Public Lands Clips: February 12, 2025

 

 

Senate

 

Hirono, colleagues concerned over National Park staffing shortages due to hiring freeze. “US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined colleagues in urging newly confirmed US Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to immediately take action to resolve looming staffing shortages at the National Park Service. Hirono, who is a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on National Parks, joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and 17 colleagues writing the letter. The letter follows President Trump’s hiring freeze, his cancellation of thousands of job offers for seasonal National Park Service employees, and his buyout offers made. ‘These actions pave the way for a damaging loss of staff at national parks across the nation in the coming summer months and beyond,’ according to a news release from Hirono.” [Maui Now, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

House

 

Utah Republican moves to axe Biden-era conservation rule. “The Utah Republican on Tuesday introduced the Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would repeal the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule that put conservation on par with commercial uses — like oil and gas, grazing, mining and logging. The rule was finalized in June under the Biden administration’s BLM, which at the time said it restored balance in the management of public lands. The rule also created ‘restoration and mitigation leases,’ through which the BLM can lease degraded public land for rehabilitation by states, nonprofits or developers. Utah sued the federal government over the rule last year. In Maloy’s view, the rule ‘shows just how broken our bureaucracy really is.’ ‘Congress directed BLM to manage public lands for multiple uses and sustained yield,’ she said in a Tuesday statement. ‘This rule eliminates multiple use, locking out Utahns who have relied on these lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and more for generations.’” [The Salt Lake Tribune, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

‘Do less with less’: Utah Reps. Maloy, Kennedy hope to see new public land management under Trump. “Utah Republican Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy say the Trump administration presents an opportunity to reign in federal spending on public land management, while greenlighting infrastructure projects that have faced regulatory and environmental setbacks. That was the sentiment from Maloy and Kennedy during a U.S. House Federal Lands Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday focused on the concept of multiple use — where federal agencies like the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, are required to manage land for a variety of purposes, including energy, recreation, timber harvesting and livestock grazing, all while protecting natural resources. Maloy and Kennedy, along with a number of other Utah Republicans, routinely criticized the Biden administration for abandoning the multiple use mandate. Now with the Trump administration slashing funding for federal programs and suspending federal employees, Maloy and other Republicans hope to see a change in how the country’s land management agencies operate. ‘I’d like to see agencies do less, with less,’ Maloy said.” [Utah News Dispatch, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Fulcher and Zinke ask Trump to delist grizzlies. “Republican members of Congress from Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are pressing President Donald Trump to remove federal protections for grizzly bears. In a letter to the president and Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum, they blasted a decision by the Biden administration in January that rejected requests to remove grizzly bear populations near Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks from protection under the Endangered Species Act and instead propose a rule consolidate grizzlies in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Washington as a single population. It was signed by Reps. Russ Fulcher of Idaho, Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing of Montana and Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, who said the move would leave grizzlies under federal protection for generations and put the states in ESA purgatory.” [Moscow-Pullman Daily News, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Congress ups ante on grizzly delisting. “With the change of presidential administrations, Wyoming’s delegation in Washington has new hope to delist the grizzly bear. In a letter to newly confirmed Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, four U.S. representatives urged President Donald Trump and the secretary to make moves to allow state management of Yellowstone area grizzlies. The representatives urge Burgum to reverse a Biden administration policy proposal that reclassifies grizzly populations into a single Distinct Population Segment and denies petitions to delist grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem by Wyoming and Montana. The letter from Reps. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), and Troy Downing (R-Mont.) calls on the current administration to return management of recovered grizzly populations to state wildlife agencies, ‘where it rightfully belongs.’” [Powell Tribune, 02/11/25 (-)]

 

GOP lawmaker proposes renaming Greenland ‘Red, White, and Blueland’. “Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) introduced a new bill this week aiming to rename Greenland to ‘Red, White, and Blueland,’ as President Trump seeks to acquire the island territory. The legislation, called the ‘Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025,’ directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to oversee the implementation of the name change and to ensure official documentation and maps refer to Greenland by its updated name. The legislation also authorizes Trump to enter into negotiations with Denmark ‘to purchase or otherwise acquire Greenland.’” [The Hill, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Bill to rename Greenland to ‘Red, White and Blueland’ introduced by Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter. “A Republican Congressman from Georgia has introduced a bill to the House of Representatives that would give a new name to Greenland as President Donald Trump continues his efforts to purchase the island. Named the ‘Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025,’ the bill, introduced by Rep. Earl ’Buddy’ Carter, seeks to rename the island from Greenland to a more colorful Red, White and Blueland. The act would direct the new Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to oversee the change and implement it on official documentation and maps to refer to Greenland by the updated name. ‘America is back and will soon be bigger than ever with the addition of Red, White, and Blueland,’ Carter said in a press release. ‘President Trump has correctly identified the purchase of what is now Greenland as a national security priority, and we will proudly welcome its people to join the freest nation to ever exist when our Negotiator-in-Chief inks this monumental deal.’” [USA Today, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Republicans, Dems clash over offshore drilling benefits. “E&E DAILY | House Natural Resources Republicans and industry executives expounded on the merits of ramping up offshore drilling during a committee hearing Tuesday. Democrats on the panel just weren’t buying it. The Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee hearing comes as Republicans are mulling how to scale up energy production in a budget reconciliation bill after years of promising to ‘unleash American energy.’ Republicans won control of Congress and the White House in part due to rampant inflation that plagued the globe after the Covid-19 pandemic. They’ve repeatedly made the case that producing more energy — particularly oil and gas — will bring down costs across the board. ‘Thankfully, the radical left wing and energy policies of the Biden administration have come to an end as the American public saw through the lies. They voted for energy dominance, not bureaucratic red tape, and that’s exactly what we’re going to restore,’ said subcommittee Chair Pete Stauber (D-Minn.). ‘We will push for more lease sales, faster permitting and a return to American energy leadership,’ said Stauber.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Natural Resources to vote on Western water, wildfire bills. “E&E DAILY | The House Natural Resources Committee will mark up legislation Wednesday to address Western water supplies and wildfire prevention. The agenda includes H.R. 231, the ’Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act of 2025,’ and H.R. 1001, which deals with the costs of addressing invasive species below the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Both are sponsored by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.). The first bill — which has bipartisan, bicameral support — would extend a $125 million effort to reduce water use in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming that expired at the end of last year. The second bill would direct the Bureau of Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration to review the costs of efforts to curb invasive smallmouth bass in the Colorado River. Also up for markup is Utah GOP Rep. Celeste Maloy’s H.R. 302, the ’Water Rights Protection Act of 2025,’ which would prohibit the Interior and Agriculture departments from acquiring any individual’s water rights as a permit or lease condition.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Zinke attacks former Interior watchdog. “E&E NEWS PM | Montana Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke on Tuesday praised President Donald Trump’s purge of agency inspectors general, asserting that he recommended the action after being ’harassed’ during his tenure as Interior secretary, describing the agency’s then-top attorney in vitriolic terms. Zinke served as Interior secretary during Trump’s first administration until he resigned in early 2019, as he faced more than a dozen investigations into allegations he violated ethics policies. The Office of Inspector General determined that Zinke failed to adhere to ethics standards in incidents involving a land deal and a Native American casino, and accused him of a ’lack of candor’ during the probes. When asked about challenges current Interior Secretary Doug Burgum could face, Zinke appeared to attack former Interior acting Inspector General Mary Kendall, though not by name. ’I had an IG that was biased, that as soon as I left, she left. She was an anti-Trumper, lesbian, just awful, right? And so she harassed me on Day 1,’ Zinke said.” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

 

Trump/Musk agency plans could have big climate impacts. “Elon Musk’s budgetary chainsaw is looming over U.S. disaster prediction and response agencies — just as climate change is making certain types of extreme weather events more common and intense. Why it matters: The prospect of cutting the Federal Emergency Management Agency — possibly entirely — and slashing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s budget and mission amid a parade of climate disasters could have disastrous consequences. Between the lines: NOAA’s mission is broad and intricately linked with FEMA and state emergency management agencies. NOAA is responsible for flying into hurricanes to measure their strength and improve predictions. Its National Weather Service forecasts weather across the U.S. and its territories and collects the majority of ocean and atmospheric observations worldwide on a daily basis. The combination of Project 2025’s prescription for NOAA, along with news reports of coming, steep staff cuts — so far unsubstantiated — has left the agency’s staff anxious and demoralized.” [Axios, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

 

US Should Stop Closure of Coal-Fired Power Plants, Wright Says. “The US should stop the closure of coal-fired power plants, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, adding the fuel source would be essential to the nation’s power system for decades to come. ‘We are on a path to continually shrink the electricity we generate from coal,’ Wright said Tuesday on Bloomberg Television. ‘That has made electricity more expensive and our grid less stable.’ Wright’s remarks come as demand for electricity is surging to feed power-thirsty data centers needed for artificial intelligence, new factories and the overall electrification of the economy. Read More: Trump Seizes Wartime Powers in Battle for More Fossil Fuels President Donald Trump has called for more steady sources of power while criticizing renewable energy as unreliable. While natural gas-fired plants are expected to supply the bulk of growth in the short term, Trump last month floated the dirtiest fossil fuel as a power source for data centers.” [Bloomberg News, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Wright: DOE will ’follow the law’ on Biden loans. “Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that he will ’follow the law’ when it comes to funding the Biden administration’s finalized loans within the Loan Programs Office’s portfolio. ’We will follow the law. That’s what I’m doing right now, is rigorously looking at what is the status of those loans, what is the status of those projects,’ Wright said in an interview with Bloomberg. ’Things that we inherit that are half-pregnant, that are going on, we will continue to honor the law.’ The loan office at the Energy Department was greatly expanded under former President Joe Biden. It announced a total of nearly $108 billion in deals under his administration — about $60.62 billion of which were finalized across a range projects from nuclear energy and critical minerals to virtual power plants. ... Wright also called the Ivanpah solar power plant near the California-Nevada border — which received loan guarantees for $1.6 billion from the loan office under former President Barack Obama and is now on its way toward closure — an example of a project the loan office should not be supporting.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Trump’s DOE boss on oil growth, coal, loans. “A few things caught my eye in new DOE boss Chris Wright’s interview with Bloomberg TV... 🛢️He downplayed tension between President Trump’s twin goals of lower prices and getting U.S. producers to pump more. ’What we’re focused on is reducing the cost to produce a barrel of oil, so for producers, they could have lower oil prices and the same profitability if their costs were reduced,’ Wright said. Wright acknowledged that U.S. production probably won’t grow ’meaningfully’ in the short run, but added: ’If you look at 5 or 10 years, could America grow our oil production significantly? Absolutely.’ 📉 On coal’s future, Wright said there’s unlikely to be a ’renaissance’ of surging production. But he also said: ’I think the best we can hope for in the short term is to stop the closure of coal power plants.’ 💵 On the loan office, Wright said he’s reviewing the portfolio. On money that’s ’uncommitted or early on,’ Wright said they ’will be deployed to advance the president’s agenda of affordable, reliable, secure energy.’” [Axios, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

 

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum Signs Orders to Increase Energy Production, Review Biden Public Lands Rules. “Doug Burgum officially began his tenure as the 55th Secretary of the Interior, marking the start of a new era focused on advancing American energy independence. On his first day in office, Secretary Burgum met with Department leadership, outlined his key priorities, took immediate steps to streamline processes that will advance President Trump’s agenda by signing six Secretary’s Orders to make America Energy Dominant. ‘Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the Department of the Interior,’ said Secretary Doug Burgum. ‘We are committed to working collaboratively to unlock America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation. Together, we will ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our communities, respect tribal sovereignty, and drive innovation that will keep the U.S. at the forefront of energy and environmental leadership.’” [Northern Ag Network, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

 

Days before Trump took office, Interior approved oil and gas leases for land bought during 2019 public auction. “Days after President Joe Biden gave his farewell address to the nation on Jan. 15, the Bureau of Land Management approved oil and gas leases on thousands of acres of public and tribal land around New Mexico’s Chaco Culture National Historical Park — all of them parcels the agency had sold at auction in 2019, during the first Trump administration. One site is just over half a mile from the 10-mile buffer zone the Biden administration created to protect Chaco’s fragile cultural and environmental landscape. The BLM’s announcement came with a 206-page environmental assessment acknowledging that the oil and gas activity will impact cultural sites in and around Chaco that are foundational to the region’s Indigenous people. At the same time, it encouraged land developers to work with the new administration, which is already sprinting to reform federal land management to meet industry demands.” [High Country News Magazine, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

 

Judges question FWS action on American burying beetle. “E&E NEWS PM | A federal appellate court panel dug deeply and at times skeptically Tuesday into the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision scaling back Endangered Species Act protections for the American burying beetle. In an unusually protracted oral argument, the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit repeatedly pressed a Justice Department lawyer over the 2019 downlisting of the beetle from endangered to threatened. The two-hour oral argument surpassed the scheduled 30 minutes, with judges sounding dubious at times about the FWS’s conclusion that the beetle is not at imminent risk of extinction despite showing low resiliency in some populations. ’It seems, from my reading of the record, that the agency is equating endangered or in danger of extinction with zero resiliency, because that’s what we will have [in the future], but there’s still low resiliency in the current range, and there’s really no explanation as to why low resiliency isn’t also in danger of extinction,’ Judge Florence Pan said, adding that ’there’s no explanation as to why that type of low resiliency doesn’t qualify as in danger of extinction.’” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

National Park Service (NPS)

 

Trump admin exempts some NPS workers from hiring freeze. “E&E NEWS PM | The Interior Department committed Tuesday to hiring seasonal employees for national parks, while confusion lingered within the agency about whether Trump administration moves to shrink the federal workforce will leave parks with anemic staffing levels during the busy summer season. Interior released a statement reiterating that it will hire people to fill ‘key positions,’ including seasonal employees at national parks and wildland firefighters, despite a broader Trump administration hiring freeze. ‘The Department is working to hire key positions that will continue to protect public and tribal lands, infrastructure, and communities from the impacts of wildfires through hazardous fuels management, wildfire preparedness, and close collaboration with interagency partners,’ the department said in a statement that was also shared with the media over the weekend after Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) asked federal agencies to exempt firefighters from the hiring freeze. Regarding the National Park Service specifically, Interior on Tuesday said in a statement to POLITICO’s E&E News: ‘The Department will also hire key positions to ensure the public has access to our parks during its peak season.’” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)

 

Trump’s spending freeze snarls mine cleanup funds. “E&E NEWS PM | President Donald Trump’s spending freeze is blocking access to millions of dollars in at least one state where regulators are pushing to clean up old, abandoned mines across the West. Mike Tompson, who directs New Mexico’s abandoned mine land program, said his agency cannot currently draw from $2.3 million worth of grants the state is slated to receive to clean up abandoned mines in the area. The money that’s frozen is tied to the bipartisan infrastructure law and critical to the state’s push to clean up more than 15,000 abandoned legacy mines plaguing the state, from open pits to piles of waste. Other funds tied to direct fees have not been impacted, Tompson told POLITICO’s E&E News. The freeze is significant given the pollution and danger tied to abandoned mines that can experience falls and cave-ins. The sites can be home to dilapidated frames; open shafts; water-filled pits; and spaces that house old explosives, hazardous chemicals and wild animals.” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

 

US officially changes name of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America per Trump’s order. “It’s official: The Gulf of Mexico is no more (at least in the United States, anyway). Workers at the federal Board on Geographic Names have formally changed the name to the Gulf of America per one of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders. The change doesn’t affect what other countries call it, and Mexico’s president has promised to ignore it and asked others to do the same. Trump on Sunday flew in Air Force 1 over the Gulf while attending the Super Bowl, and declared the day as the ’first-ever Gulf of America Day.’ Traveling with the president, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shared on social media an official USGS map image showing the new name.” [USA Today, 02/10/25 (=)]

 

 

Trump set a deadline on the endangerment finding. Here’s what might happen. “CLIMATEWIRE | EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has one week to tell President Donald Trump whether the agency could abandon its authority to regulate climate pollution under the Clean Air Act. His decision stands to cast EPA into a monumental fight over its ability to reduce carbon emissions, potentially reverberating beyond Trump’s presidency. If Zeldin attempts to upend the 2009 scientific finding that underpins all greenhouse gas rules — known as the endangerment finding — he would risk being rebuked by the courts. But if judges upheld EPA’s move to reverse the finding, it would accelerate Trump’s efforts to dismantle a host of climate rules enacted under President Joe Biden, while erecting legal hurdles for future administrations that want to curb climate pollution. ‘I think they can do it, and I, and I just hope the administrator is well briefed so that he can make the right decision,’ said Myron Ebell, who led Trump’s EPA transition team in 2017, in a recent interview.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

 

Watchdog fighting Trump firing charges ex-FEMA worker with discriminating against Trump supporters. “An executive branch ethics watchdog who is fighting President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire him has taken disciplinary action against a former federal emergency worker for allegedly encouraging discrimination against Trump supporters. In a complaint filed Tuesday, special counsel Hampton Dellinger alleges that, during a hurricane response in October, an aid supervisor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency instructed FEMA workers not to visit homes with Trump signs. The supervisor, Marn’i Washington, violated the Hatch Act, a federal law that restricts federal employees from engaging in political activities, the complaint says. FEMA fired Washington last year, shortly after accounts emerged that she had instructed workers to skip the houses of Trump supporters in Highland County, Florida, after Hurricane Milton. Washington said in TV interviews that she gave the instruction to protect fellow FEMA workers, who had encountered hostility at some homes in the area, but conservative activists and the Trump campaign seized on the episode as evidence that FEMA was deliberately botching the disaster response in Republican strongholds.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

 

Greenpeace files an anti-intimidation case against an American fossil fuel pipeline company. “THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Greenpeace filed on Tuesday an anti-intimidation court case against a U.S. energy company suing the environmental organization for hundreds of millions, testing for the first time a new European Union directive to counter manifestly unfounded cases aimed at harassing civil society. The European Commission brought in extraterritorial safeguards to curb SLAPPS, or strategic lawsuits against public participation, last year. Fossil fuel pipeline company Energy Transfer is suing Greenpeace for $300 million in North Dakota for organizing 2016 protests near the Standing Rock Reservation. Environmental groups and American Indian tribes staged large-scale protests over concerns about a possible oil spill polluting the tribe’s water supply. Now, Amsterdam-based Greenpeace wants a Dutch court to force Energy Transfer to pay compensation for ongoing proceedings over the Dakota Access Pipeline.” [Associated Press, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

 

Clean Energy

 

Record-breaking growth in renewable energy in US threatened by Trump. “The US had record-breaking growth in renewable-energy capacity last year, new research shows, but the future of the sector is uncertain amid threats from Donald Trump’s administration. The country brought online 48.2 gigawatts of capacity from utility-scale solar, wind and battery storage in 2024, according to a report from the research organization Cleanview; the report is based on an analysis of federal data. That surge in capacity – enough to power some 3.6m homes – was 47% larger than the increase the US saw in the previous year. This unprecedented growth is attributable in part to the falling cost of renewables, said Michael Thomas, the founder of Cleanview and author of the report. An even bigger factor, he said, was Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its historic incentives for green technologies. ‘The IRA changed the landscape,’ he said. The report comes as renewable power is being targeted by Trump, who has pledged to halt federal support for clean power as part of his pro-fossil fuel agenda. If he follows through on these promises, they could have devastating effects for the sector and the economy, experts say.” [The Guardian, 02/12/25 (+)]

 

Windy conditions ahead. “Proposed tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico plus the tariffs on Chinese imports threaten to hike costs for onshore wind, according to new research from data firm Wood Mackenzie. The tariffs could send costs for turbines soaring 7 percent, and raise overall project costs by 5 percent, the report found, given the industry depends heavily on imports. The report also found tariffs could send onshore wind energy costs higher, increasing the levelized cost of energy by 4 percent in the near-term and by 7 percent in a scenario of universal 25 percent tariffs.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Fossil Energy

 

Bloomberg | BP promises ‘fundamental reset’ as activist Elliott builds stake. “ENERGYWIRE | BP promised major changes at its upcoming strategy update, seeking to reverse a prolonged period of under-performance that has now drawn in activist Elliott Investment Management. The pledge, which came as the company reported a sharp drop in fourth-quarter profit, raised expectations for the Feb. 26 investor day. Analysts see BP pivoting away from ambitious plans for low-carbon energy and pursuing higher growth in oil and gas production. They also predicted that BP — alone among the major oil companies — would cut share buybacks because of its weaker balance sheet. ‘We now plan to fundamentally reset our strategy and drive further improvements in performance, all in service of growing cash flow and returns,’ CEO Murray Auchincloss said in a statement Tuesday. ‘It will be a new direction for BP, and not business as usual.’” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Trump Promised to “Drill, Baby, Drill.” Big Oil Won’t Let Him. “The promise was simple. All those pesky regulations, limitations, and outright bans that were imposed on fossil fuel companies would be lifted by the mighty pen of President Donald Trump, allowing them to finally produce as much as they materially could — environment be damned — and, by virtue of increased supply, bring the price down to guarantee cheap gasoline for all Americans. In theory, it was a sound proposal. As oil demand falters in several large markets, most important of all China, and new streams of production came from the Americas, an oil glut was expected for 2025, bringing prices down, perhaps below $70 for the first time since the pandemic. Add to that the unleashing of the US’s oil giants and prices could’ve fallen to levels not seen since the pandemic, or, prior to that, since the price war launched by the Saudis in 2014. But it seems the realities on the ground were far different from what Trump expected, and his promises of ‘unleashing America’s energy’ will not go too far … and the fault lies within Big Oil.” [CleanTechnica, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

 

Dems rally against DOGE moves at NOAA. “E&E NEWS PM | A crowd gathered in front of the Commerce Department on Tuesday to protest the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s incursion into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Democratic lawmakers assembled as snow began to fall to condemn DOGE’s proposed cuts to the agency, which provides weather and climate information and oversees various fishing operations. Advocates from groups such as the Chesapeake Climate Action Network wielded signs saying, ‘Stop DOGE, Save NOAA.’ The protest was one of a number of actions across Washington this week against moves by Elon Musk’s initiative to downsize government agencies. Democrats have been sounding the alarm about NOAA specifically, expressing concern about Musk and the Trump administration trying to privatize the National Weather Service. Speakers included Democratic Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, along with numerous members of Democratic House committee leadership, including Reps. Zoe Lofgren of California and Frank Pallone of New Jersey.” [Politico, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

 

California

 

California’s insurer for people without private coverage needs $1 billion more for LA fires claims. “SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s plan that provides insurance to homeowners who can’t get private coverage needs $1 billion more to pay out claims related to the Los Angeles wildfires, the state Insurance Department said Tuesday. The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that all the major private insurers pay into, and the plan then issues policies to people who can’t get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure. The plan, with high premiums and basic coverage, is designed as a temporary option until homeowners can find permanent coverage, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. There were more than 452,000 policies on the Fair Plan in 2024, more than double the number in 2020. The plan says it’s expecting a loss of roughly $4 billion from the Eaton and Palisades Fires, which sparked Jan. 7, destroyed nearly 17,000 structures and killed at least 29 people. Roughly 4,700 claims have been filed as of this week, and the plan has already paid out more than $914 million.” [Associated Press, 02/12/25 (+)]

 

California’s High-Risk Insurer Gets $1 Billion Bailout After L.A. Fires. “California’s home insurance plan of last resort, designed for people who can’t get coverage on the private market, does not have enough money to pay claims from the Los Angeles wildfires and is getting an infusion of cash from regular insurers. State regulators said Tuesday that they will allow the program, known as the FAIR Plan, to collect $1 billion from private insurance companies doing business in California to pay its claims. That is likely to drive up insurance costs for homeowners across the state. The situation marks a perilous new stage for California’s home insurance market, which had already been reeling from wildfires made more frequent and intense by climate change. Facing growing losses, major insurers like State Farm were already pulling back from the state, making it harder for homeowners to find coverage. Now the pressure to leave will be even greater.” [The New York Times, 02/10/25 (+)]

 

California’s insurer of last resort runs out of money to pay L.A. fire claims. “California’s home insurance plan of last resort has run out of money to pay the wave of claims stemming from the Los Angeles fires and will receive a bailout of $1 billion, state regulators announced Tuesday. The decision to grant the plan’s request for a cash infusion comes in the aftermath of two of the most destructive fires in the state’s history, which destroyed roughly 6,800 structures in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and about 9,400 in the suburb of Altadena last month. Since then, the FAIR plan has been inundated with claims for damage by homeowners who lost everything — and who had not been able to get coverage on the private market. To date, the plan has paid out $914 million to policyholders, a figure that is expected to grow. To continue to pay claims, the plan asked California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to approve a $1 billion assessment of its membership, which is made up of the insurance companies that do business in the state. Insurers, in turn, are allowed to pass on a portion of that cost to their policyholders, potentially raising the cost of home insurance across the state.” [The Washington Post, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

California faces insurance crisis as homeowners lose coverage amid extreme weather. “The hills above Los Angeles are covered with dense, dark green brush, a unique plant community known as chaparral. In the wake of the extreme wildfires that destroyed more than 12,000 homes and buildings, some are blaming the destruction squarely on that. ’You have thirty years of leaves and those leaves are dry as a bone and they burn,’ President Donald Trump said as he visited Los Angeles during the fires. In a congressional hearing this month, witnesses blamed ’overgrown brush’ and environmental regulations they say prevent it from being cleared. But wildfire experts say cutting down Southern California’s chaparral won’t make the region safer from wildfires. In fact, because of the local ecology, they say clearing vast swaths of native brush could actually make the landscape even more flammable.” [PBS NewsHour, 02/10/25 (+)]

 

More than 2 million acres of local land in California designated high or very high fire danger areas. “Reflecting intensifying wildfires and updated science, new state maps designate more than 2.3 million acres of local land in California as facing ‘high’ or ‘very high’ danger of wildfires. In the wake of devastating fires in Los Angeles County, the Fire Marshal’s office is gradually releasing updated maps for local jurisdictions after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order last week. The previous statewide maps were released from 2007 through 2011. In those jurisdictions, city or county fire departments are first responders and enforce fire safety rules. The areas designated as ‘high’ or ‘very high’ would be subject to the strongest state standards for wildfire-resilient buildings. Fire hazards in California have grown, in part, because of climate-driven droughts and a longer, more dangerous wildfire season. ‘We are living in a new reality of extremes. Believe the science – and your own damn eyes: Mother Nature is changing the way we live and we must continue adapting to those changes,’ Newsom said in a press release announcing the executive order. ‘California’s resilience means we will keep updating our standards in the most fire-prone areas.’” [Associated Press, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

California loves Dungeness crab. But concerns over whale safety put industry in peril. “The Dungeness crab fishery is under increasing regulation as California tries to prevent whales from getting entangled in fishing gear. Facing a truncated season and sharp limits on how many pots they can throw, crabbers wonder whether the industry can survive. Experiments with a new form of pop-up crabbing gear show promise and could offer a solution.” [Los Angeles Times, 02/10/25 (=)]

 

Colorado

 

Colorado group wants voters to decide again on restoring gray wolves. “GREENWIRE | In 2020, Colorado became the first state to pass a ballot initiative requiring the government to reintroduce an endangered species. Now, a little more than a year after the state began releasing gray wolves into the Colorado wilderness, opponents hope to once again use the ballot box to halt the program. The newly formed Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy announced its intention last month of creating a 2026 ballot initiative to end the wolf program. Since the state began releasing wolves in December 2023, ranchers and farmers have decried the policy, pointing to numerous cattle killings tied to wolves. The ballot initiative is part of an ongoing effort from state ranchers and rural advocates to dismantle the wolf program. Such efforts have so far been unsuccessful — Colorado’s Parks and Wildlife Commission recently struck down a citizen petition seeking to end the program, citing ongoing efforts from the department to protect ranchers from wolves and compensate them when cattle are killed. Legislative efforts to end the program have also failed to gain traction.” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

As activists mobilize against drilling, oil and gas operators sour on Colorado. “Adecision by Colorado state regulators to put two multiwell oil and gas proposals on hold showcased the growing influence of Denver-area antidrilling groups that have organized over the last decade in the face of large fossil fuel developments proposed on the outskirts of their suburban neighborhoods. Colorado’s Energy & Carbon Management Commission in November rejected a controversial request by Extraction Oil & Gas Inc. to build a 26-well oil operation, known as the Draco pad, in fossil-fuel-friendly Weld County and use it as a platform to drill under the town of Erie, which has fought to keep its land free from gas and oil extraction. In early January, the five-member body also denied for now an application by a smaller operator to construct a 20-well pad about 45 minutes to the southeast. The so-called Secret Stash project would have been drilled on a former bombing range that’s also slated for scores of additional wells.” [Yale Climate Connections, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

Georgia

 

Former head of Fish and Wildlife Service goes to bat for Okefenokee. “ATLANTA — The former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently urged Gov. Brian Kemp to block a proposed mine near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on her way out the door. In a letter to Kemp dated Jan. 15 — five days before leaving office to make way for the incoming Trump administration — then-FWS Director Martha Williams called the Okefenokee ‘one of America’s greatest natural treasures.’ Advocates for the swamp have been fighting Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals’ (TPM) plan to open a titanium oxide mine along Trail Ridge adjacent to the refuge for several years. The project’s opponents are looking to a new Fish and Wildlife Service plan to expand the refuge by about 22,000 acres as a way to stop the mine. ‘Experts have highlighted that the proposed mine significantly risks the ecosystem and cultural values of Okefenokee,’ Williams wrote. ‘The (Interior) Department, the state of Georgia, and private landowners have the opportunity to stand together to protect this unique swamp ecosystem within Georgia.” [GPB News, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Hawaii

 

AP | Hawaii court rules against insurance companies in Maui fire case. “CLIMATEWIRE | HONOLULU — Hawaii’s Supreme Court ruled Monday that insurance companies can’t bring their own legal actions against those blamed for Maui’s catastrophic 2023 wildfire, allowing a $4 billion settlement that was on that the verge of collapse to proceed. Other steps remain in finalizing the deal between thousands of people who lodged lawsuits and various defendants, including Hawaiian Electric. The massive inferno that was the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century decimated the historic town of Lahaina, killing more than 100 people, destroying thousands of properties and causing an estimated $5.5 billion in damage. Soon afterward, attorneys began lodging hundreds of lawsuits. A settlement was announced last summer, but insurance companies held out, insisting that they should have the right to go after the defendants separately to recoup money paid out to policyholders.” [Politico, 02/12/25 (=)]

 

New Jersey

 

NJ has given up on offshore wind for now. Who’s to blame? “New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy spent seven years trying to transform his state into a leader for offshore wind only to step away from that dream in the final months of his term. Last Monday, the state’s Board of Public Utilities canceled an offshore wind power solicitation, a process in which states agree to purchase electricity from wind turbines planned to be built off their coasts. The move left a key project, Atlantic Shores, without a customer — just days after it was abandoned by Shell, one of its two owners and developers. All of this came in the wake of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office that paused the approval of leases, permits, and loans for both offshore and onshore wind energy pending a federal review. The move immediately froze the dozen or so projects that do not yet have the federal permits required to begin construction.” [Canary Media, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

New Mexico

 

Deb Haaland, former Biden Interior secretary, launches New Mexico governor bid. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland launched her bid for governor of New Mexico on Tuesday morning, one of the first major political moves for a member of former President Joe Biden’s administration since he left office. ‘In Congress and as secretary of the Interior, I’ve fought for our state,’ Haaland said on X alongside a video announcing the bid. ‘I helped New Mexico businesses open their doors, secured clean energy jobs, and worked to bring water and infrastructure projects to rural communities.’ Before becoming the first Native American Cabinet secretary while serving under Biden, Haaland served in the House from 2019 to 2021, and before that she chaired New Mexico’s Democratic Party. As Interior secretary, she oversaw the Biden administration’s moves to cut fossil fuels and boost clean energy. Current Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is term limited, and Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich has already said he would not run for the state’s top office, leaving Haaland’s path to the general election relatively clear. She’s the first major candidate to get in the race, and has long been expected to run.” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

With 2026 campaign cycle approaching, Deb Haaland officially launches gubernatorial bid. “SANTA FE — Deb Haaland officially entered New Mexico’s 2026 race for governor on Tuesday, becoming the first candidate in an open — and likely expensive — race. The former New Mexico congresswoman, who spent nearly four years as U.S. interior secretary under Joe Biden until stepping down last month, has been quietly laying the groundwork for a gubernatorial campaign over at least the last several weeks. Her campaign launch had been teased in recent days by video snippets on Haaland’s social media account, including one posted Monday that featured her saying simply, ‘Are you ready?’ ... She was then appointed as interior secretary by Biden in February 2021. As the nation’s first Native American cabinet secretary, Haaland led an initiative to recognize the troubled legacy of federal Indian boarding schools and received both praise and criticism for her 2023 decision to bar new oil and gas leasing in a 10-mile radius around Chaco Canyon. She described the experience in a recent interview as ‘the honor of my lifetime’ but also acknowledged the difficulty of finding consensus on some key issues.” [Albuquerque Journal, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

Deb Haaland announces run for New Mexico governor. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland officially launched her campaign for governor of New Mexico Tuesday morning. Why it matters: If elected, Haaland would be the first Native American woman to serve as governor in U.S. history. Haaland, who served in the Biden administration, was the first Native American to lead a Cabinet agency. She has been taking steps for some time to consolidate support in the state and assemble a team of political operatives to work on her campaign, Axios previously reported.” [Axios, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Haaland enters New Mexico gubernatorial race. “GREENWIRE | Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland launched her long-expected campaign Tuesday to be New Mexico’s next governor. ... Haaland’s campaign is focused on a theme of being ‘fierce,’ with promises to work to lower the cost of living, strengthen schools and fight crime, among others. She’s drawing on her time leading the Interior Department under former President Joe Biden from 2021 until just three weeks ago, as well as her time in the House. ‘I helped more New Mexico businesses open their doors; powered thousands of our homes with good, New Mexico sun; brought good-paying New Mexico jobs to plug old oil wells and restore our land; and partnered with rural communities to secure their water and solve rural challenges,’ Haaland said in her campaign launch video. ‘New Mexico is rich in tradition and spirit, rich in natural resources. So why can’t our families pay our bills?’ she said. ‘Crime, poverty, homeless, addiction. They will keep pulling us down if we do the same things and expect a different result.’” [Politico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Former Biden cabinet member Deb Haaland launches New Mexico gubernatorial bid. “Former Interior Sec. Deb Haaland has announced a New Mexico gubernatorial bid. The politician, who served in a cabinet post during most of former President Joe Biden’s White House tenure, previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives. ’But the problems we face now are bigger than ever, and we must be fierce to solve them. That’s why I am running for governor of the great state of New Mexico,’ she said in a video.” [Fox News, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Haaland jumps into New Mexico governor’s race. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is formally jumping into the race to become the Land of Enchantment’s governor. She announced her campaign on Tuesday morning with a video posted online. ... Working in the Biden administration, Haaland oversaw an agency in charge of conserving the nation’s public lands and waters. Like many states in the West, New Mexico contains large swaths of federally-owned land. In that role, Haaland sought to advance President Biden’s climate agenda by expanding the development of renewables and limiting oil and gas drilling. However, her tenure also saw the reapproval of the Willow Project, a massive oil and gas drilling project in Alaska.” [The Hill, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

HuffPost | Deb Haaland Launches Bid For New Mexico Governor. “Deb Haaland, who served as President Joe Biden’s interior secretary for four years, announced Tuesday that she’s running for governor of New Mexico. Haaland, who is also a former Democratic congresswoman from the state, is the first declared candidate in the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is term-limited out in 2026. ‘In my life, I’ve learned that nothing comes easy,’ Haaland says in a vid ... Haaland’s tenure as interior secretary is largely defined by her efforts to boost conservation of public lands and right past wrongs against Native Americans by the U.S. government. eo announcing her bid. ‘Moving around a lot as a kid in a military family. Raising my child on my own. Achieving 35 years of sobriety. But here in New Mexico, struggle makes you fierce.’” [Yahoo!, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

Deb Haaland kicks off her New Mexico governor campaign. “Deb Haaland officially launched her campaign Tuesday for governor of the Land of Enchantment two weeks after she announced her run for the office. Leading up to the campaign launch, she teased the campaign announcement on social media in a few videos saying, ‘We must be fierce’ and ‘Are you ready New Mexico?’ The Laguna Pueblo citizen emphasized in the launch video the significance of listening to communities, safety, and the cost of living. ... Haaland broke glass ceilings when she became one of the first two Native women to serve in Congress and the first Native American to serve in the president’s cabinet. She highlighted her experience in Congress and at the Department of the Interior in funding water projects in rural areas, other projects to clean up New Mexico’s pollution, and jobs in clean energy.” [ictnews.org, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

Deb Haaland to run for New Mexico governor. “ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Deb Haaland has formally launched her campaign to run for governor in New Mexico. Haaland made the announcement Tuesday in a launch video focused on the cost of living, public safety and emphasizing what the campaign describes as ‘the importance of listening to communities in New Mexico.’ Haaland served as Secretary of the Interior under former President Joe Biden after she was confirmed in 2021. Before that, voters in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District elected her to two terms to represent them in Congress.” [KOB-TV, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Deb Haaland formally announces campaign for governor of New Mexico. “NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Former Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, has formally announced her campaign for New Mexico governor. The former congresswoman was the first Native American woman elected to Congress. Halland released a launch video Tuesday morning, confirming recent speculation that she will be pursuing the office of governor. In the video, Haaland emphasized the importance of listening to New Mexico’s communities and highlighted her experience as Secretary of the Interior. The election for governor is set to take place in November 2026.” [KRQE-TV, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Deb Haaland Launches Campaign For New Mexico Governor. “Early this morning, Deb Haaland launched her campaign for New Mexico Governor. ... Haaland was confirmed as Secretary of the Interior with strong bipartisan support and is the first Native American cabinet secretary in our nation’s history. As Secretary, she led nearly 70,000 federal employees and worked tirelessly for New Mexicans, securing and supporting thousands of New Mexico jobs, historic local clean energy development, and overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in the state. Haaland played a pivotal role in protecting 13.5 million acres of land in New Mexico, partnering with rural communities and Tribal Nations to preserve natural resources for fishing, ranching, recreation, and more. As someone who grew up in a rural community, she partnered with New Mexico’s rural towns and villages to secure clean water and address their biggest challenges.” [Los Alamos Daily Post, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland Officially Announces Bid to Become New Mexico Governor. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) officially launched her campaign for Governor of New Mexico today. The announcement follows weeks of speculation about Haaland’s next move after leaving her position as Interior Secretary on January 20, 2025. A former congresswoman, Haaland brings a strong background in public service to the race. In her launch video, Haaland emphasized issues such as the cost of living and public safety while underscoring the importance of listening to communities across New Mexico. She also highlighted her experience in securing resources for small businesses, creating clean energy jobs, funding water projects in rural areas, and leading efforts to clean up pollution across New Mexico’s landscapes—both as a congresswoman and as Secretary of the Interior. ‘Lowering costs, making rent and housing affordable, strengthening our schools, and preventing crimes so that you feel safe raising a family here. The solutions are there if we are fierce enough to choose them,’ Haaland said in the launch video.” [Native News Online, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

NBC News | Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland launches New Mexico governor campaign. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is running for governor of New Mexico, looking to be the first Native American woman to be elected governor of a state. Haaland launched her campaign Tuesday morning in an online video after hinting at an announcement for the last few days. In it, she leans heavily on her biography, opening the video saying she learned after a childhood of moving around, having to raise her child as a single mother, and working towards ’35 years of sobriety’ that ’nothing comes easy,’ but that ’here in New Mexico, struggle makes you fierce.’ ... A Laguna Pueblo member, Haaland became the first Native American Cabinet official in American history when then-President Joe Biden tapped her to lead the Interior Department, making her the second-highest ranking person of Native American ancestry in the history of American government. (Charles Curtis, who served as Herbert Hoover’s vice president, was a member of the Kaw tribe.)” [America Online (AOL.com), 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Deb Haaland, Ex-Interior Secretary, Is Running for Governor of New Mexico. “Deb Haaland, the former secretary of the Interior who was the first Native American to serve in a presidential cabinet, on Tuesday announced a bid for governor of New Mexico. Ms. Haaland, a Democrat, previously served as a congresswoman from the state. She is widely seen as a favorite to succeed Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is not running again in 2026 because of term limits. Ms. Haaland, 64, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, would be the first Native American woman to serve as governor of a state. Her campaign described her as a ‘35th generation’ New Mexican. She is one of the first top alumni of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s administration to announce a run for office since Democrats lost power.” [The New York Times, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Haaland announces run for governor. “Former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland made it official on Tuesday with a YouTube video: She is running for governor. ‘Lowering costs, making rent and housing affordable, strengthening our schools, and preventing crimes so that you feel safe raising a family here,’ Haaland said in her video. ‘The solutions are there if we are fierce enough to choose them.’ Haaland, who previously represented the state’s 1st Congressional District, is the first major name to announce a run for governor in 2026. Her announcement is not a surprise. A spokesperson for Haaland said in January that she was prepping a run and assembling a campaign team. Haaland served as the Secretary of the Interior under President Joe Biden after her one term in Congress. She was the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet-level official in the federal government. Haaland is an enrolled member of Laguna Pueblo.” [NM Political Report, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Deb Haaland officially launches campaign for governor of New Mexico. “It’s official: Democrat Deb Haaland is running to be the next governor of New Mexico. The former U.S. interior secretary and congresswoman launched her gubernatorial campaign early Tuesday morning, focusing on the cost of living and public safety in an announcement video. ’Lowering costs, making rent and housing affordable, strengthening our schools and preventing crimes so that you feel safe raising a family,’ Haaland said in what her campaign called a launch video. ’The solutions are there if we are fierce enough to choose them,’ she said.” [The Santa Fe New Mexican, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Deb Haaland announces run for NM governor. “Former Interior Secretary and New Mexico congresswoman Deb Haaland made a long-rumored run for governor official early Tuesday morning, posting a 2-minute video announcing her intent to be the first Indigenous woman governor of the state. Haaland, a Democrat and member of the Laguna Pueblo, said in the video posted on social media Tuesday morning that she would soon begin a listening tour across the state. ‘The problems we face now are bigger than ever, and we must be fierce to solve them,’ Haaland said. ‘That’s why I am running for governor of the great state of New Mexico. New Mexico is rich in tradition and spirit, rich in natural resources. So why can’t our families pay our bills?’ She cited rising costs as major problems facing New Mexicans, along with crime, poverty, homelessness and addiction. She also touted her successes in Congress and the Interior Department, where she said she helped small businesses, boosted solar power use in the state, plugged old oil wells and partnered with rural communities to protect their water.” [Source New Mexico, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Deb Haaland announces run for New Mexico governor. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced her candidacy for governor of New Mexico, aiming to succeed term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) in 2026. Haaland, who served in Congress and former President Joe Biden’s administration, released a video Tuesday announcing her bid, detailing her record in Washington. She had been speculated as a contender for the race for weeks leading up to her announcement. ...‘I’m running for Governor of New Mexico,’ Haaland said in a post on X. ‘In Congress and as Secretary of the Interior, I’ve fought for our state. I helped New Mexico businesses open their doors, secured clean energy jobs, and worked to bring water and infrastructure projects to rural communities. ... Haaland is the first Democrat to announce her candidacy for the gubernatorial race in the Land of Enchantment, doing so less than a month after leaving her position as interior secretary when Biden left office.” [Washington Examiner, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

North Carolina

 

Trump-ordered hiring freeze could threaten Smokies and Parkway operations post-Helene. “A federal hiring freeze that forced the National Park Service to rescind job offers for more than 2,000 seasonal and permanent positions would have a severe impact on an already understaffed national park system, critics of the Trump administration’s pause say. In a sweeping attempt to reduce the size of the federal government after taking office, President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on all federal hiring alongside buyout offers for more than 2 million federal employees. Labor unions have questioned the legality of the buyouts in federal court, but more than 60,000 federal workers have already accepted the offer. It’s unclear how long the hiring freeze might last and whether seasonal job offers will be reissued. Officials with the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service did not respond to requests for comment from the Citizen Times. In Western North Carolina, a region devastated by Tropical Storm Helene and where the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway draw in millions of visitors each year, the effect of the hiring freeze and buyouts could be even more pronounced, especially on communities recovering from the Sept. 27 storm.” [The Asheville Citizen-Times, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

Virginia

 

Trump’s Offshore Wind Review Has Dominion In Its Crosshairs. “The U.S. government signaled that it will review previously issued approvals for Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia offshore wind project, the first indication that even wind projects with all their permits already will have to fend off the Trump effect. On his first day in office, Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order targeting the offshore wind industry that requested the Interior Department, in consultation with the Justice Department, to conduct ‘a comprehensive review of the ecological, economic, and environmental necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases, identifying any legal bases for such removal.’ We now have our first indication that this review is in fact happening: On January 29, the Interior Department and the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow — an anti-renewables organization suing to kill the Coastal Virginia project — together requested through legal representatives that a federal judge delay (or in legal parlance, enlarge) the briefing schedule for a lawsuit CFACT had filed to kill the Coastal Virginia offshore wind project.” [Heatmap News, 02/11/25 (+)]

 

Wyoming

 

Wyo senate squashes resolution to transfer public lands to state. “WYOMING — In a series of reversals, a resolution that demanded the U.S. Congress dispose of all public lands, except Yellowstone National Park, to the state failed its third reading vote in the Wyoming Senate on Monday, Feb. 10. Fifteen Senators opposed SJ0002, and chose to keep 30 million acres of public lands in the hands of the federal government. The resolution stated that Wyoming is ‘entitled to exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction over all of the territory.’ Governor Mark Gordon said in a press address that a priority of his this term is to ensure more lands are under the purview of the state of Wyoming so ‘lease holders and permit holders will have a chance to look at a piece of land for acquisition.’ The vast majority of public lands are owned by federal resource agencies, including the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service. These agencies regularly restrict mineral development and future development on federal lands, the WLSO wrote in a Federal Land Ownership and Restrictions brief.” [Buckrail, 02/11/25 (=)]

 

 

 

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