** Erasing fines for killing migratory birds
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Thursday, February 6, 2020
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ([link removed])
A top U.S. Fish and Wildlife official faced tough questions ([link removed]) from senators about the Trump administration's recent efforts ([link removed]) to strip migratory birds of federal protections. The changes would stop the agency from fining oil and gas companies when development and pollution kill migratory birds. Instead of imposing fines, the USFWS will simply inform the oil and gas industry of best practices to minimize bird deaths. "This proposal, which has been met with strong bipartisan opposition, breaks with every precedent of the law and caters solely to industry," said ([link removed]) Senator Tom Carper.
When BP Deepwater Horizon poured crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, killing thousands of birds, the company was fined $100 million. But under the Trump proposal, if the disaster occurred again, BP wouldn't pay a penny ([link removed]) .
Quick hits
** Coal plants are closing across the West—here are the companies sticking with coal
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Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
** Trump administration accused of withholding $823 million in funding for alternative energy
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Bloomberg ([link removed])
** BLM struggles to fill top positions in new Western HQ
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E&E News ([link removed])
** Under proposed changes, Trump wouldn't fine BP for killing birds if oil spill recurred
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Bloomberg ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])
** Committee vote to subpoena information from Interior delayed until next week
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T ([link removed]) he Hill ([link removed])
** Colorado regulators, environmental groups look to protect groundwater from oil and gas development impacts
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Permian Basin saw record highs for flaring and venting of natural gas last year
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E&E News ([link removed])
** Concerns grow that Trump's wall will damage rivers, wildlife habitat on Arizona border
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Arizona Republic ([link removed])
Quote of the day
This is the same authority most other committees give their chairs at the beginning of each Congress as a matter of course. We’re just bringing ourselves up to par with where many of our colleagues are already."
—House Natural Resources Spokesperson Adam Sarvana ([link removed])
Picture this
**
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@BLMNational ([link removed]) | How well do you know #YourPublicLands ([link removed]) ? So we’re about to find out! Here's a photo of an area full of sandstone formations, brightly colored badlands & deep canyons. Can you #GuessWhere ([link removed]) it is? Vote below & find out if you guessed correctly tomorrow!
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