The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management manages oil and gas exploration and leasing on 30 million underwater acres — part of the outer continental shelf, under U.S. jurisdiction, where drilling and extraction take place. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement enforces regulations for offshore oil and gas rigs, oversees oil spill response and conducts […]
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What is the Bureau of Land Management?
The Bureau of Land Management, part of the Department of the Interior, was established in 1946 to administer grazing and mineral rights when the U.S. Grazing Service was merged with the General Land Office. Today it manages 246 million acres of land, mostly in the Western U.S., ranging from lush Northwestern forests to arid, oil-rich […]
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What is the Bureau of Indian Affairs?
The Bureau of Indian Affairs was created in 1824 to help the federal government negotiate trade and treaties and ultimately assimilate Native Americans into the dominant white culture. Its modern mission is to promote tribal self-determination by working with the nation’s 566 federally recognized Indian tribes, providing support for education, courts, law enforcement and social […]
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What is the U.S. Forest Service?
The U.S. Forest Service manages about 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands, mostly in the West. This executive branch agency, overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fights wildfires and conducts research on forestry and rangeland management. The Forest Service manages timber harvest and sales; in 2015, it sold timber worth more than […]
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What is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oversees marine fisheries and conducts research on climate, weather and the ocean. This executive branch agency, overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce, comprises six main offices, including the National Weather Service, which monitors and predicts the weather, and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which manages fish and other […]
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What is the National Marine Fisheries Service?
The National Marine Fisheries Service manages the nation’s ocean resources and works to conserve fish and other marine animals. This executive branch office, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, issues and enforces fishery regulations, including catch limits and season openings and closures; monitors fish and shellfish population numbers; and operates a seafood inspection […]
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What is the Department of the Interior?
The Department of the Interior protects and manages the United States’ natural and cultural resources. This executive branch department is made up of 10 agencies that oversee federal public-land management on roughly 500 million acres, largely in the West. These include the National Park Service, responsible for national parks and some national monuments, and the […]
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Why the Bundys win; coal could catch a break; Snake River revisited
HCN.org news in brief.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Religious communities are taking on climate change
Churches that have long played a role in social justice are stepping up.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Farming in Alaska is increasingly possible
Longer growing seasons and food scarcity are turning more people to agriculture.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Autumn calls, and visitors keep rolling in
Eclipse seekers stop by, and we begin a new tree-saving initiative.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Can coal remain the bedrock of Wyoming’s economy?
As companies experiment with ‘clean coal,’ cheaper and cleaner fuels are taking over.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
The Seri adapt to climate change in the desert
Researchers are working to document traditional ecological knowledge.
Posted inArticles
Después de cinco años de DACA, que harán los jóvenes inmigrantes?
Pensando en la vida de José, un jóven indocumentado.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
How we risked losing the West
A look back at how range science misled land managers.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Awake at night and listening to coyotes
Man-made sounds elicit a wild ruckus in the Bitterroot Valley.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Will Utah dam the Bear River?
The Wasatch Front faces drier times and a growing population, threatening the Great Salt Lake.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Slow progress on Park Service harassment
The agency begins to deliver on promises to confront sexual harassment.
Posted inAugust 21, 2017: Rooftop Revolution
A monsoon stream of dear friends
We welcome a new staffer, and the return of another.
Posted inAugust 21, 2017: Rooftop Revolution
Hunting for feral figs
The gem-like fruit are best when found free in the urban wilds.