Entries by Doug Eiken

Appropriators: Might be too late for outdoors bill’s details

The Trump administration has submitted more details to Congress about how it would like to spend millions of dollars for the conservation, improvement and acquisition of public lands. It’s not clear, however, whether Congress will incorporate the information into its fiscal 2021 government spending bill. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the chairwoman of the Interior-Environment Appropriations […]

GAOA Federal Projects released

The outgoing Trump administration is starting to fill in the blanks about how it plans to spend millions of dollars for conserving and refurbishing national parks and public lands. The Interior Department this afternoon released detailed descriptions of proposed projects to be prioritized for funding in fiscal 2021 through two pots of money made available […]

Future battles over public lands

IDAHO Land swap plan opposed by local officials, greens [ Even though this article is about Constitutionally dedicated lands required to produce revenue, the discussion emphasizes the ongoing importance of LWCF 6f protections for park lands that might have high dollar or utilitarian value.  ] Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 An investment firm’s proposal to […]

Outdoor Industry opposes Sec. Bernhardt’s LWCF Order!

Let the Great American Outdoors Act Stand Greetings from Washington, D.C., Today leaders from the outdoor industry, including Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), Adam Cramer, executive director of the Outdoor Alliance, and Brady Robinson, executive director of The Conservation Alliance, issued the following statements in response to a new order from […]

Opposition to Sec. Bernhardt’s Order on LWCF is swift and negative

PUBLIC LANDS Emma Dumain and Jennifer Yachnin, E&E News reportersPublished: Monday, November 16, 2020 Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Capitol Hill. Francis Chung/E&E News A key architect of the Great American Outdoors Act wants to see the Interior Department take “corrective action” after the agency announced sweeping changes Friday to how Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars can […]

Secretary of the Interior releases LWCF Manual Changes based upon GAOA implementation

The attached is the Secretary of the Interior’s changes to the LWCF, based upon the Great American Outdoors Act and the required Task Force implementation report.  It limits and impacts federal land acquisition and provides some flexibility to the state program.  In addition, it seems to change priorities of the state program to be more […]

Interior releases $900M outdoors spending plan

Log out Jennifer Yachnin, E&E News reporter Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 National Wildlife Federation volunteers at the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. National Wildlife Federation/Flickr The Interior Department belatedly rolled out its plans yesterday for spending $900 million under a landmark public lands package but offered few specifics — aside from snubbing federal […]

Nine elections in 7 states provide for $ 2.2 Billion dollars in Conservation

In 2020, voters in seven states passed ballot measures that secured public funding and forward-looking policies to protect nature near them and help address climate change. These measures total $2.2 billion for conservation. PROTECTING THE EDWARDS AQUIFER Voters in Hays County, Texas, can vote to fund more conservation around the Edwards Aquifer. © Chase A. Fountain for The Nature […]