** Interior pushes forward with lease sales, controversial rulemakings
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Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Mountain bluebirds are just one of the species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act | National Park Service, Larry Putnam ([link removed])
The Interior Department is moving forward with lease sales and controversial rulemakings in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The effort continues at a time when the public is increasingly isolated, with its attention turned to health and well-being.
Interior has made no indication ([link removed]) that it will halt looming oil and gas lease sales ([link removed]) or regulatory revisions, or extend comment periods for major policy changes ([link removed]) . Among these policy changes is a proposal to permanently weaken enforcement ([link removed]) of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the law that protects birds against 'unintentional' deaths at the hands of corporations. The public comment
([link removed]) period deadline is March 19.
Interior has over 20 public comment periods ([link removed]) set to expire within the next 30 days, all of which the public may now have limited ability to engage with. The continued push for deregulation and leasing comes after the Trump administration has already stifled ([link removed]) and ignored public input ([link removed]) .
** Park Service, Interior, finally move toward shutdown
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After delayed guidance ([link removed]) from Interior Department leaders, a federal directive has finally given national park superintendents ([link removed]) the power to close facilities as needed. In response, national parks across the country ([link removed]) began to shutter their most popular locations and visitor centers.
Quick hits
** National park visitors drive public health concerns, visitors asked to stay away from Utah
National Parks Traveler ([link removed]) | K ([link removed]) UER ([link removed]) | The Guardian ([link removed]) | Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
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** Oil price spiral rocks the industry for second week, drives spending cuts, could cost jobs
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Casper Star-Tribune ([link removed]) | Reuters ([link removed]) | CNBC ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | Denver Business Journal ([link removed])
** Tourism economies across the Mountain West face unprecedented economic uncertainty, ski season ends early
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KUER ([link removed]) | Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | AP News ([link removed])
** U.S. waives environmental laws, requests input for border wall construction in Arizona
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Arizona Republic ([link removed])
** Park Service, Interior, finally move toward shutdown
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Huffpost ([link removed]) | Daily Beast ([link removed]) | San Francisco Chronicle ([link removed]) | CNN ([link removed]) | S&P Global ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])
** Interior pushes forward with lease sales, controversial rulemakings in face of pandemic
E&E News ([link removed]) | Bloomberg Environment ([link removed])
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** Outdoor voters all want the same things
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Outside ([link removed])
** Bureau of Land Management suspends advisory panel meetings
E&E News ([link removed])
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Quote of the day
Elected officials ignore the will of Western voters not just at the peril of the planet, but also at the peril of their own political futures.”
—New Mexico Senator Tom Udall, O ([link removed]) utside ([link removed])
Picture this
** @I ([link removed]) nterior ([link removed])
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Happy [Belated] 88th Birthday Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, home of the tallest sand dunes in North America #Colorado ([link removed]) #FindYourPark ([link removed])
Check out 12 facts about this amazing park: [link removed] ([link removed])
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