Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Mike Lee's record shows he's no affordable housing advocate
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Friday, August 15, 2025
U.S. Senator Mike Lee; Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia ([link removed])
Senator Mike Lee of Utah has claimed for years now that he wants to address the affordable housing crisis in the West by forcing the federal government to sell off national public lands. But he has ([link removed]) kept ([link removed]) those who work on housing affordability at arms length and pushed legislation ([link removed]) that advocates say would make it harder for Americans to access affordable homes.
In 2016, Lee introduced the Welfare Reform and Upward Mobility Act, which would have cut ([link removed]) overall affordable housing-related funding in half over a decade. He has also introduced legislation ([link removed]) aimed at undermining federal fair housing programs.
Tara Rollins, who has served as the executive director of the Utah Housing Coalition for 20 years, said she has never been able to get a meeting with Lee, only his staff. “I don’t know who he’s talked to about affordable housing,” she told Public Domain ([link removed]) . “I don’t know anybody who’s met with him.”
While Lee has few allies in the affordable housing world, he has strong ties to real estate developers. The real estate industry has given Lee a combined $1.03 million ([link removed]) over his career, the fourth highest of any industry, including $665,270 ([link removed]) in the 2024 election cycle.
Denver Keep Parks Public podcast up now!
Couldn't make it to our kickoff event in Denver? Listen to the live panel conversation ([link removed]) on The Landscape podcast now.
Aaron interviews Scott Fitzwilliams, former supervisor of the White River National Forest in Colorado; Kelly Nordini, CEO of Conservation Colorado; and Kara Matsumoto, public lands director at the Conservation Lands Foundation, about threats to Colorado’s public lands posed by the Trump administration and Congress—as well as how the public can fight back.
Join us at the Keep Parks Public tour stops ([link removed]) next week in Salt Lake City and Grand Junction for more live podcast tapings!
** Quick hits
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Trump wants to cut down untouched forests. It won’t be easy
Bloomberg ([link removed])
Column: River rafting in Colorado offers climate lessons for Southern California
Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
Grand Canyon megafire portends troubled future for national parks
Tucson Sentinel ([link removed])
Colorado Parks and Wildlife to consider fee increase to better support SAR teams across the state
Aspen Times ([link removed])
Saguaros are struggling to cope with extreme weather, studies reveal
High Country News ([link removed])
Colorado approves up to $14 million to plug oil wells before they end up on state’s “orphan list”
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Yellowstone visits in July dipped a bit, but are still on track for a busy year
Wyoming Public Radio ([link removed])
For Indigenous communities, AI brings peril—and promise
Grist ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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”
It's quite apparent to me that this is a deliberate dismantling of the public land institutions that this country's had for 130 years... I think public lands are one of the great experiments in democracy. Nowhere else in the world does this. We have set aside land in the public trust, owned for everyone, and we're messing with that.”
—Scott Fitzwilliams, former supervisor of the White River National Forest, The Landscape ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@nationalparkservice ([link removed])
Though its life is brief, a sunset is a mesmerizing display of nature’s artistry, where the sky transforms into a canvas of vibrant colors, painting a picture that’s out of the woods…well, out of this world. As the sun dips toward the horizon, it casts a warm glow, blending into hues of orange, red, even pink and purple, like a lavender haze settling over the world. Streaks of clouds catch the light, creating dramatic silhouettes that feel enchanted. Shadows lengthen, and the world seems to pause, bathed in a serene, fleeting moment where you’re fearless in the face of nature’s beauty, along with that family of squirrels eyeing your backpack full of snacks. Get back!
National parks are excellent for watching sunsets due to their vast landscapes, cultural backdrops, and diverse terrain, which can enhance the vividness of the sky’s colors, making every evening feel like a love story. Check park websites or weather apps for sunset times, and depending on the time of year, bring the flannel or cardigan for cooler evenings. Arrive early for popular spots to secure a good view and soak in the moment before daylight comes again.
Image: @greatsanddunesnps ([link removed])
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