** Interior renews acting appointments despite pending lawsuit
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Wednesday, May 6, 2020
William Perry Pendley ([link removed]) , BLM Deputy Director of Policy and Programs, Exercising Authority of the Director

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed an order ([link removed]) yesterday to extend the temporary appointments of several Interior Department officials. The list ([link removed]) includes William Perry Pendley, the litigious anti-public lands figure who is currently in charge of the Bureau of Land Management, and David Vela, as "exercising the authority of director" of the National Park Service. Both temporary appointments are extended through June 5 ([link removed]) .

The BLM has not had a Senate confirmed director for the last three years, the entirety of the first term of the Trump administration. Secretary Bernhardt has extended Mr. Pendley's tenure overseeing the BLM for the fourth time ([link removed]) , a fact that has not gone unnoticed by watchdog groups that have threatened to sue the administration over the long succession of temporary appointments.

The Western Watersheds Project and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) filed a notice of intent to sue ([link removed]) Secretary Bernhardt last week if he extended both appointments for violating the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and the appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution. Peter Jenkins, PEER's senior counsel said ([link removed]) , "We warned Secretary Bernhardt not to keep tempting fate with these repeated, illegal re-delegations, but he wouldn't listen. The solution to stay out of federal court was easy: get President Trump to just appoint proper 'acting' directors. Since they didn't do that, litigation is the next step, to be filed ASAP."
Quick hits


** Groups ask Utah BLM to delay June oil and gas lease sales
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Utah Public Radio ([link removed])


** Risks to employees remain as national parks begin to reopen
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Washington Post ([link removed])


** Secretary Bernhardt renews temporary appointments despite looming lawsuit
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Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | Bloomberg Law ([link removed])


** Jackson relies on summer tourism revenue associated with Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks
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National Geographic ([link removed])


** Interior spends millions of coronavirus relief funds, offering few details about how the money is being used
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E&E News ([link removed])


** Weld County, Colorado demonstrates perils of drilling industry boom and bust cycles
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KUNC ([link removed])


** Coronavirus accelerates the decline of coal production in Wyoming
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Casper Star-Tribune ([link removed])


** Opinion: The so-called "shale revolution" is over
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Durango Herald ([link removed])
Quote of the day
Shale wells have a particularly steep decline curve, meaning that after that first surge of oil – call it the first-month buzz – its production decreases by as much as 10% per month. So in order to keep the oil and money flowing, companies have to drill more and more wells, which requires them to go deeper into debt, which requires them to sell more oil, and so on, until, at last, the whole scheme collapses under its own weight."
—Jonathan Thompson, Durango Herald ([link removed])
Picture this


** @USFWSMtnPrairie ([link removed])
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#WorldMigratoryBirdDay ([link removed]) is on May 9th. We want to answer your bird questions! If you need an ID for a bird photo or have questions about migratory birds, post them in the comments by May 7th. We’ll have answers from a bird specialist on May 9th!
Photo: Juvenile bald eagle by @USFWS ([link removed])

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