August, in brief

Key news from August:

• After finally nominating anti-public lands extremist William Perry Pendley to be director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—long after he was legally allowed to remain acting director—the Trump administration pulled Pendley's nomination after public and political outrage. Pendley has a history of calling for the sale of public lands, working to dismantle public lands protections and access, overt racism toward Native tribes, denial of climate change, and anti-immigration and LGBTQ sentiments. Despite Pendley's inability to be confirmed by the Senate, Secretary Bernhardt intends to keep Pendley in his role at the BLM. Pendley himself signed the succession order that keeps him in power, which is likely illegal. Forty-seven U.S. Senators, Montana Governor Steve Bullock, conservation groups, and an outdoors group composed of hunters and anglers have ratcheted up their calls for Pendley to be removed.
• The Trump administration approved a plan to open up 1.5 million acres of the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas drilling. The plan opens the refuge's Coastal Plain, overturning 6 decades of protections for the largest remaining wilderness in the United States, which is sacred to indigenous tribes. However, financial institutions have recently expressed resistance to financing drilling in ANWR or the Arctic. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Interior's plan.
• After decades of bipartisan work, the Great American Outdoors Act was finally signed into law. The law permanently funds LWCF and dedicates $9.5 billion to address the maintenance backlog on public lands. While the bill is great news for public lands, environmentalists were quick to point out that President Trump is the most anti-conservation president in history, and only signed the GAOA after it passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof bipartisan majorities.
• The increasing effects of climate change have turbocharged this year's wildfire season, which erupted this month. Colorado's largest fire on record is still burning, and is only one of dozens of fires in the southwest. California fires have gone hand-in-hand with smog, lightning, power outages, and heat records. Fires have impacted national monuments and national and state parks. However, earlier this month, it was reported that state and federal agencies are not tracking or sharing COVID-19 information. Smoke in the West has prompted respiratory health warnings even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the country.
• After far-reaching opposition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reversed its decision to include land near Utah's stunning Arches and Canyonlands National Parks near Moab in its planned September oil and gas lease sale. However, the Trump administration resumed oil and gas lease sales, with drillers showing far less interest than in the past. Despite the lack of industry interest and lack of a fair return for taxpayers, Interior Secretary Bernhardt and the Bureau of Land Management are plowing ahead with major lease sales across the West. The BLM is also pushing ahead with a land use plan that could increase drilling around New Mexico's Chaco Culture National Historical Park, despite not being able to meaningfully consult nearby tribes, which is legally required. Tribes and the congressional delegation have raised concerns.
• The Trump administration weakened a major methane regulation, freeing oil and gas companies from the need to detect and repair leaks. The new rules effectively deregulate methane storage and transmission, even though methane is a potent greenhouse gas that causes climate change and leaks have been on the rise.
• Interior's internal watchdog released a report that found political appointees at the department withheld public documents mentioning Interior Secretary David Bernhardt ahead of his confirmation hearing. The report also bolsters lawmakers' claim that Interior Solicitor Daniel Jorjani lied to members of Congress.
• Despite objections, the Bureau of Land Management finalized its headquarters relocation. The move to Grand Junction, Colorado cost the agency more than 70 percent of its D.C.-based employees, with the new headquarters struggling to fill vacant positions.
• Documents revealed that the Trump administration prevented federal laboratory research from seeing the light of day. That research could have modernized the power grid, reduced reliance on coal, and saved consumers billions of dollars.
• Western mining was in the news all month. After five years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Utah reached a settlement to resolve the lawsuit resulting from the Gold King Mine toxic waste release. A new report found that nearly half of our nation's critical mineral deposits are in trout and salmon habitat, and one in ten deposits lies beneath protected public lands. And Wyoming is on track to complete 96 mine reclamation projects by the end of the year, generating $200 million for local economies and employing hundreds of workers… but the future of mine cleanup funds is in doubt.

What to watch for in September:

• Controversy over William Perry Pendley has continued all month. Expect more of it in September as we wait to see if Interior Secretary Bernhardt removes the anti-public lands extremist from the head of the Bureau of Land Management.
• Fire season is far from over. Blazes still burn all across the West, and will continue to make headlines.
• Public land oil and gas lease sales have started back up despite a lack of interest from the industry. Look for the outcome of numerous lease sales in September, many of which have extensive conservation conflicts.
• The Trump administration's pattern of environmental rollbacks written by extractive industries has continued. Watch for more rollbacks as we move through September.
• The Road to 30 Virtual Tour will be holding its fifth event in New Mexico. Stay tuned for details!