National

 

Republicans and Democrats both like this conservation fund. But they just let it just expire. “For more than a half-century, the federal government has used money collected from oil and natural gas drilling to buy swaths of wilderness and other land and set them aside for recreation and wildlife conservation. But on Monday, Congress let that long-lasting and popular program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, expire despite broad support within both parties for its continuation.” [Washington Post, 10/2/18 (+)]

Panel backs LWCF reauthorization, mandatory funding. “A Senate panel today approved 16-7 a bipartisan bill to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The measure, S. 569, sponsored by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), would for the first time provide dedicated annual funding at the authorized $900 million level for the popular program. That means offshore oil and gas revenues deposited into the fund can be spent without being subject to the appropriations process. In recent years, LWCF’s annual appropriation has been about half the authorized level.” [E&E News, 10/2/18 (=)]

'Big debate' coming on paying for LWCF — Cantwell. “Supporters of the Land and Water Conservation Fund yesterday scored another win in their quest to see the program permanently authorized, but they still may face a major budgeting hurdle before the measure can pass the Senate. While advocates cheered the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's bipartisan passage of the bill (S. 569) permanently authorizing the fund, Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) alluded to the trouble ahead when she expressed ‘very serious reservations’ about the mandatory $900 million the measure would spend annually on LWCF.” [E&E News, 10/3/18 (=)]

 

Trump administration abruptly ends key law enforcement program at wildlife refuges. “The Trump administration is abruptly ending a decades-long program that trained national wildlife refuge managers with law enforcement capabilities to police often remote spots of public land. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced to employees on Sept. 21 that refuge managers who were also trained to police the area would no longer be able to act in any enforcement capacity and would be stripped of their firearm, according to an internal FWS email shared with The Hill.” [The Hill, 10/2/18 (=)]

Panel OKs Yellowstone mining ban, Forest Service arbitration. “A Senate panel yesterday advanced dozens of natural resources and energy bills, including one that would encourage the use of arbitration by the Forest Service as an alternative for disputes. S. 2160, by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), the ‘Protect Collaboration for Healthier Forests Act,’ passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in a 13-10 vote.” [E&E News, 10/3/18 (=)]

Sacred places key in Bears Ears management plans. “A trio of college law students sat at a table inside San Juan High School's gymnasium Tuesday night, filling out comment forms for one of the most divisive public land issues in Utah. They were there at the behest of their college professor who wanted them to get familiar with the ins and the outs of the controversy surrounding the Bears Ears National Monument.” [Deseret News, 10/2/18 (=)]

 

State and Local

 

Major Utah oil-shale project clears ‘tremendous milestone,’ but at what cost to the environment? “North America’s first commercial oil-shale operation cleared perhaps its biggest hurdle when the federal government authorized a 14-mile corridor across public land in eastern Utah’s Uinta Basin to service a proposed strip mine and processing plant that could produce 50,000 barrels of a crude a day — but also deplete the Green River. The Bureau of Land Management issued the decision last week after a six-year environmental review that dodged studying impacts associated with the controversial South Project, proposed by Estonia-based Enefit American Oil on private land 40 miles southeast of Vernal.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 10/2/18 (=)]

Trump lease plan sparks 'storm surge' of fear in S.C. “Ask low country residents for their views on the Trump administration's proposal to open most federal waters to oil and gas development, and they're likely to compare the groundswell of opposition to a rising tide. Drilling opponents in South Carolina and neighboring states breathed a sigh of relief in 2016 when the Obama administration removed a Mid-Atlantic lease sale from its five-year offshore plan. Their victory was short-lived.” [E&E News, 10/3/18 (=)]

Wyoming Legislature considers fees for hikers, photographers and birdwatchers. “With a state education deficit of more than $300 million this biennium, the Wyoming Legislature is looking under every stone for revenue. Some proposals could cost anglers and hunters more in fees — and possibly change the way people enjoy the outdoors. Meeting on the Northwest College campus last week, members of the Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources committee discussed two possible ways to generate more money from state trust lands.” [Casper Star Tribune, 10/2/18 (=)]

BLM land in Montana is worth $448M for wildlife recreation, new report shows. “As the Trump Administration makes it easier for oil and gas companies to lease and develop federal lands, conservation advocates have released a report valuing acreage managed by the Bureau of Land Management for wildlife-recreational purposes. According to a report by Southwick Associates, BLM lands in 11 western states and Alaska support 26,500 jobs, generate more than $1 billion in salaries and wages, and produce more than $421 million in federal, state and local tax revenue — which added up is more than $3.3 billion.” [Montana Standard, 10/2/18 (+)]

Op-Ed, Editorial, and Analysis

Op-Ed: The National Trails System is celebrating 50 years today — but what about the next 50 years? “I challenge everyone to put on your sneaks or grab your bike and find one of the 3,230 National Scenic, Historic, Recreation or and Rail Trails to celebrate 50 years of the best trail system in world (Hint: there are four National Recreation Trails and one National Historic Trail inside the Beltway). If Congress doesn’t act, they may not be around for another 50.” [The Hill, 10/2/18 (+)]