Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Keep Parks Public tour wraps up with big event in Grand Junction
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Monday, August 25, 2025
Keep Parks Public Grand Junction event on Friday, 8/22/25; CWP photo ([link removed])
The Keep Parks Public ([link removed]) tour highlighted ongoing threats to Western Colorado’s public lands at a live taping of The Landscape podcast ([link removed]) on Friday evening ([link removed]) at Gemini Beer Company in Grand Junction.
In Colorado, staffing and funding cuts by the Trump administration threaten the health and accessibility of national public lands, as well as Grand Junction’s economy, which is driven by outdoor recreation. Congressional proposals to sell off public lands earlier this summer threatened the very existence of national public land, including popular mountain biking trails like the Lunch Loops.
“The public lands in Grand Valley are what make this a great place to live. Attempts to sell off our public lands and to weaken the agencies that manage them threaten the biking and hiking trails our community—and my business—depends on,” said ([link removed]) Cole Hanson ([link removed]) , co-owner of Gear Junction and vice chair of the Grand Valley Outdoor Recreation Coalition. “As an outdoor gear business owner, my livelihood relies on the existence of accessible and well-managed public lands.”
Around 140 people attended the event, which was cosponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association and the Grand Valley Outdoor Recreation Coalition. The live podcast episode will be published later this week.
Keep Parks Public Salt Lake City podcast episode up now!
Erika Pollard with the National Parks Conservation Association, Davina Smith with the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, Scott Braden with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and Doug Tolman with Save Our Canyons discuss threats to Utah's public lands posed by the Trump administration and Congress. Listen to the live episode ([link removed]) now!
** Quick hits
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Idaho once protected public lands with a wilderness area. Could it happen again?
Idaho Statesman ([link removed])
Summer travel to mountain towns improves from 'malaise' to 'firmly OK'
KUNC ([link removed])
A sneaky way lawmakers can sell your public land, and 3 other things insiders won’t say on the record
Outdoor Life ([link removed])
Trump officials aim to divert money meant for buying wilderness land
Washington Post ([link removed])
New map shows public land in Idaho flagged for potential disposal
Idaho Statesman ([link removed])
Rep. Hageman still supports selling off public land, faces pushback from wealthy Wyoming residents
Casper Star-Tribune ([link removed]) | Wyoming Public Radio ([link removed])
Trump’s Interior department is turning environmentalists’ legal playbook against them
Grist ([link removed])
7 ways to volunteer on Colorado public lands
Denver Post ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” The Trump administration’s attacks on the National Park Service and other land management agencies are stretching staff thin and putting natural and cultural resources in danger... Even if we turn around the treatment of civil service employees today, it will take years to restore the trust in these career paths enough to attract high performers back into public service.”
—Ken Mabery ([link removed]) , former superintendent of Colorado National Monument
** Picture This
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@keepparkspublic ([link removed])
Some pics from our event in SLC on Friday night at @fisherbrewing ([link removed]) .
Incredible turn out and great discussion about the impacts of Trump’s funding and staffing cuts on public lands, as well as updates on uranium mining in Southern Utah.
Listen to the full conversation on @western.priorities ([link removed]) ’s podcast, The Landscape.
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