** Western public lands bills headed to a vote this week
------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Grand Canyon National Park, National Park Service ([link removed])

This week, the House is scheduled to vote on a trio of Western public land bills. Congress has been successful with public lands bills this year, with February's sweeping public lands package ([link removed]) demonstrating a significant bipartisan point of agreement. In the West, protecting public land is a bipartisan priority, with a majority of Western voters ([link removed]) believing that the U.S. should protect more deserving land.

The CORE Act would protect 400,000 acres ([link removed]) of Colorado, including expanding wilderness areas and establishing the first National Historic Landscape. The two other bills would protect the Grand Canyon ([link removed]) and Chaco Canyon ([link removed]) from mining and drilling that would detrimentally affect the natural and cultural resources in the areas. However, amendments ([link removed]) that diminish the extent of protection and the threat of a veto ([link removed]) are still challenges as the bills move through the process.
Quick hits


** The cruel lottery to save America's public lands
------------------------------------------------------------

The New Republic ([link removed])


** House to vote on Western public lands bills
------------------------------------------------------------

Denver Post ([link removed]) | Aspen Daily News ([link removed]) | Bloomberg ([link removed]) | USA Today (Opinion) ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Fire-ravaged forests in Southwest get help from pinecone collectors
------------------------------------------------------------

Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])


** Outdoor recreation economy booming in Mountain West
------------------------------------------------------------

KRCC ([link removed])


** Forest Service wildfire fund ends year in the black
------------------------------------------------------------

Cronkite News ([link removed])


** Montana's largest coal mine to reopen
------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press ([link removed]) | Missoula Current ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** California wildfires spreading despite power blackouts to prevent ignition
------------------------------------------------------------

Vox ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Yellowstone releases wildlife update
------------------------------------------------------------

Wyoming Public Media ([link removed])
Quote of the day
This year is the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Grand Canyon National Park. Even with former fossil fuel lobbyists in charge of Trump administration environmental policy, this should be a time to celebrate. Instead, the administration is considering whether to open this internationally iconic landmark to new uranium mining claims.”
—Chairman Raul Grijalva, USA Today ([link removed])
Picture this


** @Interior ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
It's the weekend, frolic on! Photo of a mule deer bounding down a trail at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge #Colorado ([link removed])

============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Medium ([link removed])
Copyright © 2019 Center for Western Priorities, All rights reserved.
You've signed up to receive Look West updates.

Center for Western Priorities
820 16th Street
Suite 450
Denver, CO 80202
USA
** View this on the web ([link removed])

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])