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


** All eyes on Biden as climate legislation is left at the altar
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Monday, July 18, 2022
President Joe Biden greets guests at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, Sunday, May 15, 2022, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Photo by Adam Schultz, The White House Flickr ([link removed])

Activists and climate hawks in Congress are looking to President Biden and his administration ([link removed]) to follow-through on commitments to reduce emissions and combat climate change following the news last week that West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin withdrew support for climate investments ([link removed]) contained in a transformational legislative proposal ([link removed]) .

Legislators in favor of addressing climate change did not mince words in expressing their disappointment in Sen. Manchin's "gaslighting ([link removed]) " in this latest round of negotiations while simultaneously urging the administration to take the reins. Sen. Brian Schatz from Hawaii tweeted ([link removed]) , "It is time for the executive branch to take action on climate," while Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island was more blunt, saying ([link removed]) , "With legislative climate options now closed, it’s now time for executive Beast Mode." California Representative Jared Huffman said ([link removed]) in reference to Sen. Manchin, "we're at a point where we have to stop
empowering this puppet of the coal industry to be his own branch of government," and called on President Biden to take bold executive action.

While most experts agree ([link removed]) the United States will ultimately need to pass a significant legislative package in order to meet the Biden administration's goal of cutting emissions in half by the end of the decade, there are still some key levers of executive authority ([link removed]) that will make meaningful progress toward reaching the goal. The EPA ([link removed]) , while hamstrung by the recent Supreme Court ruling limiting its authority to regulate coal and gas emissions is working on regulations to limit methane emissions, a highly potent greenhouse gas, as well as tailpipe emissions ([link removed]) . "Every single agency and department
across the administration has different actions they can take. West Virginia vs. EPA did not change that," said ([link removed]) Christy Goldfuss, senior vice president for energy and environment policy at the Center for American Progress.

President Biden said in a statement ([link removed]) , "Let me be clear: if the Senate will not move to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen our domestic clean energy industry, I will take strong executive action to meet this moment."
Quick hits


** Haaland races to recover brutal history of Native American boarding schools
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Reuters ([link removed])


** Large swath of Montana timberland to become wildlife refuge
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Missoula Current ([link removed])


** CORE Act again passes the House, new bill introduced to protect the Dolores River Canyon in Colorado
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Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed])


** Scientists' alarms about a coming Colorado River crisis were unheeded
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Los Angeles Times ([link removed])


** Bombing range expansion effort on Nevada public land stalls but doesn't die
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Nevada Current ([link removed])


** All eyes on Biden as climate legislation is left at the altar
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New York Times ([link removed]) | Westwise ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed]) [opinion] | Washington Post ([link removed]) | Politico ([link removed]) | High Country News ([link removed]) | Gizmodo ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Flooding could breathe life into Yellowstone ecosystem
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High Country News ([link removed])


** Opinion: Designate Castner Range as a national monument
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El Paso Times ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” If I’ve learned anything recently, it’s that humans are really reluctant to give things up to prevent a catastrophe They’re willing to hang on to the very end and risk a calamity."
—Brad Udall, water and climate scientist at Colorado State University, Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
Picture this


** @Interior ([link removed])
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“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Photo @ArchesNPS ([link removed]) by Nick Garcia

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