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


** Trump administration targets tribal sovereignty over energy projects
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Friday, December 12, 2025
Water towers in Kabito, Navajo Nation. Photo by Harald Felgner ([link removed]) , CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ([link removed])

The Trump administration is moving to strip Tribes of their veto power over energy projects on their lands, a policy shift that could reshape federal-tribal relations.

Grist reports ([link removed]) that during the Biden administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) adopted a rule requiring Tribal consent before approving hydropower projects. That policy blocked a pumped hydropower proposal ([link removed]) on Navajo Nation land, where communities raised concerns about groundwater depletion and ecological harm.

Now, Energy Secretary Chris Wright argues that Tribal vetoes impose “unnecessary burdens” on infrastructure development and is pressing FERC to quickly reverse course. Wright invoked a rarely-used authority under the Federal Powers Act ([link removed]) to instruct FERC to make a decision by December 18th. FERC allowed just two weeks for public comment on the proposal last month.

More than 20 Tribes, environmental groups, and lawmakers have urged the commission to maintain the current policy, citing Tribes’ centuries-long stewardship of natural resources. Critics caution that ending Tribal veto power could pave the way for a new generation of extractive projects, exacerbating a toxic legacy on Indigenous lands that remains today.

A historically bad year for public lands

In a new report, the Center for American Progress takes stock of the damage ([link removed]) the Trump administration caused on public lands in 2025. CAP Senior Fellow Drew McConville writes that the administration set records for rolling back conservation protections on public lands, stripping safeguards from nearly 88 million acres—an area equal to 117 Yosemite National Parks—while slashing budgets and staff across agencies like the National Park Service. But these moves sparked fierce public backlash. More than 99 percent of commenters opposed rescinding forest protections under the Roadless Rule, and bipartisan opposition forced Congress to drop Sen. Mike Lee's proposal to sell off millions of acres of public land.


** Quick hits
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Software mogul/Secretary of (*checks notes) the Interior says AI will cure cancer

Gizmodo ([link removed])

National park gift shops ordered to purge merchandise that Trump doesn't like

Associated Press ([link removed])

Lawsuit seeks to stop oil exploration in remote regions of the Arctic

New York Times ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])

Audit finds major gaps in Colorado's oil and gas reporting, enforcement

Colorado Politics ([link removed])

Arizona launches into investigation into contaminated water discharge from proposed critical minerals mine

Inside Climate News ([link removed])

Grizzly bear deaths near Yellowstone could fuel ESA fight

E&E News ([link removed])

Opinion: Even with Trump's support, coal power remains expensive and dangerous

The Conversation ([link removed])

Los Angeles shows that going coal-free is possible for large cities

NPR ([link removed])


** Quote of the day
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” The only thing I’m optimistic about is that Indigenous people know that they need to continue to fight. I don’t see this administration waking up to their own mistakes at all.”

—Nicole Horseherder, executive director of the Diné water rights group Tó Nizhóní Ání, Grist ([link removed])


** Picture This
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@nationalparkservice ([link removed])
From glacier-carved peaks to volcanic summits, mountains shape some of the most awe-inspiring national parks in the country. They challenge us, ground us, and remind us just how wild and resilient our planet can be.

Ready to explore the heights? Discover mountain parks, the science behind them, and the stories they hold. Follow the link in our bio or visit ➡️ go.nps.gov/mountainparks

📸 A mountaineer treks across a snowy ridge during a vibrant sunset in a rugged @NCascadesNPS mountain range. NPS/ F Shafer

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