The Indigenous-led department is a ’shining star’ when it comes to tribal consultation, but it still has a long ways to go.
Department of Interior
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Nevada tribes push for a monument to commemorate historic massacres
The proposed designation of Bahsahwahbee National Monument would protect a religious site known for its juniper groves.
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Drilling for oil on public land is about to cost a lot more
Long-awaited Interior Department policy will raise financial assurance and royalty rates.
Posted inMarch 2024: Fertile Ground
Underground seed banks hold promise for ecological restoration
Indigenous science is using natural regeneration to restore Western
ecosystems.
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Oil industry profits don’t pay for cleanup
A failure of regulation has allowed industry to avoid the true cost of cleaning up its unplugged wells.
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What happened to the Great American Outdoors Act?
A historic public lands act passed in 2020. Here’s what it’s done so far.
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Is Biden waging a war on energy? Or on the climate?
A year-end review of the administration’s policy on fossil fuels and public lands.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2024: January 2024
How 3 Indigenous women are leading the way on climate change
These experts bring knowledge and justice to the climate conversation.
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2023 in Native environmental news
The beat’s biggest news that you might have missed.
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How grizzly bear poachers are getting away with it
Investigation finds that Department of Justice rarely prosecutes grizzly bear killers under the Endangered Species Act.
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Lower Snake River dams closer to coming down with new agreement
After decades of litigation, the historic initiative among states, tribes and the federal government signals a dramatic change for the region.
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Washington works to reconcile its history of Indigenous boarding schools
An all-Indigenous committee will identify the state’s responsibility of rectifying harm caused to boarding school survivors and their descendants.
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Private development inside Grand Teton National Park possible
‘Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.’
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States opposed tribes’ access to the Colorado River 70 years ago. History is repeating itself.
Records shed new light on states’ vocal opposition in the 1950s to tribes claiming their share of the river.
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An Indigenous slur persists in Fresno County despite renaming efforts
When the feds remove offensive names, local jurisdictions don’t have to follow along.
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The state of tribal co-management of public lands
As National Public Lands Day approaches, Indigenous leaders discuss working with agencies to manage dispossessed lands.
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Conservation groups sue BLM for rangeland degradation
The lawsuit alleges the agency isn’t conducting environmental assessments before renewing grazing permits.
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BLM has a plan to tackle booming recreation — at least in theory
The agency is taking a hard look at how to protect land and wildlife while welcoming ever more visitors.
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Public lands had a roller coaster month
Rounding up the Biden administration’s ups and downs on land policy.
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New public-land drilling rules would overhaul the Western oil industry
The potential new rules would hike the amount companies must pay in order to drill, in addition to other changes.