February, in brief
What you may have missed and need to know
We love the details in the ice in this stunning shot of Two Rivers Lake @RockyNPS by Timothy J. Laughlin #Colorado#FindYourPark | @Interior
Key news from February:
- The House and Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the largest piece of public lands legislation in a decade. The package of bills includes permanent reauthorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and creates new protections for millions of acres of public lands. The vote was a clear rejection of the Trump administration’s public lands agenda.
- President Trump announced via tweet that he intends to nominate former oil and gas lobbyist David Bernhardt to lead the Interior Department. Bernhardt, a walking conflict of interest, has been behind many of the department’s most controversial decisions.
- The National Park Service announced it would use funds provided in Congress’ short-term funding bill to retroactively pay for agency operations and staffing that kept parks open during the government shutdown. Acting Secretary Bernhardt previously signed an order directing NPS to dip into entrance fee funds to pay for park operations. Representative Betty McCollum requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office open a formal investigation.
- The New York Times reported that Acting Secretary Bernhardt directed agency staff to implement a narrow policy change that would disproportionately benefit California’s Westlands Water District, one of Bernhardt’s major clients as a lobbyist. Westlands previously paid Bernhardt’s law firm more than $1.3 million in lobbying fees.
- The Washington Post reported that a grand jury is examining whether Zinke lied to federal investigators who were looking into Interior’s decision to block a tribal casino in Connecticut, a move that helped MGM Casinos, a client of Bernhardt’s former lobbying firm.
- According to the Colorado College Conservation in the West Poll, the number of Western voters who are concerned about climate change is on the rise. Across the West, the percent of voters who say climate change is a “very serious” or “extremely serious” problem has gone up from 61 to 69 percent in three years.
What to watch for in March:
President Trump has not formally nominated David Bernhardt for Interior Secretary, pushing back his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate.
The House Natural Resources Committee could hold a number of hearings in March related to the national monuments review, oversight into the Interior Department, and investigations into Acting Secretary Bernhardt.
Best Reads of the Month:
Watchdog alleges “pattern of ethical” misconduct among Interior Department political appointees
Interior Department handed out nearly 1,700 offshore oil and gas safety waivers
Senate’s public lands package vote signals a shift on conservation in the GOP party platform
The David Bernhardt scandal tracker
Key questions the Senate should ask David Bernhardt, Trump’s nominee to head the Interior Department
Editorial: “A moment of bipartisanship in Congress could mean good news for conservation”
From Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Poll:
The ninth annual Colorado College State of the Rockies Project Conservation in the West Poll released this month shows voters in the Mountain West continue to support efforts to keep public lands protected and accessible, putting them at odds with the Trump administration’s “energy dominance” agenda.
Westwise Blog:
- Poll: Westerners reject Trump administration’s approach to public lands and “energy dominance”
As the Interior Department gives lip service to a balanced approach, Western voters call for the real thing - Everything you need to know about Trump’s new pick for Interior Secretary
Former oil lobbyist David Bernhardt has advanced drilling and mining, stripped wildlife protections - Trump’s pick to lead Interior delivers favor to major lobbying client
After lobbying and litigating to weaken protections for endangered fish, David Bernhardt orders Interior staff to do just that - Celebrating a century at Grand Canyon National Park
Iconic landscape faces ongoing threats from uranium mining in the next 100 years
Go West, Young Podcast:
In this episode of CWP’s Go West, Young Podcast, we catch you up on a boatload of news about Interior Secretary nominee David Bernhardt. Then pollsters Lori Weigel and Dave Metz walk us through some of the highlights of the Conservation in the West Poll from the Colorado College State of the Rockies Project.
In this episode of CWP’s Go West, Young Podcast, Jesse Coleman from Documented talks about the ethics complaint filed against six Interior Department political appointees. Then Athan Manuel from the Sierra Club and Jonathan Asher from The Wilderness Society walk us through the highlights of the massive public lands bill that’s heading to the House next week.
Quote of the month:
For years, I’ve worked tirelessly to permanently reauthorize #LWCF, and that victory was achieved with yesterday’s #PublicLands Package. Thanks to all of the staff and Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who helped make this victory a reality.”
Picture this:
Polling from Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Conservation in the West Poll.
