




Author and outdoors enthusiast McKenzie Long joins Aaron and Kate to chat about her new book, This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America’s National Monuments. The book is an exploration of national monuments—why they matter, what it takes to create them, and how they impact nearby communities. McKenzie visited 13 national monuments across the country for the book, interviewing locals in some, while setting out on solo adventures in others.



Kate and Aaron also discuss the designation of Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, and Aaron shares some reflections on his experience attending the signing ceremony for President Biden’s first national monument. 



News



* President Joe Biden declares Camp Hale a national monument — Colorado Public Radio* Winning the West: Escape (extended version) — Center for Western Priorities * Garamendi, Padilla call upon president to expand Berryessa Snow Mountain monument —The Vacaville Reporter* Purchase This Contested Land — University of Minnesota Press



Credits



Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss



Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org



Music: Purple Planet



Featured image: Courtesy of Aaron Weiss

What makes national monuments special?

News, interviews, and history with newsmakers and environmental advocates, focused on parks and public lands across the American West. Produced by the Center for Western Priorities, formerly known as Go West, Young Podcast.

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News Commentary

Aaron and Kate are joined by Kristen Miller, Executive Director of the Alaska Wilderness League, to talk about some big steps to protect public lands in Alaska made by the Biden administration this spring. They include increased protections for 13 million acres inside the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, as well as the cancellation of a proposed 200-mile road that would have stretched across part of Alaska called the Ambler Road. 
News

* The U.S. just took its biggest step yet to end coal mining – Washington Post
* The coal industry, running on fumes, likely to shrink more with new EPA power plant rule – USA Today
* Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska’s petroleum reserve – Associated Press
* Tribes, activists gird for fight over Ambler Road rejection – E&E; News
* Haaland visits site of proposed Southern California monument – E&E; News

Credits
Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Featured image: BLM/Flickr

A huge step forward for public lands in Alaska

Aaron and Kate are joined by Davina Smith, who represents the Navajo Nation on the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, and Lauren Henson, who is the Collaborative Management and Tribal Support Specialist for the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, to talk about the Bears Ears draft monument management plan, which came out in March. We talk about how the draft plan came together and how to get involved.
Click here for an automatically-generated transcript.
News

* Biden Expands Two National Monuments in California – New York Times
* Submit a public comment through the Coalition website – Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition
* Submit a comment through the BLM – Bureau of Land Management
* Bears Ears draft management plan public hearings – Bureau of Land Management
* Democrats seek probe of foreign mining on public lands – E&E; News

Credits
Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Featured image: brucerinehart/Wikimedia Commons

Behind the scenes of the Bears Ears draft management plan

Kate and Aaron are joined by the Wilderness Society’s Michael Carroll and Justin Meuse to talk through a handful of federal regulations, or rules, that were finalized in late March and April. These rules touch on everything from methane waste on public lands to ecosystem restoration to caribou herds in Alaska. Some of these rules are already in effect, and some will take effect soon. Together, they are a framework for more responsible and climate-friendly public land management.
Click here for an automatically generated transcript.
News

* 5 Early Takeaways From the Biden Administration’s Conservation Atlas – Center for American Progress
* The U.S. just changed how it manages a tenth of its land – Washington Post
* Biden hikes cost of drilling on federal lands as Trump courts oil donors – Washington Post
* Biden administration takes stride on public lands renewable energy with final rule – The Wilderness Society
* Biden limits oil drilling across 13 million acres of Alaskan Arctic – Washington Post
* BLM announces final methane waste rule – New Mexico Political Report
* More solar on public lands? Digging into BLM’s plan – The Landscape
* BLM proposes stronger greater sage-grouse conservation plans – Bureau of Land Management

Credits
Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Featured image: BLM/Flickr

Why April was a huge month for public lands

Kate and Aaron are joined by Trout Unlimited CEO Chris Wood, who has been with TU for twenty years, following a career as chief policy director at the U.S. Forest Service during the Clinton administration. Chris talks about how an influx of federal funding for ecosystem restoration is supercharging the group’s work reconnecting streams and rivers, as well as how his group is engaging in legislative mining reform.
Click here to read an automatically generated transcript of the episode.
News

* Biden administration bars drilling in Colorado’s Thompson Divide landscape – The Hill
* Feds announce final renewable energy rule for public lands – NM Political Report
* Oil and gas companies must pay more to drill on federal lands under new Biden administration rule – Associated Press
* U.S. clamps down on oil and gas firms releasing potent greenhouse gas – Washington Post

Credits
Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Featured image: Salmon using a fish ladder; Wikimedia Commons
 

Swimming upstream with Trout Unlimited

Kate and Aaron are joined by author Betsy Gaines Quammen to talk about public lands and extremism. Betsy has written two books about extremism in the West. Her first, American Zion, looks at the connection between Mormonism and extremism. Her second book, True West, which came out last year, digs into the myths that define the West.
News

* Interior rule aims to crack down on methane leaks from oil, gas drilling on public lands – Associated Press
* Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument video – Center for Western Priorities
* California tribe that lost 90% of land during Gold Rush to get site to serve as gateway to redwoods – Associated Press

Credits
Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Featured image: USFWS/Flickr

What makes national monuments special?

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