Public Lands Clips: January 3, 2025

 

 

Biden To Create Two National Monuments In California Honoring Tribes — “President Joe Biden plans to create two new national monuments in California in the coming days, according to two people briefed on the announcement, aiming to cement his environmental legacy before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The two individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity because the announcement is not yet public. Biden will sign a proclamation establishing the roughly 644,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California near Joshua Tree National Park, the people said. The move would bar drilling, mining, solar-energy farms and other industrial activity in the area. It also would honor the wishes of several Native American tribes that have revered the landscape for thousands of years, and would expand local Latino communities’ access to outdoor recreation areas. The president also will sign a proclamation creating the roughly 200,000-acre Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California near the Oregon border, the people said. The Pit River Tribe has spearheaded the campaign to protect that area from energy development. … Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities, a conservation group, said 98.5 percent of the monument would cover areas that the plan already designated for conservation. The remaining 1.5 percent of the land has no current designation. ‘There was a long, multiyear process of getting all of the stakeholders at the table to come up with a long-term plan for the California desert, including conservation and renewable energy,’ Weiss said. ‘And the proposed maps for the Chuckwalla monument are a reflection of that.’” [The Washington Post, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Biden To Designate Environmental National Monuments In California — “President Biden plans to add another national monument, this one near Joshua Tree National Park, and is making plans to travel to California in the coming days to dedicate the Chuckwalla National Monument, according to people familiar with the matter. Some Native American tribes, environmentalists and members of Congress have been pushing Mr. Biden to set aside land for the proposed Chuckwalla monument, which lies between the Colorado River and Coachella Valley in Southern California. The designation will add a large new chunk of land to the area next to the Joshua Tree National Park — making it the biggest contiguous protected area in the country. The size of the monument was not immediately clear. There were discussions over how much land to designate, as developers seek to build more solar and wind farms required for a green energy transition, one of the sources said. The Washington Post reported earlier Thursday that it would be 644,000 acres.” [CBS News, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Establishment Of Chuckwalla National Monument Closer To Reality — “A report by the Washington Post states President Biden is planning to sign a proclamation designating the land area south of Joshua Tree National Park as Chuckwalla National Monument. The proposed Monument area spans from the east end of the Coachella Valley to the Colorado River. The establishment of Chuckwalla National Monument will make drilling, mining, and other energy and industrial related activity will be illegal in the area. Tribal representatives have been working to preserve the area’s cultural history and significance, as well as to protect the environment and natural resources. KESQ has been following this story and we will keep an eye on any new developments.” [KESQ-TV, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Biden Creating New National Monument Near Joshua Tree — “As he nears the end of his time in office, President Joe Biden is leaving a legacy in California, where he will create two new national monuments, the Washington Post reports. At the urging of tribal representatives, Biden will designate one monument each in Southern and Northern California. In Southern California, the 644,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument will be in Riverside and Imperial Counties, stretching from the Salton Sea near the Coachella Valley to the Colorado River. What is the Islamic State group, and what attacks has it inspired by offshoots and lone wolves? This location, located near Joshua Tree National Park, is named for the chuckwalla lizards that roam the area, the Post reports. The other monument, the 200,000-acre Sáttítla National Monument, will be in Northern California near the border with Oregon. The two monument designations will bar industrial activity like mining, drilling and logging, though some note that the protections could be limited or removed once President-elect Donald Trump takes office later this month.” [KTLA-TV, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Biden To Create Two New California National Monuments Protecting Tribal Lands — “In one of his final acts as head of state, President Biden is set to declare two new national monuments in California honoring tribal lands. The sites are in the rocky, mountainous desert near Joshua Tree and amid dense forests and pristine lakes near the Oregon border. In the coming days, Biden will sign proclamations creating the 644,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California and the 200,000-acre Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California, a source who requested anonymity confirmed to The Times. The news was earlier reported by the Washington Post. In taking this action, the president will be fulfilling the wishes of tribal members and environmentalists who have fought for generations to protect these sacred Indigenous lands and their rich natural resources from industrialization, development and degradation.” [Los Angeles Times, 1/3/25 (+)]

 

Washington Post Sources Report Biden Plans To Establish Chuckwalla Monument — “Two anonymous sources told the Washington Post Thursday that President Joe Biden plans to sign a proclamation that would establish a Chuckwalla National Monument south of Joshua Tree National Park. The two sources were ‘briefed on the announcement,’ according to the Post, that would make drilling, mining and other energy- and industrial-related activity illegal in the area. They also claimed that a similar establishment would be made surrounding the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California. Having previously advocated in Washington, D.C. for Biden to issue such a designation, Southern California tribal leaders spoke about their intentioned to protect the homelands of the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan and Maara’yam peoples, also known as the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mohave (CRIT Mohave), Quechan and Serrano nations in October.” [My News LA, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Biden Plans To Establish Chuckwalla Monument, Sources Tell Washington Post — “President Joe Biden is expected to sign a proclamation that would establish a Chuckwalla National Monument south of Joshua Tree National Park, it was reported Thursday. The Washington Post, citing two sources who were briefed on the announcement, reported Biden’s plan to establish the monument, which would make drilling, mining and other energy- and industrial-related activity illegal in the area. The paper reported that Biden will also make a similar proclamation for land surrounding the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California. Having previously advocated in Washington, D.C., for Biden to issue such a designation, Southern California tribal leaders spoke in October about their desire to protect the homelands of the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan and Maara’yam peoples, also known as the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mohave (CRIT Mohave), Quechan and Serrano nations.” [My News LA, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Biden Will Create Chuckwalla National Monument, Key Source Says — “President Joe Biden will designate vast, ecologically rich swaths of California desert as the new Chuckwalla National Monument, a veteran conservationist with direct knowledge of the decision told The Desert Sun. The formal designation could come as soon as this week, although with planning underway for former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral on Jan. 9, the source said, it could get pushed to later this month. President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20. More than 620,000 acres of rare desert woodlands and washes that provide critical habitat for millions of migrating birds, endangered desert tortoise, iconic chuckwalla lizards and other rare, fragile wildlife and plants would be protected in the monument that would stretch south of Joshua Tree National Park and north of Interstate 10 across a confluence of two ecosystems, where the Mojave Desert meets the Colorado and the Sonoran Desert.” [Palm Springs Desert Sun, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)

 

Landmark Government Report Calls For National Mobilization To Curb Groundwater Depletion — “Even as groundwater levels have rapidly declined in farming regions from California’s Central Valley to the High Plains, the federal government has mostly taken a hands-off approach to the chronic depletion of the nation’s aquifers. But in a new report for the White House, scientists say the country is facing serious and unprecedented groundwater challenges that call for the federal government to play a larger role. Members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology said the country needs better data to provide a comprehensive picture of how much groundwater there is and how fast it is being depleted. The scientists called for a national effort to advance strategies for safeguarding aquifers, including establishing a federal program that would provide incentives to encourage states and communities to manage underground water supplies sustainably. ‘The current rate of groundwater pumping exceeds that of natural recharge,’ the council said in the report. ‘Much of the water in the major aquifers in the U.S. is fossil water, recharged over 10,000 years ago, and will not be replaced naturally in centuries and millennia. In the western U.S. groundwater resources are being depleted at alarming rates, mostly from agricultural withdrawal.’” [Los Angeles Times, 12/20/24 (+)]

 

 

Trump Readies Day One Energy Offensive — “ ‘I made a series of big Day One promises in my campaign,’ Trump said at a December rally in Phoenix. ‘I intend to keep those promises to the American people.’… Reopen ANWR in Alaska Drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was one of Trump’s top energy talking points on the campaign trail. Republicans opened the area to drilling during Trump’s first term and his administration finalized the first ever oil and gas leasing program in the wildlife refuge. But the first ever auction for drilling rights generated little interest from industry and the Biden administration froze oil exploration in ANWR. Still, Congress mandated at least two auctions in the refuge when it inked the leasing program in 2017, and the Biden administration is now preparing to hold its own lease sale in the refuge in January, before Trump takes office.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

 

House

 

House Republicans Prioritize Pro-Fracking Bill — “House Republicans are laying down a marker on energy policy in the new GOP-led Congress by prioritizing a bill that would prohibit a ban on fracking. The measure is one of a dozen bills in the House rules package for the 119th Congress. Republicans are expected to adopt the rules package Friday, which would set up the individual bills for future House votes. House leaders did not release the full text of the fracking legislation Thursday because it cannot be introduced until the new Congress begins Friday afternoon, but the description appears to mirror that of the ‘Protecting American Energy Production Act,’ H.R. 1121, from retiring Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), which the House passed in March. That bill proposed to bar the president from declaring a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing — the process used to extract natural gas — without authorization from Congress. It also included a messaging component expressing support for state-led regulation of fracking on state and private land.” [KUER-Radio, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

 

Biden To Block More Offshore Oil Drilling Before Trump Arrives — “President Joe Biden is preparing to issue a decree permanently banning new offshore oil and gas development in some US coastal waters, locking in difficult-to-revoke protections for sensitive marine areas during his final weeks in the White House. Biden is set within days to issue the executive order barring the sale of new drilling rights in portions of the country’s outer continental shelf, according to people familiar with the effort who asked not to be named because the decision isn’t public. The move is certain to complicate President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitions to drive more domestic energy production. Unlike other executive actions that can be easily undone, Biden’s planned declaration is rooted in a 72-year-old law that gives the White House wide discretion to permanently protect US waters from oil and gas leasing without explicitly empowering presidents to revoke the designations. The move responds to pressure from congressional Democrats and environmental groups who have lobbied Biden to ‘maximize permanent protections’ against offshore drilling, arguing the action is essential to safeguard vulnerable coastal communities, protect marine ecosystems from oil spills and fight climate change.” [Bloomberg, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Biden To Permanently Ban Drilling In Some US Waters — “President Joe Biden is expected to use a provision in a 1953 law to permanently ban new offshore drilling for oil and natural gas in large sections of the Atlantic and Pacific, as well as other federal waters, in a way that would make it difficult for the incoming Trump administration could undo. Biden as early as Monday will invoke an obscure provision in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that would give him wide latitude to withdraw federal waters from future oil and gas leasing, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing two people familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the policy publicly. President-elect Donald J. Trump has pledged to reverse virtually every law and regulation aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions and to make it easier for companies to produce more coal, oil, and natural gas. His transition team reportedly is drafting a wide-ranging energy package to roll out within days of him taking office on Jan. 20 that would approve export permits for new liquefied natural gas projects and increase oil drilling off the U.S. coast and on federal lands.” [Newsmax, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Biden Expected To Permanently Ban Oil Drilling In Some Federal Waters — “President Biden is expected to permanently ban new oil and gas drilling in large sections of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as other federal waters, in a way that could be difficult for the Trump administration to unwind, according to two people familiar with the plans. Mr. Biden intends to invoke an obscure provision of a 1953 law, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, that would give him wide latitude to withdraw federal waters from future oil and gas leasing, said the people. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the policy publicly. The ban would be a significant victory for environmental advocates who have long argued that new drilling is inconsistent with the need to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions from burning oil and gas that are dangerously warming the planet. The year that just ended was the hottest in recorded history. The move would also cement Mr. Biden’s legacy on climate change as he prepares to leave the White House after a single term. President-elect Donald J. Trump has pledged to reverse virtually every law and regulation aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions, and to make it easier for companies to produce and burn more coal, oil and gas.” [The New York Times, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Biden Races To Ban More Offshore Oil Drilling Before Trump Return — “During his final weeks in the White House, President Joe Biden is expected to issue an executive order prohibiting new offshore oil and gas drilling, a move that would help protect areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration. According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the plans said that Biden is expected to issue the permanent ban within days. The decree is based on the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a 1953 law that lays out guidelines for oil and gas development in the United States outer continental shelf, and could allow Biden to withdraw large swaths of federal waters from future leasing, per the outlet. Trump’s first term saw him roll back over 100 environmental regulations during his presidency, and allow the fossil fuel industry to increase carbon, mercury, and methane emissions. During his 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly said he’d be a dictator on day one back in office and vowed to ‘drill, drill, drill.’ He also promised he would eliminate Biden’s key climate policies in the Inflation Reduction Act.” [Rolling Stone, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Biden Expected To Permanently Ban Some Offshore Drilling — “President Joe Biden is preparing to issue a decree permanently banning new offshore oil and gas development in some U.S. coastal waters, locking in difficult-to-revoke protections for sensitive marine areas during his final weeks in the White House. Biden is set within days to issue the executive order barring the sale of new drilling rights in portions of the country’s outer continental shelf, according to people familiar with the effort who asked not to be named because the decision isn’t public. The move is certain to complicate President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitions to drive more domestic energy production. Unlike other executive actions that can be easily undone, Biden’s planned declaration is rooted in a 72-year-old law that gives the White House wide discretion to permanently protect U.S. waters from oil and gas leasing without explicitly empowering presidents to revoke the designations.” [Transport Topics, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

In Last-Ditch Executive Order, Biden Plans To 'Permanently' Handicap Trump's Offshore Drilling Agenda — “President Joe Biden is expected to ‘permanently’ block new offshore oil and gas development in some U.S. coastal waters, a last-ditch effort to cement his climate legacy in his final weeks in the White House, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The executive order would prohibit the sale of new drilling rights in sections of America’s outer continental shelf, sources familiar with the plan told Bloomberg. The move comes as Democratic lawmakers and environmental organizations have urged Biden to ‘maximize permanent protections’ against offshore drilling. Biden’s order will likely complicate President-elect Donald Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ agenda, aimed at ramping up fossil fuel production and opening federal lands and waters to drilling.” [The Washington Free Beacon, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Biden May Block Some Offshore Oil And Gas Leasing — “The outgoing Biden administration is poised to block future oil and gas leasing in some U.S. waters, aiming to box in president-elect Donald Trump and setting the scene for a new round of dueling executive orders from the White House. Preparations are underway for President Biden to close off leasing on parts of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, Bloomberg reported Jan. 2. Environmental groups would like to put more seafloor off-limits, as former president Barack Obama did with some Alaska and Atlantic waters in the closing months of his administration. Acting under the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a president can withdraw areas from consideration for leasing. The Obama decision was sustained in federal court in 2019, despite a challenge from the Trump administration then.” [WorkBoat, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

National Park Service (NPS)

 

This Maine Attraction Has Nearly 4 Million Visits A Year — “I know national parks are some of the most common tourist attractions in the country, but this statistic still came as a shock to me: According to the National Park Service site, roughly 325.5 million recreation visits were paid national parks last year. The biggest year for national park visits was 2016 with 330.97-million. The National Park Service (NPS) oversees more than 400 sites, which include memorials, battlefields, recreation areas and of course, the parks themselves. The national parks get a lot of the attention, but they only account for 28% of total visitors to all National Park Service sites. Our very own Acadia National Park was one of the most visited parks coming in at #7. The top 10 are: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (13.29 million) Grand Canyon National Park (4.73 million) Zion National Park (4.62 million) Yellowstone National Park (4.50 million) Rocky Mountain National Park (4.11 million) Yosemite National Park (3.89 million) Acadia National Park (3.87 million) Grand Teton National Park (3.41 million) Joshua Tree National Park (3.27 million) Olympic National Park (2.94 million) Read More: This Maine Attraction Has Nearly 4 Million Visits a Year | https://wokq.com/acadia-maine-how-many-visitors-a-year/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral” [WOKQ-Radio, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

 

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

 

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $125 Million In Grants To Prevent Deadly Wildlife-Vehicle Crashes — “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced $125 million in grants for 16 wildlife crossing projects in 16 states, including one Native American Tribe. The funding is available through the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, a new grant program in its second round of awards that was created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The purpose of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program is to improve safety for motorists and wildlife by reducing vehicle collisions with wildlife while also improving habitat connectivity and supporting the survival of threatened or endangered species. The funding supports studies and projects that construct wildlife crossings over and below busy roads, add fencing to direct animals to the crossings, and monitor performance of crossing systems. Overall, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes a total of $350 million available over five years through FY 2026 under the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program.” [The Trucker, 1/1/25 (+)]

 

 

GOP States Tout Decision Rejecting CEQ Rulemaking Power In NEPA Suit — “Republican states challenging the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) phase 2 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rule in district court are invoking a recent, landmark appellate decision that held CEQ lacks authority to issue binding rules under NEPA, even though that precedent is not binding on the court hearing their case. The states lay out their arguments in a Dec. 20 supplemental brief in their challenge to the NEPA rule, saying the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s decision in Marin Audubon Society, et al. v. Federal Aviation Administration, et al., ‘explains why CEQ lacks rulemaking authority’ and urging the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota to follow that reasoning. Their new filing comes after CEQ and a coalition of states supporting it laid out an array of reasons for the district court not to consider the Nov. 12 Marin decision, where a split D.C. Circuit panel held that CEQ’s rules on NEPA implementation were ultra vires.” [Inside EPA, 12/26/24 (=)]

 

DOJ, NEPA Plaintiffs Ask Court To Scrap Decision That Barred CEQ Rules — “The Biden administration and environmental groups that sued it to tighten implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are both urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to overturn a split panel ruling that held the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) lacks authority to issue binding NEPA rules. Both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and environmentalist plaintiffs in Marin Audubon Society, et al. v. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), et al., have now filed reply briefs at the court’s request in support of their separate petitions for en banc review, with both sides seeking to overturn the panel’s surprise decision. DOJ’s Dec. 20 brief notes that environmental groups and the government ‘have now both filed petitions for rehearing en banc asking the Court to do the same thing: summarily withdraw Part II of the panel decision. And the Environmental Groups and the government also agree on the reason for doing so: As Chief Judge Srinivasan explained in his partial dissent . . . the panel violated the party-presentation principle.’ That principle requires courts to only consider questions presented to them by parties to the case at issue.” [Inside EPA, 12/29/24 (=)]

 

 

Clean Energy

 

Concerns Swirl Over Impact Of Offshore Wind Farms On Fishing Industry — “With the growth of offshore wind farms there are many questions surrounding their impact. In the second of two stories about what researchers are finding, science correspondent Miles O’Brien takes us to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where local officials are trying to strike a balance between greener, renewable energy and a potential impact on the critical fishing industry in that region.” [PBS, 12/24/24 (=)]

 

Fossil Energy

 

The Fossil Fuel Industry Spent $219 Million To Elect The New U.S. Government — “The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a Yale Climate Connections review of campaign donations. The industry gave an additional $2 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign, bringing the total spending on the winning candidates to over $26 million, 88% of which went to Republicans. The fossil fuel industry exerts substantial financial power within the U.S. political system, and these contributions are only the tip of the (melting) iceberg.” [Yale Climate Connections, 1/3/25 (=)]

 

Video: Abandoned Oil And Gas Wells In US May Bring Leak Dangers — “Estimates suggest that millions of abandoned gas and oil wells may pose a threat to communities across the country, an ABC News investigation finds.” [ABC News, 12/24/24 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: Methane Leaks Are Supercharging The Climate Crisis — Here’s What We Must Do, Now  — According to Russel L. Honoré, “In the fight against climate change, the focus is usually on carbon dioxide, or CO2 — and for good reason. It’s a greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere for years, trapping in heat for generations to come. Yet there is an even more potent planet-warming gas whose destructive powers have long gone hidden — until now. Methane traps heat in the atmosphere with 80 times the power of CO2 over 20 years. While it breaks down in the atmosphere faster than carbon dioxide, the damage it does is more immediate. The good news is that, thanks to recent developments in leak monitoring, we can halt much of the methane emitted from various human activities before it reaches the atmosphere, a tactic that, because of methane’s potency and short shelf life, could have an almost immediate impact. Scientists around the world now have tools at their disposal to trace otherwise invisible methane leaks. With spectrometers, satellite surveillance, drones and handheld devices, they can now create sophisticated, multilayered maps that reveal how and where methane plumes are entering the atmosphere. The aggregation of this data is so precise, in fact, that scientists can pinpoint methane leaks down to the exact location.” [The Hill, 12/31/24 (=)]

 

 

Alaska

 

Arctic Refuge Oil Lease Sale Delayed By One Day — “An oil and gas lease sale to drill on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be pushed back by one day because of an official day of mourning declared for former President Jimmy Carter, the Bureau of Land Management announced this week. The congressionally mandated oil and gas lease sale was originally slated for Jan. 9, when federal agencies will be closed to honor Carter, who died on Dec. 29. The sale will instead take place on Jan. 10, BLM said. All other sale procedures remain unchanged. The Biden administration announced last month that it would open 400,000 acres of ANWR land in Alaska for leasing. The sale is the second that is required under the 2017 Tax Act. President Joe Biden was once adamantly opposed to opening up the vast wildlife refuge to drilling. BLM said that the swath it is opening for leasing, which is concentrated within the northwest portion of ANWR’s sweeping coastal plain, is the minimum required under law and that the bureau took precautions to ensure minimal harm to animals such as polar bears and caribous.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Alaska Awarded $626K Grant To Reduce Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions — “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration has announced a $626,659 grant to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The funding will be used to address the increasing number of vehicle collisions with moose along the Glenn Highway, one of the state’s most traveled routes. The project, part of the second round of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, aims to improve safety by constructing wildlife crossings and installing fencing to direct animals away from busy roads. ‘Safety is our top priority, and these investments will ensure that motorists and wildlife get to their destinations safely, benefiting both road users and the environment,’ said Acting Federal Highway Deputy Administrator Gloria M. Shepherd. … This funding is part of a broader initiative made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which dedicates $350 million over five years to wildlife crossing projects. Alaska is one of 16 states to receive funding in this round, reflecting growing national efforts to address this issue.” [Your Alaska Link, 12/30/24 (+)]

 

As Arctic Warms, Indigenous Communities There Face Dramatic Changes To Their Way Of Life — “Since the 1980s, temperatures in the Arctic have risen at nearly triple the global rate. This past summer was the wettest on record, while a heatwave in August set records in northern Alaska and Canada. Digital producer Casey Kuhn explains how the warming affects those who call the Arctic home.” [PBS, 12/26/24 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: Get Industry Lobbyists Out Of Alaska Fisheries Management — According to Eric Forrer, “Alaska has a governor who habitually makes appointments to governing boards of individuals who have what should be disqualifying conflicts of interest. For fisheries, this creates a management culture which is management-for-industry, emphatically putting management for the species and the environment in deep background. Pathetically, the technique of management-for-industry is in keeping with fisheries management since statehood. Without a radical philosophical change of management at every level, Alaska will soon be presiding over empty oceans and empty rivers. Because of the size of the river, the Yukon Chinook situation is the big indicator, with Canadian management voices declaring that Yukon River chinook are functionally extinct in Canada. When past, existing, research tells you that more than 50% of all Yukon River salmon had Canadian origins, this should be a red flag for management, a statistic that foretells the immediate future. And it is a red flag, a bellwether, that the governor, the commissioner and the boards apparently feel free to ignore.” [Homer News, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Arizona

 

Nearly $566K In Federal Funds Set To Help Arizona Cut Down On Wildlife Vehicle Crashes — “Arizona’s transportation officials are set to use a new grant worth over half a million dollars to make a new tool that will help cut down on wildlife vehicle crashes. The GIS mapping tool will identify places where collisions between cars and wild animals take place more often, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). A federal grant worth $565,800 will pay for the tool, which will also analyze collision data. Its findings will help shape future projects to balance wildlife preservation and roadway safety, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). … ‘The projects moving forward in 16 states will reduce collisions between drivers and wildlife, create places for wildlife to safely move over and under highways, and help preserve American life and property,’ Buttigieg said in a recent news release. ADOT and the other 15 recipients will benefit from the second round of funding through this program, which is made possible through President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.” [KTAR-TV, 1/1/25 (+)]

 

California

 

California Begins 2025 With Solid Start To Winter Snowpack, But More Storms Are Needed — “California is beginning 2025 with a solid start to the winter snowpack, officials said Thursday, but they cautioned that more storms are needed to keep the state’s water supplies on track. Officials at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range that covers the eastern part of the state, recorded a snow depth of 24 inches (61 centimeters), said Andy Reising, manager of the Department of Water Resources’ snow surveys and water supply forecasting unit. The water content of the snowpack at the station is currently at 91% of the average for this time of year and 37% of the average for April 1, when the Sierra snowpack is typically at its peak, he said. ‘As of right now, I am feeling OK, but ... we’ll need a progression of monthly storms to keep going,’ Reising said, adding that the northern half of the state has seen a series of storms but the south has been dry. The snowpack functions as a huge frozen reservoir, providing nearly a third of the water used annually in California as it melts and runs off into streams and rivers in the spring. The state has built a complex system of canals and dams to capture that water and store it in huge reservoirs so it can be used the rest of the year when it doesn’t rain or snow.” [Associated Press, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

L.A.’S Water Supply Looks Good Right Now — But It Might Not Last — “Every winter, scientists across California ascend high into the Eastern Sierra via skis, snowshoes, motorized snow cats and helicopters. Along with equipment to survive harsh days and nights in the backcountry, they bring a snow-sampling kit made up of long, thin aluminum pipes. Their mission: measure the weight of the snow beneath their feet. The simple measurement has serious implications for the whole state. Come spring, it will make up nearly two-thirds of Los Angeles’ water supply — an essential lifeline as Southern California continues to endure unseasonably dry conditions. On Thursday, hydrologists made their first measurements of the season at Phillips Station, which the state has measured every winter for over 80 years to forecast L.A.’s water supply for the coming year. This year, the team found a snowpack equivalent to nine inches of water at the station. It’s roughly 91% of the average snowpack at the station by this time of year and slightly behind the rest of the state, which is currently at around 108% of its average snowpack, based on other measures that are part of a statewide snow-survey program.” [Los Angeles Times, 12/28/24 (=)]

 

'Amazing:' Heavy Rains Push Lake Shasta Water Level Up 40 Feet In The Past Six Weeks — “David Raun keeps a close eye on what’s going on with the water level at Lake Shasta. So far he likes what he has seen happen to California’s largest reservoir over the past six weeks. Since the lake level reached its lowest point of the year on Nov. 18, the reservoir has bounced back, rising about 40 feet since then, according to the California Department of Water Resources. ‘It’s been going up real strong. I mean, the rains have been great,’ Raun said. ‘The ground is saturated, and initially the dam was letting out quite a bit of water, but with all the rain in California, they’re not letting out as much because everything’s filling up fast.’ Raun and his wife operate Shasta Lakeshore Retreat, which rents out homes to lake visitors, so they also have a business interest in whether the lake is full or low. So far, Raun said the lake level is moving in the right direction, which could mean good things when the tourist season kicks in this spring.” [Record Searchlight, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Presidential Transfer Could Impact Proposed National Monument In Colorado — “The clock is ticking for President Joe Biden to make a decision on whether to designate a large area of land in southwest Colorado as a national monument. The proposed Dolores Canyons National Monument would be roughly 400,000 acres in size, roughly the size of all of the other monuments in Colorado combined. The proposal has sparked fierce debate in the sparsely populated areas of Mesa and Montrose counties, where opponents are concerned the designation could impact mining, ranching, and tourism. ‘When my family and I go out, we don’t see anybody,’ said Aimee Tooker. ‘Maintaining that solitude is really, really important to us.’ Tooker, like others in the region, has grown weary of the uncertainty surrounding the land’s future. Her concerns are compounded by the shifting federal protections for national monuments in nearby Utah, where Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante have seen changes under successive administrations.” [KUSA-TV, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Sierra Nevada Red Fox Habitat Fight Goes To Court — “Environmentalists are suing the Fish and Wildlife Service over the omission of critical habitat for the Sierra Nevada red fox, amplifying an already robust Endangered Species Act debate. Citing existential threats from climate change to snowmobiles, the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit Monday over the agency’s 2021 determination that it was ‘not prudent’ to designate critical habitat for the endangered fox. ‘There’s just no way to save these precious foxes without protecting the places they live,’ Noah Greenwald, the center’s endangered species director, said in a statement, adding that ‘the human footprint has gotten so huge that not even the high-elevation and snow-covered mountains where these foxes live are safe.’ The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California focuses in part on the application of certain ESA regulations. With Congress unable or unwilling to revise the underlying environmental law enacted in 1973, considerable weight falls on these myriad regulations set by Fish and Wildlife for how the law is implemented.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Drilling Could Resume Where A 1969 Oil Spill Inspired Earth Day — “Jeremy Frankel was camping with his buddies among beachfront palm trees nearly a decade ago when he smelled oil. He watched as black sludge pouring from a drainage pipe smeared the pristine waters off Refugio State Beach before authorities forced him to evacuate. Ask your climate questions. With the help of generative Al, we’ll try to deliver answers based on our published reporting. He would learn later about the oil-covered birds, the dead dolphins and sea lions — casualties of a pipeline that ruptured and spilled more than 120,000 gallons of crude oil along the Gaviota Coast, one of the last undeveloped stretches of Southern California oceanfront. ‘The full extent will never really be known,’ Frankel said as he walked amid those same palms, many of them now teetering and washing away from winter storms and rising seas. He has become a lawyer for the Environmental Defense Center, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit, and one of the people trying to block an effort to restart that defunct pipeline and boost an offshore oil industry that for years has been fading into the California sunset. The company behind that effort, Sable Offshore Corp., an independent Houston-based oil and gas company formed in 2020 and whose management team has experience in the California oil industry, said in an SEC filing on Dec. 19 that it had received a waiver from California’s Office of the State Fire Marshal that puts it on a path to restarting early in January.” [The Washington Post, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Florida

 

Everglades National Park Turns 77; Third-Largest National Park In The Contiguous U.S. — “From the National Park Service (NPS) website: ‘Water in south Florida once flowed freely from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee and southward over low-lying lands to the estuaries of Biscayne Bay, the Ten Thousand Islands, and Florida Bay. This shallow, slow-moving sheet of water covered almost 11,000 square miles, creating a mosaic of ponds, sloughs, sawgrass marshes, hardwood hammock, and forested uplands.’ Postcard from the Florida Power and Light Company promoting Everglades National Park sent to Florida Governor Millard Caldwell in 1947. ‘To early colonial settlers and developers the Everglades were potential farmland and communities. By the early 1900s, the drainage process to transform wetland to land ready to be developed was underway. The results would be severely damaging to the ecosystem and the species it supported. ‘With the support of many early conservationists, scientists, and other advocates, Everglades National Park was established in 1947 to conserve the natural landscape and prevent further degradation of its land, plants, and animals.’” [Naples Daily News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Georgia

 

U.S. Will Officially Nominate The Okefenokee Refuge As A World Heritage Site — “Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, home to the largest intact blackwater swamp in North America and thousands of plant and animal species, will be nominated to join the United Nations’ World Heritage List, the federal government announced Friday. The move is a significant step to bring global recognition to the swamp, just as a plan for a titanium mine on its doorstep inches closer to becoming reality. The Okefenokee’s nomination had been expected since 2023, when the U.S. Department of the Interior directed the National Park Service to prepare a case for the refuge’s inclusion on the prestigious list. To make the list, the World Heritage Committee — which includes representatives from 21 nations — must find that a site possesses natural and cultural assets of global significance. There are currently 1,223 World Heritage sites in 168 countries, including 26 in the U.S. If chosen, the Okefenokee would join globally renowned sites like the Great Barrier Reef, Machu Picchu and Yellowstone National Park.” [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12/20/24 (+)]

 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge To Be Nominated For UNESCO World Heritage Site Status — “The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a step closer to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced Friday. The nomination of the 400,000 acre refuge in southeast Georgia for World Heritage Site designation will now go to the Federal Register for public review. The World Heritage Committee, composed of representatives from 21 nations, makes the final decision for inclusion on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage List. If included in the list, the Okefenokee would join 1,223 cultural and natural sites of universal importance, such as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall in China, and the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. If successful in its bid, the Okefenokee would be the first U.S. wildlife refuge to earn the designation.” [The Current, 12/20/24 (+)]

 

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge To Be Nominated For UNESCO World Heritage List — “The Department of the Interior announced Friday that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Georgia will be nominated to join the UNESCO World Heritage List. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, consists of more than 400,000 acres encompassing 92 percent of the Okefenokee Swamp, a large hydrologically intact swamp that is the source of two rivers – one that flows into the Atlantic and the other into the Gulf of Mexico. According to a press release from the Department of the Interior, Okefenokee is one of the world’s largest naturally driven freshwater ecosystems in the temperate zone with a diversity of habitat types, including 21 vegetative types. The refuge’s undisturbed peat beds store valuable information on environmental conditions over the past 5,000 years and are a significant source of information related to global changes.” [Rough Draft Atlanta, 12/21/24 (+)]

 

U.S. Nominating Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge To UNESCO World Heritage Site List — “Each year, the U.S. can nominate one site to the United Nations’ list of culturally and naturally significant sites around the world. This year, it is nominating the Okefenokee Swamp. The Okefenokee in South Georgia, just creeping into north Florida, is the largest blackwater swamp in North America. Environmentalists herald it for its diversity of plant and animal species, its dark sky views and its ability to capture carbon from the atmosphere in its thick, rich peat. ‘As one of the world’s largest intact freshwater ecosystems, it’s critical to both science and conservation,’ Shannon Estenoz, assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior, said in a statement. The swamp also has deep cultural connections. One is to the Muscogee-Creek Nation, who inhabited the area before colonizers forced the tribe to its current location in Oklahoma. The other is to the Black workers who during the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps program dug the water trails now used by thousands of visitors annually.” [WABE-Radio, 12/20/24 (+)]

 

US Department Of Interior To Nominate Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp As UNESCO World Heritage Site — “The U.S. Department of the Interior announced Friday that it would nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which makes up roughly 92% of the Okefenokee Swamp, for consideration to be on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is made up of more than 400,000 acres of land, including a ‘large hydrologically intact swamp that is the source of two rivers – one that flows into the Atlantic and the other into the Gulf of Mexico.’ ‘The United States is home to some of Earth’s most incredible natural wonders, and today, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge takes an important step toward joining the ranks of the world’s most cherished treasures,’ Interior Sec. Deb Haaland said in a statement. ‘This nomination serves as a recognition of the refuge’s unparalleled natural and cultural significance, and of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees, local communities and Tribes that have stewarded these lands for generations.’” [WSB-TV, 12/20/24 (+)]

 

Georgia Awarded Almost $2.2 Million To Prevent Deadly Wildlife-Vehicle Crashes — “The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the State of Georgia was awarded nearly $2.2 million in grant funding to help prevent deadly vehicle crashes with wildlife in the state. The grant award was given to the Georgia Department of Transportation by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program ‘to integrate wildlife-vehicle reduction measures and habitat connectivity goals into transportation project planning and construction.’ Across the United States, federal officials said more than one million wildlife-vehicle collisions happen each year, impacting drivers and wildlife and leading to about 200 human deaths and 26,000 injuries to drivers and their passengers. ‘Too many Americans are injured or killed each year in crashes involving cars and wildlife, especially in rural areas – which is why our Department created the first-ever program dedicated to crossings that make roads and highways safer for both humans and wildlife,’ U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. ‘With funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the projects moving forward in 16 states will reduce collisions between drivers and wildlife, create places for wildlife to safely move over and under highways, and help preserve American life and property.’” [WSB-Radio, 12/30/24 (+)]

 

Hawaii

 

Biden Fine-Tunes Name, Spotlights History Of Marine Monument — “A sprawling 490,000-square-mile marine national monument now has a new name to go along with its intriguing history. Capping a studious effort kicked off in March 2023, President Joe Biden deep-sixed the old name of the ‘Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument’ and instead declared it will be called the ‘Pacific Islands Heritage National Monument.’ Biden accompanied the renaming with a salute to the Hui Panalāʻau, a group of 135 mainly Native Hawaiian men who were sent by the U.S. government to explore five uninhabited Pacific islands in the years leading up to World War II. ‘These young men recorded weather conditions and marine life, cultivated plant life, and prepared landing strips, deepening our understanding of the islands’ ecosystems,’ Biden said in a statement. The students and recent graduates of the Kamehameha School for Boys ‘endured harsh living conditions, had limited access to emergency medical care, and were attacked at the onset of World War II’ by Japanese forces, Biden added.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Maryland

 

Maryland Receives Federal Grants For Wildlife Habitats, Crossings — “The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has been awarded two grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to improve pollinator habitats and wildlife crossings along state highways. The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program grant of nearly $388,000 will allow MDOT SHA to identify areas with high wildlife-vehicle collision rates, develop design guidance to mitigate these collisions, and raise public awareness about the issue and the importance of habitat connectivity. According to the U.S. Congress, over one million wildlife-vehicle collisions occur annually in the U.S., resulting in tens of thousands of serious injuries, hundreds of fatalities, and over $8 billion in costs. The Roadside Pollinators Program grant of $150,000 will enable MDOT SHA to enhance its Pollinator Plan, adopt pollinator-friendly maintenance and operational practices, develop and install roadside signs identifying pollinator meadows, and create eight new roadside or median pollinator meadows across five counties.” [NottinghamMD.com, 12/31/24 (+)]

 

Worcester Hiring PR Firm To Fight Offshore Wind — “Sometimes, even David needs a public relations firm in his corner to take on Goliath. In the face of what they described as an apathetic response to Worcester County’s offshore wind concerns, the county’s Board of Commissioners on Dec. 17 voted unanimously to contract with Bedrock Advocacy Communications, a public relations firm based in Virginia. The agency will help with grassroots mobilization, strategic communications, and online engagement for a 2025 campaign to oppose ongoing wind farm development off the Atlantic Coast, according to Worcester County Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young. Young said when it comes to protesting the planned 114-turbine wind farm by developer US Wind, there have been a lot of grassroots efforts, but none that were coordinated. He said Bedrock will serve as the campaign developer and manager, working collaboratively with representatives from Worcester County, Ocean City, and the local business community.” [OC Dispatch-Today, 1/3/25 (=)]

 

Massachusetts

 

'Much Uncertainty.' Cape, Mass. Leaders See Political Shifts That May Slow Offshore Wind — “The future of offshore wind is at a pivotal point this year, marked by a mix of determination and uncertainty. On Dec. 20, the Biden-Harris administration granted final approval for SouthCoast Wind, the eleventh offshore wind project it has approved. With up to 141 turbines and the potential to generate 2.4 gigawatts of electricity, the SouthCoast Wind project, in a federal lease area south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, is a key part of the region’s clean energy goals steadfastly promoted by Gov. Maura Healey, and many legislators and environmental advocates. But the incoming Trump-Vance administration could dramatically alter the regulatory and financial landscape for offshore wind. Their less favorable stance toward the industry raises concerns about the pace of future projects and the viability of less mature proposals. This is especially true for the Gulf of Maine lease areas, where the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has provisionally awarded four of eight lease areas to Avangrid Renewables and Invenergy NE Offshore Wind, including due east of Cape Cod.” [Cape Cod Times, 1/3/25 (=)]

 

Vineyard Wind Meets One 2024 Deadline, Misses Another — “Vineyard Wind made mixed progress on its wind farm at the end of the year, meeting one deadline while missing another. It installed the last of 62 foundations for its wind turbines, a new map shows, pounding the remaining pieces into the seafloor before a New Year deadline, when pile driving is restricted through May. But the project missed its former goal of being fully operational by 2024, and has quite a bit of work ahead in 2025. With the foundations finished, all but three are now connected to yellow transition pieces, which will allow tower installation to proceed, according to the Dec. 30 map. But the same map shows the project still has to install 30 towers and generators, and about 120 blades. That means dozens more barge transits in and out of the Port of New Bedford with the major turbine components on board.” [The New Bedford Light, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Montana

 

Gianforte, Montana Sue Yellowstone National Park Over Its Bison Management Plan — “A long-simmering battle between Yellowstone National Park officials and the Gianforte administration in Montana came to a head on Tuesday with state officials suing the park in federal court for its bison management plan. The new case, filed in federal court in Billings, argues that park officials have intentionally cut Montana out of management plans or ignored the park’s own science in an effort to boost Yellowstone National Park bison numbers and skirt vaccinating them against brucellosis, a disease of concern to the state’s cattle-ranching industry. The court action follows public disputes and disagreements between the Gianforte administration and federal officials, including other members of the Interagency Bison Management Plan. While park officials manage the herds in Yellowstone National Park, at issue is what happens when the bison inevitably roam across the border of the park, often into Montana. Yearly bison hunting has also generated a fair amount of outrage as advocates for the nation’s official land mammal, the bison, decried what they said was a slaughtering line of hunters lined up on the Montana side of the park’s border to hunt them as they crossed the boundaries.” [Idaho Capital Sun, 1/1/25 (=)]

 

Montana Gov. Gianforte Sues Yellowstone National Park Over Bison Plan — “Citing a failure to cooperate with Montana state agencies and violation of federal laws, Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration has sued to have Yellowstone National Park’s bison management plan nullified. The 51-page lawsuit, filed on Dec. 31 in Billings District Court, names the National Park Service, Department of Interior and its leaders — including Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly — as defendants. In addition to Gianforte, the Montana departments of Livestock and Fish, Wildlife & Parks are plaintiffs in the suit. The lawsuit contends the new bison plan ‘fails to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and is a violation of the National Park Service Organic Act (NPSOA) and Yellowstone National Park Protection Act (YNPPA). Critically, it was developed without meaningful consultation and collaboration with one of its ‘cooperating agencies’ … the State of Montana.’” [Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 1/1/25 (=)]

 

Montana Sues Yellowstone National Park Over Bison Management Plan — “Montana is suing Yellowstone National Park over a plan to increase the number of bison in and around the park and establish greater tolerance for their presence outside its boundaries. In a press release announcing the lawsuit, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte criticized the National Park Service for how it developed the plan, describing the effort as an example of ‘federal overreach’ and saying it was created without proper state consultation. ‘The National Park Service has repeatedly and consistently failed to engage with the state in a meaningful and transparent manner as required by law throughout the planning process,’ Gianforte said in the statement. ‘NPS has not given us a fair shake and has ignored concerns raised by the state.’” [Flathead Beacon, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Nevada

 

Biden Admin Mulls 20-Year Ban On Oil Leasing In Nevada’s ‘Swiss Alps’ — “The Interior Department will consider whether to ban new oil, gas and geothermal leases for 20 years in a remote Western Mountain range dubbed Nevada’s ‘Swiss Alps.’ The high alpine Ruby Mountains lie in the state’s northeastern corner, about 3½ hours from Salt Lake City in Utah. They are the ancestral lands of the Te-Moak Tribe of the Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada and sit adjacent to the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a sweeping wetlands region in the Ruby Valley. The Biden administration’s move to potentially protect 264,000 acres of the Ruby mountain region from drilling announced Monday is one of its final actions to boost conservation and limit oil and gas drilling auctions across public lands. The ultimate decision on whether to approve a long-term leasing ban in the Ruby Mountains will be made by officials appointed by President-elect Donald Trump, who has committed to slashing rules that limit drilling on federal lands. Environmental groups, meanwhile, say the Ruby Mountains need to be protected from mining claims, which will not be blocked by the Interior move.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Biden Will Reportedly Hand Environmental Lobby One Last Gift On His Way Out The Door — “President Joe Biden is reportedly preparing to restrict offshore oil and gas drilling in his final days in office, a move that would placate the environmentalist lobby and potentially obstruct President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to unleash the U.S. energy sector, according to Bloomberg News. Biden’s reportedly forthcoming order would permanently ban new lease sales for oil and gas drilling in certain regions of the outer continental shelf, according to Bloomberg News, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the situation. Some elected Democrats and many well-funded green groups have pushed Biden to implement permanent environmental policies in the waning days of his presidency to fluster Trump’s ‘energy dominance’ agenda. While the scope of the order is currently unclear, there have been internal discussions about targeting certain areas off the coast of California and in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Bloomberg News. It is also unclear when the administration will announce the policy, though it could be within a matter of days.” [Breitbart, 1/2/25 (-)]

 

Biden Moves To Block Oil, Gas Development In Ruby Mountains — “President Joe Biden’s administration said Dec. 30 it is taking steps to bar oil, gas and geothermal development for 20 years in northeastern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains. The administration said it has submitted an application to withdraw about 264,000 acres of federal lands in the area from such leasing. That starts a 90-day public comment period on the 20-year prohibition and prevents oil, gas and geothermal development for two years during the process. The lands would remain open to mining. Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement that the move will stop speculative oil leasing in the area, but he still believes the protection of the Ruby Mountains is incomplete as long as mining is allowed. ‘The Ruby Mountains have no known oil reserves, and this withdrawal does nothing to ward off the truly urgent threat of gold mining,’ Donnelly said.” [Nevada Appeal, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

A Drop In Groundwater Could Mean Big Trouble For A Tiny Snail As Nevada Lithium Project Presses On — “Opponents of the nation’s largest lithium mine under construction want U.S. officials to investigate whether the project in Nevada already has caused a drop in groundwater levels that could lead to extinction of a tiny snail being considered for endangered species protection. Environmentalists and Native American activists are demanding that the U.S. Interior Department address what they say is new evidence that bolsters their concerns about Lithium Americas’ planned open pit mine at Thacker Pass. The footprint of mine operations will span about 9 square miles (23 square kilometers). The fate of the snail takes center stage after a federal judge and an appeals court dismissed a previous attempt by Native American tribes to get federal agencies to recognize the sacred nature of the area. The tribes argued that the mine would infringe on lands where U.S. troops massacred dozens of their ancestors in 1865.” [Associated Press, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

New Jersey

 

Still Unable To Find Equipment Makers, New Jersey Offshore Wind Project Seeks 2nd Delay — “A New Jersey offshore wind project is seeking a second delay, saying it still can’t find someone to build crucial equipment for the turbines in the latest patch of turbulence striking the industry. Leading Light Wind had already received one pause on its project from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, which acknowledged the difficulty the project has had in finding a manufacturer for the blades that would spin to generate electricity. But that pause ended on Dec. 20. The day before, Leading Light asked the board for an additional stay, this time through May 20. It did not specify an inability to find a blade manufacturer as the reason for needing a second delay, but its most recent request said, ‘The offshore wind equipment market continues to experience significant price volatility and the company has not yet identified a solution to that volatility.’” [Associated Press, 12/31/24 (=)]

 

New York

 

New York Offshore Wind Project Moves Forward Despite Trump’s Threats — “Equinor said Thursday it had secured $3 billion in financing to build Empire Wind, an offshore wind project off the coast of New York that could power 500,000 homes. The announcement means Equinor is officially moving forward with the 810-megawatt facility as President-elect Donald Trump is poised to return to the White House. Trump, an outspoken critic of wind power, has pledged to scrap offshore projects on day one of his second term. Equinor’s move is a major boost for New York and the beleaguered offshore wind industry. The state has struggled to meet its clean energy targets and the industry has suffered a series of setbacks that has delayed wind projects along the East Coast. ‘Today’s financial close maintains our momentum toward bringing a significant source of power to the grid. Empire Wind 1 will strengthen US energy security, build economic growth and fuel a new American supply chain,’ said Molly Morris, senior vice president of Equinor, in a statement.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Equinor Shields Self Against Trump Offshore Wind Threat, Nails $3 Billion For New Wind Hub In Brooklyn — “Some investors are clearly nervous about the potential for the incoming Trump administration to send the domestic offshore wind industry into a tailspin. That group apparently does not include Equinor and its investors. The company has wasted no time nailing down more than $3 billion in financing for the construction of new seaport facilities in New York City, to support the construction of its massive Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project. Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Offshore Wind Wolf? It’s no secret that President-elect Trump has the US offshore wind industry on his naughty list, having campaigned vociferously against wind energy in 2016 and again last year. So far, though, nothing of consequence can be attributed to his campaign rhetoric, onshore or offshore. Nothing also came of a legal challenge launched by one of his namesake golf courses several years ago, aimed at thwarting an offshore project in Scotland. In fact, Trump’s first administration can be credited with fine-tuning a new, streamlined permit process that set the table for the torrent of offshore wind projects set in motion during the Biden presidency. So much for ending offshore projects ‘on day one.’” [OC Dispatch-Today, 1/2/25 (+)]

 

Adirondack Explorer | Federal Money To Study How To Reduce Wildlife Vs. Car Crashes In N.Y. — “The state Department of Transportation has received a federal grant for a two-part study to look at ways to reduce wildlife-vehicle accidents and improve habitat connectivity. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced the $323,850 grant on Dec. 20 as one of 16 projects in 16 states. Overall the Highway Administration doled out $125 million in funding. ‘Too many Americans are injured or killed each year in crashes involving cars and wildlife, especially in rural areas—which is why our department created the first-ever program dedicated to crossings that make roads and highways safer for both humans and wildlife,’ said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. The first phase of the study in New York will be to locate and map hotspots of wildlife-vehicle collisions, identify habitat improvement zones along state roadways and designate wildlife corridors, according to the federal announcement. The second phase will develop a standardized decision-making process for improving roadway safety and habitats for humans and animals.” [Albany Times Union, 12/29/24 (+)]

 

Oregon

 

Today In History: January 2, Armed Militia Occupies Malheur Refuge In Oregon — “Today is Thursday, Jan. 2, the second day of 2025. There are 363 days left in the year. Today in history: On Jan. 2, 2016, a heavily armed group led by brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, beginning a 41-day standoff to protest the imprisonment of two ranchers convicted of setting fires on public land and to demand the federal government turn over public lands to local control.” [The Mercury News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

South Dakota

 

Interior Blocks Mining To Protect South Dakota Watershed — “The Biden administration is barring mining and geothermal leasing in a critical South Dakota watershed for two decades, likely blocking a contentious bid to explore for gold there. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland last week signed an order to block new mining in the Pactola Reservoir and Rapid Creek Watershed in the Black Hills National Forest. The order removes 20,510 acres of national forest land from possible sales or exchanges, mineral entry and leasing for a 20-year period, but does not affect valid and existing rights, or nonfederal lands and minerals. Haaland said the order responds to mounting concerns from tribes and the local community officials around the fate of cultural and natural resources, and the Pactola reservoir — the largest and deepest in the Black Hills National Forest. The reservoir supplies drinking water to Rapid City and Ellsworth Air Force Base. ‘The Pactola Reservoir-Rapid Creek Watershed is a treasured landscape, valued for its clean air and water, abundant recreation and ecological benefits, and sacred to multiple Tribes who call the area home,’ said Haaland. ‘I’m proud to take action today to withdraw this area for the next 20 years, to help protect clean drinking water and ensure this special place is protected for future generations.’” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Utah

 

BLM Finalizes Utah Travel Plan, Draws Fire From Off-Road Group — “The Bureau of Land Management has approved another large-scale Utah travel management plan as part of a legal settlement with environmental groups that has drawn fire from an off-highway vehicle group and is certain to be scrutinized by the incoming Trump administration. BLM announced Tuesday it had finalized the plan for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use in the San Rafael Swell, an area popular among hikers and campers for its red rock cliffs and slot canyons. The plan designates more than 1,300 miles of motorized travel routes within the area and closes 158 miles of already open routes to all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and off-road trucks. BLM said the closures are to protect ‘cultural resources, important wildlife habitats, and delicate ecosystems.’ Previous alternatives outlined in a draft environmental assessment in June called for closing as many as 235 miles of existing OHV trails and limiting access on another 82 miles across the massive 1.1 million-acre planning area in eastern Utah.” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Outdoor Recreation Continues To Fuel GDP — “The EXPLORE Act, presented to President Joe Biden last week, would help ensure public lands and recreational areas remain accessible and fund updates for old infrastructure, among other improvements. It comes as the outdoor recreation economy has grown 36% since 2012, according to an Outdoor Recreation Roundtable analysis. Jessica Zephyrs, vice president of marketing and communications for the Adventure Cycling Association, noted cycling is up 11%, and she has seen increased interest in biking off paved roads. ‘What we’ve really seen growth in are things like bike packing, gravel cycling, E-bike touring, guided tours,’ Zephyrs outlined. ‘Getting outside and experiencing nature in the world.’ The Great American Rail-Trail could fit the bill. Announced in 2019, it is a nonmotorized trail designed so a user can cross the entire country separated from traffic. The Montana section, which will run from Yellowstone northwest through Saltese, is 25% complete, according to the Rails to Trails Conservancy.” [Utah Public Radio, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Wyoming

 

NPS Buys State Tract In Grand Teton For $100M — “The Biden administration bought a state-owned parcel of land within Grand Teton National Park last week, concluding a monthslong odyssey that saw Wyoming condition the sale on the Bureau of Land Management shrinking the scope of restrictions in a separate land-use plan. The National Park Service has long prioritized the purchase of the 640-acre ‘Kelly Parcel’ within the picturesque Gros Ventre River Valley on the national park’s eastern border. Though the region serves as an important wildlife migration corridor in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the state of Wyoming at one point considered holding an auction to sell the parcel to the highest bidder, raising fears the land would be developed into luxury homes. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Monday called the $100 million land purchase an ‘incredible milestone, decades in the making,’ that will allow the National Park Service ‘to permanently protect an essential wildlife migration corridor and treasured landscape within Grand Teton National Park.’ Doing so, Haaland added, ‘will benefit our public lands and Wyoming’s public school students for generations to come.’” [E&E News, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

Wyoming Governor Approves $100 Million Sale Of State Land To Join Grand Teton National Park — “Wyoming will sell a 1-square-mile (2.6-square-kilometer) parcel of pristine land bordering Grand Teton National Park to the U.S. government for $100 million after Gov. Mark Gordon signed off on a deal Friday that ends the state’s longstanding threats to unload it to a developer. Under the agreement the federal government will pay the appraised value of $62.5 million for the property, while privately raised funds will supply the rest. Carpeted by a mix of trees, shrubs and sagebrush, the rolling land has a commanding view of the iconic Teton Range and is prime habitat for animals including elk, moose and grizzly bears. Gordon, a Republican, announced in a statement that he was approving the deal to add the land to the national park after his office ensured that a U.S. Bureau of Land Management plan for managing a vast area of southwestern Wyoming doesn’t carry too many restrictions on development including oil and gas drilling — a stipulation made by the state Legislature last winter.” [Associated Press, 12/27/24 (=)]

 

Kelly Parcel Sold For $100M To National Park Service — “On Monday, Dec. 30, the Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) Foundation announced that the Department of the Interior purchased the 640-acre Kelly Parcel from the State of Wyoming for $100 million. The deal was inked right before it was set to expire. The official incorporation of the square mile of state school trust land into GTNP will help preserve connectivity for wildlife in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and provide funding for Wyoming’s public school system, according to the GTNP Foundation. ‘We are so proud to have helped enable this incredible achievement for the American people, Grand Teton National Park and the state of Wyoming,’ GTNP Foundation President Leslie Mattson said via press release. ‘We are in awe of the incredible generosity of hundreds of people who stepped forward to protect this essential parcel while supporting public education in Wyoming.’” [Buckrail, 12/30/24 (=)]

 

Wyoming Governor Approves $100 Million Sale Of State Land To Join Grand Teton National Park — “Wyoming will sell a 1-square-mile (2.6-square-kilometer) parcel of pristine land bordering Grand Teton National Park to the U.S. government for $100 million after Gov. Mark Gordon signed off on a deal Friday that ends the state’s longstanding threats to unload it to a developer. Under the agreement, the federal government will pay the appraised value of $62.5 million for the property, while privately raised funds will supply the rest. Carpeted by a mix of trees, shrubs and sagebrush, the rolling land has a commanding view of the iconic Teton Range and is a prime habitat for animals including elk, moose and grizzly bears. Gordon, a Republican, announced in a statement that he was approving the deal to add the land to the national park after his office ensured that a U.S. Bureau of Land Management plan for managing a vast area of southwestern Wyoming doesn’t carry too many restrictions on development including oil and gas drilling — a stipulation made by the state Legislature last winter.” [CBS News, 12/26/24 (=)]

 

CNN | 1 Square Mile Of Land In Grand Teton Park Will Be Sold For $100 Million — “The state of Wyoming has agreed to sell a one square mile piece of land inside the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park for $100 million. The so-called ‘Kelly parcel’ sits in a key wildlife migration corridor. The deal will allow the federal government to protect the 640-acre piece of land from development. The financing for the purchase was the result of a public-private partnership. Roughly a third of the money came from private donations raised by the nonprofit Grand Teton National Park Foundation. The rest came from the federal land and water conservation fund.” [East Idaho News, 1/1/25 (=)]

 

$100m Kelly Parcel Sale One Of The Largest Of Its Kind In American History — “The sale of the 640-acre Kelly Parcel in Teton County to the federal government is historic for a number of reasons, including its sheer size and the incredibly intricate dealmaking that had to take place to get it done. Former Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Rob Wallace told Cowboy State Daily on Monday that it’s one of the largest land buys ever made by the federal government out of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in its nearly 60-year history. Wallace was one of the major figures in helping get the sale across the finish line. ‘It was a very gratifying project to be a part of,’ Wallace said. ‘It was a historic win for Grand Teton, and a historic win for wildlife.’ Chip Jenkins, Grand Teton National Park superintendent, told Cowboy State Daily on Monday that the reason the federal government prioritized the sale was because of the significance it holds for wildlife and the environment. Next to Grand Teton, it also makes sense to include the pristine tract of land it into the park.” [Cowboy State Daily, 12/30/24 (=)]

 

After Decades Of Debate, $100 Million Sale Of Kelly Parcel Is Final — “After more than 21 years of negotiations, legislation and public debate, the $100 million sale of a pristine 640-acre tract of land next to Grand Teton National Park is final. Gov. Mark Gordon announced Friday that he’s officially certifying the sale of the Kelly Parcel in Teton County to the national park. The Kelly Parcel makes up 640 undeveloped acres of state-owned land outside Jackson. It had become a major political football in recent years between conservationists and those who didn’t want the land sold to the federal government. ‘I’m excited about the win-win of continued public and wildlife access for this land that is sandwiched between the park and the national forest,’ state Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, told Cowboy State Daily. ‘Having it be part of Grand Teton National Park is great for our shared national legacy, and I’m glad that it is getting finalized before the extremists in the new Legislature can take that away from us.’” [Cowboy State Daily, 12/28/24 (=)]

 

Wyoming Lawmakers Reveal Whether Stunning Patch Of Grand Teton Will Be Turned Into Luxury Condos — “Wyoming lawmakers have agreed to a $100million deal to turn over a parcel of land within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park to the federal government - protecting it from being turned into luxury condos. The ‘Kelly’ parcel had been the subject of negotiations for years as one of the last remaining areas established before the national park was founded in 1929, according to the New York Times. Conservationists hoped to permanently secure the land, which has sweeping views of the Teton Range, while state lawmakers wanted to sell the one square mile property in an auction - potentially to a luxury home developer. But as part of an agreement finalized on Monday, the nonprofit Grand Teton National Park Foundation, was able to raise about one-third of the $100million needed to secure the land. The remainder of the funds came from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The money will now be used to support education throughout the state.” [Daily Mail, 12/31/24 (-)]

 

Gear Junkie | $100 Million Land Sale Ensures Grand Teton National Park’s ‘Essential Connectivity’ — “After years of political wrangling between state and federal officials, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced Monday the purchase of 640 acres of additional land within Grand Teton National Park. Known as the Kelly Parcel, the ‘picturesque landscape’ has mountain views and ‘world-class wildlife habitat,’ federal officials said in a news release. The parcel was the largest remaining piece of unprotected land within the national park’s boundaries. By adding the area to the park, wildlife managers can maintain ‘essential connectivity for wildlife in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,’ officials said. They called the zone one of the last remaining temperate ecosystems on the planet that’s mostly intact. The $100 million sale to preserve the parcel was made possible through a partnership between the Interior Department and the National Park Service. They pooled money from the Grand Teton National Park Foundation ($37.6 million), the Land and Water Conservation Fund ($62.4 million), and the National Park Foundation. But private donations were a big part of the conservation victory as well. Nearly 400 donors from 46 states made gifts ranging from $10 million to $15 million.” [Yahoo! News, 12/30/24 (+)]

 

Kelly Parcel Now Part Of Grand Teton Park — “Beverly Boynton has lived in Kelly for decades but only been walking the Kelly parcel for two or so years, thinking about the pristine square mile of sagebrush and wildlife habitat as the National Park Service maneuvered to buy it from the State of Wyoming. The more she walked the parcel, the more she understood how valuable it is for wildlife. Last spring, Boynton wanted to hike the parcel but was stopped by a herd of 1,000 elk that she didn’t want to stampede. She drove around and entered from another side, only to crest a hill and run into 10 bison that didn’t much like her presence. After the National Park Service confirmed Monday that the parcel had been purchased from the state for $100 million, Boynton was more confident in its future — and the future of its wild inhabitants.” [Jackson Hole News & Guide, 12/31/24 (+)]

 

Video: Some Grand Teton Land To Be Sold — “Some land in Grand Teton National Park will soon go up for sale.” [KULR-TV, 12/30/24 (=)]

 

Wyoming News Exchange | Kelly Parcel Now Part Of Grand Teton Park — “Beverly Boynton has lived in Kelly for decades but only been walking the Kelly Parcel for two or so years, thinking about the pristine square mile of sagebrush and wildlife habitat as the National Park Service maneuvered to buy it from the state of Wyoming. The more she walked the parcel, the more she understood how valuable it is for wildlife. Last spring, Boynton wanted to hike the parcel but was stopped by a herd of 1,000 elk that she didn’t want to stampede. She drove around and entered from another side, only to crest a hill and run into 10 bison that didn’t much like her presence. After the National Park Service confirmed Monday that the parcel had been purchased from the state for $100 million, Boynton was more confident in its future — and the future of its wild inhabitants.” [Laramie Boomerang, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

$100 Million For One Square Mile: Deal To Protect Land In Grand Tetons — “Wyoming has agreed to a $100 million deal to turn over a prized parcel of land within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park, allowing the federal government to protect the plot from the threat of development. The so-called Kelly parcel had been a subject of negotiations for years, as conservationists hoped to permanently secure the land, which sits in a migration corridor for pronghorn and elk and has a sweeping view of the Teton Range. Wyoming had at one point made plans to sell the one-square-mile property in an auction, potentially to a luxury home developer. As part of the agreement finalized on Monday, the nonprofit Grand Teton National Park Foundation was able to raise about one-third of the $100 million needed for the deal, officials said, while the remainder came from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.” [The New York Times, 12/30/24 (+)]

 

$100M Purchase Ends Saga Over 1 Square Mile Of Land In Grand Teton National Park — “The Kelly parcel is just 1 square mile of rolling hills and aspen groves at the doorstep of one of America’s great national parks, Grand Teton in Wyoming. But don’t be fooled by the sagebrush: This piece of property is something special. It’s an essential wildlife habitat for elk, moose, bison, mule deer and big horn sheep, as well as grizzlies and wolves. It’s the starting point for the Path of the Pronghorn, the longest land migration in the Lower 48, according to the National Park Service, a route that sees hundreds of pronghorn antelope running through. ‘In short, the Kelly Parcel is an elemental part of the surrounding Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which is facing ever increasing threats from development, recreation and a warming climate,’ author Ted Kerasote wrote in 2023 in a New York Times opinion piece that called for the Kelly parcel’s protection. And until this week, it was also the largest remaining piece of unprotected land in Grand Teton National Park.” [SFGATE, 12/31/24 (=)]

 

Grand Teton National Park Deal Adds Protections For 640 Acres Of Wyo. Land — “The federal government is buying a one-square-mile parcel of land from the state of Wyoming. It means that the land will receive permanent protection in Grand Teton National Park. The federal government is buying the Kelly parcel. It’s a 640-acre plot of land that Wyoming held in its state school trust. The parcel has been a target for conservationists but was nearly auctioned off for potential home development. The land is in the middle of a migration corridor for elk, pronghorn and mule deer and includes striking views of the Teton Range. The $100 million comes from a mix of private donations and the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said, ‘Today marks an incredible milestone, decades in the making, to permanently protect an essential wildlife migration corridor and treasured landscape within Grand Teton National Park.’” [Straight Arrow News, 12/30/24 (=)]

 

Government Buys Grand Teton National Park Land For $100 Million To Protect From Developers — “A portion of land within Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park has been sold to the federal government, which will prohibit private development. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon certified the sale of the state’s so-called Kelly Parcel to the U.S. Department of Interior for $100 million on Friday. Gordon has previously indicated his desire to use the proceeds to buy other federal lands and minerals within Wyoming, according to a news release. The $100 million could be combined with an additional $62 million from the sale of other parcels in Teton County, Wyoming, for that purpose. The Department of Interior, through the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, footed $62.4 million of the total price. The Grand Teton National Park Foundation, through private funding, raised the additional $37.6 million needed for the purchase, according to a Grand Teton National Park Foundation news release.” [USA Today, 12/31/24 (+)]

 

After Decades Of Political Maneuvering, Grand Teton Buys Wyoming’s Kelly Parcel — “The federal government bought Wyoming’s 640-acre Kelly Parcel school section for $100 million today, a transaction that will see the wildlife-rich property that lawmakers had proposed for commercial development, instead preserved as part of Grand Teton National Park. The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation announced the completion of this morning’s sale after the foundation spearheaded a $37.6 million drive for private funds to augment $62.4 million in federal conservation money. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland called the transaction ‘an incredible milestone, decades in the making.’ In a statement, she said the purchase ‘will benefit our public lands and Wyoming’s public school students for generations to come.’” [WyoFile, 12/30/24 (+)]

 

Wyoming Public Radio | Kelly Parcel Sale To Grand Teton National Park Complete — “The Department of the Interior has purchased a 640-acre parcel of state school trust land from Wyoming. The announcement comes days after Gov. Mark Gordon determined that the conditions for the state to sell the Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park had been met. Earlier this year, the state Legislature tied the fate of the Kelly Parcel to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) resource management plan (RMP) for about 3.6 million acres of public lands around Rock Springs. Lawmakers required that the BLM not choose a conservation-oriented set of management priorities known as ‘Alternative B.’ While the agency initially listed Alternative B as its preferred plan, a later draft somewhat backed off the conservation focus and increased the amount of land available for energy development. The BLM released a Record of Decision [ROD] for its final management plan on Dec. 20. Gordon said he worked with the state attorney general in determining that the final plan did not select Alternative B for certain rights of way actions and fluid mineral leasing.” [Wyoming Public Radio, 12/30/24 (=)]

 

Judge Dings Interior For Declining To Hold Oil And Gas Lease Sale In Summer 2022 — “A federal judge in Wyoming this week upheld the Biden administration’s decision to forego auctions for new oil and gas leases in 2021 but ruled it had erred by not holding a sale in the state in the third quarter of 2022. The ruling issued on Tuesday comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump will take office and move to enact an agenda that he has vowed will include opening up significantly more federal land to oil and gas drilling. The decision: The mixed ruling by Chief Judge Scott Skavdahl of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming, an Obama appointee, said the Bureau of Land Management’s decision to not hold lease sales in the state in the second and third quarters of 2021 was ‘rational’ because of legal concerns that the Trump administration had failed comply with the National Environmental Policy Act when it scheduled the sales. That was evident from previous court rulings that faulted Trump-era sales of more than 5,000 leases over 4.8 million acres, Skavdahl ruled. But Skavdahl agreed with the complaint filed by the state of Wyoming that the agency was wrong to not hold a lease sale in the third quarter of 2022.” [Politico, 1/2/25 (=)]

 

 

Western Water

 

Shrinking Colorado River Will Take A Toll On The Nation's Food Supply — “The shelves and prices at your local grocery store could look a little different soon. The Colorado River, which provides water for about 15% of our country’s agriculture, is shrinking, and the current agreement that divvies up the water usage ends in 2026. The Imperial Valley in Southern California relies 100% on the Colorado River for its water. This valley receives less than three inches of rain a year, yet still produces about two-thirds of the country’s winter produce. Farmers in the valley say the shrinking water levels and competing interests over river usage will badly impact the nation’s food supply. ‘A lot of people say that the Colorado River and the diminishing water supply is an issue that affects 40 million people, because that’s who rely on it. I think that number is too low. I think 100 million people rely on the water from the Colorado,’ said fourth-generation farmer Andrew Leimgruber.” [Fox Business, 12/29/24 (=)]

 

 

How Does The Mountain Lion Cross The Road? — “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set aside a trillion dollars to repair or rebuild infrastructure like roads and bridges. This funding provides an opportunity to not only make the country’s infrastructure more resilient to climate change but to help wildlife adapt, too. Renee Callahan of the nonprofit Arc Solutions says roads and bridges often prevent wildlife from moving to more suitable habitat as the climate changes or escaping from extreme events such as wildfires. Callahan: ‘If the animals are not able to move out of an area that is being impacted, then those animals are going to perish.’ The law could help because it includes funding for special over- or underpasses that give animals a safe place to cross roads. And it sets aside money to renovate or replace bridges and culverts – tunnels that funnel water under roads. Often, culverts are being widened, so more water – and fish – will be able to get through.” [Yale Climate Connections, 1/1/25 (+)]

 

The Hidden Climate Cost Of Online Shopping — “Lots of people do their holiday shopping and returns from the comfort of home. But that convenience comes at a cost. Taylor: ‘Because when you have that demand of e-commerce and shopping online, it creates also that demand in warehouse development to store those goods.’ Tolani Taylor of the nonprofit Clean Water Action says her state of New Jersey is home to more than 3,000 warehouses and distribution centers. According to a recent report co-released by her organization and the Environmental Defense Fund, about a third of the state’s residents live within a half mile of one. Every day, diesel trucks drive in and out, creating pollution that warms the climate and aggravates asthma and other health issues locally. Taylor’s group advocates for policies that would limit warehouse development – especially in areas already polluted by power plants, factories, and trucks. And it pushes for existing warehouses to limit the impact of their operations. Taylor: ‘The key thing for current warehouse facilities to do is to electrify, so that includes electrifying their fleet of trucks.’” [Yale Climate Connections, 12/24/24 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: Biden’s Missed Chance To Safeguard America’s Oceans — According to Rick Steiner, “Among President Biden’s many laudable environmental accomplishments, one of his historic failures is that he declined to protect America’s ocean ecosystems. Despite the president’s professed goal to protect 30 percent of America’s oceans by 2030, he did virtually none of this. Perhaps he was planning on a second term (obviously a bad gamble), or perhaps he never really intended to do any of this. Regardless, the hope and optimism for ocean protection at the beginning of the Biden administration has, in the end, turned to profound disappointment. On this issue, the administration prioritized local politics over science, need and national interest. At the start of his term, a group of marine scientists from across the nation submitted a joint scientists’ letter on ocean protection to President Biden, urging him to strongly protect 30 percent of America’s ocean ecosystems by 2030. The scientists’ ocean letter — signed by more than 90 university deans, department chairs, distinguished marine professors, agency and independent scientists (including legendary Dr. Jane Goodall) — told the president that America’s ocean ecosystems are in significant decline due to decades of over exploitation, climate change, acidification and pollution.” [The Hill, 12/28/24 (~)]

 

 

 

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