Aaron and Kate speak with Zachary Fort, president of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, about his opposition to Steve Pearce’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Fort, a former Republican and gun rights advocate, explains why hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts are concerned about Pearce’s track record on public lands. He discusses Pearce’s history of sponsoring legislation to sell off national public lands, his prioritization of oil and gas interests over public access, and his divisive leadership of the New Mexico Republican Party. Fort argues that Pearce’s support for transferring public lands to private ownership threatens hunting and shooting opportunities that generations of New Mexicans have relied on.

• House Public Lands Caucus Fails Test With Boundary Waters Vote – Public Domain
• House Dems Demand Probe Into Top Interior Official, Citing Public Domain’s Reporting – Public Domain
• Congress passes environmental funding without Trump’s deep cuts – High Country News

• Watch this episode on YouTube

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Congressman Steve Pearce of New Mexico speaking at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland; Source: Flickr/Gage Skidmore

The post Why a New Mexico gun rights leader opposes Trump’s pick to lead the BLM appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kate and Aaron talk to Kelly Mitchell, executive director of oil industry watchdog FieldNotes, about about what Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro’s capture by the US means for oil and gas producers here in the West. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has also been making the rounds on Fox cheering on Trump’s actions in Venezuela and calling on US companies to start drilling there, which we also touch on.

• The Trump Administration Approved a Big Lithium Mine. A Top Official’s Husband Profited. – New York Times
• Takeaways from Congress’ latest spending package – E&E News

• Watch this episode on YouTube

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Natural gas drilling equipment on the Pinedale Anticline, WY. Source: Richard Waite, World Resources Institute

The post Will Maduro’s capture lead to an American oil rift? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Lauren ask veteran wildland firefighter Bobbie Scopa about the state of America’s wildfire response. Bobbie, who is a retired firefighter with the organization Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, shares insights from her five-decade career, exploring how recent federal layoffs and policy changes are impacting fire mitigation, hazardous fuels reduction, and the morale of those on the front lines. This episode delves into the complexities of forest management, the challenges of interagency coordination, and the dedication of those who protect our public lands.

• Mike Lee reverses course on controversial national park proposal, but conservation groups say concerns still remain – Salt Lake Tribune
• USDA lost more than 20,000 employees this year, internal watchdog finds – E&E News
• Mexican wolves are rebounding, but are they ready for delisting? – High Country News

• Watch this episode on YouTube

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: NPS photo by Brady Richards

The post Burnout and bravery: Fighting fire on America’s public lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Sterling talk to Cody Perry, a filmmaker and founder of Rig to Flip, and Professor Mark Squillace, an expert in public lands and environmental law at the University of Colorado, about the ongoing battle to change Colorado’s restrictive stream access laws. The conversation centers around Perry’s documentary “Common Waters,” which follows Prof. Squillace’s efforts to change the law by attempting to get himself arrested.

• Public Land Advocates Warn Senate Amendment Could Greenlight Sale of National Parks – Flathead Beacon

• Watch “Common Waters” preview
• Salida screening Jan 29
• Colorado Stream Access Coalition website
• Video episode on YouTube

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Screenshot from Common Waters preview; Source: Rig to Flip

The post Common waters: Inside the fight for stream access in Colorado appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

On this episode of the Landscape, Kate and Aaron are joined by filmmaker Annie Ersinghaus, rancher Don Schreiber, and Gail Evans, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, to talk about the impact poorly regulated oil and gas extraction has on New Mexico’s environment. Gail and Don appear in Annie’s new film, The Land of Sacrifice: The Burden of New Mexico’s Oil and Gas Extraction.

• Hundreds of Joshua trees were scorched during the shutdown – Los Angeles Times
• Wealthy Ranchers Profit from Public Lands. Taxpayers Pick up the Tab – High Country News/Propublica
• Sheep Creek mine public meeting draws comments, concerns in Hamilton – KPAX News

• Watch The Land of Sacrifice: The Burden of New Mexico’s Oil and Gas Extraction

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Permian Basin oil and gas development; SkyTruth/Fickr

The post The dirty truth about oil and gas drilling in New Mexico appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Kate discuss the Trump administration’s plan to roll back oil and gas bonding rates designed to protect American taxpayers from the cleanup costs of abandoned wells. The episode features insights from David Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship. His group recently released a report finding the Trump’s roll back could saddle taxpayers with over $750 billion in potential financial liabilities.

• Conservation Leaders Unite to Oppose Steve Pearce BLM Nomination – Sierra Magazine
• Congress Broke Public Lands. It’s About To Create Legal Chaos – Wes Siler’s Newsletter
• Statement: Senate hearing on multiple use of America’s public lands – CWP

• Unplugged: The High Cost of Bonding Reform Rollbacks – Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship
• Take action
• Watch the full video episode on YouTube

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Pumpjack located in the Carlsbad Field Office; Source: BLM New Mexico

The post Trump bonding rates could cost taxpayers billions appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Join us on The Landscape as we dive into the resurgence of uranium mining in the American West. Hosts Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger speak with Land Desk author and public lands expert Jonathan Thompson about whether the current uranium hype signifies a boom or a bubble. We explore the history of uranium production, the complications of mining on public lands, and the environmental and economic implications of revival efforts. Additionally, we discuss recently fast-tracked mining permits under the Trump administration and the future of small modular reactors as potential power sources.

• Conservation Groups Blast Trump’s Latest Choice to Head Up the Bureau of Land Management – Inside Climate News
• When the federal shutdown closed this national park, rangers took to the classroom – Los Angeles Times

• • The Land Desk newsletter
  • Watch the full video episode on YouTube

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Abandoned uranium mine near Moab; Matt Affolter/Wikimedia Commons

The post Uranium boom or bubble? Exploring the future of uranium mining in the West appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Aaron talks to Rep. Jared Huffman, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, about the government shutdown, whether Adelita Grijalva will ever get sworn in, and what he tells people who ask what’s bringing him hope in this dark time.

• Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss (Kate’s back next week)
• Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
• Music: Purple Planet
• Featured image: Wikimedia Commons

The post What the shutdown means for public lands w/ Rep. Jared Huffman appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.