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


** Colorado officials urge President Biden to protect areas in CORE Act
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Monday, August 29, 2022
Proposed Whitehouse addition to Mount Sneffels Wilderness; Credit: Mason Cummings, The Wilderness Society ([link removed])

Colorado elected officials Senator Michael Bennet, Senator John Hickenlooper, Governor Jared Polis, and Representative Joe Neguse sent a letter to President Joe Biden ([link removed]) last week urging him to use the Antiquities Act and other presidential authorities to protect landscapes identified in the CORE Act.

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act ([link removed]) seeks to protect over 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado, establish new wilderness areas, and safeguard existing outdoor recreation opportunities to boost Colorado’s economy. The bill has passed the U.S. House of Representatives five times but has stalled in the Senate.

“This is an excellent opportunity for President Biden to use his authority to protect public lands at the invitation of state lawmakers and community stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to put together a responsible conservation plan for Colorado," Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala said ([link removed]) .

Almost 90 percent of Colorado voters ([link removed]) said they support protections proposed in the CORE Act in recent polling conducted by the Center for Western Priorities.

“Despite strong public support, the CORE Act has been held up in the Senate by lawmakers who are dead set against passing any conservation legislation. It’s time for President Biden to step in to deliver for the people of Colorado," Rokala added. ([link removed])
Quick hits


** Mojave Desert tribe urges Biden to protect sacred mountain as national monument
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Los Angeles Times ([link removed])


** Colorado flaring rules inadvertently encourage cryptocurrency mining
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** Montana sets limit on wolf hunting near Yellowstone
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Yellowstone Public Radio ([link removed])


** States and federal government lack direction on Colorado River
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NPR ([link removed])


** Tribes are working with the Park Service to tell more complete stories at national parks
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National Parks Traveler ([link removed])


** Colorado River Basin tribes work to protect their water rights
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High Country News ([link removed])


** How suppressing Western wildfires makes them worse
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NPR ([link removed])


** Is this the death of Lake Powell?
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” Sometimes any action is better than no action... Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good... If we can work our way through the watershed and get partnerships like this and funding for projects like this, that is the key.”
—USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service associate chief Clint Evans ([link removed]) , on the Colorado River Headwaters Connectivity Project
Picture this


** @USFWS ([link removed])
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Wake up and smell the flowers 🌼 as fall nears, there are a ton of native wildflowers in bloom. Now is the time to watch for aster, blazing star, boneset, goldenrod, hyssop and more! 📸 Monarch butterfly on New England aster by Rick Hansen/USFWS.

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