** Cave discovery threatened by mine expansion
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MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2020
1915 photo of the entrance to Fairy Cave, now part of the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Glenwood Caverns ([link removed]) via Aspen Daily Times

Spelunkers have revealed the discovery of a never-explored cave near Glenwood Springs, Colorado—right in the path of a proposed limestone mine expansion. While cave discoveries are often kept quiet until protection plans are in place, Colorado Cave Survey members Richard Rhinehart and Robert McFarland have gone public because of the threat the mine expansion poses to the cave.

The cave has been named Witch's Pantry because of the bones that were laying about in the entry, and its discovery close to Halloween last year.

The nearby Mid-Continent limestone quarry has submitted plans to expand from 15.7 acres to 321 acres, despite fierce local opposition. The quarry's parent company, Rocky Mountain Industrials, is owned by the son of lobbyist Norm Brownstein. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt was a partner at Brownstein's firm before re-entering the Interior Department, and the firm is representing the quarry in its attempt to get approval from Interior.

“We would really like to as cavers to see what remarkable features it might have, because that’s all relevant as to whether a giant quarry should be built here," Rhinehart told the Aspen Daily News ([link removed]) . Rheinhart thinks Witch's Pantry could rival the nearby Fairy Caves, which are a major tourist attraction in Glenwood Springs.
Quick hits


** New Mexico residents warned to avoid Black River because of drilling chemical spill
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Carlsbad Current-Argus ([link removed])


** Trump insider embeds climate denial in Interior Department scientific reports
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New York Times ([link removed])


** Bernhardt says Arctic drilling plans coming soon, despite study warning of faulty technology putting polar bears at risk
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Bloomberg ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed])


** Former Bernhardt client awarded permanent entitlement to twice as much water as Los Angeles residents use in a year
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Los Angeles Times ([link removed])


** State regulators consider renewing Grand Canyon uranium permit, despite millions of gallons of contaminated water
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Phoenix New Times ([link removed])


** Cave discovery adds new urgency to fight over Colorado limestone mine expansion
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Aspen Daily News ([link removed])


** Climbers fight to protect Bears Ears, angle for input into management decisions
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Moab Sun News ([link removed])


** Conservationists warn of invasive species threats if BLM relaxes grazing rules
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Times-News ([link removed])
Quote of the day
I was kind of dumbstruck after considering the location. As a caver, I want to find caves everywhere, and I’ve been luckier than most in that regard — but to make a discovery so close to town with such tremendous knowledge to share and the potential to stop that ... quarry is a sort-of caving trifecta!”
—Witch's Pantry discoverer Robert McFarland
Aspen Daily News ([link removed])
Picture this


** @mypubliclands ([link removed])
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Each winter from Nov to Feb, a migrating population of bald eagles visit the Lake Coeur d'Alene area in Idaho to feed. If you missed your window this year, be sure to #GetOutdoors & go #BirdWatching next year to spot a bald eagle in action!

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