November, in brief
Key news from November:
- As Westerners took to the voting booth, public lands played a key role in a number of tight elections. In Colorado, former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper promoted proposals to expand wilderness and protect historic landscapes while defeating incumbent Senator Cory Gardner, who campaigned heavily on his conservation record. In Montana, Senator Steve Daines touted the recent passage of the Great American Outdoors Act on his path to defeating Governor Steve Bullock, who spoke frequently about protecting and expanding access to public lands. In Arizona, Mark Kelly touted his support for climate action and protecting the Grand Canyon from uranium mining in his victory over incumbent Martha McSally. Polling by the Center for Western Priorities finds that 81 percent of voters in Mountain West states say public lands, parks, and wildlife will be important in deciding which candidates to support.
- People across the West also voted on ballot measures impacting public lands, wildlife, and energy. In Nevada, voters approved a constitutional amendment to reach 50 percent renewable electricity by 2030. In Colorado, voters narrowly approved a ballot proposition to reintroduce wolves in the state. Utahns overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment establishing a constitutional right to hunting and fishing and declaring hunting as the primary method to manage and control wildlife within the state.
- As vote counts continued to roll in, it became clear that Indigenous voters in Arizona were a key voting bloc that put Biden on his path to winning the state. The unified tribal turnout is a strong repudiation of the Trump administration’s anti-Indigenous policies.
- As the Biden administration begins their transition, the first 100 days could mean a drastic shift for America’s public lands. The administration could act quickly on the environment through actions such as restoring monuments and signing an executive order setting a goal of protecting 30 percent of American lands and waters by 2030. Recommendations from climate experts also include creating a climate council to advise the Interior Secretary and bringing the leadership of the Bureau of Land Management back to Washington, DC.
- Even as Biden prepares to protect the environment after taking office, the Trump administration has begun its race against the clock to finish a long list of environmental rollbacks. As part of its agenda, the Trump administration has begun a rushed process to offer oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, the Trump administration announced plans to ease protections for sage-grouse in the West and relaxed rules against killing migratory birds. The U.S. Forest Service gutted environmental reviews to speed logging and extraction, excluding scientific review and community input. An analysis found that the Trump administration has rolled back more than 125 environmental safeguards, with dozens more in the works.
- Even as the Trump administration moves forward with stripping environmental protections, its “energy dominance” agenda continued to lose in court and following environmental reviews. A federal judge blocked new oil and gas drilling permits in Wyoming until the Bureau of Land Management adequately assesses climate change impacts; the second time that the court has rebuked environmental assessments on these particular leases. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also struck a devastating blow against the proposed Pebble Mine near Alaska’s Bristol Bay, saying that the project proponent’s plan to deal with waste “does not comply with Clean Water Act guidelines,” and, “the proposed project is contrary to the public interest.”
- Just after the election, Interior Department and Trump administration undermined the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). They missed a key deadline for the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), failing to identify Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) projects. Even after submitting lists to Congress, the Interior Department has been continually vague about allocations for the new funding. Additionally, a new Interior Department order undermines the program, requiring state and county government approval for purchasing land from voluntary sellers.
- In wildlife corridor news, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon selected members of the state’s first migration corridor working group, representing a diverse range of interests.
What to watch for in December:
- With two months left in the Trump administration, here are the environmental rollbacks it is trying to accomplish.
- Biden has begun to name his cabinet nominees, putting focus on Senator Tom Udall and House Representative Deb Haaland, both of New Mexico, as potential Interior Secretary. Haaland would be the first Native American Interior Secretary. Keep an eye out for announcements!
- Congress is once again poised to pass major conservation legislation. Negotiators for the House and Senate are hoping to reach an agreement on a must-pass defense spending bill, including provisions that would protect iconic landscapes across the West.
Best Reads of the Month
Getting to the polls can be hard in Navajo Nation. This woman is leading voters on horseback.
Inside the Interior Department’s embarrassing ethics fight on Twitter
Man banned from Yellowstone National Park after being caught cooking chickens in hot springs
Seeking relief from pandemic constraints, crowds flood into outdoor recreation hot spots, gateway communities
Authorities puzzled by mysterious monolith left in remote canyon in Utah… which then disappeared
Appeared: Huffington Post | Disappeared: New York Times
How the Swinomish tribe has pioneered the fight against climate change
Using wolves as first responders against a deadly wildlife brain disease
The Road to 30 Interactive Report
The Center for Western Priorities released its Road to 30 report that explores some — but certainly not all — of the methods of land conservation that will be integral to achieving the goal of protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030. Along the way we review some of the places that have already been protected, celebrating past conservation efforts and considering how to move forward to protect our lands, waters, wildlife, and the communities that rely on them.
The report also highlights the many ways in which the 30×30 goal benefits all Americans, from combatting climate change and bolstering local economies to protecting public health and providing equitable access to nature.
View the report | Read the blog summary
Westwise Blog
Road to 30: Private Land Conservation
Private land conservation is key to solving the climate and nature crises. Learn why, as well as how we can improve our investment in it
Road to 30: Public Land Access for Sportsmen & Women
Learn how the 30x30 goal can improve recreation access and protect fish and wildlife, benefiting hunters and anglers
How public lands and outdoor issues won in 2020
Public lands issues played a decisive role in the outcome of close Mountain West races in the 2020 election cycle
Congress again poised to pass major conservation legislation
Public land provisions would be step towards protecting 30% of America by 2030
The 10 public lands and wildlife protections that could be rolled back before the end of the Trump administration
With two months left, Interior Department has long list of damaging policy changes
November Update: The Trump Administration’s Unfinished Business on Public Lands
Tracking the Interior Department’s remaining policy changes impacting lands, water, and wildlife
The post-election spectacular
Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala and Policy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn are joined by political consultant and former Denver Post editorial page editor Curtis Hubbard for a wide-ranging discussion about the 2020 elections and what the results mean for public lands in the West.
Quote of the month
“This is it. This is the moment for climate action. Climate change impacts every aspect of people’s lives, it impacts every aspect of the economy, and the federal government is connected to every aspect of those as well.”
— Christy Goldfuss
Center for American Progress
The Washington Post
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