** Haaland: Public lands should reflect America
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Monday, May 3, 2021
Interior Department ([link removed])

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland gave her first magazine interview since taking charge of America’s public lands in March. In a conversation with Outside’s Emily Pennington ([link removed]) , Haaland talked about the Great American Outdoors Act, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, and the 30x30 campaign to preserve American lands and waters.

Haaland gave Pennington a preview of how Interior has been assembling a report to the White House on 30x30, saying that “It was put together mostly by talking to folks.” That report is expected to be released to the public in the coming weeks.

“I vowed to make sure that people who haven’t necessarily had a voice in some of these decisions would have a voice,” Haaland said ([link removed]) , “so I’m really making sure that we’re out there talking to a vast swath of people.”


** Bernhardt and Zinke find the revolving door
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Meanwhile, Haaland’s two predecessors at the Interior Department are right back where they started. Former secretary (and walking conflict of interest ([link removed]) ) David Bernhardt announced he’s returning to the lobbying firm ([link removed]) Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as “special counsel.” And disgraced former secretary Ryan Zinke, who is still under criminal investigation ([link removed]) for his actions at Interior, filed paperwork ([link removed]) to run for Congress in Montana’s soon-to-be-created second congressional district.
Quick hits


** Former DOI official and “water wonk” Michael Connor to head up Army Corps
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E&E News ([link removed])


** South Dakota governor sues Park Service to force fireworks show at Mount Rushmore
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Argus Leader ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed])


** Bernhardt goes back to BHFS, Zinke eyes House seat
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law.com ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | ABC News ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed]) | NBC Montana ([link removed])


** As wildfire season begins early across the West, Congress eyes new funding
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New York Times ([link removed]) | Arizona Mirror ([link removed])


** Colorado woman killed in rare black bear attack, 3 bears euthanized
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KUSA ([link removed]) | Durango Herald ([link removed]) | USA Today ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed])


** Increase in hiking, biking during pandemic leads to surge in support for trails
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Santa Fe New Mexican ([link removed])


** 23,000 acres of federal land to become state wildlife area in Nevada
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Carson Now ([link removed])


** Opinion: Utah politicians shouldn’t be surprised at outdoor funding proposal—just look at how they act
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Quote of the day
When it comes to public lands issues, Utah’s federal and state representatives spend the vast majority of their time trying to disempower their constituents and defund protection of the lands we all enjoy. It should be no surprise when it actually happens.
—Tim Glenn, The Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Picture this


** @mypubliclands ([link removed])
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Southern Utah's Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. Here, the BLM manages about 45,000 acres of public land near St. George. It includes the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. This land is collaboratively managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the State of Utah, Washington County, and local municipalities to protect populations and habitat of the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise and other at-risk native plant and animal species. The conservation area's 130 miles of non-motorized trails provide world-class recreational opportunities while protecting crucial habitat. 📷 Water Canyon; Bob Wick, BLM.

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