Senate Dems roll out bill to protect Antiquities Act. “Senate Democrats fired back today at President Trump’s efforts to undo national monument designations, filing legislation declaring congressional support for the 51 monuments established by presidents under the Antiquities Act since 1996. The bill, S. 2354, would also direct that Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah be expanded to 1.9 million acres. In addition, it would designate nearly 250,000 acres of federal land in New Mexico as wilderness and add wilderness designations to more than 111,000 acres in southern Nevada.” [E&E News, 1/30/18 (=)]
A modern land run? Trump move opens Utah to mining claims under 1872 law. “U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw federal protections from millions of acres of Utah wilderness will reopen much of the iconic terrain to gold, silver, copper, and uranium land claims under a Wild West-era mining law, according to federal officials. Starting at 6 a.m. on Feb. 2 – the moment Trump’s proclamation reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments takes effect – private citizens and companies will be allowed to stake claims for hard rock mining in a process governed by the General Mining Law of 1872, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.” [Reuters, 1/31/18 (=)]
NPS to visitors: Stop leaving human remains at Vietnam wall. “The National Park Service is calling on visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington to stop leaving cremated human remains there. Relatives of deceased Vietnam veterans have been leaving cremains at the site since 1990. Over the years, about 70 cremains have been deposited — some in containers, others scattered.” [E&E News, 1/30/18 (=)]
NPS names public affairs chief. “Jeremy Barnum, who joined the National Park Service in 2015 as a public affairs specialist, today was named the agency’s chief spokesman and chief of public affairs. The position has been vacant since September, when Tom Crosson left for a job at the Department of Defense (Greenwire, Sept. 14, 2017). ‘Jeremy’s diplomatic and strategic approach to communications and his keen eye for storytelling will enhance the National Park Service’s efforts to engage all Americans with their national parks,’ said NPS acting Director P. Daniel Smith, who made the announcement.” [E&E News, 1/30/18 (=)]
Committee advances Interior, DOE picks. “A Senate committee approved four picks for top Energy and Interior department positions yesterday, leaving them at the mercy of the chamber's leadership and some tangled up in political fights. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to advance Melissa Burnison and Anne White, President Trump's picks for assistant secretary of Energy for congressional and intergovernmental affairs and to head DOE's environmental management office, respectively. Senators also approved Ryan Nelson, tapped for Interior solicitor, and Susan Combs, nominated for Interior's assistant secretary for policy, management and budget.” [E&E News, 1/31/18 (=)]
USGS pick faces new ordeal after space, ice and deep water. “Former astronaut James F. Reilly II hinted at an upcoming career change last June 6, well before his nomination to head the U.S. Geological Survey. ‘I’m going to get on Southwest [Airlines] this afternoon and spend 4 ½ hours flying to D.C. for a meeting tomorrow morning with the secretary of the Interior,’ Reilly told members of the Southern Utah Home Builders Association. Reilly did not elaborate on his throwaway line, captured on video along with the rest of his approximately 40-minute presentation.” [E&E News, 1/30/18 (=)]
America's National Parks Are in Despair. “More than 300 million people visited U.S. National Parks in 2016, but access to public lands is under threat. From government sell offs and the transfer of federal lands, to deteriorating infrastructure and an administration that has already downsized two national monuments, park supporters are concerned. The Guardian is expanding its investigative series ‘This Land Is Your Land,’ which looks at threats to America’s public lands. Their latest report looks at the National Park system infrastructure, which is in dire need of repair, says Alastair Gee, public lands editor for The Guardian.” [WNYC, 1/30/18 (+)]
AP | Maine Governor Says Offshore Drilling Would Lower Prices. “Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage says drilling for oil in waters off the state’s coast could increase energy independence and provide more heating oil for Mainers. LePage in a Maine Public interview on Tuesday said the state has recently weathered a cold snap and severe shortages in petroleum products. President Donald Trump’s administration recently announced it’ll seek to dramatically expand offshore oil and gas exploration. With the exception of Maine, every governor on the Atlantic seaboard or the West Coast has voiced opposition to drilling.” [U.S. News, 1/30/18 (=)]
Santa Barbara County resolution opposes new federal offshore oil leases along California coast. “A resolution opposing any new offshore oil development leases in federal waters off the California coast was approved Tuesday on a 3-2 vote of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. Fourth District Supervisor Peter Adam and 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino cast the dissenting votes.” [Santa Maria Times, 1/30/18 (=)]
Baker forming group in opposition to offshore drilling. “Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday he’s working to build a coalition of eastern seaboard governors in opposition to the Trump administration’s plan to open the North Atlantic to offshore oil drilling. Some governors of states along the coast have already reached out formally to the Department of Interior to express their opposition, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott won an exemption for his state. But while the Massachusetts Congressional delegation has called on Baker to speak up, the governor said he’s eyeing the Feb. 15 deadline for public comment.” [Worchester Business Journal, 1/30/18 (+)]
Tribal leaders slam Utah Rep. Curtis’ bill to redraw of Bears Ears, say management plan is tribal ‘in name only.’ “Tribal leaders are blasting Rep. John Curtis over a bill he contends would empower them to manage the new Shash Jaa National Monument, the 130,000-acre preserve President Donald Trump carved out of the former Bears Ears National Monument.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 1/30/18 (=)]
Tribes split sharply on Bears Ears bill. “Some Native American tribal leaders told a House panel yesterday they do not support President Trump’s decision to shrink the Bears Ears National Monument and ‘strongly oppose’ legislation that would codify that decision into law. But others offered support for Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis’ bill, H.R. 4532, saying the legislation would give local Native American tribes greater influence over how the lands are managed by federal regulators.” [E&E News, 1/31/18 (=)]
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Releases Video Against ‘Chaining’ Grand Staircase-Escalante NM. “The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance organization has released a statewide video focusing on a chaining plan, a practice the alliance describes as destructive, within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Chaining is a practice of removing vegetation in large areas by linking a metal chain between two pieces of heavy machinery. While the machinery, such as a bulldozer, moves forward, it clears the area of any tree or bush. The Bureau of Land Management calls it vegetation restoration and does this to create more land for cattle grazing.” [Utah Public Radio, 1/30/18 (+)]
Resolution urges BLM, Forest Service relocation to Utah. “A rural lawmaker figures if federal agencies are going to manage the land they own impacting the lives of state and local residents, why not move those agencies closer? Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, is running HJR02 to urge consideration of relocating the headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to Utah.” [Deseret News, 1/30/17 (=)]
Input spotty as BLM works to update Southern Nevada blueprint. “With two days remaining in the public comment period, the Bureau of Land Management has received about 120 unique comments on an ongoing update of its blueprint for Southern Nevada. Fewer than 400 people total turned out for a series of six public meetings the BLM held this month in various communities impacted by the Southern Nevada District Resource Management Plan, which is undergoing its first substantial revision since 1998.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1/30/18 (=)]
Bozeman group proposes forest consider more wilderness, wildlife management areas. “A Bozeman-based coalition proposed Tuesday that the Custer Gallatin National Forest protect 130,000 acres of wilderness in its new plan. ‘Our groundbreaking agreement will protect the character of our wild backyard — the Gallatin and Madison Ranges — while also maintaining access for all the different ways we recreate in this place,’ said Hilary Eisen, a Bozeman backcountry skier and climber, in a statement.” [Helena Independent Record, 1/31/18 (+)]
Outdoor Retailer recap: Gear makers rely on chemicals, but want to be earth-friendly, too. “The next generation of fabrics have to be high-tech, beautiful and environmentally responsible, suppliers say.” [Denver Business Journal, 1/30/18 (=)]
Poll shows strong support for public lands. “A recently released poll shows Idahoans use public lands extensively, consider public lands a vital part of the state’s character and economic life, and oppose efforts to allow more oil and gas drilling on federal lands. The poll, conducted by the College of Colorado, is the eighth in a series of annual polls concerning public attitudes toward conservation in western states. It’s the first year Idaho has been included in the poll. The poll surveyed 400 Idaho voters and had a margin of error of 4.9 percent.” [Idaho Post Register, 1/30/18 (+)]
House candidate Kier challenges Gianforte to take town hall pledge. “Democratic U.S. House of Representative candidate Grant Kier has vowed to hold multiple in-person town hall meetings in Montana if elected, and he challenged Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte to do the same. ‘I think Montanans really value access,’ Kier said Tuesday. ‘To public lands, rivers, streams, and more than anything else, public officials.’” [Helena Independent Record, 1/30/18 (+)]
Hunting program that makes private hunting land public nears its goal. “Landowners whose property is deemed suitable for hunting receive $10 per acre, per year, to open it to hunters. Sign-ups can be for up to three years at a time and bonus payments of $1 per acre apply when the real estate is situated near existing public hunting land or involves a site larger than 140 acres. The WIA payments to landowners are often stacked on top of other land program payments, chiefly for acres enrolled at $100 to $200 per acre in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).” [Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1/30/18 (+)]
Op-Ed: Trump’s infrastructure scam would gut environmental protections, sell off public lands. “This is not a serious proposal to make the investments America’s infrastructure needs, this is a scam designed to gut clean air, water, and wildlife protections, transform public highways and bridges into privately owned toll roads and sell off America’s public lands. We need a plan to create good-paying, family-sustaining jobs nationwide by making America a clean energy superpower and investing in public transportation, not a scam to enrich Wall Street.” [Wisconsin Gazette, 1/30/18 (+)]
Op-Ed: Utah’s approach to public lands won’t work. “The public in New Mexico, after 15 years, was frustrated with the ‘seat of the pants’ decision-making by the board of trustees at the Valles Caldera National Preserve. In 2015, Congress transferred the preserve to the National Park Service, which imposed its standard management structure. Stewart’s bill, combined with Trump’s evisceration of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, may advance conservative public-lands ideology. But neither action advances the interests of the public, and both create far more problems than they pretend to solve.” [High Country News, 1/30/18 (+)]
Op-Ed: Don’t let National Monuments be paradise lost. “Uses in the monuments previously and presently are hiking, camping, backpacking, fishing, hunting, timber and grazing. Taking away the Monument status allows for mining and oil and gas extraction. Southwest Utah has some of the most breathtaking land and has been called a rugged desolate paradise. Places to go where there is an absence of noise and dark skies, with only the stars and the moon to light your way.” [Steamboat Today, 1/30/18 (+)]
Op-Ed: Rep. Harris, call me? Maybe? “Rep. Harris, your coastal constituents have spoken loud and clear on the issue of offshore drilling and have clearly said they do not want to see the Atlantic open to oil and gas development. Ocean City and Berlin have passed resolutions opposing offshore drilling, as have the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Ocean City Hotel Motel Association, the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association and members of the White Marlin Open. Do our voices not matter on this issue? I patiently await your response.” [Delmarva Daily Times, 1/30/18 (+)]
Op-Ed: Trump’s economic growth carries a high price. “Donald Trump told the global elite gathered in Davos, Switzerland: ‘America is roaring back.’ Those back home should be asking two questions: How loud, really, is that roar? (The economy’s, not Trump’s.) And what price are Americans paying for his approach to growth? The Davos billionaires are not unimpressed by the opportunities offered by the grand deregulator. If the United States wants to let their mining companies ravage its public lands, why would they stop it? Energy Fuels, a Canadian uranium producer, successfully lobbied the Trump administration to shrink the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah by 85 percent.” [Providence Journal, 1/30/18 (+)]
Op-Ed: What’s wrong about Simpson grazing law? “I don’t know what the future of public grazing should be. But I do know this: The false incentives introduced by Congressman Simpson in his one-size-fits-all legislation are harmful and wrong. However much pride he takes in his wilderness designations, he should be ashamed of how he violated his own good-government principles, and ashamed of the tilted playing field he’s helped set up against public grazing. The people who work for us in the land agencies should make the decisions about grazing, based on local conditions and best objective judgment. Their mission should not be big-footed by the circumstances of an individual permit holder, nor by that permit holder’s vulnerability to ideologues with money.” [Idaho Mountain Express, 1/31/18 (+)]