The whisper of transferring federal lands to states typically ignites firestorms, with conservationists, sportsmen and mountain communities fearing a shift of ownership could lead to unfettered development, lost access, habitat degradation and injury to recreation-based economies. But this week’s proposal by the Bureau of Land Management to transfer 17,700 acres of federal land and 6,000 […]
Interior Department
Posted inEnvironment, News, Politics and Government, Water
Interior Department proposes coveted water deal to ex-client of Secretary David Bernhardt
By Ellen Knickmeyer, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Interior Department is proposing to award one of the first contracts for federal water in perpetuity to a powerful rural water district that had employed Secretary David Bernhardt as a lawyer and lobbyist. Environmental groups and a California Democratic lawmaker oppose giving the contract to the […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Politics and Government
Democrats in Congress demand update on Trump administration’s wild horse plans
By Scott Sonner, The Associated Press RENO, Nev. — Congressional Democrats are demanding the Interior Department produce an overdue report on plans to manage wild horses roaming federal lands in the West after the head of its public lands agency told reporters it will take $5 billion and 15 years to get overpopulated herds under […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: William Perry Pendley is exactly the opposite of who we need to lead the BLM
Last week, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt quietly re-upped the appointment of William Perry Pendley as acting director of the Bureau of Land Management. By skirting Congress and not officially nominating Pendley to serve as the actual director, the administration may be trying to avoid the appropriate scrutiny that has always been required by those seeking […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Outdoors, Politics and Government
Electric-powered bikes are now allowed on BLM and National Park trails — and not everyone is happy about it
EAGLE — The cyclist climbing Boneyard zoomed up the steepest section of the singletrack trail with an effortless ease, passing a panting pedaler in a blink. Here they come. Electric bikes, propelled by both pedal and throttle, will be more common on Colorado’s Bureau of Land Management trails after an order issued by Interior Secretary […]
Posted inEnvironment, News
Bureau of Land Management boss says his past support for public land sales is “irrelevant”
By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — A newly appointed Trump administration official said his past support for selling federal lands was “irrelevant,” after his selection to oversee an agency managing nearly a quarter-billion public acres in the U.S. West drew a backlash. Acting Bureau of Land Management Director William Perry Pendley moved […]
Posted inNews, Outdoors, Politics and Government
Bureau of Land Management more likely to relocate to Denver than Grand Junction, Polis says
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says the Bureau of Land Management is more likely to relocate its headquarters to Denver than Grand Junction, even though his administration is more supportive of the federal agency moving to the Western Slope. Either way, the Democrat said he’s “cautiously optimistic” Colorado will win the bidding war with other Western […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Conservation groups ask judge to halt Trump administration drilling plan citing sage grouse
By Keith Ridler, The Associated Press BOISE, Idaho — Four conservation groups have asked a judge to block a Trump administration plan allowing drilling, mining and other activities in seven Western states they say will harm sage grouse. Western Watersheds Project and other groups asked for the injunction in U.S. District Court in Idaho late […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Outdoors, Politics and Government
Colorado native David Bernhardt confirmed as Interior secretary
The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Colorado native David Bernhardt as secretary of the Interior Department. Colorado’s Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner was a “yes” vote while Michael Bennet, his Democratic counterpart, was a “no.” Bernhardt’s nomination cleared the chamber by a 56-41 vote. Bernhardt, from Rifle, worked as an oil and gas lobbyist before […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: We must unite and speak up to protect our cultural history
In the fall of 2017, I quit my job at the Department of Energy when I learned that Bears Ears National Monument and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would lose their protections and be opened to oil and gas development. I had no words. I grew up with energy development all around me on the […]