Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** White House offers "concierge" service to fossil fuel firms
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Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum; Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia ([link removed])
The White House is offering “concierge, white glove service” to fossil fuel companies seeking regulatory fast-tracks, while simultaneously slowing approvals for renewable energy projects, according to reporting by the Washington Post ([link removed]) .
Brittany Kelm, senior policy adviser to the National Energy Dominance Council, described the council in a podcast ([link removed]) as a “little tiger team” specifically designed to shepherd fossil fuel projects through the permit and bureaucratic maze. She said the team helps connect firms to the political appointees within agencies, monitors progress, and intervenes when projects get stalled. In one instance, she claims a permit that once might have taken 45 days was issued in just four.
The Trump administration created the National Energy Dominance Council ([link removed]) earlier this year, placing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in charge, with a mandate to expand fossil fuel output and critical mineral extraction. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is slow-walking and in some cases blocking renewable energy projects. For example, all renewable projects on public lands must now be personally approve ([link removed]) d by Secretary Burgum, creating an intentional bottleneck.
Oil & Gas Government Shutdown Tracker
The Center for Western Priorities has launched a tracking tool ([link removed]) to monitor the approval of federal onshore oil and gas drilling permits issued during the ongoing government shutdown.
President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have declared all federal employees who work on oil and gas ([link removed]) as “essential,” while keeping national parks irresponsibly and illegally ([link removed]) open despite furloughing thousands of park rangers ([link removed]) and other federal land managers ([link removed]) .
The tracker will be regularly updated and expanded to include federal oil and gas leases, if and when leases are issued during the shutdown.
** Quick hits
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Joshua Tree National Park now an epicenter of concern, confusion
SFGate ([link removed])
‘Slower, and more challenging’: Colorado ski resorts describe impacts of staffing cuts at Forest Service
Summit Daily ([link removed])
Shutdown smokescreen? Public lands furloughs could become layoffs
Mountain Journal ([link removed])
Government shutdown muddies Rock Springs land use plan amendment process
Wyoming Public Media ([link removed])
Critics vow to fight Trump-approved Ambler mining road in Alaska
E&E News ([link removed])
Feds put polarizing southern Utah highway proposal back on the table, months after Biden administration rejected it
Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
‘Dead, dry rivers’: Lawsuit says state isn’t managing rivers for the benefit of all
Montana Free Press ([link removed])
Scientist learns he won Nobel prize while hiking in Montana
The Guardian ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” The federal government cannot claim to respect Tribal sovereignty while approving a project our people overwhelmingly oppose... This executive order retracts years of Tribal consultation on the Ambler industrial road and is another tactic of colonization. This would be genocide of the Inupiaq culture and people.”
—Karmen Schaeffer-Monigold with Protect the Kobuk, E&E News ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@utstateparks ([link removed])
Wanting to visit Utah’s public lands without facing the impacts of the shutdown? We got a state park for that.
There are tons of state parks close to our national parks that provide amazing trails, tours, views and more for you to explore the outdoors.
And shutdown or not, these are state parks worth the detour, so save for a future trip!
Snow Canyon State Park → Near Zion
~ 1 hour from Zion South Entrance, ~ 30 minutes from Kolob Canyons, ~15 minutes from St. George, UT
- Explore the trails and dunes, ancient lava flows and red Navajo sandstone of Snow Canyon on foot, bike, and horseback.
Kodachrome Basin State Park → Near Bryce Canyon
~ 30 minutes from Bryce Canyon, ~ 1 hour 45 minutes from Zion East Entrance
- 67 monolithic stone spires accentuate multi-hued sandstone layers that reveal 180 million years of geologic time. Hike, bike, horseback ride and more.
Goblin Valley State Park → Near Arches and Capitol Reef
~ 1 hour from Capitol Reef, 1 hour 30 minutes from Arches
- A strange and colorful valley, covered with sandstone goblins and formations. Park activities include hiking, camping, mountain biking, disc golf, ranger programs and access to OHV routes.
Dead Horse Point → Near Canyonlands, Arches
~ 10 minutes from Canyonlands, ~30 minutes from Arches
- An immense desert landscape of canyons, high desert woodland, and miles of trails invite visitors to explore Dead Horse Point State Park.
Bonus State Park Adventures near National Parks
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park → Near Zion, Bryce Canyon
~ 30 minutes from Zion East Entrance, ~ 1 hour 30 minutes from Bryce Canyon
- Venture onto a shifting sea of red sand. With areas for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and those wanting to surf or sled on the sand, the dunes offer adventures for all!
Utahraptor State Park → Near Arches, Canyonlands
~ 15 minutes from Arches, 30 minutes from Canyonlands
- One of the largest dinosaur bone beds in North America. Utahraptor also offers activities, such as off-roading, hiking, and mountain biking.
We don’t even have enough space to talk about our amazing reservoirs in these regions too, so let us know if you want a reservoir guide!
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