Key news from April:

• The United States Senate voted 52–42 to restore regulations that impose limits on methane leaks from oil and gas activities. Lawmakers used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to nullify the efforts by the Trump administration to undo the Obama-era regulation to limit methane leaks — essentially acting to repeal a previous repeal. The CRA can be used within 60 legislative days of a rule’s enactment and requires only a simple majority vote, making it the swiftest way to overturn an existing federal rule. …

Allegra “Happy” Haynes is the director of Denver Parks and Recreation, as well as the Deputy Mayor of Denver. Her career in public service stretches across four decades, including the Denver city council and school board. In a recent episode of the Center for Western Priorities’ The Landscape podcast, Happy talks about the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Denver’s unique system of mountain parks, and innovations in playgrounds, which can be found in places like Denver’s Paco Sanchez and Johnson Habitat parks.

The following excerpts have been lightly edited for clarity.

What drew you to focus on…

We were joined by former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on CWP’s The Landscape podcast for a conversation about President Biden’s executive order on climate change, the threat of anti-public lands extremists, and how to build coalitions and consensus through listening. Prior to serving as the 51st Secretary of the Interior during Obama’s second term, Sally Jewell was the CEO of outdoor retailer REI. She began her career as a petroleum engineer and spent several years as a commercial banker.

The Center for Western Priorities held its sixth stop on the Road to 30 virtual tour of states across the West to emphasize the importance of the bold proposal to protect 30 percent of America’s lands and water by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative. …

The Center for Western Priorities held its fifth stop on the Road to 30 virtual tour of states across the West to emphasize the importance of the bold proposal to protect 30 percent of America’s lands and water by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative. The event was co-hosted by the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club and moderated by Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director of the Center for Western Priorities. The event featured New Mexico Senator Tom Udall, New Mexico Representative Deb Haaland, New Mexico State Representative Georgene Louis, and Camilla Feibelman, Director of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande…

The Center for Western Priorities held its fourth stop on the Road to 30 virtual tour of states across the West, emphasizing the importance of a bold proposal to protect 30 percent of America’s lands and water by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative. The fourth event was co-hosted by Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF) and moderated by Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director of the Center for Western Priorities, and featured Frank Szollosi, Executive Director of MWF, Rachelle Schrute with Montana Artemis Alliance, a sportswomen and conservation organization, and Nick Gevock, MWF’s Conservation Director. …

The Center for Western Priorities held its third stop on the Road to 30 virtual tour of states across the West, emphasizing the importance of a bold proposal to protect 30 percent of America’s lands and water by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative, and how Nevada can play a role in this effort. …

The Center for Western Priorities held its second stop on the Road to 30 virtual tour of states across the West, emphasizing the importance of a bold proposal to protect 30 percent of America’s lands and water by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative, and how Colorado can play a role in this effort. …