‘Use it or lose it’ rules can bias public-land management in favor of extraction.
Joe Biden
Posted inArticles
Interior devotes billions to plugging old oil wells. Is it enough?
The agency under-counted abandoned wells by more than half, which means the effort covers only a fraction of the cost.
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Biden’s ‘herky-jerky’ first year on Western issues
The new president sacrificed bold executive action to try to win over Congress.
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The Westiest programs in Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
The act is the New Deal redux, with a splash of ecosystem restoration.
Posted inNovember 1, 2021: The Radioactive Waste Next Door
How tribal leaders want Chuck Sams to lead the Park Service
The Umatilla leader would be the first Native person in charge of the agency, which has a thorny history with tribes.
Posted inNovember 1, 2021: The Radioactive Waste Next Door
Afghan refugees find a home in the West
A resettlement agency in Twin Falls, Idaho, prepares for newcomers.
Posted inDecember 1, 2021: Visions of Wildness
Bears Ears is back — but don’t celebrate just yet
Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk unpacks the deeper implications — and limitations — of Biden’s monuments proclamation.
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A reality check on Biden’s ‘30 by 30’ conservation plan
The plan has lofty ambitions, but what’s happening on the ground tells a different story of how it might play out.
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Can the sun solve New Mexico’s energy conundrum?
The state is dependent on oil and gas, but Carlsbad has opportunity to become the epicenter of renewable energy.
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Why I changed my mind about Bears Ears
The benefits of a national monument in San Juan County outweigh the costs.
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Massive drilling project on Alaska’s North Slope given go ahead
Critics say the lease is at odds with President Biden’s pledge to combat the climate crisis.
Posted inMay 1, 2021: Beauty and Biodiversity in the Borderlands
Montana counties band together to reinvigorate passenger rail
The newly formed Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority aims to connect a rural and divided state.
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New federal funding for police alternatives
The latest COVID-19 relief bill provides a ‘down payment’ for crisis response programs.
Posted inApril 1, 2021: Holding Fast
The Biden administration’s critical role in Indian Country
Four important decisions will impact the forests, lands and waters of tribal nations.
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Alaskans pursue permanent protections for Bristol Bay
‘It’s time to put Pebble to rest.’
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Should BLM be closer to Western communities or Congress?
After a messy move, Biden’s Interior Department faces tough questions about where the agency should be headquartered.
Posted inApril 1, 2021: Holding Fast
How to reverse Trump’s harmful legacy on conservation
President Biden is off to a good start, but there is much to be done. The Restoration Project has a blueprint.
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Biden halted border wall construction. Now what?
Environmental and human rights advocates hope to steer the administration toward a new vision at the border.
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Border wall scars: ‘It feels like if someone got a knife and dragged it across my heart.’
Tribal leaders and Borderlands communities reflect on their fruitless struggle to stop the wall.
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The Border Patrol is leaving migrants to die
A new report shows that the agency systematically ignores emergencies — neglecting thousands of lives.