Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** BLM blocks massive expansion of Colorado quarry
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Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Hot springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Jason Cipriani/Flickr ([link removed])
A limestone quarry located in Colorado with a politically-connected owner won't be able to expand from 16 to 320 acres, thanks to a recent decision ([link removed]) by the Bureau of Land Management. After a three-year study, the BLM concluded the limestone being mined at the Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry—which is located a mile above Glenwood Springs—is not special ([link removed]) , and therefore the quarry is not eligible for special perks under the 1872 Mining Law.
The quarry is owned by Chad Brownstein ([link removed]) , the son of Norm Brownstein, a politically-connected Colorado attorney whose law firm lobbies for high-profile natural resources and finance companies. When his company, Rocky Mountain Industrials (RMI), first sought approval from the BLM for the quarry expansion, David Bernhardt was secretary of the Interior department, having previously worked for Norm Brownstein's firm. This is just one of a number of cases ([link removed]) in which Bernhardt faced conflicts of interest in his time at Interior related to his lobbying work.
Were the quarry to expand, it would be visible ([link removed]) from downtown Glenwood Springs, would result in hundreds ([link removed]) of semi-truck trips each day, and could impact the geothermal water flows ([link removed]) that feed the town’s hot springs. A group called the Glenwood Springs Citizens’ Alliance formed in 2018 ([link removed]) to fight the mine expansion. It sued the BLM in 2020 ([link removed]) , arguing the agency was not properly regulating mine operations. Findings in that lawsuit were cited by the BLM in its decision
([link removed]) to classify the limestone as “common variety,” since it is used for purposes like road base and construction.
Jeff Peterson, the president of the alliance, called the BLM decision ([link removed]) “a big setback for RMI and a tremendous step forward for the citizens’ alliance and Glenwood Springs.”
** Quick hits
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Rocky Mountain gray wolves won’t get endangered species protections
Associated Press ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])
Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe seeks designation of Kw'tsán National Monument
E&E News ([link removed]) | Quechan Indian Tribe ([link removed]) [fact sheet]
Wolves are coming to Utah from Colorado. That has ranchers and lawmakers worried
Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed]) | Utah News Dispatch ([link removed])
Opinion: Climate-informed management is critical to securing healthy and fire-resilient forests
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Resolution in Utah's legislature seeks to unwind Bears Ears land swap
Fox13 ([link removed])
Great American Outdoors Act funding is helping improve and repair Yellowstone
Billings Gazette ([link removed])
Report: National monuments in the West boost local economies and ecosystems
KUNR ([link removed])
Appeals court weighs whether to let stand Biden’s approval of Willow oil project in Alaska
Associated Press ([link removed]) | Courthouse News Service ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” As others see the land as just land and dirt, we, the Quechan people, see the land in our DNA... We come from the air, the water, the land. It's who we are, and protecting these lands preserves our past while safeguarding our future.”
—Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe President Jordan Joaquin, E&E News ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@naturenps ([link removed])
It’s #VolcanoWeek ([link removed]) ! We sure lava ❤️ volcanic parks—all 91 of them!
From brand-new-hot-off-the-mantle lava flows in @hawaiivolcanoesnps ([link removed]) to some of the oldest rocks in the National Park System at @voyageursnps ([link removed]) , these sites are erupting with volcanic features—even if they’re not actively erupting!
While not all of the 91 parks have volcanoes, all were shaped in some way by volcanic processes. Follow the link in our bio to explore a master list of volcanic parks.
📸 NPS / Janice Wei - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
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