Public Lands Clips: December 4, 2024

 

 

5 Ways The Biden Administration Is Working To ‘Trump-Proof’ Washington — “The Biden administration has gone into overdrive securing progressive policy goals from the impending Trump administration 2.0. From confirming progressive judges, to constraining American energy with environmental red tape, to simply spending every last unjustified dollar, the Biden administration is committed to ensuring their policies carry on into the Trump administration for as long as possible. … Other environmental rules the Biden administration is rushing to finalize include ‘narrowing the scope of an oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,’ ‘restricting drilling, mining and livestock grazing across nearly 65 million acres … to save an imperiled bird,’ and ‘finaliz[ing] three rules restricting the release of toxic chemicals.’ ‘From what we can tell, they’ve done a very good job lining this stuff up, so there’s not a whole lot at risk of getting punted into the next administration,’ said Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities. ‘I think everyone learned that lesson in 2016.’” [Washington Standard, 12/3/24 (+)]

 

 

Doug Burgum, According To His Former Employees — “Doug Burgum played on his company basketball team, dressed up like an elf at the holiday party and took his co-workers to round up cattle when he was a tech boss in the 1980s and 1990s. Decades before he was set to become a key player in the second Trump administration, Burgum was a cowboy boot-wearing entrepreneur who put Fargo, North Dakota, on the map as a technology hub. As president and CEO of Great Plains Software, Burgum lured top talent from around the country, ranked as one of the top employers in the U.S. and caught the attention of Microsoft, which bought the Fargo-based accounting software firm for approximately $1.1 billion in stock. His early days as a star in the tech world launched Burgum into his high-powered business career followed by a stint in politics. Now 68 and the governor of North Dakota, Burgum is poised to become one of the most important figures in setting energy policy under President-elect Donald Trump.” [E&E News, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Trump Agriculture Pick Starts Meeting With Senators — “President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Agriculture secretary said Tuesday she’s focused on rural America and protecting farmers, as she begins meetings with lawmakers. Brooke Rollins, the conservative think tank leader who’s in line to lead the sprawling Department of Agriculture, told POLITICO’s E&E News she’s visiting with people involved in agriculture policy on Capitol Hill and had a ‘great meeting’ with Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) on Tuesday. Leaving the 30-minute meeting with Boozman — the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee’s presumed incoming chair — Rollins said, ‘I’m so grateful for his support for my nomination.’ She added, ‘Hopefully together we and the larger agriculture community will able to focus on rural America and protecting our farmers.’ In making the Capitol Hill rounds, Rollins joins others in line for Cabinet-level posts. Lee Zeldin, the president-elect’s choice to lead EPA, met with senators Monday and Tuesday.” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

Wright On Time — “Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), incoming chair of the Energy Committee next year, is hosting Chris Wright, Trump’s nominee to lead the Energy Department, for a meeting on the Hill this week, his office confirmed to Josh. Wright, the CEO of fracking services company Liberty Energy, has earned praise from Republicans and is expected to face a smooth confirmation process. Hoeven, an Energy Committee member, said he plans to meet with Wright today on the Hill, and Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum would be visiting with members next week.” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

 

Senate

 

GOP Leads With Energy — “Senate Republicans are looking to tackle energy as one of their top priorities in a reconciliation bill within the first 30 days of the Trump administration, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune outlined at a private GOP conference meeting on Tuesday. Thune is also calling for a second reconciliation package focused on taxes and other Trump administration priorities. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who is set to be the No. 2 Senate Republican, told our Josh Siegel that lawmakers are discussing directing the Interior Department to hold more oil and gas lease sales and reopen lands for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as part of the first reconciliation bill. That would be in line with the measures in Republicans’ 2017 reconciliation bill. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) told Josh Republicans are discussing including permitting measures alongside the energy provisions, saying they ‘go together and they unify the conference.’ Sullivan said permitting is ‘a little more challenging’ because reconciliation measures must have a budget nexus, but he insisted it’s ‘not impossible.’ But Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) stressed Republicans have not ‘narrowed down’ specific energy policies that would be included.” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

House

 

House, Senate Approve Slate Of Natural Resources Bills — “Lawmakers passed a number of bipartisan natural resources bills Tuesday afternoon, including one to reauthorize major conservation programs. The House voted 366-21 in favor of S. 3791, the ‘America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act.’ The bill, from Senate Environment and Public Works leadership, already cleared that chamber earlier this year. It would reauthorize the 2020 America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act, which funds a number of wildlife conservation programs like the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, the Chesapeake Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The new bill would extend funding and protections through 2030. ‘This pivotal piece of legislation signifies our commitment to preserving the natural beauty of our great nation, while promoting sustainable practices for future generations,’ said Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.).” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

Curtis Bills Address Colorado River Salinity, Critical Minerals — “In a time of drought and increasing water scarcity throughout the West, a key step to protect the water supply for more than 40 million residents is to control the salinity of the Colorado River to ensure its continued functionality. Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, pushed forward legislation successfully on Tuesday to boost efforts to combat that challenge and step up states’ and the federal government’s response. ‘High salinity levels in the Colorado River have far-reaching consequences. They threaten the beauty and integrity of Utah’s national parks, impact our ranchers and farmers, and jeopardize drinking water for millions of Americans,’ he said.” [Deseret News, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Stansbury Touts Grijalva Support — “Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) is telling colleagues that she has the backing of outgoing House Natural Resources Chair Raúl Grijalva as she weighs a long-shot bid to succeed him, Josh and Nicholas Wu report. As ME reported on Tuesday, Stansbury’s office said she is ‘taking a serious look’ at entering the race against Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the presumptive favorite. In messages to colleagues, Stansbury said Grijalva asked her if she’d consider running with his support after he dropped out.” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

 

 

NOAA Asks Fishermen To Brainstorm Solutions To Nuisance Marine Mammals — “NOAA Fisheries is asking fishermen and seafood industry representatives to weigh in on methods to reduce unwanted encounters with marine mammals that interfere with fishing operations by getting too close to vessels, gear, harbors, docks and other infrastructure. The agency’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee said its anonymous survey will help officials understand the scope and use of ‘marine mammal deterrents’ by industry to prevent ‘dolphins, whales, seals, and sea lions eating fish from hooks and nets and damaging fishing gear and harbor infrastructure, which leads to economic losses.’ The online survey will gather ‘knowledge and perceptions about the nature of marine mammal interactions and use of deterrents currently employed by aquaculture farmers, commercial, recreational, and tribal fishermen, and property owners,’ the agency said in a news release.” [E&E News, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

 

U.S. To Invest About $850M In Improving Water, Drought Systems In Western States — “A nearly billion-dollar investment will go to almost a dozen western states for critical upgrades to water delivery and drought resilience infrastructure, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced Tuesday. ‘As we work to address record drought and changing climate conditions in the Colorado River Basin and throughout the West,’ Acting Deputy Interior Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis said Tuesday in a release. ‘These investments in our aging water infrastructure will conserve community water supplies and revitalize water delivery systems.’ Roughly $849 million in a latest round of federal investments will be put toward at least 77 revitalization projects to rehab aging water delivery systems across the western United States and improve drought resilience in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Washington. Notably, President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have been the drivers of more than $15 billion alone in federal investments to western states aimed to better enhance the region’s ability to handle worsening drought conditions.” [UPI, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Water Money Out The Door — “The Biden administration announced another $850 million to upgrade aging Western water infrastructure that supplies farms and cities Tuesday, including $118.3 million tagged for projects connected to the drought-stricken Colorado River. The Biden administration is seeking to revive negotiations over the West’s most important river as major players gather for their annual conference in Las Vegas. Before Thanksgiving, the Interior Department released a suite of options for managing the waterway designed to drive the deadlocked states back to the negotiating table.” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

National Park Service (NPS)

 

Private Donations Pour In For Cash-Strapped National Parks — “The National Park Service is seeing a surge in private support bigger than anytime in its 108-year history as it also faces a maintenance backlog of more than $23 billion, made worse this fall by hurricane damage to its most popular location. Three years after setting a goal of raising $1 billion, the Park Service’s official charitable partner, the National Park Foundation, is almost there, having raised $840 million since 2021, the foundation’s outgoing president and CEO Will Shafroth said. That fundraising under the Campaign for National Parks is in addition to efforts of park partners across the country — such as the Trust for Public Land, American Battlefield Trust, Conservation Legacy and the Student Conservation Association — that collectively want to raise another $3.5 billion. Visits to national parks rose from about 275 million in 2010 to 325 million last year. Shafroth said many of these visitors, inspired by the beauty of places like Yellowstone National Park, say the parks and staff have ‘created an amazing experience for me and my family. I want to give back.’” [Longview News-Journal, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

 

Environmentalists Ask Full Court To Reverse ‘Dangerous’ CEQ NEPA Ruling — “Environmentalists are asking the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to reverse a ‘demonstrably dangerous’ split panel ruling that held the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) lacks authority to issue binding rules for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Attorneys with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Earthjustice filed a Nov. 27 petition for panel rehearing or en banc review in Marin Audubon Society, et al. v. Federal Aviation Administration, et al. ‘This is an unusual petition, necessitated by an unusual panel decision’ that departed from the principle that federal courts do not consider arguments not presented to them. ‘The consequences of its choice to do so will reach far beyond this case, and beyond this Circuit,’ the petition says. The panel majority in its Nov. 12 decision held CEQ has no authority to issue binding NEPA rules even though no party had raised that issue in briefs or during oral arguments.” [Inside EPA, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

D.C. Circuit’s CEQ Ruling Hangs Over Rare High Court NEPA Arguments — “The Supreme Court is slated to hold oral arguments next week in a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) suit that focuses on whether federal agencies must study ‘reasonably foreseeable’ effects over which they lack statutory authority to regulate, the first NEPA suit the high court has heard in two decades. But the Dec. 10 oral arguments come against the backdrop of the recent bombshell appellate decision finding that the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) lacks authority to issue binding NEPA implementing rules. Ted Boling, a former long-time CEQ NEPA official now with Perkins Coie, tells Inside EPA that the Nov. 12 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit tanking CEQ’s NEPA regulatory authority in Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration, et al., could arise at the Supreme Court when it hears arguments in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, et al. v. Eagle County, Colorado, et al. While Boling believes the Marin Audubon case is ‘an excellent candidate’ for en banc review before the full D.C. Circuit, ‘The bigger question is, what does the Supreme Court say about this? We’ll see what happens at oral argument in the Seven County case.’” [Inside EPA, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

 

Clean Energy

 

Op-Ed: Offshore Energy Is An Untapped Goldmine — According to Erik Milito, “President-elect Trump’s drive to make government more efficient with the help of innovators Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy is exciting. There’s one opportunity they should take advantage of, and it’s closer than they might think: America’s offshore energy. With the Gulf of Mexico as an energy powerhouse, America can boost jobs, government revenue and environmental impact — all without choosing sides between fossil fuels and renewables. … It’s not just about oil and gas. Offshore wind is quickly emerging as a significant player, with federal lease sales bringing in $6 billion. Regular lease offerings in wind energy would allow companies to choose the best time to invest, providing flexibility in responding to the market’s ups and downs and resulting in a better deal for energy consumers. When oil, gas and wind work together, we get a ripple effect of benefits nationwide. Companies throughout the supply chain — vessel service companies, steel fabricators and marine construction firms — have been securing contracts and deploying workers for offshore wind projects.” [Boston Herald, 12/3/24 (~)]

 

 

Alaska

 

Trump Gets Second Chance To Drill ANWR. Will Oil Companies Bite? — “President-elect Donald Trump will get another try to unleash drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during his second term, but oil production won’t come easy. The success of a potential drilling campaign may depend on whether North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) — Trump’s pick for Interior secretary — prioritizes Alaska oil and gas issues and whether his staff members are skilled at unraveling Biden administration rules crafted to hamper drilling in the Arctic. ANWR, treasured for its wildness, is already facing the dramatic effects of a changing climate, including thawing permafrost —an underground layer of ice, dirt and organic matter that stays frozen all year. Alaska’s remote location also makes oil drilling more expensive and risky for companies, particularly in the sensitive wildlife habitat of the refuge. Still, the potential payoff remains enticing to drilling supporters. ‘There are billions and billions of barrels of oil recoverable in ANWR. The main problem is the permitting and litigation risk,’ said Randy Ruaro, executive director of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, an independent economic development agency set up by the state’s government. ‘You just have to get the system in place that allows for reasonable permitting and production of the oil and gas.’” [E&E News, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

California

 

National Park Service To Remove Elk Fencing In Point Reyes — “Tule elk will be permitted to roam free in Northern California’s Point Reyes National Seashore, the National Park Service announced Monday. As part of a long-awaited park management plan, NPS approved the removal of fencing that has kept tule elk contained to a portion of the Point Reyes site. The fencing was initially implemented to keep elk from interfering with ranching and dairy operations within the park. Tensions between ranchers and animal conservationists have simmered for decades over the seashore north of San Francisco. NPS has leased land to ranchers since the park site’s establishment in 1962 and introduced the elk species in 1978, where it has mostly thrived. The disagreement about how to manage the elk became particularly intense after hundreds of the animals, confined to the north edge of the park, died in a drought from 2012 to 2014. Conservation groups argue that fencing has kept the tule elk from the resources they need, while ranchers have said free-roaming elk threaten their way of life.” [E&E News, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

NPS To Remove Controversial Tule Elk Fence At Point Reyes After More Than 45 Years — “After receiving more than 35,000 public comments, the National Park Service announced Monday that it would remove the controversial tule elk enclosure fence at Point Reyes National Seashore as part of its finalized management plan for Tomales Point. The final Tomales Point Area Plan, which has been in development with civic engagement since the spring of 2022, calls for the removal of 2.2 miles of tule elk enclosure fencing. Additionally, all temporary water systems and mineral resources that were installed during the most recent drought will be removed. The 10-foot-tall fence was first installed in 1978 when two male and eight female tule elks were reintroduced to Tomales Point. After the fence’s removal, the intentional confinement of Tomales Point tule elk will end, and the herd will become a free-range population. The minimum population estimate for the Tomales Point herd is 315 elk, according to NPS’s 2024 annual count.” [KRON-TV, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

The Point Reyes Tule Elk Will Finally Roam Free, Park Service Announces — “After years of debate, nearly two miles of fencing that prevented Point Reyes National Seashore tule elk from accessing water and competing for food with nearby cattle will be removed, the National Park Service announced Monday. The 8-foot-high, 2.2-mile enclosure fence, which was decried as inhumane by animal rights activists but supported by cattle ranchers, will be removed along with all temporary water systems. ‘We analyzed three alternatives and incorporated feedback from over 35,000 public comment letters gathered during three comment periods,’ said Anne Altman, park superintendent, in a media statement. ‘The benefit of removing this enclosure is to allow elk to access additional habitat, increase the species’ population resilience during drought, and promote a more natural population cycle.’” [Los Angeles Times, 12/3/24 (+)]

 

Shasta Dam To Receive Crucial Upgrades As Part Of $849M Western US Water Initiative — “The Biden-Harris administration has announced over $65 million in funding for 11 projects in Northern California aimed at modernizing water infrastructure and bolstering drought resilience, according to the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). This funding is part of a broader $849 million initiative under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which seeks to revitalize aging water delivery systems across the Western United States. USBR Senior Counselor John Watts revealed the funding during a visit to Shasta Dam, the largest reservoir in California, located about nine miles northwest of Redding on the Sacramento River. The USBR said the projects will focus on improving water conveyance and storage, enhancing safety, boosting hydropower generation, and upgrading water treatment facilities. Additionally, funds will be allocated for fishery improvements.” [KRCR-TV, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Thousands Of Wild Owls Targeted For Slaughter In CA, West Coast — “U.S. wildlife officials are scaling up efforts to kill thousands of barred owls in California and much of the West Coast, but it’s a controversial program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan includes using trained shooters to target the raptors in the Golden State, Oregon and Washington, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service goal of killing up to 452,000 barred owls over 30 years. The mass kill-off is a bid to save native owls — namely northern spotted owls and California spotted owls — whose numbers are declining due to the barred owl’s takeover of their habitat, according to wildlife officials.” [Daily Montanan, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Colorado

 

KDVR-TV | Justice Department Sues Group Associated With Mormon Sect For Fences Built On Forest Service Lands — “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado is suing a group of ‘unidentified persons’ accused of trying to fence portions of U.S. Forest Service land in Montezuma County beginning in October. The group calls itself the Free Land Holders and is trying to claim land in the Mancos/Dolores Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest under the Homestead Act of 1862. Past coverage: Group associated with polygamous sect builds fences on US Forest Service lands The group seems to be led by Patrick Pipkin, who is named in the lawsuit and was formerly associated with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a sect of the mainstream Mormon church that encourages members to engage in plural marriage or polygamy. FLDS President Warren Jeffs, who is now incarcerated for various sexual offenses, once owned 60 acres near Mancos, which was put under court guardianship after his conviction, and is now called ‘Blue Mountain Ranch.’ Free Land Holders is not directly associated with other FLDS groups that once owned the property, according to the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office.” [Western Slope Now, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Feds Sue Colorado Cult Over Barbed Wire Fencing On Public Land — “In an era where we have countless public lands enemies, whether its mining operations, mass logging, housing developers, federal and state governments, among many others, I didn’t have cults on my Bingo card. Yet, here we are. Now, we’ve talked about the Free Land Holders Committee before, as a few months back, the former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints cult out of Colorado set up shop and erected a bunch of barbed wire fencing around a plot of land they call theirs. There was just one problem, that land was owned by the federal government, not the cult. And the locals who recreated in the San Juan National Forest and derived their revenue from the area, were none too pleased by the cult’s annexation of the land. After they began discovering the barbed wire fencing along well-used trails and sections of the forest, they got together and began taking it all down themselves, even though the local sheriffs have been wary about those efforts due to possible violence between the groups.” [Ride Apart, 12/3/24 (+)]

 

Colorado Regulator: Companies Turned In False Reports On Oil And Gas Pollution — “Colorado’s oil and gas regulator is investigating two consulting firms over what it calls falsified laboratory and field data submitted on behalf of three of the biggest oil producers in the state. The allegations raise questions about how much both state and federal regulators rely on the energy industry to self-report its own pollution and emissions data. Julie Murphy, director of the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, said at a special meeting last week that falsified data appeared on forms tied to the remediation of 350 oil and gas sites in Weld County, in the heart of the Denver-Julesburg Basin. She said the alleged changes affected issues ranging from work dates to lowering the amount of benzene, arsenic and other toxic chemicals found in soil samples. The potentially falsified data was first flagged to the regulator in July, Murphy said, and the agency realized the scope of the alleged issues in early October. The 350 sites in question included locations of spills, well closures and well-plugging jobs.” [E&E News, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

BLM Adds Protections For Gunnison Sage-Grouse Habitat — “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently released its Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for the Gunnison sage-grouse. The amendment, published on Oct. 17, 2024, creates a framework to conserve and improve habitat for the Gunnison sage-grouse on BLM lands for the eight populations in southwest Colorado and southeast Utah. The BLM manages about 42% of the Gunnison sage-grouse’s current habitat, primarily located in southwest Colorado. The BLM’s new amendment will increase the buffer zone around Gunnison sage-grouse habitat to one-mile, designate three new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and limit surface disturbances on BLM lands in sage-grouse habitats. ‘The BLM worked tirelessly with local governments, conservation organizations, industry, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders over the past two years to find an appropriate balance, which is achieved with the completion of these plans,’ BLM Colorado State Director Doug Vilsack said in a statement. ‘BLM is at the forefront of wildlife conservation in Colorado by… advancing a separate plan that will limit disturbance in the habitat of the threatened Gunnison sage-grouse.’” [Daily Montanan, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Idaho

 

Nez Perce Tribe Receives $1.9M Grant To Restore Creek In Idaho County — “The Nez Perce Tribe is receiving a $1.9 million grant to restore impacted habitat from a historic hydraulic mine in Idaho. The Nez Perce Tribe’s project will restore 22 acres of an abandoned hydraulic mine in Leggett Creek, which is in Idaho County near Elk City. Leggett Creek empties into the South Fork of the Clearwater River. The Leggett Creek project aims to reduce excess sediment delivery into critical habitat for steelhead, Chinook salmon and bull trout while stabilizing eroding slopes by planting native evergreens and deciduous shrubs. It will also improve aquatic passage of over 23 miles of upstream spawning and rearing fish habitat, according to the National Wildlife and Fish Foundation. The grant the tribe will receive is funded through the America the Beautiful Challenge, which was launched by the Biden administration in 2021 as a partnership with the departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Defense, as well as Native Americans in Philanthropy and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. It set the country’s first-ever goal to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.” [Lewiston Morning Tribune, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Kansas

 

Rep. Sharice Davids Announces $4.9 Million Grant For Kansas To Clean Up Abandoned Mine Lands And Create Jobs — “Today, December 3, Representative Sharice Davids announced a $4.9 million grant for Kansas to clean up polluted abandoned mine lands, addressing hazardous conditions caused by historic coal mining while creating good-paying jobs. This funding, part of the bipartisan infrastructure law supported by Davids, is administered by the Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Kansas also received nearly $300,000 to update its abandoned mine land inventory for future cleanup efforts. Millions of Americans live near abandoned coal mines, and this project will invest in closing dangerous mine shafts, reclaiming unstable slopes, improving water quality, and restoring damaged water supplies. It will also promote economic revitalization by transforming hazardous land into areas for recreational facilities and redevelopment projects, such as advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.” [KCLY-Radio, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Maryland

 

Maryland Offshore Wind Project Receives Final Approval For Construction And Operations Plan — “The Maryland Offshore Wind Project has received final approval for its Construction and Operations Plan. … Oceanic Network CEO Liz Burdock supports the approval, saying: ‘Today, Maryland Offshore Wind became the 10th approved commercial-scale project, another significant achievement for the U.S. offshore wind industry. The first project for the State of Maryland, it will deliver a host of economic benefits while helping to meet our nation’s growing energy demand. Maryland Offshore Wind will create American jobs by harnessing a strong, local offshore wind supply chain. US Wind has advanced plans to bring steel fabrication back to the old Bethlehem Steel facility in Dundalk, and the project will support a variety of other industries throughout its life cycle. Oceantic Network congratulates US Wind on construction approval in our home state.’ State lawmakers have spoken out against the approval. ‘Offshore wind farms benefit foreign companies — not the residents of Maryland’s First District who have already seen increases in their electric rates thanks to the failed energy policies of the Biden Administration. We should never allow foreign-owned companies to control our energy supply — much less harm our marine life while doing it. I look forward to working with President Trump to end all offshore wind development when he is back in office,’ said U.S. Congressman Andy Harris, R-District 1.” [WBAL-TV, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Ocean City Wind Farm Clears Final Federal Hurdle, But Trump Looms — “A contested wind farm off the coast of Ocean City cleared a final federal hurdle Tuesday, though that doesn’t mean its future is guaranteed. Approval of the construction and operating plan for the 114-turbine wind farm about 10 miles off the coast of Ocean City, marks the last permit that developer US Wind needed from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, since the agency formally approved the project in September. US Wind’s multiphase construction plan outlines turbines sprawling over as much as 80,000 acres in the ocean and generating more than two gigawatts of electricity, enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes in the region. The plan also allows for the development of a meteorological tower in the turbine field, four offshore substations and up to four cables that would run underneath the seabed to transport power from the wind mills to the mainland, running beneath Sussex County, Delaware.” [The Baltimore Banner, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

US Wind's Offshore Wind Plan Has Been Approved. What Happens Next? — “Delmarva’s offshore wind project just took another step closer to being finalized. US Wind and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced Tuesday, Dec. 4, that the company’s Construction and Operations Plan was approved by the national Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. This decision marks the final OK from this division of the federal government as the turbine project still works to finalize statewide permits in Delaware and Maryland. Here’s what to know.” [The Delaware News Journal, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Maryland Offshore Wind Projects Receive Final BOEM Approval — “The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced its approval of the Construction and Operations Plan for the Maryland Offshore Wind project. This is the final approval needed from BOEM for the project which has also received approvals from Maryland and recently the National Marine Fisheries Service. ‘This project will power over 718,000 homes and support almost 2,680 jobs annually over seven years,’ said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. The bureau noted that it is the approval of the nation’s tenth commercial-scale offshore wind energy project. The Maryland Offshore Wind Project comprises a lease area located approximately 8.7 nautical miles offshore of Maryland and approximately 9 nautical miles from Delaware. U.S. Wind, a partnership between Italy’s Renexia and American investment firm Apollo Global Management, won its lease for nearly 47,000 acres in August 2014. ‘After more than four years of rigorous and robust analysis, we are thrilled to have secured this final BOEM approval,’ said Jeff Grybowski, CEO of US Wind CEO. ‘US Wind’s projects will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs.’” [Maritime Executive, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Feds Give Final Approval To Md. Offshore Wind Project — “The federal government gave its final approval Tuesday to a plan to place 114 energy-generating wind turbines off the coast of Ocean City. US Wind, the project developer, announced that the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued a permit for the company’s Construction and Operations Plan, which is the final step in the ongoing federal approval process. But the approved project may still face an uncertain future: The Town of Ocean City has sued to block the wind energy development, charging that the federal process was flawed and arguing that the project could devastate the town’s tourist economy and real estate industry. And President-elect Donald Trump is an avowed critic of offshore wind. ‘We are going to make sure that that ends on Day 1,’ Trump said earlier this year, according to an Associated Press report. ‘I’m going to write it out in an executive order. It’s going to end on Day 1.’ But US Wind officials and other forces in the offshore wind industry celebrated the federal government’s action Tuesday.” [Maryland Matters, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Maryland Wind Gets Final Approval — “The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Tuesday cleared the Maryland Offshore Wind project to begin construction and operations, the final regulatory hurdle for a wind farm that could eventually generate more than 2 gigawatts of power. The project off the coast of Maryland and Delaware received its record of decision in September and will now be green-lighted by federal regulators to start construction on up to 114 wind turbines.” [Politico, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

Maryland Offshore Wind Project Gets Final Approval — “The United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has accepted the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for the two-gigawatt (GW) Maryland offshore wind project by an Italian-led joint venture. The project by US Wind Inc., majority-owned by Italy’s Renexia SpA, will be able to power over 718,000 homes, BOEM said in a statement Tuesday. … ‘After more than four years of rigorous and robust analysis, we are thrilled to have secured this final BOEM approval’, US Wind chief executive Jeff Grybowski said in a separate company statement. ‘US Wind’s projects will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs’. ‘US Wind’s COP considers the full build-out of the federal lease area, which has the potential to generate up to 2 gigawatts of offshore wind power and power more than 600,000 homes in the region’, the company said.” [Rigzone, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

Troubled Wind Project Off Maryland Clears Final Permitting Hurdle — “The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has approved the construction and operations plan for the Maryland Offshore Wind project. This is the final approval needed for the project from the authority following the record of decision in September 2024. The Maryland Offshore Wind Project – located approximately 16 km offshore Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware – will be able to generate over 2GW of energy for the Delmarva Peninsula, power over 718,000 homes, and support almost 2,680 jobs annually over seven years. The approved project includes the multiple-phase construction and operation of up to 114 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four offshore export cable corridors. Two phases, known as MarWin and Momentum Wind, already have offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.” [Splash 247, 12/4/24 (-)]

 

US Wind Receives Final Approval For Wind Project Off Ocean City — “Maryland’s first offshore wind project proposal gets the final green light. The project off the shore of Ocean City and some Delaware beaches will be the 10th approved commercial-scale offshore wind project in the country. The stamp of approval from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management gives US Wind the greenlight to begin construction. US Wind CEO Jeff Grybowksi said that the project will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs. ‘This is a proud moment for US Wind. After more than four years of rigorous and robust analysis, we are thrilled to have secured this final BOEM approval,’ Grybowski said in a news release.” [WBAL-Radio, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

US Wind Wins Final Approval For Offshore Wind Project — “The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued its final approval of US Wind’s construction of a wind project off the coast of Delmarva. According to US Wind, BOEM issued the permit for the Construction and Operations Plan, the final step in the company’s ongoing federal permitting application Tuesday, December 3. The approved project includes the construction and operation of up to 114 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substation platforms, a meteorological tower, and offshore export cable corridors. The project could also see wind power cables coming ashore under 3Rs Beach in Delaware. The Town of Ocean City, along with multiple co-plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit in October challenging BOEM’s approval process of US Wind’s proposed project. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said despite Tuesday’s news, his confidence in the town’s pending litigation isn’t shaken. ‘This in no way will impact our lawsuit, it’s not going to set us back,’ said Meehan. ‘We’re going to continue with the lawsuit, we continue to build allies joining in with us in opposition.’” [WBOC-TV, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Massachusetts

 

What’s Next For Vineyard Wind? — “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.” [National Fisherman, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Montana

 

USFWS Adopts Lynx Recovery Plan, Proposes New Critical Habitat Designations — “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week finalized a recovery plan for Canada lynx, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and proposed new critical habitat designations to increase federal protections for the winter-adept felines in some areas. More than 19,000 square miles across six western states are part of the proposed critical habitat revision, but a large swath of land around the Greater Yellowstone area — nearly 90% of the area’s existing critical habitat — has been removed, including land within Yellowstone Park as well as in Gallatin, Carbon, Park, Stillwater and Sweetgrass counties in Montana. The long-term recovery plan and revised habitat designations came from settlement agreements stemming from a long series of legal battles between the federal government and environmental groups that alleged not enough was being done to protect populations of the wildcats found in the U.S.” [Daily Montanan, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

BLM Plan Hurting Lynx, Grizzly Bears, Old Trees, New Lawsuit Alleges — “The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has used arbitrary definitions of ‘lynx habitat’ and the ‘wildland urban interface’ to approve a logging project in the Garnet Mountain Range in a way that will hurt the wildcats, a new lawsuit alleges. The project, called the Clark Fork Face Forest Health and Fuels Reduction Project, also will harm grizzly bears, wolverines, elk, bull trout and old trees, the complaint said. According to the lawsuit, the project would take place roughly 50 miles east of Missoula on more than 70% of BLM-owned lands in the project area. Approved in April 2024, the project authorizes logging on 8,283 acres (almost 13 square miles), burning on another 4,600 acres, and logging, thinning and burning on 2,146 acres, according to the lawsuit. ‘The project would remove four million board feet of timber every year over the project’s 10 to 15-year lifespan,’ the lawsuit said. But it said the project doesn’t meaningfully consider the effects that ‘cutting down thousands of acres of mature trees’ will have on carbon storage and sequestration either.” [Daily Montanan, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

Enviros Challenge Montana Forest Plan As Threat To Grizzlies, Trout — “Environmentalists went to federal court Tuesday in hopes of stopping Bitterroot National Forest road plans they fear will harm grizzly bears and bull trout. With both animals protected under the Endangered Species Act, the lawsuit filed by Earthjustice on behalf of four conservation organizations contends the Forest Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service erred in the drafting of the national forest’s latest management plan amendments. ‘Roads displace grizzly bears and degrade bull trout streams,’ Earthjustice attorney Ben Scrimshaw said in a statement, adding that ‘allowing for limitless road building and motorized use through this area is a huge step backward in the quest for recovery.’ Earthjustice filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana on behalf of Friends of the Bitterroot, Friends of the Clearwater, the Native Ecosystems Council and WildEarth Guardians. The Forest Service and the FWS both maintain a policy of not commenting on litigation. The Bitterroot National Forest includes more than 1.5 million acres in west-central Montana and east-central Idaho.” [E&E News, 12/4/24 (=)]

 

Nevada

 

Las Vegas Conference To Tackle Urgent Colorado River Water Management Issues – “When the Bureau of Reclamation gives stakeholders and states in the Colorado River Basin something to respond to, it pushes conversation in a more tangible and meaningful way, said Taylor Hawes, the Colorado River program director at the Nature Conservancy. One of the focuses of the Colorado River Water Users Association conference starting today at Paris Las Vegas will be discussing paths forward on Colorado River use and management between the seven Upper and Lower Basin states, tribes and Mexico. Legal agreements appropriating the drought-stricken river will expire in 2026, bringing urgency to talks on what’s next and how to manage the effects of climate change.” [Las Vegas Sun, 12/3/24 (+)]

 

Two Bills In Congress Could Reshape Nevada's Public Lands Near Las Vegas And Reno — “‘Welcome to Nevada’ sign along southbound Interstate 15 entering Clark County, Nevada from Mohave County, Arizona For many years, local leaders have discussed the need to access more land around Las Vegas and Reno. Development of those areas, they say, is the solution to Nevada’s affordable housing crisis. But how and where communities across the state can grow requires a literal act of Congress. That’s because more than 80% of the open land in Nevada is owned by the federal government — most of it overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM. Over the years, federal lawmakers have introduced a slew of legislation aimed at opening that land for development. However, crafting proposals that satisfy developers, conservationists, Indigenous tribes, and the public is incredibly difficult. Currently, two bills aimed at opening land in Clark and Washoe Counties are one step closer to the president’s desk. So, what’s in them, and will it spur economic development in Nevada? Or are the Silver State’s pristine public lands in jeopardy?” [KNPR-Radio, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

North Dakota

 

North Dakota Receives More Than $30 Million For Water Infrastructure Upgrades — “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has invested $849 million to upgrade aging water delivery systems in 11 states across the West. The funding supports 77 projects in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington — which focus on improving water conveyance and storage, increasing safety, improving hydropower generation, and providing water treatment. … A big target of the funding is the Colorado River Basin, which, over the last two decades, has experienced the driest period in the region in more than a thousand years, according to the press release. This is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s effort to tackle climate change by making western states more resilient and addressing the megadrought gripping the region. Together, the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represent the largest investment in climate change in United States history. These included investing $15.4 billion in western states. ‘President Biden’s Investing in America agenda provides transformational resources to safeguard clean, reliable water for families, farmers, and Tribes,’ said Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis. ‘As we work to address record drought and changing climate conditions in the Colorado River Basin and throughout the West, these investments in our aging water infrastructure will conserve community water supplies and revitalize water delivery systems.’” [KXNET, 12/3/24 (+)]

 

Oregon

 

Gov. Kotek Makes Final Plea To Biden To Make Owyhee Canyonlands A National Monument — “Parts of the Owyhee River have already been protected under the National Wild and Scenic Riverways system. Oregon’s Gov. Tina Kotek and the state’s U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley want more of the Owyhee Canyonlands protected. (Bureau of Land Management) Gov. Tina Kotek just made one last plea to President Joe Biden to protect a stunning stretch of the state known as ‘Oregon’s Grand Canyon’ before he leaves office. Kotek wrote to Biden on Nov. 22, asking that he invoke the Antiquities Act of 1906 and designate more than 1 million acres of the 2.5 million acre area in southeast Oregon, including 15 miles of the Owyhee River, a national monument, a move that would limit ranching use and development. The letter is a follow-up to a similar request in August to protect the area if Congress failed to act. While Congress can protect areas under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Antiquities Act allows the president to designate areas national monuments if they hold cultural, natural or historical significance.” [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 12/3/24 (+)]

 

In Wake Of November Election, Kotek Urges Biden To Designate Owyhee Canyonlands A National Monument — “After seeing Republicans sweep the White House and both chambers of Congress last month, Gov. Tina Kotek is urging President Joe Biden to designate the Owyhee Canyonlands in Southeastern Oregon a national monument. That would protect the environmentally sensitive area from further commercial development, including mining. ‘In August, I asked that a designation be prepared in case Congress failed to pass legislation before the end of the current session,’ Kotek wrote to Biden on Nov. 22. ‘The devastating consequences for the future of this iconic landscape are simply too great not to act now. Please proceed with a national monument designation.’ That plea echoes a pressure campaign from Oregon environmental groups, led by the Bend-based Oregon Natural Desert Association and the Oregon League of Conservation voters. The groups have gathered more than 70,000 signatures in support of protecting the rugged region that some people refer to as Oregon’s Grand Canyon and have placed billboards in high-traffic locations, such as the Morrision Bridge exit off of Interstate 5.” [Willamette Week, 12/2/24 (=)]

 

Utah

 

Great Salt Lake Restoration Efforts Get $100M Funding Boost — “The Bureau of Reclamation this week injected $50 million into efforts to bolster water levels in the Great Salt Lake, announcing funding that will also be used for ecosystem restoration and habitat improvement projects. The Biden administration on Monday said it had granted Utah’s request for funds under the Inflation Reduction Act, which designated $4 billion for water conservation efforts in drought-ravaged areas in the West, including the Colorado River and Great Salt Lake basins. The state will match the $50 million grant with its own funds, for a total of $100 million. ‘We recognize restoring the lake to a healthy range will take years, and we very much appreciate the funding and ongoing support from the Bureau of Reclamation to help us meet that goal,’ Brian Steed, Utah’s Great Salt Lake commissioner, said in a statement. ‘It’s going to take everyone participating in conserving, dedicating and delivering water to the lake every year.’ The funds will be used to lease water from agricultural users and others in the basin and then deliver those flows into the Great Salt Lake.” [E&E News, 12/3/24 (=)]

 

 

 

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