Land grab or precious-resource preservation? The battle over where the truth ̶ and where Westerners’ hearts ̶ lie on that matter is rumbling through Colorado counties as a federal government initiative nicknamed 30×30 gains momentum, and opposition. Colorado has become the beachhead in a Texas-based group’s efforts to use local governments to thwart the Biden […]
U.S. Department of the Interior
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Economy, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Joe Biden’s plan would spend $16B to clean up old mines and oil wells and support jobs to do it
By Matthew Daly, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s $2.3 trillion plan to transform America’s infrastructure includes $16 billion to plug old oil and gas wells and clean up abandoned mines, a longtime priority for Western and rural lawmakers from both parties. Hundreds of thousands of “orphaned” oil and gas wells and abandoned […]
Posted inClimate, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Deb Haaland confirmed by U.S. Senate, becomes first Native American to lead a Cabinet department
By Matthew Daly, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Senate on Monday confirmed New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as interior secretary, making her the first Native American to lead a Cabinet department and the first to lead the federal agency that has wielded influence over the nation’s tribes for nearly two centuries. Haaland was confirmed […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: A Native woman’s perspective on why “Auntie Deb” is a great choice to run Interior
I first met Deb Haaland, President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the U.S. Department of the Interior, back in 2006 when we started as new associates at Stetson Law Offices in Albuquerque. I had just moved to New Mexico, and didn’t know a single soul. But lucky for me, that would soon change. Deb and […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Interior nominee Deb Haaland in the sights of lobbying campaign to keep BLM headquarters in Colorado
GRAND JUNCTION — Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation and Grand Junction business leaders plan to lobby President Joe Biden’s Interior secretary nominee to keep the headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management in the Western Slope city. The Grand Junction Sentinel reports that Democratic U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Colorado oil and gas industry blasts Biden’s pause on public lands drilling as environmental advocates cheer
Conservation advocates in the West quickly praised President Joe Biden’s executive order pausing new oil and gas leases on federal lands and in federal waters, while the resource industry and local business backers called it a misguided attack with massive economic fallout. “For far too long, federal lands in Colorado have been leased to big […]
Posted inNews
Joe Biden to pause oil and gas sales on public lands, call for conservation plan championed by Michael Bennet
By Matthew Daly and Ellen Knickmeyer, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — In the most ambitious U.S. effort to stave off the worst effects of climate change, President Joe Biden is aiming to cut oil, gas and coal emissions and double energy production from offshore wind turbines through executive orders Wednesday. The orders awaiting his signature […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Economy, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Joe Biden’s pause on oil and gas development on public lands splits conservationists, industry
Conservationists are cheering the Biden administration’s 60-day pause on new energy development on public lands as a chance to overhaul an antiquated leasing program that has not been modified in decades. Oil and gas producers are not happy and they are warning of severe economic shocks from the decision announced Thursday. “Bowing to the environmental […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News, Outdoors, Politics and Government
Biden halts oil and gas leases on U.S. land, water for 60 days
By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — The Biden administration announced Thursday the suspension of new oil and gas leasing and drilling permits for U.S. lands and waters for 60 days as part a broad review of programs at the Department of Interior. The move follows President Joe Biden’s campaign pledge to halt […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
7 ways Joe Biden’s presidency may quickly affect Colorado
As President Joe Biden takes office Wednesday, the new administration and a new party in power will usher in immediate changes, some of which will have a disproportionate impact on Colorado. Democrats in control of both the House and Senate, and Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as a tie-breaker in the upper chamber, give […]