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


** Biden's first national monument could be Texas' Castner Range
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Tuesday, July 19, 2022
A portion of the Castner Range blanketed by Mexican poppies. Photo courtesy of Mark Clune.

For more than 50 years ([link removed]) , the community of El Paso, Texas has been calling for access to the Castner Range, a 7,000-acre former military weapons testing range in the heart of one the largest urban areas in the country.

Advocates say this unique high-desert landscape should be a national monument and are calling on President Biden to use his executive authority to designate it as such. The area is home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and plants ([link removed]) , including 27 species of concern, not to mention a long and varied archaeological history of human occupation. ([link removed])

According to an opinion ([link removed]) in Outside Business Journal by Shoren Brown, interim Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance, and Carol Shu, Senior Global Sustainability Manager at The North Face, President Biden has the opportunity to honor the wishes of El Paso community members and designate Castner Range as his first national monument.

There is broad support for the community-led effort to designate Castner Range, including over 116,000 signatures ([link removed]) collected for a letter of support ([link removed]) to encourage Biden to protect Castner Range. "Preserving Castner Range will provide real opportunities for more El Paso residents to enjoy the outdoors, and serve as a blueprint for expanding outdoor access to underserved communities across the nation," said Brown and Shu ([link removed]) .

Watch our short 3-minute documentary-style film ([link removed]) to learn more about the community-led effort to protect Castner Range, or check out our interactive storymap ([link removed]) .
Quick hits


** Biden considers issuing a climate emergency as early as this week
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Washington Post ([link removed])


** The crude marriage of oil drilling and bitcoin mining gets weary eye from Colorado county
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Denver Post ([link removed])


** Lawmakers call for more scrutiny of railway through national forest, citing fear of oil spills
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Real Vail ([link removed]) | Utah Public Radio ([link removed])


** Opinion: Biden's first national monument should be Texas' Castner Range
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Outside Business Journal ([link removed])


** Conservation groups offer alternate plan for Colorado wolf reintroduction
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Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Secretary Haaland breaks leg hiking in Shenandoah National Park
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** BIA faulted for neglecting inmates' health in jail deaths
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E&E News ([link removed])


** Opinion: Weakening climate policies will degrade public land and waters, not lower gas prices
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Bellingham Herald ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” I’m a firm believer in climate change. No hard feelings, but to those climate deniers, when they go hungry, maybe they’ll figure it out.”
—82-year old Olathe sweet corn farmer John Harold with Tuxedo Corn Company, Colorado Sun ([link removed])
Picture this


** @NatlParkService ([link removed])
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Did you know if you hold an ermine up to your ear, you can hear what it’s like to be attacked by an ermine? For the record, don’t pick up any wild animal…even if it’s “stoatally”cute! Find more wildlife watching tips: [link removed]… ([link removed]) #RecreateResponsibly ([link removed])

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