Also: What Biden can do for America's forests before he leaves office
Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Approval of Nevada lithium mine challenged in court
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Friday, November 1, 2024
Tiehm's buckwheat growing in the Rhyolite Ridge area of Nevada, Jim Morefield via Flickr ([link removed]) /CC BY 2.0 ([link removed])
On Thursday, a coalition including Western Shoshone and conservation organizations filed a lawsuit challenging the Bureau of Land Management's approval last week of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron mine in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The lawsuit alleges that ([link removed]) the environmental review process was rushed and that the approval of the mine fails to protect ([link removed]) the endangered Tiehm's buckwheat, which grows only in a 10-acre area within the mine project area. The groups also raise concerns ([link removed]) that the mine will damage cultural sites of importance to Western Shoshone people, and that rare desert springs and the plants
and animals that depend on them will be harmed.
"The end use of minerals, whether for EVs or solar panels, does not justify this disregard of Indigenous cultural areas and keystone environmental laws," said ([link removed]) John Hadder, executive director of Great Basin Resource Watch, one of the plaintiffs. "Approval of this mine risks rolling back standards of protection and advancing an era of relaxed mine permitting that we and future generations will seriously regret."
What Biden can do for America’s forests before he leaves office
On the latest episode ([link removed]) of the Center for Western Priorities podcast, The Landscape ([link removed]) , Kate and Aaron are joined by Dr. Dominick DellaSala, Chief Scientist at Wild Heritage ([link removed]) , a project of the Earth Island Institute. Dr. DellaSala recently wrote an op-ed for the Seattle Times ([link removed]) in which he says the Forest Service is still planning to allow logging in mature and old growth forests. They talk about why that’s the case, how the Old Growth Amendment process plays into this, and what the Biden administration can do about it, then discuss recent headlines about wildlife connectivity in forests and carbon sink failure.
** Quick hits
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A ‘first step’ toward landback: Tribes call for three new monuments
Grist ([link removed])
World may be merely scratching the surface on the scope of climate-changing methane emissions
Associated Press ([link removed])
Eastern Utah wants an oil railroad. The nation’s highest court will decide how feds should judge its environmental impacts
Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Oil company agrees to clean up historic lead contamination in settlement with small Colorado mining town
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Texas sued New Mexico over Rio Grande water. Now the states are fighting the federal government
Inside Climate News ([link removed])
Interior injects $46 million into Klamath Basin projects after dam removal
E&E News ([link removed])
Prescribed fire liability pilot program in Oregon launches
Jefferson Public Radio ([link removed])
November brings shorter days and more wildlife activity. It’s ‘peak time’ to hit a deer in the road
Utah News Dispatch ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” Communities in the Uinta Basin and Gulf Coast will suffer the most from this oil railroad, while oil companies enrich themselves at the expense of the environment and people’s health.”
—Wendy Park, Center for Biological Diversity, Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@blmoregonwashington ([link removed])
Congratulations Hoary Potter, for winning your final duel!
It's official: Hoary has won the 2024 Bat Beauty Contest and is crowned the country's most beautiful bat.
This victory marks the third year in a row a bat from Oregon has taken first place in the contest. Swipe to see the previous years' winners!
Emma Busk, BLM wildlife technician, says she hopes the event has inspired more love for these winged creatures of the night.
“I took the photo of Hoary Potter, but all bats are the real winners."
Bats play an essential role in Oregon. All bats in the Pacific Northwest are insectivorous, meaning they rid our world of pests like mosquitos, beetles, and moths. Just one bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour!
Want to do your part? As we head into winter, avoid exploring mines and caves where bats may be hibernating.
“In your own backyard, you can have a bat house!” said Emma. “It’s a shelter that helps protect bats during the winter. You can also make your garden more bat friendly by planting native flowers to attract insects and turning off any unnecessary lights. Light pollution is not great for bats."
For more information on helping bats in your area, visit batweek.org ([link removed]) .
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