Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Analysis finds overwhelming support for proposed Public Lands Rule
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Monday, July 10, 2023
Garden Park Fossil ACEC, Colorado; B ([link removed]) LM/Flickr ([link removed])

A new statistical analysis ([link removed]) of more than 150,000 public comments finds nearly universal support ([link removed]) for the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, colloquially known as the Public Lands Rule ([link removed]) .

The Center for Western Priorities performed a sentiment analysis on a random sample of 10,000 public comments submitted to regulations.gov ([link removed]) , which found 92 percent of the comments encouraged the Interior Department to adopt the Public Lands Rule as written or strengthen its conservation measures. 4.5 percent of comments encouraged the department to withdraw or significantly weaken the rule. Another 3.5 percent of comments did not express a clear opinion in support or opposition to the rule.

“This analysis shows overwhelming—though not surprising—levels of support for the Biden administration’s conservation agenda,” said Jennifer Rokala ([link removed]) , executive director at the Center for Western Priorities. “Americans know that public lands are central to the Western way of life, and that they will play a pivotal role in the nation’s response to the climate crisis. The support expressed during the comment period shows that the BLM is on the right track to restoring balance across the West.”
Quick hits


** Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reflects on tenure and tradition amid policy challenges
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** Opinion: A lose-lose land exchange for small-town Utah
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])


** New study uses trail cameras and speakers to isolate what human sounds do to animals
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High Country News ([link removed])


** Cleanup begins after spill into Montana’s Yellowstone River following train derailment
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** Analysis finds 92% of respondents favor Bureau of Land Management rule change
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NM Political Report ([link removed]) | KJZZ ([link removed]) | CPR News ([link removed])


** Residents worry huge development plans could turn Rio Rico into mining town
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Arizona Daily Star ([link removed])


** Grand Canyon gets $27.5 million federal grant for greener shuttle buses
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** Five national park destinations that aren’t parks
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New York Times ([link removed].)
Quote of the day
” Why the Department of the Interior would even contemplate turning over cultural sites considered sacred by Indigenous peoples for development is beyond our comprehension. And if this parcel were developed, which would be quite difficult, it would dramatically change the scenic entry to historic Bluff.”
—Bluff, Utah Mayor Ann Leppanen on the proposed Bears Ears land exchange, S ([link removed]) alt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Picture this


** @PetrifiedNPS ([link removed])
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Erosional forms in the backcountry. Credit NPS/Stuart Holmes (hl) #scenery ([link removed]) #scenic ([link removed]) #PetrifiedForest ([link removed]) #petrifiedforestnationalpark ([link removed])

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