Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Trump orders more mining on public lands
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Friday, March 21, 2025
Radiation area near a copper mine in Arizona. Akos Kokai, Wikimedia Commons ([link removed])
On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling on the Interior Department to take a number of steps to prioritize mining on public lands.
The EO, Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production ([link removed]) , orders Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, as chair of the newly-formed National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC), to solicit industry recommendations on how to expedite domestic mineral production. The NEDC was created by President Trump to focus on energy and minerals, and is not accountable to Congress or to the public.
Specifically, the EO defines “minerals” extremely broadly to include “uranium, copper, potash, gold, and any other element, compound or material as determined by the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC).” In other words, the EO seeks to give Trump and Burgum the power to declare any substance to be a mineral eligible for special treatment.
“This EO is clearly about enriching mining companies and their shareholders, not enhancing national security," said Center for Western Priorities Policy Director Rachael Hamby in a statement ([link removed]) . “Removing safeguards for mining on our public lands is a bad move that puts wildlife and communities in danger and will be met with fierce resistance across the West.”
Interior to open millions of acres in Alaska to oil drilling
On Thursday, Secretary Burgum announced ([link removed]) several actions to open up millions of acres of near-pristine land in Alaska to oil drilling and allow for a new liquified natural gas pipeline to be built across the state. The announcement ([link removed]) mentions opening 82 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) to oil and gas leasing, reversing a decision ([link removed]) by former President Biden to limit leasing in the NPR-A to designated Special Areas. The announcement also includes plans to reinstate a program ensuring the entire 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is available for oil and gas leasing.
** Quick hits
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Greenpeace must pay over $660M in case over Dakota Access Pipeline protests
Associated Press ([link removed]) | CNN ([link removed]) | CNBC ([link removed]) | NPR ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed]) | Politico ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed]) | Wall Street Journal ([link removed]) | The Guardian
([link removed])
Interior to open millions of acres in Alaska to drilling and mining
Washington Post ([link removed]) | Washington Examiner ([link removed]) | Alaska Beacon ([link removed])
Trump invokes wartime authority to bolster critical minerals
E&E News ([link removed]) | Bloomberg ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])
How the Klamath Dams came down
Grist ([link removed])
What oil executives want from President Trump
New York Times ([link removed])
1,000 park workers who were fired in DOGE cuts are reinstated
Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
‘Caught off guard’: EPA proposes to fire hundreds of scientists
Grist ([link removed])
Summer is coming for national parks. Will there be enough workers?
Washington Post ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” What goes down in the Klamath Basin will be echoed throughout generations.”
—Sammy Gensaw III, Yurok Tribe youth activist, Grist ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@zionnps ([link removed])
🌸☀️ The start of spring is here! ☀️🌸
Today is the spring equinox, when day and night are equal length, about 12 hours each. The word “equinox” means “equal night.”
Seasons are primarily caused by Earth's tilted axis as it orbits the sun. During winter, Earth’s axis is tilted away from the sun. The sun’s energy is less direct, causing colder temperatures. While the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, the Southern Hemisphere tilts towards the sun. That's why when we experience winter, they experience summer and vice versa!
During the spring and fall equinox, the earth’s axis is not tilted towards or away from the sun. Both hemispheres receive the sun’s energy equally! Additionally, the spring and fall equinoxes are the only days when the sun rises exactly due east and sets exactly due west.
After the equinox, as we move into spring and towards summer, the Northern Hemisphere starts to tilt towards the sun and Zion starts to receive more direct solar energy. This causes earlier sunrises, later sunsets, and hotter temperatures.
When you hit the trails to soak up more sun, remember to pack sun protection, salty snacks, and bring water to stay hydrated!
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