Honoring Public Lands in the Trump Era
For National Public Lands Day, we're highlighting some of our favorite stories on the past, present, and future of public lands in America.
Public Lands
The DOI Won't Sell Off Lands That Trump Removed From a Utah Monument
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke didn't see the Bureau of Land Management's draft plan beforehand; he only learned the details when he read about them in the news.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
New data on voter purges emerges, companies will no longer pay for their damage to public lands, and the Department of Energy gets some heat for an old tweet.
Public Lands Advocates Respond to New Revelations From the DOI's 'Sham Review' of National Monuments
Documents accidentally shared by the Department of the Interior reveal the prioritization of energy, ranching, and logging in the monuments review.
Mike Lee's Myths
Senator Mike Lee of Utah wants to take away public lands. His reasons are all wrong.
Trump's Pardoning of Two Oregon Ranchers Is a Victory for the Bundys—and an Ominous Loss for Public-Lands Advocates
There is nothing more #MAGA than cowboys running the West.
Objects That Matter: Bears Ears
No other president in the last 50 years has attempted to shrink the national monuments designated by his predecessors.
In Idaho, the Gubernatorial Primaries Gave Public Lands Advocates a Reason for Optimism
The results of Idaho's gubernatorial primaries suggest a positive shift for conservation.
Daegan Miller's Debut Is One Radical Breath of Fresh Air
Through a series of essays, Miller reminds us what it's like to feel a sense of awe when confronted with nature's beauty.
How Welfare Ranchers Take Taxpayers for a Ride
Ranchers on BLM land have 94 percent of their grazing costs covered by taxpayers. And they target wild horses for removal in order to preserve the rangeland that makes this financial windfall possible.
A Top Adviser at the Department of the Interior Is Under Fire After Meeting Extensively With Oil and Mining Representatives
Public records show that a senior DOI adviser has met with mining and fossil-fuel representatives far more than she has with environmentalists.
The Edit, Episode #5: A Conversation About Conservation and the Future of Public Lands
On the latest episode of Pacific Standard's podcast about how our stories are made, contributing writer Jimmy Tobias discusses his reporting on extinction, extraction, and environmental justice.
What Native Americans Stand to Lose If Trump Opens Up Public Lands for Business
Trump's decision to roll back Utah's national monument protections is as much a threat to tribal sovereignty as it is to the environment.
How to Create a 21st-Century Civilian Conservation Corps
Representative Marcy Kaptur, the dean of Ohio's congressional delegation, has a plan to fix the public lands.
Backed by Industry Cash, the House Committee on Natural Resources Hands the Public Lands to Oil and Gas Interests
Nineteen Republicans voted the Secure American Energy Act out of committee this month. They've collectively received millions from oil and gas interests.
The Oil and Gas Industry's Latest Scheme Would All but Privatize Public Lands
The Federal Land Freedom Act has nothing to do with freedom, and everything to do with avarice.
Utah's Anti-Conservation Crusade Is About to Become Very Costly
With Outdoor Retailer's departure, Utah pays dearly for its attack on public lands.
Tax the Rich and Build the Trails
User fees and other pay-to-play policies are a regressive scheme that won't fix our public lands. We should resist them.
Another Loss for the Land-Grab Campaign
Amid vigorous public lands activism, Representative Mark Amodei, a leader of the right-wing land transfer movement, retreats.
The Western Think Tank Leading the Charge Against the Antiquities Act
With more than $1.6 million from groups backed by shadowy billionaires, the Sutherland Institute, based in Utah, has set its sights on the Bears Ears National Monument.
