January 14, 2021
Dear President-elect Biden and the Honorable Deb Haaland,
CC: U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives
Thank you for your work over the transition period to bring together a team of diverse leaders, scientists, and experts who will help us all build back better during these unprecedented times. We look forward to your nominees being confirmed quickly so the work may begin.
While the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for our Western mountain communities, our public lands have also been a bright spot, providing a refuge from the pandemic with our residents and visitors finding solace in the outdoors more than ever. Public lands are the backbone of our mountain communities and vital for our way of life. As local elected officials tasked with helping our regions’ economies recuperate, we know that protecting our public lands and outdoor recreation opportunities, along with taking bold climate action, will boost the economy as we recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
Over the last four years, we’ve watched as there has been an increase in antiquated fossil fuel development on public lands, weakened environmental regulations, and fast tracking or eliminating environmental reviews for proposed projects. This “energy dominance” agenda has jeopardized both our public lands and public health while contributing to the climate crisis by causing the release of vast amounts of potent greenhouse gas emissions. The emissions associated with oil, gas, and coal from public lands accounts for over 20% of total U.S. emissions. These emissions directly affect our Western mountain communities as we deal with dire, long-term, and costly health and climate impacts like the release of harmful methane gas; heat, drought, floods, and wildfire; and dust on snow.
Our communities are shouldering the burden of increased unemployment, added public lands infrastructure needs, and costly climate impacts. To address this untenable situation, the Biden administration and the new Congress should prioritize adopting reforms that will reverse the devastating impacts that the “energy dominance” agenda has had on Western mountain communities over the past four years. Public lands should no longer be given away for pennies on the dollar, financial support should be provided to local governments amidst the pandemic, and meaningful actions should be taken to both address the climate crisis and protect our public lands.
The below listed local elected officials urge the Biden administration and 117th Congress to:
Fight the Climate Crisis with bold action.
Reject any royalty relief and lease suspension provisions for the oil and gas industry in future COVID relief packages.
Support state and local clean energy building requirements and initiatives, emissions reduction programs, and utilities with renewable energy goals.
Help our Western communities.
Include conservation-friendly financial support for local governments in future COVID relief packages.
Ensure the outdoors is a place for all by prioritizing environmental justice.
Restore environmental and public health safeguards.
Protect our Public Lands.
Restore protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments.
Reverse the last-minute oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Work to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
Sincerely (some local elected officials signed after January),
Mayor Paul Deasy, City of Flagstaff, Arizona
County Supervisor Jennifer L. Kreitz, Mono County, California
Mayor Pro Tem Devin Middlebrook, City of South Lake Tahoe, California
Council Member Cody Bass, City of South Lake Tahoe, California
Council Member John Friedrich, City of South Lake Tahoe, California
Mayor Torre, City of Aspen, Colorado
City Council Member Ann Mullins, City of Aspen, Colorado
Council Member Skippy Mesirow, City of Aspen, Colorado
Town of Avon, Colorado Town Council
Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes, Town of Avon, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Amy Phillips, Town of Avon, Colorado
Council Member Chico Thuon, Town of Avon, Colorado
Council Member Tamra Underwood, Town of Avon, Colorado
Council Member Scott Prince, Town of Avon, Colorado
Council Member Lindsay Hardy, Town of Avon, Colorado
Council Member Russell "RJ" Andrade, Town of Avon, Colorado
Town of Basalt, Colorado Town Council
Mayor Bill Kane, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Gary Tennenbaum, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Bill Infante, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Ryan Slack, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member David Knight, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Glenn Drummond, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Elyse Hottel, Town of Basalt, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Jones, Boulder County, Colorado
County Commissioner Marta Loachamin, Boulder County, Colorado
County Commissioner Claire Levy, Boulder County, Colorado
Town of Carbondale, Colorado Town Council
Mayor Dan Richardson, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Erica Sparhawk, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Heather Henry, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Ben Bohmfalk, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Luis Yllanes, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Marty Silverstein, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Lani Kitching, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
County Commissioner Keith Baker, Chaffee County, Colorado
Eagle County, Colorado Commission
County Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Scherr, Eagle County, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Eileen Waldow, Town of Fraser, Colorado
Trustee Katie Soles, Town of Fraser, Colorado
Mayor Hunter Mortensen, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Burley, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Mayor Jonathan Godes, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado
City of Longmont, Colorado City Council
Mayor Brian Bagley, City of Longmont, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Aren Rodriguez, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Polly Christensen, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Joan Peck, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Tim Waters, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Marcia Martin, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Susie Hidalgo-Fahring, City of Longmont, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Dan Caton, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado
Council Member Patrick Berry, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado
Council Member Marti Prohaska, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Koelliker, Town of Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado
Mayor Corinne Platt, Town of Ophir, Colorado
County Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Greg Poschman, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Francie Jacober, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Steve Child, Pitkin County, Colorado
Board of Trustees Joseph Dillsworth, Town of Rico, Colorado
Town of Ridgway, Colorado Town Council
Mayor John I. Clark, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Eric Johnson, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Angela Ferrelli, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Kevin Grambley, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Beth Lakin, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Russ Meyer, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Terry Schuyler, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
County Commissioner Beth Melton, Routt County, Colorado
Mayor P.T. Wood, City of Salida, Colorado
Council Member Harald Kasper, City of Salida, Colorado
County Commissioner Lance Waring, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Hilary Cooper, San Miguel County, Colorado
Mayor Shane Fuhrman, Town of Silverton, Colorado
Mayor Bill Madsen Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado
Council Member Thomas S Goode, Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado
Council Member Sonja Macys, City of Steamboat Springs, Colorado
County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Tamara Pogue, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Josh Blanchard, Summit County, Colorado
Town of Telluride, Colorado Town Council
Mayor DeLanie Young, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Todd Brown, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Tom Watkinson, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Lars Carlson, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Jessie Arguelles, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Adrienne Christy, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Geneva Shaunette, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Kim Langmaid, Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Travis Coggin Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Brian Stockmar Town of Vail, Colorado
County Commissioner Angenie McCleary, Blaine County, Idaho
Mayor Shelby Rognstad, City of Sandpoint, Idaho
County Commissioner Cindy Riegel, Teton County, Idaho
County Commissioner Michael Whitfield, Teton County, Idaho
Mayor Hyrum Johnson, City of Driggs, Idaho
Mayor Cynthia Andrus, City of Bozeman, Montana
County Commissioner Juanita Vero, Missoula County, Montana
City Council President Bryan von Lossberg, City of Missoula, Montana
County Commissioner Justin Jones, Clark County, Nevada
County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, Clark County, Nevada
Council Member Devon Reese City of Reno, Nevada
Mayor Daniel Corona, City of West Wendover, Nevada
Council Member Gill Sorg, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Council Member Gabe Vasquez, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
County Commissioner Hank Hughes, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Council Member Renee Villarreal, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
County Commissioner Anna Hansen, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Council Member Darien Fernandez, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Councilor Tonya Graham, City of Ashland, Oregon
Council Member Stefani Seffinger, City of Ashland, Oregon
Council Member Paula Hyatt, City of Ashland, Oregon
City of Bend, Oregon City Council
Mayor Sally Russell, City of Bend, Oregon
Mayor Pro Tem Gena Goodman-Campbell, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Melanie Kebler, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Anthony Broadman, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Rita Schenkelberg, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Barb Campbell, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Megan Perkins, City of Bend, Oregon
Mayor Harris Sondak, Town of Alta, Utah
Council Member Margaret Bourke, Town of Alta, Utah
Council Member Sheridan Davis, Town of Alta, Utah
Mayor Ann K. Leppanen, Town of Bluff, Utah
Council Member Brant Murray, Town of Bluff, Utah
Council Member Jim Sayers, Town of Bluff, Utah
Council Member Linda Sosa, Town of Bluff, Utah
Council Member Pamela Gibson, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Harry Holland, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member and Treasurer Tory Hill, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Robert M. O'Brien, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Chair Grand County Commission, Mary McGann, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Kevin Walker, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Sarah Stock, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Jacques Hadler, Grand County, Utah
Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan, Grand County, Utah
Mayor Andy Beerman, Park City, Utah
Mayor Emily S. Niehaus, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Kalen Jones, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Rani Derasary, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Karen Guzman-Newton, City of Moab, Utah
County Council Chair Glenn Wright, Summit County, Utah
Council Member Michael Lilliquist, City of Bellingham, Washington
County Commissioner Greg Epstein, Teton County, Wyoming