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


** Why is Manchin holding Daniel-Davis’ nomination in limbo?
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Thursday, March 9, 2023
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin; Third Way Think Tank, Flickr ([link removed])

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin has opposed two of President Joe Biden’s nominees this week and cast doubt on a third. But he is refusing to formally withdraw support ([link removed]) for Laura Daniel-Davis, Biden's pick for assistant Interior secretary for land and minerals management. When asked about Daniel-Davis by E&E News yesterday ([link removed]) , Manchin refused to say whether he was planning to pull his support for her. “I have serious concerns,” he said, repeating a line he had shared the day before.

Daniel-Davis has been waiting for confirmation since 2021, and Manchin has indicated support ([link removed]) for her in the past. He voted for her confirmation in committee last year, defending her against attacks by Republicans and calling her “incredibly well-qualified.” Yet now he seems to have changed his tune, citing an internal memo ([link removed]) regarding offshore oil and gas leasing that was posted to the Interior Department's website.

“He supported her nomination twice over the last two years, based on her qualifications for the position, and none of those have changed,” Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala said ([link removed]) . “He’s been very deferential to presidents, including President Trump... I don’t know why he’s holding these Biden nominees, and Laura in particular, to a higher standard.”


** Biden changes course on Avi Kwa Ame
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It appears Biden may not designate Avi Kwa Ame National Monument next week. The Nevada Independent, which reported ([link removed]) that Biden was planning to protect Avi Kwa Ame on a trip to Las Vegas next week, issued an update via Twitter ([link removed]) yesterday saying that is no longer the plan. On Friday, it will be 100 days since the president promised to protect Avi Kwa Ame.

The Honor Avi Kwa Ame Coalition issued the following statement ([link removed]) regarding the reversal: “Of course, we are disappointed to learn that President Biden will not be able to fit the designation of Avi Kwa Ame into his travel itinerary next week... Our coalition has no preference on the exact location or logistics of a designation ceremony, besides the recognition and presence of those Tribal leaders.”
Quick hits


** Outdoor recreation trust fund passes Wyoming legislature
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WyoFile ([link removed])


** Rockies’ snowy winter may not mean enough runoff to replenish the Colorado River
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])


** When it comes to Colorado’s air pollution, why not blame Utah? The EPA does
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** Western legislatures take on foreign land ownership
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High Country News ([link removed])


** Greenhouse gas reductions blocked in New Mexico Senate
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Las Cruces Sun News ([link removed])


** Was California consulted in recent Colorado River negotiations?
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KUNC ([link removed])


** EPA announces $65 million to clean up three Montana Superfund sites
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Daily Montanan ([link removed])


** National parks made my immigrant family American
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Washington Post ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” For immigrants like us, the country’s national parks, often heralded as ‘America’s best idea,’ are more than picturesque retreats into the great outdoors. They have helped us define and shape our own American consciousness long before we had U.S. passports. They allow us to see ourselves in America’s evolving landscape.”
—Meena Venkataramanan, Washington Post ([link removed])
Picture this


** @NatlParkService ([link removed])
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Don't go chasing waterfalls...cautiously approach and be careful of slippery conditions. In fact, you may just want to stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to.

📷: Lost Creek Falls/Yellowstone

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