The Landscape

The announcement of two new national monuments formed the centerpiece of the White House Conservation in Action Summit on March 21, 2023. Biden designated Avi Kwa Ame and Castner Range national monuments using his authority under the Antiquities Act, protecting over half a million acres in perpetuity. Center for Western Priorities Campaigns and Special Projects […] The post Biden designates two new national monuments appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Exploring the intertwined histories of Arizona and Arabia in desert agriculture, the controversial export of Arizona's groundwater to Saudi Arabia, the ambitious yet failed Biosphere 2 project, and the current water crisis in the Colorado River basin with impending cuts and desalination deals.

Kate and Aaron are joined by pollsters Lori Weigel and Dave Metz to talk about the most interesting and important statistics from the recently released 2023 Colorado College State of the Rockies Conservation in the West poll. The poll found that voters care just as much about protecting public lands and waters, as well as […] The post What Western voters think about conservation appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Exploring the urgent need for states to address dropping water levels on the Colorado River, complexities of water allocation, historical events shaping current water law, challenges with reservoirs like Lake Powell, successful water conservation efforts in cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, urgent need for adaptive water management strategies, and exploration of the Colorado River Science website.

Roger Flynn, mining reform expert, joins Aaron and Kate to discuss the need to update century-old mining laws and regulations. They explore the environmental impact of mining, the presence of mining for critical minerals in the Western U.S., and the efforts to improve mining regulations on public lands.

Exploring the rise of domestic mining for critical minerals in the US, the challenges of permitting mining operations on public lands, and efforts to reduce China's dominance in the global supply chain for minerals. The podcast also discusses the impact of recent US EV tax incentives on supply chain dynamics and the importance of community acceptance in securing approval for large mining projects.

On this episode of The Landscape, Kate and Aaron are joined by Grand Canyon Trust staff attorney Michael Toll to discuss a plan to mine hundreds of thousands of barrels of waxy crude oil in Utah near Dinosaur National Monument, using billions of gallons of Colorado River Water. A loophole in Utah law enabled an […] The post Fighting a plan to mine oil in Utah using billions of gallons of Colorado River water appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

On this episode of The Landscape, Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala and CWP Director of Campaigns and Special Projects Lauren Bogard join Aaron and Kate to go over the past year in public lands. From the passage of the largest climate bill in U.S. history (which includes major oil and gas leasing […] The post The past year in public lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Renowned nature photographer Pete McBride joins Aaron and CWP’s Director of Campaigns and Special Projects Lauren Bogard on the pod to discuss his work documenting the Colorado River. Pete is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer who has been to more than 75 countries on assignment for clients ranging from the National Geographic Society to the […] The post Photographer Pete McBride on the Colorado River appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

This week on The Landscape, Aaron and Kate talk to Drew McConville and Sam Zeno from the Center for American Progress about their new report, which identifies the top 8 actions Biden can take to meet his America the Beautiful goal of protecting 30 percent of American lands and waters by 2030. Drew McConville is […] The post The top 8 actions Biden can take to protect 30×30 appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.