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


** House lawmakers request oil and gas PR firm campaign documents
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Tuesday, June 14, 2022
House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva. Source: Natural Resources Democrats Flickr ([link removed])

House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva and Representative Katie Porter, who chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, are requesting documents from five public relations firms and the American Petroleum Institute ([link removed]-) detailing their climate change work for fossil fuel companies.

Chairman Grijalva cited an undercover video by Greenpeace activists from last summer in which an ExxonMobil lobbyist said the energy giant has used “shadow groups” to cast doubt on the reality of climate change. “Thanks to the accidental truth-telling by the former ExxonMobil lobbyist, we know there is a lot to uncover about the ways fossil fuel companies spread disinformation and lies about climate change,” Grijalva said ([link removed]) .

During a House Oversight Committee hearing last fall, Rep. Porter questioned oil executives on their companies’ knowledge of climate change ([link removed]) over the course of decades even as they publicly promoted denial of it. “Fossil fuel companies have been lying to the public for decades to cover up the damage they’re doing to the planet and our long-term economic wellbeing,” Rep. Porter said ([link removed]) in reference to her document request with Chairman Grijalva.

The lawmakers requested all documents and communications concerning the firms' work for the fossil fuel industry from January 1, 2013, to the present, including invoices that show the payments from each oil, gas, or coal company. The firms have until June 27 ([link removed]) to provide this information. If they fail to do so, Chairman Grijalva could compel them via his subpoena power.
Quick hits


** Nearly 600 miles have been added to the National Trails System—here's where
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The Hill ([link removed])


** Yellowstone National Park temporarily closing all entrances as heavy flooding, rockslides persist
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | Reuters ([link removed])


** House lawmakers request oil and gas PR firm campaign documents
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])


** The Ute Mountain Ute can't access their Colorado River water rights. The Tribal chairman is trying to change that
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** Rare wetland plant found in Arizona now listed as endangered
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Associated Press ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Opinion: The Colorado River Compact hasn't aged well
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Land Desk ([link removed])


** Interior Department issues order phasing out single use plastic on public lands
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed]) | Summit Daily ([link removed])


** Opinion: End Big Oil's public lands rip off
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Colorado Newsline ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” It’s climate change. I’m not a scientist, but I’ve been doing this 40-plus years, and I’ve never seen fire spread the way it is. I’ve never seen what we’re experiencing today. Given the fuel conditions, the fire conditions that we’re here talking about, I foresee a very tough four, five, six months in front of us."
—Orange County California Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy, Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
Picture this


** @NIFC_Fire ([link removed])
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It’s #SmokeReady ([link removed]) week! Check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s toolbox on smoke and actions to protect your health: [link removed]… ([link removed]) ), and a kid’s book about wildfire smoke and air quality: [link removed] ([link removed])

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