William Perry Pendley has been tasked with overseeing 245 million acres of public lands he’s argued the federal government shouldn’t own.
Bureau of Land Management
Posted inSeptember 2, 2019: In Bad Faith
Can Western states afford to break the boom-and-bust cycle?
Climate action on public lands would force a reckoning for fossil fuel dependent states and communities.
Posted inSeptember 2, 2019: In Bad Faith
The legacy of colonialism on public lands created the Mauna Kea conflict
Public lands are often the only places where Indigenous sacred landscapes still exist.
Posted inAugust 5, 2019: From Prison to Fireline
Outdoor underachievers; mission massage; photo nots
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inJuly 21, 2019: A Radical Return
Staffers allege misconduct at BLM’s busiest oil and gas office
Complaints to Interior’s Office of Inspector General reveal concerns that the Carlsbad Field Office broke laws to favor industry.
Posted inJuly 21, 2019: A Radical Return
Last words from a desert scribe
Essayist Ellen Meloy’s posthumous collection is profound, outspoken and hilarious.
Posted inArticles
After a wet winter, will Colorado forest managers increase prescribed burns?
The heavy snowpack could hinder this underused wildfire control tactic.
Posted inArticles
Critics are wary of Bureau of Land Management relocation efforts
As the agency eyes a move West, critics say the change would be detrimental to public land policy.
Posted inArticles
It’s time to move the Bureau of Land Management out of D.C.
(Most) of those living in the West have the public lands’ best interest at heart.
Posted inJune 24, 2019: Losing Lake Coeur d'Alene
Memorial Rock; osprey survivor; fooling fish
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inArticles
Interior Department’s coal reboot ignores tribes and curtails public input
The Obama administration wanted to rethink coal leasing; now, Trump is rushing forward.
Posted inArticles
Court throws book at BLM over fracking Chaco
The agency failed to consider water use.
Posted inJune 24, 2019: Losing Lake Coeur d'Alene
Interior Department border deployments are mired in secrecy
Law enforcement agents guarding wildlife refuges have been sent to the border, leaving public lands more exposed.
Posted inJune 24, 2019: Losing Lake Coeur d'Alene
Mining laws have long been used for recreation
In Idaho, a law meant to boost mining actually allows for its end as recreation transforms the West’s economy.
Posted inMay 13, 2019: Atomic Tourists
How recreation boosts the economy
From travelers to new residents, outdoor enthusiasts make an impact on the West’s bottom lines.
Posted inMay 13, 2019: Atomic Tourists
Bears Ears’ only visitor center isn’t run by the feds
With the monument facing stripped-down protections and sky rocketing visitation, a local nonprofit built its own guerrilla visitor center to educate the masses.
Posted inArticles
Study finds 96% of national parks have hazardous air quality
Popular parks such as Yosemite and Joshua Tree have pollution levels that threaten visitors and wildlife.
Posted inArticles
5 reasons to keep geotagging
Public lands face far greater threats than recreational overuse.
Posted inArticles
Judge orders industries to pay royalties for public land extraction
Tens of millions more dollars will flow into Western communities after a federal court throws out the Trump administration’s industry-friendly deal.
Posted inMay 27, 2019: Public Pushback
Fire-starting ranchers get a new blessing from BLM
The agency hopes the Hammonds’ cows will reduce fire risk in eastern Oregon.