Public Lands Clips: November 27, 2024

 

 

Climate Denial A Unifying Theme Of Trump’s Cabinet Picks, Experts Say — “Burgum, the potential interior secretary, is a moderate compared to these other picks, having accepted that the climate crisis is real and even, as governor of North Dakota, setting a target for the state to be carbon neutral, albeit via unproven carbon-capture technology rather than emissions cuts. He is set to be Trump’s overall energy czar, tasked with driving up fossil fuel production, as well as managing a fifth of the US landmass in his interior role. ‘North Dakota governor Doug Burgum is a proven leader and values an all-of-the-above energy approach,’ said Heather Reams, president of the center-right Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions group. ‘Republicans recognize current federal processes are too bureaucratic and oftentimes prevent new energy projects from ever breaking ground.’ Reams added that speeded up permitting under Burgum promises ‘the opportunity to lessen our reliance on adversarial supply chains, reinvigorate our manufacturing sector, encourage investments and reduce global emissions’. But Burgum is still a vocal supporter of oil and gas drilling, with his family leasing 200 acres of farmland in North Dakota to energy company Continental Resources, run by another major Trump backer in Harold Hamm. Burgum, along with Hamm, helped set up a Mar-a-Lago dinner between Trump and oil executives in which the president-elect asked for $1bn in campaign donations while vowing to gut environmental regulations if elected.” [The Guardian, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Trump’s ‘Energy Czar’ Could Usher In A New Era At Interior — “Doug Burgum is poised to be a very busy man. As the next Interior secretary, who is also the White House’s ‘energy czar’ with a seat on the National Security Council, the Republican governor of North Dakota could take on an outsize role in shaping energy policy under President-elect Donald Trump. If confirmed by the Senate, Burgum will lead the Interior Department, overseeing 500 million acres of America’s public lands, 700 million acres of underground minerals and a workforce of roughly 70,000 employees. At the same time, Burgum is also slated to become what some have called an ‘energy czar’ — coordinating other Cabinet secretaries to drive the White House’s energy agenda as the chair of what Trump has dubbed his new ‘National Energy Council.’ As part of this expanded role, Burgum would sit on the National Security Council, the roundtable of domestic, military and foreign policy experts charged with protecting the nation’s interests at home and abroad.” [E&E News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Trump’s Fresh Slate Of Cabinet Picks — “The president-elect’s energy and environment leaders will be new to their roles if confirmed by the Senate. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) would be a newcomer to the federal government if confirmed to lead the Interior Department; Trump’s EPA pick, Lee Zeldin, has served in Congress but never at that agency; and Trump picked an energy executive, Chris Wright, to lead the Energy Department. … Trump’s Labor Department nominee, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, is a Republican congresswoman from Oregon, and the president-elect named New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik as his pick for United Nations ambassador. Retired GOP House members Sean Duffy of Wisconsin and Doug Collins of Georgia were nominated to lead the Transportation Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs, respectively. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, also served in the House.” [E&E News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Former Interior Official Predicts Nominee Burgum Will Move Quickly On Drilling In Alaska — “Here & Now host Robin Young speaks with former Clinton administration Interior Department solicitor John Leshy about why he thinks North Dakota Gov. and Interior Department Secretary nominee Doug Burgum is a conventional, middle-of-the-road Republican choice to lead the agency that manages energy use and conservation on public lands.” [WBUR-Radio, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Tariff Trouble On The Horizon — “President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to slap tariffs on the U.S.’ largest trading partners when he enters office hit the business world like a ton of bricks on Tuesday. Analysts said the tariffs on Mexico and Canada would likely raise energy and auto prices as companies struggle to reroute their supply chains. And it could have knock-on effects across the economy if it causes a general economic downturn or triggers a trade war. Some major oil refiners that rely on heavy crude imported from Canada would be heavily exposed to the tariffs. And Trump has no plans to exempt crude oil shipments from his plan, despite the industry’s financial support that helped elect him president, our Ben Lefebvre reports. ‘He’s been reluctant to do any exemptions at all,’ one person familiar with the Trump transition team’s discussions told Ben. ‘The whole point of the tariffs is to do shock and awe.’ The U.S. oil industry, especially the fracking sector dominated by the likes of Continental’s Harold Hamm and Liberty Energy’s Chris Wright, could see a short-term boon from Trump’s tariffs as demand for domestic oil rises. But that could turn if the economy starts heading southward and consumers have less money to spend on fuel, analysts said.” [Politico, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

 

BLM Chief To Lead Green Group After Trump Takes Office — “Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning will return next year to the conservation advocacy world she left in late 2021 to lead the sprawling federal agency. The Wilderness Society confirmed late Tuesday that Stone-Manning has agreed to become president of the environmental group, effective Feb. 24, after more than three years leading the bureau that oversees 245 million acres, mostly in the West. The planned move represents a soft landing for a top Biden administration public lands official who will not be at the helm of BLM once President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated Jan. 20. ‘The Wilderness Society, with its coalition-based approach, has been involved in nearly every public lands victory of the last century, and I am honored to have been selected to lead it into the future,’ Stone-Manning said in a statement released by the group. ‘Wild places and our public lands are vital to the health of our environment, our communities and our climate,’ she added. ‘When I start next February, I am eager to work alongside our dedicated staff, partners and supporters to ensure these treasures are protected for all to enjoy.’” [E&E News, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

AP | Biden's Public Lands Director Named To Lead Environmental Group — “A senior official in President Joe Biden’s administration who oversaw its contentious efforts to address climate change by curbing oil drilling and coal mining on federal lands while expanding renewable power was named Tuesday as the next president of a prominent environmental group. U.S. Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning will become president of The Wilderness Society effective next February, the Washington, D.C.-based group announced. The land bureau shifted sharply away from fossil fuel extraction during her tenure, including two decisions released Tuesday that end new federal coal sales from the nation’s most productive reserves of the fuel along the Wyoming-Montana border. Stone-Manning’s 2021 nomination by Biden was bitterly opposed by Republicans who labeled her an ‘eco-terrorist’ over her past ties with environmental extremists. Senate Democrats pushed through her confirmation on a party-line vote.” [ABC News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

KWUA-TV | Tribes And Farmers Agree: Reclamation’s Draft Environmental Assessment Flawed; Inadequate — “The adage ‘a good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied’ often applies to water management. Yet in the case of the Bureau of Reclamation’s recent draft environmental assessment, the unanimous opposition expressed by agricultural and tribal representatives does not suggest a carefully crafted, durable product. Rather, the comments reflect widespread doubt about the validity of Reclamation’s new proposed action for operation of the Klamath Project, condemnation of its analysis, and concerns about the potential impacts to the natural and human resources of the Klamath Basin. Reclamation released its draft environmental assessment on September 11, 2024, and gave the public 14 days to comment on the 150-page document. The Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), Klamath Irrigation District, and Klamath Drainage District submitted comments on behalf of agricultural interests in the Klamath Project. The Klamath Tribes, the Karuk Tribe, and the Yurok Tribe filed comments addressing their respective rights and interests.” [Basin Ag News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

 

Monarch Butterflies Candidate For Endangered Species List — “Monarch butterflies could be on the federal Endangered Species list by year’s end. Eastern monarchs found in New York and other northeastern states saw an 80% population decline between the 1980s and 2020. Their Western counterparts have seen a 90% population drop. Environmental groups petitioned for them to be listed as ‘threatened’ back in 2014 and the monarch became a candidate species in 2020. Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón, monarch recovery strategist and climate resilient habitat director for the National Wildlife Federation, said monarch butterflies face many threats. ‘The main threats that we have identified for the monarch butterfly are habitat loss and fragmentation of the remaining habitats,’ Quiñonez-Piñón outlined. ‘Climate change is at the top of the list, definitely, and the excessive use of pesticides.’ She called monarch butterflies a ‘canary in the coal mine’ for pollinators and the ecosystem, a warning more needs to be done to help the environment. A dozen species of bumblebees are also candidates under the Endangered Species Act. They also fall victim to the same threats of monarch butterflies.” [Public News Service, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

Are Monarchs 'Threatened Enough?' Government Soon Decides — “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to decide soon whether to list the monarch butterfly as ‘threatened’ under the Endangered Species Act. The designation could carry major consequences for one of the country’s most recognizable insects. Monarchs are split into two colonies on either side of the Rocky Mountains and both eastern and western colonies have shrunk by more than 90%. Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón, monarch recovery strategist and climate resilient habitat director for the National Wildlife Federation, said if the monarch is listed, federal rules will be implemented to help monarch colonies. ‘The benefit is that the Service can work on tailored rules for the species itself, which can be very specific, to target the major needs of the monarch butterfly,’ Quiñonez-Piñón explained. ‘To ensure that we can recover and increase the population size.’ Quiñonez-Piñón pointed out habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are the major drivers of the monarch’s decline. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources said monarch butterflies weigh less than a paper clip and can travel more than 3,000 miles during their migration.” [Public News Service, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

 

Clean Energy

 

Battening Down The Hatches — “Offshore wind developers are bracing for heavy weather when President-elect Donald Trump takes office next year with his promise to halt federal support for projects on Day 1 of his administration, Benjamin Storrow reports. That wariness has been reflected in a recent announcement from a developer to pause major spending on a project planned off New York, along with others signaling they are preparing for a permitting slowdown. If Trump makes good on his vow, it could set the stage for conflict between his administration and states in the Northeast that are counting on offshore wind to hit climate goals and meet growing demand for power. ‘There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges that offshore wind is going to have under a Trump administration,’ said Dan Dolan, executive director of the New England Power Generators’ Association, a trade group that counts Vineyard Offshore among its members. The big question facing the industry is whether Trump will stop at new projects or attempt to halt projects that have already begun construction or received federal environmental permits. The new administration could rewrite tax guidance to make it harder for developers to claim tax bonuses under the Inflation Reduction Act.” [Politico, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

 

Alaska

 

Feds Open Public Comment Period For King Cove Road — “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) officials are seeking public comment on a proposed land exchange that would allow for a road to be built through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, connecting King Cove with the all-weather airport at Cold Bay. The draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) evaluates effects of the land exchange involving lands owned by the King Cove Corp. and lands owned by the Interior Department within the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. USFW said that the notice would be published in the Federal Register. The draft SEIS supplements the USFW’s 2013 environmental impact statement on the effects of a then-proposed land exchange and road corridor and the viability of alternatives to provide safe, reliable transportation for noncommercial health, safety and subsistence uses between King Cove and the airport at Cold Bay. Residents of the fishing community of King Cove have been lobbying for years for the road, to allow for transporting residents to get to the airport in medical emergencies when weather conditions made it too dangerous to fly from King Cove to Cold Bay.” [The Cordova Times, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

California

 

Polluted Tijuana River Not Getting Enough And Urgent Attention, Residents Say — “Rain is coming in south San Diego, which means higher water levels in the polluted Tijuana River — and, potentially, even worse air quality. Now, residents worry that the home air filters newly provided by San Diego County won’t be enough to curb the noxious air from the rising river. And despite increased federal and state attention in recent weeks, local officials and residents say that solutions are still elusive and distant in the wake of the November elections and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s refusal to declare a state of emergency over the situation. … Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre has been to the White House twice to speak with Brenda Mallory, the chair of President Biden’s Council on Environmental Quality, to ask for assistance. She plans to make one last plea in person next month. President-elect Donald Trump previously authorized $300 million to stop the cross-border pollution as part of the U.S-Mexico-Canada trade agreement in 2020. But Trump’s vow to cut federal budgets when he takes office in 2025 has Aguirre concerned about a reduction in disaster relief funding. Lee Zeldin, Trump’s choice to lead the EPA, is also expected to scale back regulations. ‘If he dismantles the EPA ... good luck to all of us, because I don’t know what the strategy will be,’ Aguirre said.” [Los Angeles Times, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Colorado

 

Feds Sue Group That Put Up Fence, Claimed Ownership Over 1,400 Acres Of Colorado Forest — “A group that fenced off about 1,400 acres of U.S. Forest Service land outside Mancos after claiming ownership over it is now being sued by the federal government. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court of Colorado, U.S. attorneys called the Free Land Holder group’s fence ‘unlawful,’ citing the federal government’s title to the land that it manages through the Forest Service for recreation purposes and cattle grazing. The U.S. is filing the lawsuit, attorneys wrote, to prevent further harm to the land and public and ‘ensure continuing free and lawful access to public property.’ The lawsuit names Patrick Leroy Pipkin and Bryan Hammon, two members of the Free Land Holder group, as well as anyone else who helped build the fence. Pipkin said his group is eager to meet with representatives of the U.S. government to discuss his group’s claim to the land. His group agreed with the Montezuma County sheriff in October to not erect any more fencing until the claims are settled, he said.” [The Colorado Sun, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Group Who Built Fence On National Forest Land Is Being Sued By The US Government — “A group identifying themselves as the Free Land Holder Committee, or the Free Land Holders, who built a fence across National Forest System lands in the San Juan National Forest, is now being sued by the United States of America. According to the lawsuit, the fence was built on the Hallar Deed Area within the San Juan National Forest, which is north of Mancos. The public uses the area for many purposes such as recreation and grazing, which the group obstructed with miles of fence posts and barbed wire, the document says. The United States says it has held the title to the Hallar Deed Area since grantor Fred C. Hallar deeded the land to the country by warranty deed in 1927. Members of a local Facebook group met in October to remove the fencing at Chicken Creek Road in Mancos. The fence materials were left behind. As of Tuesday, the Free Land Holders had not yet removed those materials, according to the lawsuit.” [KUSA-TV, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Idaho

 

BLM Chief Vows Idaho Wind Project, Historic Site Can Coexist — “The Bureau of Land Management will work to ensure the contentious Lava Ridge wind project in southern Idaho does not harm nearby historic sites if approved, Director Tracy Stone-Manning said. Stone-Manning, in a formal response letter sent Monday to the chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, wrote that the bureau generally agrees with the council’s concerns about the wind project and its potential to negatively impact the Minidoka National Historic Site, which memorializes an internment camp where thousands of Japanese Americans were held involuntarily during World War II. As such, BLM is working with the company proposing the project, the Japanese-American community, Native American tribes and others to ensure adequate protections and mitigation measures are in place, Stone-Manning wrote to ACHP Chair Sara Bronin. ‘As we proceed with the Project, the BLM remains committed to its historic preservation goals and responsibilities in fulfilling our multiple-use mandate under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, ensuring responsible renewable energy development while protecting significant cultural landscapes and historic properties,’ Stone-Manning wrote.” [E&E News, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

Massachusetts

 

Massachusetts Enacts Energy Plan To Boost Renewables — “New legislation in Massachusetts could have sweeping effects on the energy sector by streamlining permitting processes and expanding credits for offshore wind. The new law signed by Gov. Maura Healey (D) last week — the result of months of negotiations with state lawmakers — is one of the broadest energy packages to pass in the Northeast in recent years. It would create more pathways to install electric vehicle chargers and update clean energy standards to include nuclear fusion. The Bay State’s new law arrives as the U.S. prepares for a U-turn on many energy policies at the federal level. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office Jan. 20, criticized offshore wind, solar and EVs throughout his campaign. And he has called for rolling back many incentives. In Massachusetts, the new energy looks more in step with the Biden administration’s energy and climate moves over the past four years. ‘Accelerating clean energy development will create good jobs, lower costs, attract more businesses to Massachusetts, and grow our climatetech economy,’ Healey said in a statement last week.” [E&E News, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

Town Urges Islanders To Lobby Federal And State Preservation Authorities Over SouthCoast Wind Mitigation — “With the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) set to issue a permit for the SouthCoast Wind project south of Nantucket next month, the town has put out an ‘urgent’ plea for island residents to lobby state and federal preservation authorities to stall the process. The goal is not only to get BOEM to improve its proposed mitigation for Nantucket, but also to potentially drag out the approval process beyond the Jan. 20th, 2025 inauguration of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vowed to end offshore wind projects on ‘day one.’ The SouthCoast Wind project is still in the midst of the so-called Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act, which deals with the impacts on historic propertiesthe Se and gives the town standing with BOEM, as the island is a registered National Historic Landmark. The town has already objected to BOEM’s mitigation proposal for the SouthCoast Wind: just $150,000 for historic property surveys and archeological assessments - to limit the impact of the offshore energy development on the island. Despite those objections during the Section 106 process, BOEM appears poised to issue a permit for SouthCoast Wind on December 19, an approval which opponents believe is being rushed through before the Biden administration leaves the White House.” [Nantucket Current, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

When Will Vineyard Wind Be Finished? — “In mid-2023, company executives projected the wind farm would be fully operational in 2024. But with one month left in the year, only about one-third of the turbines appear fully installed. Much of the delay comes from a blade failure in July, after which federal regulators halted project installation before allowing it to proceed under restrictions. Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller, talking to reporters at a Nov. 18 event in New Bedford, would not give a new date for projected completion. He estimated that the project — including onshore infrastructure — was about ‘80% done.’ But The Light’s boat trip to the lease area on Nov. 20 showed that only a third of the turbines are completed. The other two-thirds need work: foundations, towers, or blades. Vineyard Wind said it aims to get its last turbine foundations installed by the end of December. But with a recent lease extension at the New Bedford staging terminal, work on turbine towers and blades will continue into early 2025 — and the beginning of a new, less friendly federal administration.” [The New Bedford Light, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

New York

 

Bloomberg | Total Pauses New York Offshore Wind Project After Trump Win — “TotalEnergies has halted development of an offshore wind farm it plans to build off the coast of New York, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump signaled he’ll obstruct the green industry championed by his predecessor. ‘Offshore wind, I have decided to put the project on pause’ with Trump’s return, Total CEO Patrick Pouyanné said at an energy industry conference in London on Tuesday. The move by the French oil and gas giant is one of the first tangible signs of a halt in investment in renewable power sources attributed to the incoming U.S. administration. Trump, a frequent critic of wind power, said during the presidential campaign that he would target the offshore wind industry with an executive action on his first day in office. It’s unclear how far Trump would go, though analysts have said the president-elect is likely to pause offshore wind lease sales and permitting of new ventures, like Total’s planned Attentive Energy project near New York and New Jersey.” [E&E News, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

TotalEnergies Pauses US Offshore Wind Due To Political Uncertainties — “TotalEnergies has reportedly decided to pause its U.S. offshore wind energy projects citing political uncertainties after the U.S. presidential election. The move comes as many in the industry are waiting for the new Trump administration’s policy toward wind energy and renewables. Reuters is reporting that Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies announced the company’s position to the audience at the Energy Intelligence Forum taking place this week in London. On Tuesday they reported Pouyanne said, ‘In offshore wind, I decided to put the project on pause, because all the offshore wind projects are in Democratic states ... we’ll see better in four years.’ TotalEnergy has been active in the U.S. offshore wind market since 2018 and is in partnership with Corio Generation. They launched Attentive Energy and in February 2022 TotalEnergy was part of a winning bid of $795 million for a lease area in the New York Bight. The lease covers 132 square miles and is located up to 47 nautical miles from the coast south of New York and east of New Jersey.” [Maritime Executive, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

After Trump Win, TotalEnergies Halts New York Bight Wind Project — “Anticipating opposition from the impending Trump presidency, offshore wind developer TotalEnergies SE says it is suspending work on its Attentive Energy project planned off New York and New Jersey. The 3,000-megawatt array south of New York Harbor could be operational in the 2030s according to developers. But on Tuesday, ‘I have decided to put the project on pause’ with Trump’s return, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said at an energy industry conference in London, Bloomberg reported. The Attentive Energy project is still in the early stages of permitting with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, although developers have obtained offshore leasing rights from BOEM. Pouyanne indicated TotalEnergies may wait for political winds to shift again. ‘I said to my team, the project in New York, we’ll see that in four years,’ he said, Bloomberg reported. ‘But the advantage is it’s only for four years.’ Trump’s campaign promise to kill offshore wind projects on ‘day one’ of his next presidency has cast a pall over the fledging U.S. ocean wind industry. After lukewarm support during Trump’s first administration, his Department of Interior officials turned sharply in their last months, trying to cancel permits for the Vineyard Wind project off southern New England.” [WorkBoat, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

North Carolina

 

North Carolina Republicans Aren’t Worried About Cuts To Clean Energy — “The government of North Carolina is heavily dominated by Republicans, except for the governor, who swept to victory earlier this month because the Republican nominee was so loathsome that even his own party refused to support him. North Carolina has also been a key recipient of clean energy funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in Congress in 2022 without a single Republican vote. Those of us who toil away in the salt mines here at CleanTechnica have been trying to understand how so many people could vote against their own self interest, but at a Conservatives for Clean Energy luncheon in Raleigh last week, those in attendance — which included the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy — downplayed the potential impact of a second Trump term on clean energy progress.” [CleanTechnica, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

Oregon

 

Video: Controversial Plan To Save Spotted Owls Sparks Debate — “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is implementing a divisive plan to save the endangered spotted owl by killing its competitor, the barred owl.” [KPTV-TV, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Utah

 

Lawsuits Challenging Utah Monument Cuts To Remain On Hold — “The Biden administration won its bid to keep a pair of legal challenges over then-President Donald Trump’s shrinking of two Utah national monuments alive — creating a potential hurdle for his incoming administration, which is expected to once again target protections for public lands. Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee, ruled Monday to continue to stay two parallel lawsuits centered on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bears Ears National Monument. Utah state and local officials had asked Chutkan to reactivate the cases and then dismiss the complaints as moot. Both lawsuits challenge Trump’s decision in 2017 to erase monument status for more than 2 million acres of public lands, which President Joe Biden reversed in late 2021. In her ruling in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Chutkan sided with arguments made by the Biden administration, which argued that a related case in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals must be allowed to conclude before the D.C. cases could return to active status.” [E&E News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

One Year After Federal Listing, Idaho Forest Managers Work To Help Wolverines Survive — “Biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have begun a new project to better understand wolverine populations and demographics within Idaho forests. A year ago, the North American wolverine was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, meaning it is federally recognized as a species that would likely become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Biologists set up an automatic lure dispenser and hair-snare for the Wolverine Monitoring Enhancement project. (Courtesy of Kelly Martin) Wolverines live in remote, high-elevation alpine habitats. During the winter, they rely on deep snowpack to dig dens where they rear their young. There is limited population data on wolverines, but in 2014, U.S. Fish and Wildlife estimated that between 250 to 300 wolverines lived in the Lower 48 states. The Wolverine Monitoring Enhancement project began in October with scientists setting up motion sensing cameras, scent dispensers and hair-snare stations across Idaho’s Boise, Payette and Sawtooth national forests. The goal is to lure wolverines to trees with the scent of roadkill, and snag a piece of hair as they investigate the scent. The hair samples will be used to analyze DNA.” [Utah News Dispatch, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Federal Funding To Bring New Stream Gates To Great Salt Lake — “The Bureau of Reclamation is giving $3 million to help water managers better track Great Salt Lake’s incoming water. Water managers say the money will fund 13 new stream gates. The stream gates will help researchers learn how much water flows into the lake each year. ‘It’ll help us understand when water is dedicated to the lake, is it actually getting to the lake?’ said Great Salt Lake Deputy Commissioner Tim Davis. ‘It’ll help us understand during different years, how much water, even when it’s not dedicated, makes it to the lake.’ According to Davis, understanding how much the lake gains and loses each year is critical in the mission to keep it from drying up. One of the stream gates will be installed in the Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management area. It will be about 10 miles closer to the lake than the current closest one.” [KSL-TV, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Wyoming

 

Oil Companies Challenge NEPA Court Ruling On Wyoming Drilling — “Two oil and gas companies are challenging a court ruling temporarily blocking the Interior Department from approving new drilling permits for a Trump-era project within Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. Continental Resources and Devon Energy Production are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to reconsider a federal judge’s order barring the Bureau of Land Management from authorizing new applications for permits to drill (APDs) for the Converse County Oil and Gas Project. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in September that BLM’s consideration of groundwater effects of the project in its National Environmental Policy Act review was inadequate. The court asked for further briefing from the parties in the case on whether the analysis should be tossed out. In the meantime, Judge Tanya Chutkan said new drilling approvals based on the challenged NEPA review would be on hold.” [E&E News, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

Wyoming Joins Suit Over Federal Control Of Lands — “Large sections of Western states, like Wyoming, do not control most of the land in their borders. In August, Utah filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that it’s unconstitutional for the federal government to retain unappropriated land in a state indefinitely. A dozen other states filed briefs in support of Utah’s suit. Those states include. Idaho, Alaska, and Wyoming, Joining the states are a coalition of counties in Arizona and New Mexico.” [K2 Radio, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

 

Western Water

 

Bureau Of Reclamation Outlines Potential Colorado River Guidelines Alternatives — “Last week, the Bureau of Reclamations released potential alternative guidelines to replace the current Colorado River management plans that expire post-2026. Five proposals were published that the bureau will review for analysis in the draft environmental impact statement. Ahead of schedule, drafts of the guidelines were expected to be released in December. After reviewing and listening to public feedback over the drafts, the long federal process is expected to have an agreement by August 2026 and new plans in place beginning in 2027. In a press release published last Wednesday by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the shared hope that the seven basin states (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, California and Nevada) and Mexico can come to a consensus ensuring water security for the 40 million people dependent on it was expressed. ‘We continue to support and encourage all partners as they work toward another consensus agreement that will both protect the long-term stability of the Colorado River Basin and meet the needs of all communities,’ acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis said in the press release.” [Deseret News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

Tribes Press For Lame-Duck Passage Of Landmark $5B Water Deal — “Tribal leaders in Arizona who spent 40 years hashing out a deal to secure their share of flows from the Colorado River are looking to end the long-running campaign in a sprint: urging lawmakers to adopt the $5 billion water rights settlement in the five weeks before the 118th Congress ends. The Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe are banking in part on Congress’ predilection for adopting tribal water bills during lame-duck sessions, whether as stand-alone legislation or part of large packages. A review of bills adopted since 2000 shows a dozen settlements adopted between Election Day and the start of the next Congress. But concerns raised by some Colorado River Basin states over the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement’s impact on water use and management threaten to delay the legislation to the next Congress. Seven states share the waterway, which supports 40 million individuals. ‘There’s a lot of political will on both sides of the aisle. We have bipartisan support in the House and in the Senate as well. We’re really excited about this, but it’s a really challenging issue,’ said Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch.” [E&E News, 11/26/24 (=)]

 

The Response From Upriver — “Major water players along the Colorado River are still thinking through the Biden administration’s last big effort to try and push the parties towards a deal for managing the river in the drier decades to come. Upstream states on Tuesday put out their first public statement since the Interior Department dropped its move last week, saying they ‘look forward to better understanding the concepts identified by Reclamation,’ but ‘continue to stand firmly behind the concepts embodied’ in their proposal last spring.” [Politico, 11/27/24 (=)]

 

 

Wildfires Are Forcing Hikers Off Parts Of The Pacific Crest Trail — “The Pacific Crest Trail, or PCT, runs all the way from the U.S. border with Mexico to the border with Canada, crossing more than 2,600 miles of desert, mountains, and forest. And for many people, hiking the trail end to end is a lifelong goal. But this year, wildfires interrupted hikers’ journeys. Rylee: ‘This year, in July, it just hit everywhere along the trail, north to south. It seemed like there was just no region that was exempt from fire this year.’ Chris Rylee is with the Pacific Crest Trail Association. He says wildfires closed more than 600 miles of the trail, forcing hikers off the path. Some fires burned parts of the trail directly. Other fires burned nearby or covered the landscape in thick smoke, which is unhealthy to breathe. And the risks to hikers can remain long after a fire has passed. Dead trees can fall on hikers, and burned areas are at an increased risk of landslides and floods. Climate change is making extreme wildfires more common in the Western U.S.” [Yale Climate Connections, 11/26/24 (+)]

 

 

 

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