In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Sterling talk to Cody Perry, a filmmaker and founder of Rig to Flip, and Professor Mark Squillace, an expert in public lands and environmental law at the University of Colorado, about the ongoing battle to change Colorado’s restrictive stream access laws. The conversation centers around Perry’s documentary “Common Waters,” which follows Prof. Squillace’s efforts to change the law by attempting to get himself arrested.

The post Common waters: Inside the fight for stream access in Colorado appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

On this episode of the Landscape, Kate and Aaron are joined by filmmaker Annie Ersinghaus, rancher Don Schreiber, and Gail Evans, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, to talk about the impact poorly regulated oil and gas extraction has on New Mexico’s environment. Gail and Don appear in Annie’s new film, The Land of Sacrifice: The Burden of New Mexico’s Oil and Gas Extraction.

The post The dirty truth about oil and gas drilling in New Mexico appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Kate discuss the Trump administration’s plan to roll back oil and gas bonding rates designed to protect American taxpayers from the cleanup costs of abandoned wells. The episode features insights from David Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship. His group recently released a report finding the Trump’s roll back could saddle taxpayers with over $750 billion in potential financial liabilities.

The post Trump bonding rates could cost taxpayers billions appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Join us on The Landscape as we dive into the resurgence of uranium mining in the American West. Hosts Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger speak with Land Desk author and public lands expert Jonathan Thompson about whether the current uranium hype signifies a boom or a bubble. We explore the history of uranium production, the complications of mining on public lands, and the environmental and economic implications of revival efforts. Additionally, we discuss recently fast-tracked mining permits under the Trump administration and the future of small modular reactors as potential power sources.

The post Uranium boom or bubble? Exploring the future of uranium mining in the West appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Aaron talks to Rep. Jared Huffman, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, about the government shutdown, whether Adelita Grijalva will ever get sworn in, and what he tells people who ask what’s bringing him hope in this dark time.

The post What the shutdown means for public lands w/ Rep. Jared Huffman appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

This Saturday is National Public Lands Day, and in honor of that, we’re bringing you a special behind the scenes episode about our Keep Parks Public tour featuring the team here at CWP.  As many listeners or Look West subscribers may know, the CWP team embarked on a 10-day journey that took us from Denver to Las Cruces, Tucson, Flagstaff, Moab, Salt Lake City, Grand Junction, and Jackson Hole over the past month and a half.

The main goal of the Keep Parks Public tour was to highlight the impacts President Trump’s staffing and funding cuts are having on public lands across the West. But we ended up covering a lot more than that. We talked to local political and business leaders, conservation advocates, former park rangers and superintendents, and public land lovers at every stop on our trip— and the message from everyone was clear: public lands are not ok. Nor are the people who care for them. 

We’re going to share what we learned on the tour and play some of the best quotes from our live events. Then we’ll close out by reading you some of the 150+ comments folks have submitted through our Keep Parks Public website answering the question: Why do public lands matter to you?

Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 

Feedback: [email protected]

Music: Purple Planet

Featured image: CWP photo at Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in Las Cruces, NM

The post How people across the West are fighting to protect public lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kate and Aaron talk to former Montana gubernatorial candidate, public lands hunter, and Substack author Ryan Busse about how billionaires are cutting off access to the outdoors in Montana and a whole lot more. We also briefly touch on the news that the Trump administration is repealing the Public Lands Rule and give an update on the Roadless Rule repeal comment period.

Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 

Feedback: [email protected]

Music: Purple Planet

Featured image: Custer Galllatin National Forest; Source: USFS

The post Ryan Busse on how billionaires are locking up land in Montana appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kate hosts a live episode in Grand Junction on CWP’s Keep Parks Public tour! Guests discuss the importance of keeping our parks and monuments staffed and funded.

Guests: Ken Mabery, former superintendent of Colorado National Monument, Cole Hanson, Grand Valley Outdoor Recreation Coalition board member and Gear Junction co-owner, Jessy Nuckolls, public lands advocate and Western Colorado Alliance member, and Tracy Coppola, with the National Parks Conservation Association.

Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 

Feedback: [email protected]

Music: Purple Planet

Featured image: Keep Parks Public Grand Junction event on 8/22/2025; CWP photo

The post LIVE in Grand Junction: Public land advocates take Trump attacks personally appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kate hosts a live episode in Salt Lake City on CWP’s Keep Parks Public tour! Guests: Erika Pollard, National Parks Conservation Association; Davina Smith, Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and Grand Staircase Escalante Partners; Scott Braden, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance; Doug Tolman, Save Our Canyons.

Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 

Feedback: [email protected]

Music: Purple Planet

Featured image: Keep Parks Public Salt Lake City event on 8/21/2025; Photo by Ken Kraus

The post LIVE: Utah conservation all-stars on how to Keep Parks Public appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Aaron hosts a live episode in Denver, kicking off CWP’s Keep Parks Public tour. Scott Fitzwilliams, former supervisor of the White River National Forest in Colorado, Kelly Nordini, CEO of Conservation Colorado, and Kara Matsumoto, public lands director at the Conservation Lands Foundation, join us to discuss threats to Colorado’s public lands posed by the Trump administration and Congress—as well as what YOU can do to fight back.

Hosts: Kate Groetzinger & Aaron Weiss 

Feedback: [email protected]

Music: Purple Planet

Featured image: Keep Parks Public Denver event on 8/13/25; CWP photo

The post LIVE: Colorado’s public lands are under attack. Keep Parks Public tour highlights threats and ways to fight back appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.