Dry Lakes Plateau, Bodie Hills, California (Mike Painter)
January 30, 2020
Dear CalUWild friends—
I hope the new year is off to a good start for you. It’s been slow on the public lands front (though Congress has been plenty busy with other matters). That makes the Update this month relatively brief.
As anticipated last month, California Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-50) has resigned his seat in Congress, following conviction on campaign finance violations. The seat will remain vacant for now.
Many thanks again to everyone who has responded to CalUWild’s recent Annual Membership Appeal. Your support means a lot! If you haven’t gotten around to sending in a contribution, please consider it. Contributions are voluntary but appreciated. Information is at the end of the Update.
Most importantly, thank you for your interest in wilderness and public lands.
Best wishes,
Mike
IN UTAH
1. Red Rock Bill Cosponsor Update
(ACTION ITEM)
IN CALIFORNIA
2. Cosponsors Added to Three California Wilderness Bills
(ACTION ITEM)
3. Job Opportunities:
IN THE PRESS & ELSEWHERE
4. Links to Articles and Other Items of Interest
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IN UTAH
1. Red Rock Bill Cosponsor Update
(ACTION ITEM)
America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (S. 3056) picked up three more cosponsors in the Senate this month, though neither California senator, Dianne Feinstein (D) nor Kamala Harris (D), was among them. There are now 13 cosponsors, and a full list of them nationwide may be found here. As in the past, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is the chief sponsor.
California Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-47) has not reintroduced the companion bill in the House yet, giving us the opportunity to continue to line up original cosponsors beforehand. Previous cosponsors are the most likely to become original cosponsors this time around. A complete list of California offices, DC phone numbers, and previous cosponsorship status may be found on CalUWild’s website here.
As we reported last month, the bill in this Congress reflects the changes brought about by the designation of large areas of wilderness in Emery County in the Dingell Public Lands bill passed last February. Other lands, claimed by the Ute Indian Tribe in the Uncompahgre area and currently the subject of litigation brought by the tribe have been left out at their request. With those exceptions, the bill remains the same as previous versions.
IN CALIFORNIA
2. Cosponsors Added to Three California Wilderness Bills
(ACTION ITEM)
Since our last Update, a few more representatives have added their names as cosponsors to the following bills:
H.R. 2250, Northwest CA: John Garamendi (D-3), Mike Thompson (D-5), Karen Bass (D-37)
H.R. 2199, Central Coast: Ami Bera (D-7), Eric Swalwell (D-15), Karen Bass (D-37), Maxine Waters (D-43), J. Luis Correa (D-46), Juan Vargas (D-51)
H.R. 2215: San Gabriel Mountains: Brad Sherman (D-30), Norma Torres (D-35), Karen Bass (D-37)
Please thank them. A full list of cosponsors for these (and other) bills may be found here on CalUWild’s website. If your representative is not on the list for a particular bill, please ask them to sign on!
3. Job Opportunities: National Parks Conservation Association
Our friends at NPCA are looking for a California Desert Program Manager. Their description of the position:
The Program Manager of the California Desert is a trusted leader in the region who protects national parks and public lands, such as Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave Trails National Monument. The work includes building community and political support for park issues, managing and serving as lead staff on multiple campaigns, serving within a team environment as a community leader, media voice and community organizer on behalf of desert park issues, building and managing relationships with decision makers, and supporting NPCA efforts in the desert and at a national level.
For more details and to apply, follow the links here.
IN THE PRESS & ELSEWHERE
4. Links to Articles and Other Items of Interest
If a link is broken or otherwise inaccessible, please send me an email, and I’ll fix it or send you a PDF copy. As always, inclusion of an item in this section does not imply agreement with the viewpoint expressed.
The Administration
An article in The Hill: Coalition of 91 groups asks for resignation or removal of BLM chief. CalUWild signed the letter.
An article in The Conversation: Moving Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado won’t be good for public lands
An op-ed in The Guardian by Jon Jarvis, former director of the National Park Service, and his brother Destry Jarvis, who’s also worked on national park issues: The great dismantling of America’s national parks is under way. In the last couple of years, The Guardian has done excellent reporting on US public lands, and it has announced plans to expand its coverage in 2020. You might consider supporting the effort.
Utah
An article in the Salt Lake Tribune, looking at an ultra-conservative think tank in Utah: Sutherland Institute’s campaign against Bears Ears was relentless, effective and mostly funded by a tight circle of activists
An article published by KSL.com: Helicopters might be weakening Utah’s arches and towers, U. study finds
A list compiled by CalUWild friend and writer Amy Brunvand in the Utah magazine, Catalyst: Notable Utah-Related Books Published in 2019
California
An article in The New Yorker on bristlecone pines in the White Mountains: The Past and the Future of the Earth’s Oldest Trees
Colorado
Good news, from The Coloradoan: Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Pack of wolves spotted in Colorado
Nevada
An article in The Nevada Independent about proposed public lands legislation in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located: Climate change, conservation and development: Reshuffling the deck on the Las Vegas lands bill
In General
CalUWild has always said citizen involvement in the democratic process is as important as wilderness protection in our work. If you’re looking for something to watch instead of (or in addition to) the Superbowl this weekend, here’s an important documentary on efforts around the country to counteract various anti-democratic maneuvers. The Democracy Rebellion: A Reporter’s Notebook with Hedrick Smith. Unfortunately, it looks like streaming on PBS will expire February 3, so catch it while you can!
An op-ed in the Los Angeles Times: Pinyon and juniper woodlands define the West. Why is the BLM turning them to mulch?
An article from Reuters: Investors urge drillers, miners not to take advantage of Trump environmental rollbacks. These investors control some $113 billion in assets.
A discouraging study from the Outdoor Foundation: Half of the US Population Does Not Participate in Outdoor Recreation At All
An article in Scientific American, unfortunately behind a paywall: Indigenous Lands Ace Biodiversity Measurements: Across the board, indigenous-managed regions equal or surpass conventional conservation areas
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