John Muir Wilderness, California (Mike Painter)
June 30, 2021
Dear CalUWild friends—
Summer is officially here, the traditional time when people take vacations, so in that spirit, we’ll keep this month’s Update very brief, with no Action Items and only a few from the press.
Last year saw record visitation to national parks and other public lands, and many places were overrun. This year promises to be no different, and an increasing number of the more popular areas are now requiring reservations for visits and camping, so please plan accordingly. (Or consider visiting some new places, off the beaten path.)
With the 4th of July holiday coming up, Congress will be on a two-week recess, with all members at home in their districts. Congress will also be recessed for the month of August. If your member schedules a town hall meeting, it would be a perfect opportunity to talk to them or their staff about your concerns.
As we reported last month, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland sent her recommendations regarding the Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monuments to Pres. Biden. It was later leaked that she recommends restoring them in full, but the White House has not made any announcement yet. We’ll keep you posted.
America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act now has a bill number in the House: H.R. 3780. As in years past, the lead sponsor is Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-47) of California. In the Senate, it’s S. 1535, sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). If you haven’t contacted your representative or Sen. Alex Padilla, asking them to sign on as a cosponsor, now would be the time to do it! A list of California’s Congressional delegation and their DC phone numbers may be found here. We’ll have information on another wilderness issue in our next Update.
Randy Moore, Regional Forester for the Southwest Region 5 of the Forest Service (California & Hawaii), will become Chief of the Forest Service later in July. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed him earlier this week. We congratulate Mr. Moore and wish him all the best.
As always, thanks for your willingness to speak up for our wild places,
Mike
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IN THE PRESS & ELSEWHERE
1. 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.
In Alaska
An article in the Anchorage Daily News: Biden administration will restore parts or all of ‘roadless rule’ in Southeast Alaska, reversing Trump action
In Arizona
An op-ed in Scientific American: Let’s Rebuild the U.S. Jaguar Population—Yes, Jaguars
In Colorado
An op-ed in the Denver Post by Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club: Bennet and Hickenlooper should support the Colorado Wilderness Act — today
In Nevada
An essay about Thacker Pass, covered in last month’s Update, in the Columbia Climate School’s State of the Planet: Stop Calling Green Energy ‘Clean’
An op-ed in the Nevada Independent: Local leaders call on the Biden administration to protect the Ruby Mountains and places like it
In General
An article in the New York Times on the importance of intact wild areas: Our Response to Climate Change Is Missing Something Big, Scientists Say
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