Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** President Trump fires Interior department watchdog
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Tuesday, January 28, 2025
United States Department of the Interior building; Farragutful/Wikimedia Commons ([link removed])
President Donald Trump fired the top watchdog at the Interior department as part of an unprecedented purge ([link removed]) of 18 inspectors general across federal agencies. "I did it because it’s a very common thing to do," Trump said ([link removed]) , despite the firings being highly unusual.
The duties of IGs ([link removed]) include conducting independent and objective audits, investigations, and inspections of their agencies and preventing and detecting waste, fraud, and abuse, among many other responsibilities. IGs are typically considered to be independent figures within government agencies.
Mark Lee Greenblatt, who was the Interior Department's IG until Trump fired him on Friday ([link removed]) , was appointed by Trump ([link removed]) in 2019. “This raises an existential threat with respect to the primary independent oversight function in the federal government,” Greenblatt told the New York Times. ([link removed]) “We have preserved the independence of inspectors general by making them not swing with every change in political party.”
Whether the firings were legal is not yet clear, according to NBC News ([link removed]) . The Inspector General Act, amended by Congress in 2022, requires a 30-day notification window between the White House informing Congress of its intent to fire an inspector general and that inspector general being removed from on-duty status. The White House must also provide substantive reasons for why the inspector general is being removed.
Bill introduced to block sale of federal land
House Republicans have floated the idea ([link removed]) of selling federal public lands to pay for tax cuts under President Trump, but some lawmakers are pushing back ([link removed]) . Representative Ryan Zinke of Montana and Representative Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico introduced H.R.718 ([link removed]) last week, which would block ([link removed]) the Interior and Agriculture departments from disposing of federal lands.
“It’s a no now. It will be a no later. It will be a no forever,” Zinke told The Washington Times ([link removed]) .
Zinke also has introduced a measure ([link removed]) that would support creation and protection of migratory routes for wildlife, which is cosponsored by Representative Donald Beyer of Virginia.
** Quick hits
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Trump's orders on climate and environment could hurt Arizona's economy, experts fear
Arizona Republic ([link removed])
Opinion: Hey, Utah, Americans love our public lands
Writers on the Range ([link removed])
Emails show Trump Interior nominee Doug Burgum hosted ‘VIP Dinner’ for oil, gas, and coal execs last year
DeSmog ([link removed])
BLM suspends advisory panel on Public Lands Rule
E&E News ([link removed])
Opinion: Trump sees Alaska as a place to be plundered
Reporting From Alaska ([link removed])
Colorado water experts push for agreement on managing the Colorado River’s future
Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])
Oil companies are not planning to ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’
New York Times ([link removed])
Bills targeting predator torture, snowmobile hunting could make infamous wolf stunt a felony in Wyoming
WyoFile ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” Utahns should tell their leaders once and for all to stop wasting their time and money on this wild goose chase and embrace the ongoing gift of American public lands—not the grift of trying to sell them.”
—Aaron Weiss, Writers on the Range ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@archesnps ([link removed])
Strong, but not forever.
Circular, but not without limits.
Windows, but with different perspectives from either side.
What can a simple arch teach you about life?
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