In a unanimous vote on Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed the EXPLORE Act. Now it's sent to President Biden.
Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Congress passes major outdoor recreation package
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Friday, December 20, 2024
Mountain bikers near Gooseberry Mesa and Hurricane Cliffs trails in southern Utah. Bureau of Land Management, Flickr ([link removed])
In a unanimous vote on Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed ([link removed]) the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, a sweeping outdoor recreation package that will significantly expand and improve recreation opportunities on public lands.
The EXPLORE Act includes a collection of bills ([link removed]) that outdoor recreation groups have sought for decades. Most notably are the Biking on Long Distance Trails Act (BOLT) to identify and create more long-distance bike trails, the Protecting America's Rock Climbing Act (PARC) to safeguard climbing in wilderness areas, and the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR) to improve recreational permitting for outfitters and guides, just to name a few. In total, the EXPLORE Act includes over a dozen policy measures to support recreation on public lands.
"The passage of EXPLORE sends a clear message that outdoor recreation and our public lands are bipartisan priorities," said ([link removed]) Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance, a public lands conservation and recreation advocacy group. "Signing this bill into law represents a meaningful investment in our shared outdoor heritage and the vibrant outdoor recreation economy it sustains."
The bill will now be sent to President Joe Biden, who will likely ([link removed]) sign it into law.
** Quick hits
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Senate approves sweeping outdoor recreation package
E&E News ([link removed])
Yellowstone in winter: 5 ways to enjoy the quiet season
New York Times ([link removed])
National Park Service kills controversial plan to ban climbing bolts in wilderness areas
Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])
The Supreme Court decisions that gutted environmental protections in 2024
High Country News ([link removed])
Congress approves continued funding for endangered fish recovery programs in Colorado, Western states
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
In the 'Copper State,' growing demand for ore raises fears in the fragile Sky Islands
Arizona Republic ([link removed])
Utah wants to shore up its Colorado River share with a water ‘savings account’
KUER ([link removed])
Insurers are deserting homeowners as climate shocks worsen
New York Times ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” We want to make sure that the climbing community continues to climb in the wilderness with humility and restraint and that climbers are part of the solution for how to improve and protect wilderness.”
—Erik Murdock, head of government affairs at Access Fund, Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@usfws ([link removed])
🦌 🦌 🦌 Across Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuges, thousands of tuttu (Iñupiaq word for caribou) survive the Arctic winter thanks to two layers of insulating fur and their hooves like built-in snow shovels for digging for bites of lichen beneath the snow.
The heart of this story lies in the wisdom passed down through generations of Iñupiaq people. Elder Cyrus Harris from the village of Sisualik, remembers his first tuttu harvest at age 10, traveling toward the foothills where his ancestors had gathered migrating caribou for thousands of autumns before.
During his first hunts, vast amounts of knowledge were passed onto Harris, including one important lesson in patience: Permit the leading caribou safe passage, he was told, so that the hundreds or thousands more who follow behind, trusting the leaders, can continue their migration.
This act of reciprocity remains important for humans and animal alike. It helps to keep caribou herd populations stable, while allowing the village continued access to the food they need. It is also one lesson of many that the Native Village of Kotzebue and Kiana Elders’ Council have shared with hunters over recent years, with the help of Harris, Selawik National Wildlife Refuge employees, and other USFWS employees and partners.
Read more about why local knowledge and partnerships are so important for the survival of caribou, especially as the weather changes in northwest Alaska. 🔗 Link in our story.
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