Gary Soles/ www.breckenridgephotoshop.com protecting wild places and wildlife, for their sake – and ours Summer 2020 In this issue Into the Fire Letter from the Executive Director 2 e’re in the waning months of a presidential administration that has brazenly Wilderness Restoration 4 W steamrolled environmental laws and policies designed to protect the planet and Defiende Reaches New Heights 5 the public. The Trump administration has already gutted dozens of regulations that safe- guard public lands and wildlife, reduce climate pollution, preserve public health and En Español 6 give us all a voice in how our shared lands and resources are managed. Unfortunately, North Fork Valley Roadless 10-11 we can expect an increasing barrage of attacks in the coming months—the 11th hour is The Wild and the Threatened 12-13 when a potentially outgoing administration accelerates its agenda. With an election looming, victory uncertain, much unfinished business and many un- Board & Staff Transitions 14 fulfilled promises, the Trump administration is working overtime to effect lasting policy Summer Schedule 15 changes, secure an anti-conservation legacy, and tie the hands of an incoming successor Business Support 16 who would seek to restore environmental protections. We expect this administration’s self-described “energy dominance” and deregulatory agenda to ramp up in the final Donor Hall of Fame 17 months of this term. We’re bracing for the challenge. To put a fine point on it, The New York Times recently reported on 100 environmental protections that the Trump administration is trying to weaken or end. Below we high- light two high-priority issues we’re deeply engaged in—but there’s much more. From oil and gas pipelines to endangered species protection, we’re working with our partners to fight back across the board. Protecting your voice If you receive our Capital Watch alerts, you know we are working hard to defend our public lands and the public’s voice (subscribe to Capital Watch on our website). Some of the most damaging actions we are fighting would significantly weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA is the bedrock environmental law that empowers all of us to engage in federal decision making, allows us to speak out against environmentally damaging projects, and guarantees meaningful analysis of environmen- tal impacts. NEPA is critical to the work we do. It’s the law that land management agencies vio- lated when they sold leases in the Thompson Divide years ago. It’s the law that ensured Jon Mullen Photography CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 SUMMER SCHEDULE PG. 15 JUNE 2012 | Wild Works 1 oil and gas companies to “stockpile” FROM PAGE 1 Speaking for Justice Into the Fire leases on our local public lands. The BLM often doesn’t let oil and If there was ever a doubt that the environmental movement could operate successfully in a silo, the public a voice when those legal Trump administration to unilaterally gas leases expire even when the law the first five months of 2020 have put that idea to rest—for good. Our mission, to safeguard and violations were exposed. Ultimately, “suspend” the Methane Waste Rule requires it. Lease suspensions allow protect our local public lands, will always guide our work, but what that work looks like now has the corrective NEPA process—with (October 2017); and a subsequent companies to hold leases on our changed significantly from when we were founded in 1967. It’s even quite different from when I requisite analysis and meaning- lands without having to pay anything first started working at Wilderness Workshop 10 years ago. attempt to “stay” or temporarily halt ful public engagement—allowed the Methane Waste Rule (February to the public, and they often prevent Covid-19 made it abundantly clear how much everyone in our community values public lands. local communities to protect the 2018). But undoing this practical other uses and protections for those What also became apparent is that access to, and the opportunity to enjoy, public lands is not lands. These policies will leave a equitable. Wilderness Workshop started our Defiende Nuestra Tierra program (see page 5) two Thompson Divide by convincing the policy remains an unfinished goal of years ago to ensure our work engages a more diverse and complete spectrum of our community; Bureau of Land Management (BLM) the Trump administration. Our work legacy of suspended, non-paying as a community organization we want to be representative of our entire community. Covid-19 to cancel those illegal leases. to protect it continues as well. leases on our public lands for years has brought the importance and urgency of that work into even greater focus. Now, the Trump administration to come. The pandemic has also shined a spotlight on the systemic racism inherent in our country’s is rewriting rules that dictate how Under the cover of Covid Despite the fact that the oil and institutions, from our healthcare systems to police forces. The environmental movement and outdoor spaces including agencies like the Forest Service and Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pan- gas industry already gets more than public lands, are no different. On May 30, I released a statement (printed below) on the killing of Ahmaud Arbery by two BLM comply with NEPA. Specifi- demic emboldened this administra- $20 billion in direct subsidies, white men and the racial profiling and harassment of Christian Cooper, by a white woman, two black men engaged in cally, the changes would: the Trump administration is using outdoor activities so many of us take for granted. Not only do I think it was important for us to speak out, I also want to tion in its environmental rollbacks. acknowledge that for many, statements like mine can be rightly criticized for being too little, too late. Decrease the number of projects Now, in addition to ongoing efforts taxpayer money to design favorable that receive meaningful environ- to end sensible regulations, it’s work- new policies to bail out oil and gas I know that people of color in our community have a very different experience on public lands than I do as a white male. companies instead of supporting All members of our community should feel welcome and safe on public lands regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexual mental impact analysis ing hard to prop up the declining orientation, language or skin color. Acknowledging the disparity and fighting for a better reality is the right thing to do. Remove the requirement that fossil fuel industry with emergency struggling communities. Oil and gas Achieving it creates a powerful, diverse coalition, inspired to protect those lands. projects consider indirect and cu- bailouts and bad policy. Rather companies pay royalties to state and Wilderness Workshop has always been focused on protecting public lands and the wildlife which depends on them. I don’t mulative environmental impacts, than supporting the most vulner- federal governments at an already envision that changing anytime soon. But as an advocacy group, we know how critical it is to speak out. And we also know such as climate change able communities and ensuring the low rate of 12.5%. The Interior De- that our long-term success will require a diversity of voices. Just as we ask others to speak out with us, it’s critical we listen Limit the requirement to consider public interest is primarily served partment just approved an astonish- to voices outside our movement, lend our voice and acknowledge that inequalities don’t stop when we walk onto our alternatives to proposed actions by pandemic-related bailouts, the ingly low rate reduction to as little public lands. Allow companies to prepare their Trump administration is prioritizing as 0.5%. How does this affect us? Most of our worst environmental problems overlap with injustice, racism and systems of oppression. From the own impact analyses to justify more handouts to the oil and gas Importantly, local and state govern- disproportionate impacts of climate change on indigenous communities to the location of coal-burning power plants and oil their projects. industry. ments that are entitled to receive and gas developments near communities of color and low-income communities, social justice is environmental justice. If we a portion of these revenues will cannot build a just, equitable and fair society for all people, it is nearly impossible to imagine how we will be able to do so In May, citing the pandemic, the for the planet, its myriad other residents and the underlying ecological systems upon which we all depend. Reducing climate pollution Department of the Interior released receive less money, and this comes Another Trump administration new guidance encouraging oil and at a time when we are already Sincerely, rollback we are combatting is BLM’s gas companies to seek royalty rate experiencing dramatic declines in Will Roush, Executive Director methane waste rule. We are engaged reductions and lease suspensions, revenue that is desperately needed with a broad coalition of states and and directed the BLM to grant such to help those affected by Covid-19. “Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while going for a run outside. Christian Cooper conservation organizations in court requests. The new policies enable This fight is far from over. Wilder- was racially profiled and harassed while birding. Both were black men engaged in defending the methane rule—a sen- oil and gas companies to reduce or ness Workshop is doubling down activities that provide solace and recreation for so many Americans. Outdoor spaces and sible policy enacted by the Obama eliminate payments to the federal on our defensive work to ensure this administration doesn’t lock in activities, like all places and activities, in our country should be safe and welcoming for administration to reduce climate and local governments, and to hold pollution from oil and gas develop- onto oil and gas leases that would an anti-conservation legacy that’s everyone regardless of the color of their skin.