** Forest Service guts environmental reviews to speed logging, extraction
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
Shoshone National Forest, USDA Forest Service ([link removed])
On Wednesday, the U.S. Forest Service finalized a rule ([link removed]) to weaken environmental analysis for many of its plans, excluding them from scientific review or community input. The decision ([link removed]) will allow the Forest Service to authorize logging and development in national forests without environmental review, yet another example of the Trump administration rushing to instate damaging environmental policies before leaving office in January.
While the administration claims that this move will streamline the agency's response to areas impacted by wildfire and allow it to repair infrastructure on one 2,800 acre parcel, the rule change allows the Forest Service to bypass the environmental analysis requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act throughout the entire national forest system. Logging and road-building could be authorized without any environmental review and without input from local communities affected by development.
Calling this rule a "Trojan Horse," Sam Evans, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center said ([link removed]) , "Even after the public overwhelmingly opposed this rule and spoke up for science… and accountability, the Trump administration has shown yet again that it will cut every corner to speed up logging and extraction."
Quick hits
** Protections for 400,000 acres of Colorado public lands are closer to becoming law, but roadblocks remain
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Colorado Public Radio ([link removed])
** Trump administration rushing to complete environmental rollbacks
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Associated Press ([link removed])
** Rep. Haaland, Sen. Udall considered for Biden's Interior Secretary
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The Hill ([link removed]) [Haaland] | E&E News ([link removed]) [Udall]
** Biden eyes new leadership for troubled public lands agency
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The Hill ([link removed])
** Forest Service finalizes rule weakening environmental review of its projects
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])
** Senator Barrasso stakes claim to chair Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
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Roll Call ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])
** Opinion: Passage of landmark Great American Outdoors Act now looks like an election-year show
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Yellowstone National Park is a geyser wonderland
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Outside ([link removed])
Quote of the day
Now more than ever, Colorado communities—and indeed communities across the nation—are anxious for LWCF money to start flowing during a time of economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Our outdoors are over-loved and increasingly busy places with record visitation almost everywhere. This trend will continue.”
—Cody Perry, Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Picture this
** @Interior ([link removed])
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During winter months @yellowstoneNPS ([link removed]) , the park transforms into a wonderland of cold weather phenomena. One of which is the #sundog ([link removed]) , or #parhelion ([link removed]) . Sundogs are most common when temperatures are extremely cold and the sun is low on the horizon
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