December 2020 Conservation Update

In this Conservation Update, we report that COVID continues to create challenges for our mountain communities during the holiday season; implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act by the White House has been problematic; in the waning days of his term, Trump pushes hard to seal his anti-conservation legacy; and President-elect Biden has nominated New Mexico Representative Deb Haaland for Secretary of the Interior, a historic selection that would make her the first Native American to lead the powerful federal agency. 

Click here to read a recap of the great work we did together in 2020!

November 2020 Conservation Update

In this Conservation Update, we report that COVID continues to present new challenges for public land managers and Western mountain communities; The CORE Act was heard by a Senate subcommittee; the Trump administration is sabotaging LWCF provisions in the Great American Outdoors Act, continues to overturn environmental regulations, and offer an exorbitant number of leases for oil and gas drilling on public lands; a federal court has ruled that the Bureau of Land Management didn’t adequately consider the impacts on the climate in its decision to lease over one million acres of public land to oil and gas companies throughout the West; the United States has officially withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement (for now); and more.

October 2020 Conservation Update

In this Conservation Update, we report on a Mountain Pact letter, signed by 111 Colorado local elected officials, urging Senator Gardner to take action on the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act (CORE Act); the ongoing challenges public land managers face because of COVID-19; the aftermath of the court decision that William Perry Pendley, the de facto leader of the Bureau of Land Management, has been serving in the post unlawfully; the relationship between the catastrophic wildfires raging across the West and climate change; a Mountain Pact Letter to Congress signed by nearly 70 local elected officials calling for a "Gateway Community Dividend" to be added to the PILT program; and more.

PILT Gateway Community Dividend Letter

Nearly 70 county commissioners, mayors, and council members from public land gateway communities in 11 western states sent a letter to their congressional offices asking them to add a Gateway Community Dividend to the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.

CORE Act Letter Signed by 111 Colorado Local Elected Officials

Today 111 local elected officials from over 30 mountain communities across Colorado sent a letter to Senator Cory Gardner urging him to actively support the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act this year. You can read the Mountain Pact media release here and listen to this morning's telepress call here with Mayor Richardson from the Town of Carbondale, Mayor Gelwicks from the City of Gunnison, Commissioner Scherr from Eagle County, Commissioner Steigelmeier from Summit County, and Commissioner Waring from San Miguel County.

September 2020 Conservation Update

In this Conservation Update, we report on some of the land acquisition projects that the Land and Water Conservation Fund has made possible; the challenges facing public land managers because of COVID-19; the progress of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act;the decision by a federal district judge in Montana that William Perry Pendley, the de facto leader of the Bureau of Land Management has been serving unlawfully for the last 424 days and cannot continue in the post; the catastrophic wildfires raging across the West; and more.

August 2020 Conservation Update

In this Conservation Update, we report on the the decision by the Trump administration to withdraw the controversial nomination of William Perry Pendley as the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); the ongoing COVID-19 and wildfire challenges our mountain communities are facing; the Trump administration's proposed roll backs of royalty payments for oil and gas producers on public lands; the BLM's cancellation of oil and gas drilling lease sales in the Moab, Utah area; and more.

The Great American Outdoors Act is Law!

Today President Trump signed into law the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act - one of the most significant conservation bills in decades. This historic legislation provides permanent and full funding at $900 million annually for the Land Water Conservation Fund - one of our country's most powerful programs for conserving habitat and ensuring access to our public lands. It also provides billions of dollars to address the national parks maintenance backlog. 

July 2020 Conservation Update

In this Conservation Update we report on the historic bipartisan vote by the House of Representatives to pass the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) which will fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF); the latest on the impacts of COVID-19 on our mountain communities; the Trump Administration's controversial nomination of William Perry Pendley as the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); and more. 

Great American Outdoors Act Passes U.S. House

The U.S. House of Representatives passing the Great American Outdoors Act on July 22, 2020. This bi-partisan legislation will fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and provide much needed funding for the crippling $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog at our national parks.

June Conservation Update

We report on some exciting news about the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA); The Mountain Pact's successful effort to convene virtual congressional meetings with over 20 local elected officials from our mountain communities; the indefinite re-appointment of William Perry Pendley as the Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) followed three weeks later by the Trump Administration nominating him to serve as Director; more Trump Administration decisions that reflect its anti-public lands and 'energy dominance' agenda; and more.

Senate Passes the Great American Outdoors Act 73-25!

In an overwhelming bipartisan show of support, and after many procedural votes, the U.S. Senate just passed the Great American Outdoors Act with a vote of 73-25. The bill includes full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses priority repair needs in our national parks and other land management agencies.

May Conservation Update

We report that over 100 local elected officials in all Western states signed The Mountain Pact's letter urging Congress to fully and permanently fund the Land and Conservation Fund (LWCF); COVID-19 is adding another challenge for the US Forest Service as it prepares to fight forest fires this summer; the Trump administration remains laser focused on on its 'energy dominance' agenda, which includes giving relief to oil and gas companies on their lease and royalty payments; and much more.

100+ Western Local Elected Officials ask Congress to Include LWCF in Upcoming Stimulus Package

Today more than 100 western local elected officials from all 11 western states sent a letter to Congressional offices urging them to include full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in upcoming legislation designed to provide economic stimulus to restart the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

April Conservation Update

We report here on some of the very positive media The Great American Outdoors Act, S.3422 has received; how COVID-19 is impacting our mountain communities; the Trump administration's relentless pursuit of its 'energy dominance' agenda; and much more.

March Update - Note of Encouragement and Thanks

To the elected officials, we know you are working endless hours to keep our communities safe, informed, and healthy. Thank you.

To partners and supporters of The Mountain Pact, thank you for doing your part within your own communities to social distance yourselves from others, saving your public lands adventures for another day and staying home, and following safe community health practices.

Please let us know if The Mountain Pact can help in any way such as sharing information on our Facebook and Twitter accounts or via our email lists, reaching out to media contacts, or making calls to federal decision-makers. We're here for you.

February Conservation Update

The Trump administration has continued to attack public lands in 2020, at times even ramping up efforts. This month's Mountain Pact conservation update covers the latest moves to underfund conservation programs and agencies; repeal rules that protect clean water; keep the public out of the public lands decision-making process; and more.

January Conservation Update

Happy New Year and welcome to your first conservation update of 2020! This update covers conservation news from the end of 2019 and the start of 2020 including appropriations funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF); the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) move to Grand Junction, CO; the Trump administration's new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) proposal; ongoing concerns about Department of Interior (DOI) ethics violations; and more.