** National Park Service could soon have first Native American director
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Charles "Chuck" Sams III | State of Oregon ([link removed])
On Tuesday, Charles "Chuck" Sams III appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ([link removed]) , answering questions about his nomination to become director of the National Park Service. An enrolled member of the Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes and former executive director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Sams would become the first Native American to lead the agency in its 105-year history.
Sams' nomination comes at a critical time ([link removed]) for the Park Service. While park visitation has surged in recent years, the agency lost 6% of its permanent staff over the last decade, faces an ever-increasing maintenance backlog, and operated without a Senate-confirmed director throughout the entirety of the Trump administration.
Many tribal members hope Sams' nomination ([link removed]) will lead to increased consultation in the management of national parks and an acknowledgement of the agency's history of dispossession and forced removal of Native peoples. “I would like to see consultation with tribes on decisions impacting areas of Native significance,” said ([link removed]) White Mountain Apache Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood. “We have a voice.” Sams' nomination will next be voted on by the Senate Energy committee before heading to the floor of the Senate.
Quick hits
** Senator Manchin rakes in oil and gas campaign donations while working to weaken climate legislation
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Charleston Gazette-Mail ([link removed])
** Senator Tester introduces grassroots-developed wilderness bill, Daines demands reduced protections
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Missoulian ([link removed])
** See how California's Dixie Fire created its own weather
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New York Times ([link removed])
** As wildfires rage, Colorado's Rep. Neguse proposes legislation to raise firefighter pay
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NBC News ([link removed])
** Installed as new Bureau of Land Management director, Stone-Manning vows to revitalize and rebuild agency
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E&E News ([link removed])
** After Senate hearing Chuck Sams poised to become first Native American to lead National Park Service
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High Country News ([link removed]) | NPR ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])
** Utah national parks return to pre-pandemic visitation levels, fueled by domestic tourists
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Utah Public Radio ([link removed])
** Opinion: Time to protect Montana's Big Hole Valley from oil and gas development
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle ([link removed])
Quote of the day
The past few years have been incredibly disruptive to this agency, to you and to your families. You deserve better, and so do the communities that we serve. My priority is to work with you to revitalize and rebuild the BLM to provide support for you to meet the pressing challenges of our time.”
—Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning, E&E News ([link removed])
Picture this
** @Interior ([link removed])
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Hiking below the rim at @GrandCanyonNPS ([link removed]) in Arizona offers a different perspective. Before you decide to set out for any hike, “Know before you go.” Check agency websites, know your limits, and pack the proper gear. #TeamPublicLands ([link removed])
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