launched just over 20 years ago. ‘We’re kind of in an emergency situation here,’ said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, who penned both petitions. ‘It would be kind of shocking if they don’t get some kind of protections.’ So what changed?” [Los Angeles Times, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Sea Lions Are Stranding Themselves On California’s Coast With Signs Of Poisoning By Harmful Algae — “Sea lions are stranding themselves on a long stretch of the California coast and showing signs that they may have been poisoned by a bloom of harmful algae, experts said Thursday. The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute said that since July 26, it has been inundated by daily reports of sick sea lions along 155 miles (249 kilometers) of shoreline in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, northwest of Los Angeles. The marine mammals are suffering from domoic acid, a neurotoxin that affects the brain and heart, the institute said in a statement. The poisoning event is largely affecting adult female California sea lions, it said. The nonprofit said it had rescued 23 animals so far. Coastal Vandenberg Space Force Base released photos of sea lions being rescued from one of its beaches on July 29. The California coast commonly sees outbreaks of domoic acid poisoning, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NOAA Fisheries.” [Associated Press, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Michigan

 

Automated Electric Bus Tours Coming To Sleeping Bear Dunes — “Visitors to northern Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will soon have the chance to tour the iconic Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive without actually having to drive — or operate any vehicle for that matter.  They’ll be able to take an automated electric bus instead – but only for a limited time, at least for now. It’s a 45-day pilot program that should begin later this month, park Superintendent Scott Tucker told Bridge Michigan. Sponsor The 7.4-mile Pierce Stocking loop includes dramatic views of Lake Michigan, the Glen Lakes and, of course, the dunes. The project is part of a larger effort by the state and federal government to expand access and mobility at national and state parks in Michigan. It will be made possible by a $250,000 grant to ADASTEC, an East Lansing based software company that will deploy the full-size automated bus.” [Bridge Michigan, 8/1/24 (+)]

 

Wyoming

 

Oil Wells Threaten Wyoming Pronghorn — Study — “Robust oil and gas development and a gradual increase in trees in parts of Wyoming may be making the state’s iconic pronghorn more vulnerable to population decline, according to new research. Scientists from the University of Wyoming; University of Nebraska, Lincoln; and the University of Florida found that the mammals’ productivity — meaning the number of fawns relative to 100 adult females in each herd — declined ‘significantly’ in 43 percent of Wyoming herds between 1984 and 2019. Pronghorns, commonly mislabeled as antelopes, are ubiquitous in the Cowboy State, where roughly half of the world’s pronghorn live. The fleet-footed animal has the build of a small deer and is recognizable for its hooked horns and the dark brown slash along its nose. Though the North American mammal stands at just about 3.5-feet tall, one of its closest relatives is the African giraffe. Researchers found that the biggest factors driving the long-term decline in productivity were an increase in tree cover in some areas and an increase in oil and gas wells. Both are disturbances that the animals avoid, according to the study, published in April in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation.” [Politico, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Western Wildfires

 

Colorado Wildfire Blamed For One Death As California Blaze Expands — “A fast-moving wildfire has killed at least one person in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Colorado, one of a handful of blazes burning across the state, while thousands of firefighters in California struggled to contain the largest fire in the country. The individual killed in the Stone Canyon Fire, burning about 20 miles (32 km) north of Boulder, Colorado, was found on Wednesday in one of five homes destroyed near Rocky Mountain National Park, officials said. ‘We did also today discover human remains in one of the residences,’ Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson told journalists. ‘So, I can confirm for you that we do have one fatality associated with the fire.’ Johnson did not provide details on the individual’s identity. The Stone Canyon Fire, near Lyons, a community of about 2,000, has burned more than 1,500 acres (600 hectares) since Tuesday afternoon. It was 30% contained as of Thursday evening, according to Nathan Hallam, the fire incident commander on scene, who added that he hoped to see the fire begin to shrink significantly by Sunday or Monday.” [Reuters, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

Increasing Wind And Heat Plus Risk Of Thunderstorms Expected In Fight Against California Wildfire — “Firefighters battling California’s largest wildfire of the year are preparing for treacherous conditions entering the weekend when expected thunderstorms may unleash fire-starting lightning and erratic winds that could erode progress made over the past week. Dry, hot conditions posed similar threats across the fire-stricken West. Weather, fuels and terrain will pose challenges for the 6,000 firefighters battling the Park Fire, which has spread over 614 square miles (1,590 square kilometers) since allegedly being started by arson in a wilderness park in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of the Sacramento Valley city of Chico. The fire’s push northward has brought it toward the rugged lava rock landscape surrounding Lassen Volcanic National Park, which has been closed due to the threat. ‘Lava rocks make for hard and slow work for hand crews,’ Cal Fire said in situation report. ‘Crews are being flown into access areas that have been hard to reach because of long drive times and steep, rugged terrain.’” [Associated Press, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Wildfires In Colorado Burn Dozens Of Homes And Structures, Threaten Hundreds More — “A wildfire burning in Colorado’s heavily populated Front Range region has burned dozens of homes and outbuildings, while a second fire crept within a quarter-mile of evacuated homes near Denver on Thursday. Authorities said they were hopeful that hundreds of threatened homes could be saved. But firefighters working in the tree-covered foothills on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains faced sweltering temperatures, and some were sidelined by heat exhaustion. The struggle to contain the blazes came after authorities said Wednesday that a person was killed in a wildfire west of Lyons, Colorado. The person’s remains were found inside one of five houses that burned. Almost 100 large fires are raging across the West. The largest, in Northern California, has burned more than 400 houses and other structures, officials reported. … Scientists say extreme wildfires are becoming more common and destructive in the U.S. West and others parts of the world as climate change warms the planet and droughts become more severe.” [Associated Press, 8/1/24 (=)]

 

Incendiary Politics — “Nearly 30,000 firefighters and support personnel are battling 93 large wildfires across the country as of Thursday, and nearly 4.5 million acres have already burned this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That’s nearly four times the total as of this time last year, and well above the 10-year average of 3.6 million acres burned. Major blazes are raging across California, Oregon and Colorado. Four fires in Colorado’s Front Range have forced hundreds to evacuate and killed one person, the Washington Post reported. In California, Cal Fire said Wednesday that wildfire activity is 2,816 percent higher than last year, including the Park Fire, which authorities have said was sparked by arson and is now the fifth-largest wildfire in state history. And the fire season shows no signs of letting up in the parched West. The National Interagency Fire Center’s monthly fire outlook published Thursday projects that fire potential will be above average for most of the Northwest, northern Great Basin and northern California through August and September.” [Politico, 8/2/24 (=)]

 

 

 

 

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