Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Abuse of the critical minerals list is a problem for public lands
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Wednesday, December 3, 2025
The Bingham Canyon copper mine in Utah, Doc Searls via Flickr ([link removed]) , CC BY 2.0 ([link removed])
The Trump administration recently updated the U.S. Geological Survey's critical minerals list. In a new Westwise blog post, ([link removed]) Center for Western Priorities Policy Director Rachael Hamby unpacks the critical minerals list, why it matters, and what the most recent additions to the list mean for public lands in the West.
The recent update to the critical minerals list added ten new minerals including copper, uranium, silver, and metallurgical coal. The inclusion of these minerals on the list for the first time makes it clear that the Trump administration is using the list to advance its agenda of prioritizing resource extraction over all other uses of our national public lands.
Designating these minerals as ‘critical’ paves the way for land use and permitting decisions that will negatively impact Western public lands and wildlife habitats for decades to come. Learn more at Westwise's new home on Substack ([link removed]) .
** Quick hits
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Fast-tracked mining exploration project near Bitterroot River headwaters draws opposition
Daily Montanan ([link removed])
Utility asks New Mexico for ‘zero emission’ status for gas-fired power plant
Capital & Main ([link removed])
The U.S. Forest Service is falling further behind on wildfire prevention
NOTUS ([link removed])
Why is an economic powerhouse treated like an afterthought on national public lands?
More Than Just Parks ([link removed])
What the Rio Grande’s dry-outs mean for the region’s animals and ecosystems
Inside Climate News ([link removed])
Trump admin aims to rescind regulations governing ATV access in national forests
E&E News ([link removed])
Opinion: Idaho deserves a BLM director who won't sell our public lands
Idaho Capital Sun ([link removed])
Opinion: Senators must prove they're friends of public lands
Missoula Current ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” Our BLM lands are already in enough trouble—understaffed, underfunded, and under increased pressure from invasive species, wildfires, and development and other risks. We do not need an auctioneer to hold a fire-sale of our public lands to the highest bidder or transfer them to the states, where they would inevitably be sold off.”
—John Robison, Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Capital Sun ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@greatbasinnp ([link removed])
The early bird gets the... wait, that's not a worm. 🐦
As fall and winter move into Great Basin, time and the elements all around us seem to slow down, with the days growing shorter and darker. While some parts park roads are closed, we hope this encourages you to slow down and pay more attention to what is around you, in even the unlikeliest of places.
Take this Mountain Bluebird for example, who's having a very lucky day after capturing a Jerusalem cricket for lunch, photographed nearby the Lehman Orchard. Both the bird and its prey are common sights in the park - but it takes a keen eye to slow down and capture a moment like this. We invite you to try and get these moments too: if you're not sure where to start, ask a ranger!
Image: NPS / J. Schas
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