‘Outrageous’ Gold Rush-Style Grab of Public Lands To Begin

Conservationists, local tribe leaders, Democratic legislators, and even a UN expert decry this “serious attack on indigenous peoples’ rights.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer at CommonDreams Despite protests from conservationists, local tribe leaders, Democratic lawmakers, and even the United Nations’ expert on indigenous rights,

Trump: I ‘Didn’t Care’ About Arctic Drilling Until My Big Oil Friend Said I Should

“It’s a sickening display of how easily the president is swayed into supporting something that will likely benefit his friends at the expense of the public.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer at Common Dreams If President Donald Trump’s own account is to

GOP to Use CRA to Threaten Public Input for BLM Land Planning

The American Public is fortunate to own millions of acres of incredible public lands, many of which are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). We all have a say in how these lands are managed through the ability to participate in

Study: Protected Forests on Public Land Burn Less Severely Than Logged Areas

A new study published in the scientific journal Ecosphere finds that public forests that are protected from logging burn less severely than logged forests. The study is the most comprehensive investigation of its kind, spanning more than 23 million acres and examining

The Koch Brothers Are Now Funding The Bundy Land Seizure Agenda

— by Jenny Roland & Matt Lee-Ashley, Guest Contributors at ThinkProgress The political network of the conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch has signaled that it is expanding its financial and organizational support for a coalition of anti-government activists and militants who

House Moves On Bills That Would Allow States To Seize Millions Of Acres Of Public Lands

— by Matt Lee-Ashley, ThinkProgress Guest Contributor Less than two weeks after the arrest of Cliven Bundy and the armed militants who were occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, the U.S. House of Representatives will consider three bills that would dispose

Pausing The Coal Train

— by CAP Action War Room The Obama Administration Announces Overhaul Of Federal Coal Leasing Program The last time rules for coal mining on tax-payer public lands were updated, smoking was allowed on airplanes, airbags weren’t required in cars, and sewage was

ADVOCACY ALERT: Ask the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations to Vote “NO” on SJR 1

The Senate Committee on Legislative Operations will hear Senate Joint Resolution 1 on Monday, March 2nd at 3:30 pm.  This is a crucial moment, when grassroots action can make an enormous difference.  We need to let the committee members know how strongly

How Politicians Are Using Taxpayer Money To Fund Their Campaign and To Sell Off America’s Public Lands

— by Matt Lee-Ashley, Guest Contributor at ThinkProgress-Climate The recent Cliven Bundy debacle in Nevada put a national spotlight on the long-running, and long-failing, effort by right-wing Western legislators to seize federal public lands and either turn them over to the states or sell

Heller Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act

U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) yesterday announced that he is cosponsoring the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014. The bill, which was introduced by Senators Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) yesterday, includes policies to enhance opportunities for hunting, fishing, and outdoor