Two years after the armed takeover of a wildlife refuge, consequences vary widely.
Public lands
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Public doesn’t mean protected
Less oversight of mining and drilling will leave federally managed land vulnerable.
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Don’t let a road run through it
Development in Alaska wilderness would undermine bedrock environmental laws.
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Montana’s only congressman sells public lands short
Recreation-based businesses like canoe guiding rely on continued protection for national monuments.
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Republican politicians should support the outdoor industry
Public lands should be conserved — not exploited for short-term gain.
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In Congress, both parties agree on one public lands bill
A bill allowing public land sales for conservation inches towards passage.
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At Bears Ears, Trump and Zinke ignored everyone but industry
Newly released documents show that locals had little voice in monument decisions.
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A billionaire tests the strength of public access laws
In California, a dispute over a public beach could head to the Supreme Court.
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What Westerners take for granted
“I never really considered the concept of public lands until I moved to Iowa.”
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
An armchair journey to the desert
A photography book captures the natural splendor of Utah’s five national parks.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
Resistance to drilling grows on the Navajo Nation
Indigenous activists try to quell a rising tide of oil and gas exploration in Chaco Canyon.
Posted inMarch 19, 2018: Desert, Divided
The danger of local hands on public lands
When it comes to monuments, Utah lawmakers have conflicts of interest.
Posted inMarch 19, 2018: Desert, Divided
In Alaska, wildlands lose out to roads and drill rigs
An industry-friendly White House helps Sen. Lisa Murkowski score long-sought gains.
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BLM speeds ahead on Grand Staircase-Escalante plans
The agency won’t wait for the courts to rule on monument boundaries to start planning.
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Reckoning with History: The Antiquities Act quandary
The law has created constant tension between the executive and legislative branches.
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A new structure for the Interior Department takes shape
A massive shake-up would shed senior staffers and state boundaries. Could it work?
Posted inFebruary 19, 2018: Unfrozen North
National parks, where landscape and culture intersect
A photography book explores the history of travel within our nation’s parks.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
Cliven Bundy’s victory lap
In Montana, Bundy and his followers celebrate a sound defeat of federal prosecutors.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
The Air Force wants to expand into Nevada’s wild desert
A 300,000-acre base expansion would push into intact bighorn sheep habitat.
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Protected lands generate big-time revenue
In Alaska, sustainable recreation dollars help advocates for protected areas.