Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Haaland visits Castner Range
------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, March 28, 2022
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland views the proposed Castner Range National Monument. Photo: Janae Renaud Field

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland toured Texas's Castner Range ([link removed]) on Saturday, raising hopes that President Biden could soon protect the area as a national monument. Haaland hiked in the area and met with local advocates who are requesting the monument designation.

The 7,000 acre area is visible from El Paso, but currently off-limits to hikers because of unexploded ordnance remaining from years of use as a weapons training and testing site for nearby Fort Bliss. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who introduced a bill last year that would create a national monument, accompanied Secretary Haaland on her visit.

"The view was amazing," Haaland said ([link removed]) after hiking nearby Knapp Canyon. "We were so grateful to have a tour guide who pointed out so much of the cultural history and the geologic history of this area."

Local conservation groups, including the Castner Range Coalition, Frontera Land Alliance, and Nuestra Tierra, have asked President Biden to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate a national monument. Last fall, the Center for Western Priorities visited monument advocates in our Road to 30 Postcard from Castner Range ([link removed]) . Learn more about how Castner Range fits in to regional efforts to protect nature in our new storymap ([link removed]) .
Quick hits


** Uranium mill near Bears Ears has become “America's cheapest radioactive waste dump”
------------------------------------------------------------

Arizona Daily Sun ([link removed])


** Haaland tours Castner Range, raising hopes of presidential action
------------------------------------------------------------

Washington Post ([link removed]) | El Paso Times ([link removed]) | KTSM ([link removed]) | KFOX ([link removed]) | El Paso Herald-Post ([link removed]) | El Paso Times ([link removed]) (Opinion)


** Oil and gas leasing in New Mexico could resume after court ruling
------------------------------------------------------------

Carlsbad Current-Argus ([link removed])


** Federal energy regulators pull back plan to assess climate impacts of methane pipelines
------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press ([link removed])


** Opinions: Ukraine is a fossil fuel war, so why are oil companies keeping prices high?
------------------------------------------------------------

New York Times ([link removed]) (Farhad Manjoo) | New York Times ([link removed]) (Paul Krugman)


** Interior extends comment period on proposed greater Chaco protections
------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press ([link removed]) | NM Political Report ([link removed])


** What a push for critical minerals mining could mean in Oregon
------------------------------------------------------------

OPB News ([link removed])


** Editorial: Outdoor Retailer didn't change Utah's stance on public lands—but voters can
------------------------------------------------------------

Park Record ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” The Department of Interior truly wants to make sure that everyone has access to the outdoors, regardless of their ZIP code. We know that nature offers some of the most cost-effective ways to address the climate crisis. We also need to do more to stop the loss of nature and wildlife that we're witnessing.”
—Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, El Paso Times ([link removed])
Picture this


** @mypubliclands ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Happy #Spring ([link removed]) from Oregon's Steens Mountains! 🌻🌄😍👍

Located in Oregon's high desert in some of the wildest and most remote land, this is one of the crown jewels of the state!

📸 Dan Nevill

============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Medium ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
Copyright © 2022 Center for Western Priorities, All rights reserved.
You've signed up to receive Look West updates.

Center for Western Priorities
1999 Broadway
Suite 520
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])