** BLM slammed for virtual meetings on Chaco drilling
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Friday, May 1, 2020
The Milky Way rises above Puebloan ruins at Chaco Culture National Historical Park | Li-Wei Hung, National Park Service ([link removed])

The Bureau of Land Management has announced that it will hold a series of virtual meetings ([link removed]) to discuss the controversial resource management plan that could open land near the Chaco Culture National Historic park in New Mexico to oil and gas development. However, native communities in the region have been devastated by the pandemic, and many lack the internet connectivity to participate ([link removed]) in a virtual meeting.

House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl Grijalva said ([link removed]) , "Secretary Bernhardt and Acting Director Pendley are using this crisis to hand our public lands over to the oil and gas industry, and are silencing communities in the process."

The contested plan will guide oil and gas development around the park, which is a World Heritage Site, for at least the next decade. Tribes, environmentalists, and archaeologists have all warned that development could negatively impact sacred sites ([link removed]) near, but outside, Chaco's boundaries. Due to these concerns, members of Congress have called for a 10-mile protective buffer around the sacred canyon, but the BLM's preferred plan falls short of Secretary David Bernhardt's one-year promise to adhere to the buffer.


** Fed loan program expansion sparks oil bailout worries
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After prodding by oil-state lawmakers and oil lobbyists ([link removed]) , the Federal Reserve has announced that it will let bigger businesses take out emergency loans ([link removed]) meant to help small to medium companies weather the current pandemic.

As market forces combine with the pandemic, oil prices have plummeted and petroleum companies, many of which are heavily indebted ([link removed]) , are on the verge of bankruptcy ([link removed]) . The central bank's changes appear to be a victory for the U.S. oil and gas sector ([link removed]) , which has asked for better federal lending terms.
Quick hits


** From oil boom to doom in the Permian Basin
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New York Times ([link removed])


** Coronavirus stimulus money that could go to clean energy will be wasted on fossil fuels
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Vox ([link removed]) | The Verge ([link removed])


** Opinions: Plea for funding of Land and Water Conservation Fund as a low cost stimulus
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Arizona Daily Sun ([link removed]) | Daily Sentinel ([link removed]) | KRWG ([link removed])


** Trump moves ahead with selling public land to fossil-fuel industry amid coronavirus and oil price freefall
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Independent ([link removed])


** BLM slammed for virtual meetings on Chaco drilling
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Associated Press ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | Farmington Daily-Times ([link removed])


** Reopening Moab — except national parks, camping
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Times-Independent ([link removed])


** Fed loan program expansion sparks oil bailout worries
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | Politico ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Vandalism, illegal dumping, and trail damage are occurring across the West as COVID-19 impacts behaviors
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Associated Press ([link removed]) | St. George News ([link removed]) | My Northwest ([link removed]) | Denver Post ([link removed])
Quote of the day
By hook or by crook, Big Oil is going to try to get a bailout while small businesses shutter. It is deplorable to spend good money after bad and waste taxpayer dollars on an industry that has been struggling for years due to bad business decisions.”
—Senator Edward J. Markey, W ([link removed]) ashington Post ([link removed])
Picture this


** @I ([link removed]) nterior ([link removed])
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To protect migration corridors & conserve habitat for elk, mule deer & pronghorn, @SecBernhardt ([link removed]) announced a total of $24.7 million in funding for 11 western states: [link removed]… ([link removed])

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