Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** How RMP do-overs imperil Western landscapes and habitats
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Friday, September 19, 2025
Wyoming's Red Desert, Mark Bellis/U.S Fish & Wildlife Service via Flickr ([link removed])

Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, Bureau of Land Management resource management plans that balance resource extraction with other values like recreation and conservation have been on the chopping block. Congress has also been working to undo resource management plans using the Congressional Review Act. Conservation advocates across the West have warned that top-down interference with resource management plans, crafted over multiple years by broad sets of local stakeholders, would open Pandora's Box on public lands ([link removed]) .

In Wyoming, a re-do of the Rock Springs resource management plan would have devastating impacts on areas like the iconic Red Desert, which is already facing the stresses of climate change. "We’re already on the edge of existence," said ([link removed]) Tom Christiansen, a retired wildlife biologist who spent 33 years working for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. "You can’t turn this into a wheat field."

Advocates agree, and argue that the area's many other values make it worthy of the protections that were negotiated during the process that resulted in the Rock Springs resource management plan, which Congress and the Trump administration are seeking to overturn. "When you look at the various values up there, including the recreational opportunities, hunting, fishing and the cultural resources, what you see is one of the highest quality landscapes to go out and enjoy the outdoors," said ([link removed]) Wyoming Outdoor Council conservation director Alec Underwood. "It also happens to be one of the most ecologically significant areas in the United States of America. If that place isn’t worthy of protection, I don’t know what is."


** Quick hits
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Major Burgum donor lands plum job at Interior department

Public Domain ([link removed])

Trump’s plan to end forest protections targets a 'conservation success story'

Capital & Main ([link removed])

Youth plaintiffs say Trump energy orders violate their constitutional rights

Montana Free Press ([link removed]) | Daily Montanan ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed])

Wildfire smoke could soon kill 71,000 Americans every year

Grist ([link removed]) | Inside Climate News ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed])

Colorado groups decry ‘backroom deal’ over Suncor water permit

Colorado Newsline ([link removed])

The Trump administration is stonewalling Tribal clean energy projects

Latitude Media ([link removed])

Opinion: Public Lands Rule is good for the West

Vail Daily ([link removed])

Opinion: Colorado's congressional delegation has a duty to fight Trump's public lands layoffs

Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** Quote of the day
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” You should always be skeptical when the fox tells you the hen house doesn’t need to be locked anymore.”

—Sam Evans, Southern Environmental Law Center, on the proposed repeal of the Roadless Rule; Capital & Main ([link removed]) ,


** Picture This
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@mypubliclands ([link removed])
Severe weather can strike at any time, bringing hazardous conditions like damaging winds, tornadoes, large hail, and flash floods. 🌩️ 🌪️

If you're planning an adventure in the outdoors, it's crucial to be prepared! Here are some essential tips to keep you safe:

✅ Check Local Weather: Always stay updated on weather conditions before heading out.

✅ Communications Plan: Share your plans with friends or family. Let them know where you're going and when you expect to return.

✅ Emergency Supplies: Pack essential emergency supplies including water, snacks, a first-aid kit, and a flashlight.

📸 Organ Mountains, @newmexicopubliclands ([link removed]) ; David Turning

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