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


** Public land conservation lagging in Western states
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Friday, March 3, 2023
Legislation to protect Oregon's Owyhee Canyonlands has languished in congress for nearly a decade. Photo: Greg Shine, BLM ([link removed])

An updated analysis from the Center for Western Priorities finds that not every Western state is living up to its conservation reputation. States like Oregon and Arizona have a proud conservation tradition, but efforts by their elected leaders to protect public lands have run into the reality of a dysfunctional Congress.

The Conservation Gridlock ([link removed]) report updates an analysis from 2022 that looked at the acres of national public land protected over the last 20 years in eight Western states. It finds that in the last decade, Oregon, Arizona, and Wyoming have conserved far less land than neighboring states. In fact, the three leading states—California, New Mexico, and Utah—have protected 37 times more acres of public land than the three bottom states.

“It’s a shame that conservation has slowed in states where the vast majority of voters support protecting public lands,” said Center for Western Priorities Deputy Director Aaron Weiss ([link removed]) . “There are well-crafted conservation proposals in Oregon and Arizona that have been languishing in Congress ([link removed]) for years. It’s time for members of Congress to work with President Biden to deliver for their constituents and protect these unique and valuable public lands before it’s too late.”

In Oregon, a decades-long effort to permanently protect the stunning Owyhee Canyonlands has the support of 79 percent of Oregon voters ([link removed]) . Legislation to conserve Oregon’s canyonlands, championed by Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, has languished in Congress for almost ten years. In Arizona, the widely supported effort ([link removed]) to safeguard the culturally and ecologically significant rimlands next to Grand Canyon National Park has been stalled for almost 15 years. With little to no hope of public lands legislation making it out of Congress, Western senators and representatives should partner with President Biden to realize his historic commitment to conserve and restore America’s lands and waters, and get locally-driven popular conservation initiatives moving again.


** What Western voters think about conservation
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The 2023 Conservation in the West Poll ([link removed]) found that despite the pressures of inflation and cost of living, voters care just as much about protecting public lands and waters as ever. In the 13 years since the Colorado College State of the Rockies Project launched the annual poll, the majority of Western voters have consistently supported public lands protection, wildlife preservation, renewable energy, and water conservation. Throughout the years, this sentiment has only grown stronger. Explore the most interesting and important findings from the poll on CWP's Westwise blog ([link removed]) , and hear directly from pollsters Lori Weigel and Dave Metz on the latest episode of The Landscape
([link removed]) !
Quick hits


** Conservation groups ask BLM to finalize congressional reforms on oil and gas leasing
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Wyoming Public Radio ([link removed])


** New Mexico Oil and Gas Act reform clears first committee
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NM Political Report ([link removed])


** Efforts to expand e-bike use on trails elicit access concerns
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Flathead Beacon ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed]) [opinion]


** Human-wildlife conflicts rising worldwide with climate change
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Science Daily ([link removed])


** BLM explores utility-scale solar in Montana
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Montana Free Press ([link removed])


** Exxon broke rules with late reporting of Permian methane leak
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Bloomberg ([link removed])


** Farm Bill to focus on climate, conservation
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Inside Climate News ([link removed])


** Ice Age fossils slow massive power line for renewable energy
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E&E News ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” Over the course of the last 13 years, the one thing that people have really valued and held dear is the land, the water, and wildlife in their state and their ability to get outdoors.”
—Lori Weigel, pollster for 2023 Conservation in the West poll, The Landscape ([link removed])
Picture this


** @GrandCanyonNPS ([link removed])
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“Poco a poco se va lejos.” (“Little by little one goes a long way”)

Park Ranger clearing snow from the Canyon Rim Trail with a mule-drawn plow. February, 1946. Photo courtesy of Kurt Severin > [link removed] ([link removed]) (1970) #ThrowbackThursday #TBT #Arizona #GrandCanyon #AZWX

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