G2. Local Greens

An Arizona tour company is suing the Trump administration over higher national park fees for people who don’t live in the United States, arguing the policy goes beyond the administration’s legal authority.

Under the Trump administration’s policy, nonresidents are charged an additional $100 per person at some of the nation’s most-visited national parks, and nonresident annual passes now cost $250, compared with $80 for residents. Across Arizona Tours says that the Interior department never had the authority to set the fees, and that only Congress can authorize federal fees.

The tour company is represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), a libertarian law firm that focuses on property rights and limiting federal regulatory power. PLF has historically been on the opposing side of conservation groups, like in Sackett v. EPA (2023), which sharply narrowed Clean Water Act protections for wetlands.

Across Arizona Tours’ Carole Stapleton spoke with 80 to 90 potential customers who didn’t book a tour. Many of them cited the higher fees.

Businesses near the Grand Canyon warned about this before the fee took effect in January. About 14 percent of the park’s nearly 5 million annual visitors come from abroad. Last December, Julie Aldaz, general manager of the Red Feather Lodge in Tusayan, said business was already down 15 to 18 percent.

An Interior spokesperson told The Hill that foreign tourists “are paying higher entrance fees to help maintain our parks and improve visitor experiences.” But the surcharge brought in $22.5 million in the first half of 2026. Over roughly the same period, the administration moved at least $90 million in park fee revenue to Washington, D.C., for July 4 fireworks and President Donald Trump’s beautification projects.

Quick hits Opinion: Protecting our water means prioritizing local voices

Colorado Newsline

Billionaires in the wilderness

Mountain Journal

The Forest Service is poised to hand off one of the West’s most visited landscapes

High Country News

Arizona tour company sues over Trump’s nonresident fee at national parks

The Hill | SFGATE | Arizona’s Family

Nevada officials fight to protect public lands from unchecked tech development

Las Vegas Sun

Feds order Colorado coal plant open for another 3 months

Colorado Sun

Research on New Mexico’s Petroglyphs among park projects cut by Trump administration

Santa Fe New Mexican

Developer’s latest hydropower proposal on Navajo Nation draws scrutiny

KNAU

Quote of the day

It’s a myth that in order to make money, you have to trash the environment or that if you protect the environment, it’s going to cost our nation in lost economic productivity.”

—The late businessman and conservationist Ted Turner, speaking with Mountain Outlaw in 2017, Mountain Journal

Picture This @katmainpp

We have a new fat Bear Champ! Bear 89 nicknamed “Backpack”

As Fat Bear Week comes to a close, we’re celebrating more than crowned champions and epic bear glow‑ups, we’re celebrating all of you!

Your votes, your posts, your favorite bear campaigns, and your shared love for Katmai’s wild places turned this week into a collective story shaped by thousands of voices. It’s a reminder that just like America’s 250th anniversary, traditions endure because people keep them alive.

This year, we honored resilience in our bears and in our nation, recognizing the landscapes, communities, and shared stories that connect us. Thanks for being part of the journey. Until next year, enjoy the bears, salmon, and human connection that keeps Katmai’s ecosystems alive.

Photo and graphics courtesy of Explore.org and Sara Wolman

 

(Featured image: Tourists at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Photo by Marek Slusarczyk, Wikimedia Commons)

The post Arizona tour company sues Trump admin over nonresident park fees appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Lock the Gate Alliance has condemned the Independent Planning Commission’s (IPC) decision to approve a 19-year extension to the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) coal mine, saying it exposes the failure of NSW’s planning system to prioritise community wellbeing over mining lobby interests.

This November, Cupertino voters have the chance to make sure their parks and open spaces stay just like that. 

Greenbelt Alliance proudly endorses a YES vote on Measure L, which would require two-thirds voter approval before the City could rezone any designated park, parkland, or open space for residential, commercial, or industrial use, or approve development on that land. In short, it puts the decision about Cupertino’s green space in the hands of voters, not subject to a simple council majority.

Why It Matters

Parks and open space are not just amenities. They are the places where Cupertino residents cool off during extreme heat, where stormwater is absorbed instead of flooding streets, and where kids and families get safe, free access to the outdoors. As Silicon Valley continues to face intense development pressure, the land we set aside for community and ecological health is exactly the kind of asset that can quietly disappear, parcel by parcel, without anyone getting a real say.

Measure L does not ban future changes to parkland outright. It simply raises the bar, requiring a supermajority of voters to sign off before park or open space land is converted into something else. The higher threshold protects against short-term political or financial pressure driving long-term irreversible decisions about land that belongs to the whole community. 

Measure L comes at no cost to taxpayers and gives Cupertino residents a durable, voter-backed layer of protection for parks and open space, ensuring any future development in these valuable areas has to clear a high bar and earn broad community support first. 

Protecting green space is protecting climate resilience. Vote YES on Measure L in Cupertino.

The post Vote Yes on Measure L to Protect Cupertino’s Parks and Open Space for Good appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

Smart, sustainable growth means building the housing our communities need in places that protect both people and our environment—which is why Greenbelt Alliance is proud to endorse Measure Q in Half Moon Bay.

Measure Q asks voters to approve a 99-year ground lease and related agreements between the City of Half Moon Bay and affordable homebuilder Mercy Housing. This approval is the final key to unlocking a transformational 40-unit affordable housing community specifically designed for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Avenue.

Why It Matters

This project represents the very best kind of infill development. Located in the heart of downtown Half Moon Bay, 555 Kelly sits just steps away from vital daily services, grocery stores, local retail, and community spaces. By placing deeply affordable housing in a walkable, central location, it’s possible to reduce reliance on personal vehicles, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and connect some of the city’s most vulnerable residents directly to their town’s core.

Equally important is climate resilience. As the coast faces increasing climate threats, this downtown site ensures senior farmworkers, the very people who have nourished our region for decades, have dignified, safe, and affordable housing in a location protected from severe climate hazards. It honors their lifelong contributions by offering a secure, comfortable space to age in place with dignity.

While a “Yes” vote affirms the City Council’s approval of the ground lease, allowing Mercy Housing California to move forward seamlessly with construction, a “No” vote blocks the ground lease and brings this long-awaited project to a screeching halt. If that were the case, it would also leave Half Moon Bay’s Housing Element in a continued state of non-compliance, exposing the city to escalating legal penalties, substantial state fines, the potential loss of critical state grant funding, and the Builder’s Remedy.

Yes on Q is the right choice for housing affordability, for climate resilience, and for the Half Moon Bay community. Vote YES on Measure Q.

 

Photo credit: Visit Half Moon Bay, Facebook Page.

The post Vote Yes on Measure Q to Unlock Affordable Housing for Seniors in Half Moon Bay appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

This November, San Mateo County voters have a chance to do something few counties in California have done: write climate resilience directly into their charter. Greenbelt Alliance proudly endorses a YES vote on Measure L, the County’s Charter Amendment on Extreme Weather events, on the ballot. 

Measure L would amend the preamble of the San Mateo County Charter to designate long-term resilience to extreme weather events, including fire, flood, wind, rain, heat, drought, and sea level rise, as a County priority. 

Why It Matters

Most climate resilience commitments live in strategic plans, resolutions, or budget line items. Those tools matter, but they can be rewritten or quietly dropped by a future board with different priorities. A charter is different. It’s the County’s foundational governing document, the one that outlives every single Board of Supervisors, budget cycle, or election. 

That’s what makes Measure L significant. It sets a precedent for both San Mateo County and for the rest of the state. Very few California counties have named climate resilience as an enumerated priority in their charter. If Measure L passes, San Mateo County will become a model other Bay Area counties can point to when making the case for similar charter language at home. 

The measure’s emphasis on collaboration with cities, districts, and other public entities also matters in practice. San Mateo County’s extreme weather risks, coastal flooding in places like San Mateo and Half Moon Bay, wildfire in the western hillsides, and extreme heat inland do not stop at jurisdictional lines. A charter mandate for the county to work across those lines gives future resilience hubs, shoreline adaptation projects, and emergency preparedness efforts a clearer foundation to build on, rather than relying on goodwill between agencies. 

Measure L does not create a new tax, program, or agency. It changes how the county defines its own priorities, at the level of its governance charter, in a way that is significantly harder for a future board to unwind than a policy or ordinance would be. 

If you want to vote for climate resilience this November, vote YES on Measure L in San Mateo County.

The post Vote Yes on Measure L To Put Climate Resilience on San Mateo County’s Charter appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

Greenbelt Alliance encourages voters in Sausalito to say YES to Measure X.
This measure amends and modernizes Ordinance 1022, passed by voters in 1985, and retires the Marinship Specific Plan. 

The Ordinance was initially created to reduce traffic from new development and preserve the maritime character of the commercial and industrial zones. Forty years later, those same rules now prevent waterfront businesses from growing, thriving, and adapting. Buildings are aging, infrastructure is crumbling, streets are flooding, and office buildings stand half vacant. Because 1022 was created by a citywide voter initiative, only a new citywide voter initiative can change it.

Why It Matters

As a Bay Area organization committed to ensuring the Bay Area’s lands and communities are resilient to a changing climate, we support Measure X.  

Utilizing developed footprint more effectively 

Decades ago, Marin County had the foresight to protect ridgelines, farmland, watersheds, and open space. Doing so protected our important natural resources, but it also limited space for our built environment. That means we must build more efficiently to make the most of our limited development footprint. But current Sausalito planning processes are slowing down the pace of progress.

By saying Yes on X, routine land-use decisions return to normal city government processes (with public hearings, environmental review, and community input). No ballot would be required for everyday decisions. This doesn’t bypass planning; it makes planning viable. 

The reality of sea level rise

Like many wartime Bay Area developments, the Marinship—a roughly 210 acres of flat, serviced, already-developed waterfront in the middle of Sausalito—was developed on filled marshland, and it’s subsiding. The shoreline is aging, privately fragmented, and deteriorating. Its flood risks are present and will increase as our climate changes. Bay Area communities like Sausalito need to adapt to keep pace with climate change. Measure X can generate revenue for roads, sea level rise, and resident services—reducing pressure for higher taxes.

By building more efficiently on developed footprints and adapting to a changing shoreline, we can create a more resilient Sausalito. On your November ballot, vote YES on X.

The post Vote Yes on Measure X in Sausalito appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2026

MEDIA CONTACTS
Madeline Bove, 202-683-2539, mbove@fwwatch.org,
Jill Hindenach, 202-494-6309, jhindenach@leadershipcounsel.org   
Mike Heymsfield; mheymsfield@aldf.org
Dashel Murawski; dmurawski@centerforfoodsafety.org

Yesterday, groups filed an opening brief in their case to force California’s Air Resources Board to reform its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) so that it no longer perversely encourages factory farms to pollute at the expense of rural communities in California and across the country. 

In amending the LCFS in 2024 to double down on incentives for factory farm “biogas” production, the groups argue that the Air Resources Board violated the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Administrative Procedure Act, and the Global Warming Solutions Act, California landmark climate law from 2006. 

Groups include Defensores del Valle Central para el Aire y Agua Límpio (“Defensores”), Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), the Center for Food Safety, and Food & Water Watch. 

The brief, filed in Fresno Superior Court, advances three main arguments: 

1. CARB violated California law by causing disproportionate impacts in low-income communities.
2. CARB violated California law by allowing fossil fuel companies to buy fake LCFS offset credits from factory farms to claim lower climate emissions.
3. CARB failed to disclose, analyze, and mitigate the significant environmental impacts caused by the LCFS Amendments.

“CARB is encouraging the production of, and has failed to regulate, excessive dairy manure pollution at the expense of air, water, and local communities,” said David Rodriguez, founding member of Defensores. “In the Central Valley, we live near 90% of cows in California and some of the largest dairy operations in the entire world. The impacts are getting worse as dairies are getting more cows and dairy digesters are installed.”

“CARB has known for years that its perverse and backward policies that reward factory farms for polluting with LCFS credits are bad for the program and bad for Californians. CARB prioritized industry profits over protecting vulnerable communities and achieving real climate progress, and they now have to defend those decisions in court,” said Food & Water Watch Staff Attorney Tyler Lobdell, “If California wants to be a climate leader, it needs to act like one.”

“CARB should prioritize Californians and their health by reducing dairy and livestock pollution. Instead, it’s incentivizing the production of even more manure despite the harm it causes to surrounding communities, the environment and animals suffering in factory farms,” said ALDF Litigation Fellow Christian Suarez. “It’s critical that CARB works on behalf of Californians to protect their health and well-being instead of helping the industrial animal agriculture industry line its pockets at the public’s expense.”

“By rewarding industrial dairies for producing factory farm gas, CARB’s LCFS program entrenches a harmful model of agriculture while putting smaller, more sustainable farms at a disadvantage,” said Center for Food Safety Staff Attorney Kristina Sinclair. “California should be investing in a food and farming system that protects our climate, our environment, and the health of rural communities—not propping up the largest and most polluting factory farms.”

BACKGROUND
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard has been the nation’s primary driver of factory farm biogas development, both in California and beyond. Food & Water Watch analysis reveals that 196 digesters in 16 states make money off of California’s LCFS — out-of-state projects make up 45%. 

The LCFS incentivizes pollution in communities across the nation already overburdened with factory farm pollution, including those in California’s San Joaquin Valley, through lavish financial incentives for so-called “biogas” produced from manure. 

By rewarding methane production on factory farms, the LCFS incentivizes the concentration of animals and animal waste production and exacerbates the negative health impacts of industrial factory farming, including mortality risks, kidney diseases, respiratory conditions, blood pressure elevation, and low birth weight. These impacts disproportionately fall on communities of color and low-income communities. 

Petitioners are Defensores del Valle Central para el Aire y Agua Limpio, Food & Water Watch, Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Center for Food Safety. Defensores is represented by Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, the Law Office of Brent Newell, and Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP.

The post Groups File Opening Brief in LCFS Biogas Lawsuit appeared first on Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability.

Restore the Delta’s Delta Science Program, led by Delta Science Program Manager Spencer Fern, received the Outstanding Environmental Projects Award on behalf of the Friends of the San Francisco Estuary Board. 

The award, presented at this year’s Bay-Delta Science Conference, recognized the program’s work under this year’s theme, “The Opportunity of Change: Building and Being the Future Together.”

In the summer of 2021, Restore the Delta learned of a strong, unpleasant odor coming from the downtown waterfront in Stockton, CA. The water was dark, green, and filled with Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), with no signs warning the public of their toxicity or an active public monitoring procedure in place.

With training from San Francisco Baykeeper and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, our team spent that summer testing local Delta waterways for HABs while sharing our findings on social media to raise public awareness.

That work five years ago, became the foundation for what is now known as our Climate Water Advocates internship, a program that continues to train the next generation to monitor HABs throughout the Delta’s hottest months.

We are incredibly proud to see this work recognized and will continue to prioritize science-based water quality management for Delta communities, Tribes, and the entire Delta estuary. 

Measure O would modernize Albany’s zoning process, support housing availability, and restore transparent citywide decision-making. 

In 1978, Measure D created a special requirement for zoning changes in Albany’s Residential Single-Family (R-1) areas: before the City Council could act, at least 50% of resident voters within 300 feet of a proposed change had to sign a verified petition. After nearly five decades, this outdated rule makes it harder for Albany to respond fairly and effectively to today’s housing needs.

Measure O allows the City Council to consider future updates through the same processes to apply across Albany (such as public hearings and environmental review when required).

Measure O also brings the City into compliance with its 2023-2031 Housing Element, which commits the City to pursue repeal of Measure D’s neighborhood petition requirement. Greenbelt Alliance joins other partners in supporting this measure, including the League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville.

Why It Matters

As an organization that advocates for climate SMART development and sensible land-use policies, we are excited to endorse Measure O.

Decisions about citywide housing policy should be made through a standardized, public process, not controlled by a narrow petition requirement limited to voters living within 300 feet of a project. Measure O is a good governance measure and a sensible approach to land use that expands participation and supports equitable housing opportunities.

Vote YES on Measure O for a fair, modern, and accountable zoning process that helps Albany plan responsibly for housing today and in the future.

The post Vote Yes on Measure O To Modernize Zoning and Unlock Housing in Albany appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

The Trump administration has scouted sites inside Grand Teton National Park to build a Major League Baseball field, the Washington Post reported Saturday, after MLB asked about staging a regular-season game in a national park.

National Park Service Deputy Director Frank Lands toured three potential locations, including one the Post described as “already disturbed land.” WyoFile, reporting from the park Sunday, noted that while a baseball field can cover about four acres, a stadium can take 25. A full complex with parking can occupy hundreds more. The park’s recently disturbed land is roughly 10 acres of sagebrush bulldozed for a trailhead parking expansion.

Visitors WyoFile spoke with in the park greeted the news with disbelief. “Keep America’s pastime in our baseball parks, not in our national parks,”said David Kelly, an Angels fan from L.A.

National parks are among the country’s most protected national public lands. Constructing a baseball field at Grand Teton could set a dangerous precedent for the entire park system.

“America’s national parks are already in a league of their own,”said Aaron Weiss, executive director at the Center for Western Priorities. “We have a responsibility to care for them, not turn them into a TV spectacle.”

Quick hits Increased traffic, shrunken monuments headline policy shifts on public lands

CPR News

More mining claims staked at Bears Ears

The Land Desk

Burgum brought Venezuelan gold bars to the Roosevelt Room

New York Times

After Trump opened Bears Ears land to business, prospectors swooped in

Grist

Trump admin eyes major BLM restructuring

Politico

The coal industry asked for a rescue. Trump obliged

New York Times

Peaches put this town on the map. The Colorado River drought could wipe it all away

Washington Post

A private ranch that wants 2,000 acres of federal land in Colorado has spent $200,000 to lobby a congressman

Denver Post

Quote of the day

MLB you should know that Grand Teton National Park, home to free ranging wildlife, including grizzly bears, bison, wolves, moose, cougars and elk, is not an appropriate or safe venue for your baseball fantasy.”

—Joan Anzelmo, former superintendent of Colorado National Monument, WyoFile

Picture This @nationalparkservice

Katmai’s brown bears are among the largest bears on Earth. Standing 3–5 feet at the shoulder and stretching 7–10 feet long, they are less “large animal” and more “walking pile of muscle with a snack agenda.”

By mid-summer, adult males are already tipping the scales at 600–900 pounds. But as winter approaches, they enter their annual transformation phase: less “bear,” more “professional food storage unit.”

By October and November, some large males can weigh over 1,000 pounds. Adult females are typically about one-third smaller than males, but still impressively chunky because in the bear world, “getting ready for winter” means turning calories into a luxurious layer of portable insulation. Same.

 

(Featured image: Grand Teton National Park near Jackson Lake Lodge. Photo by Chascar, Wikimedia Commons)

The post Burgum considers building MLB ballpark in Grand Teton National Park appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Experts, health professionals and gasfields residents will gather at a conference in Chinchilla to discuss the public health impacts of Queensland’s coal seam gas industry. 

Greenbelt Alliance is proud to endorse Measure L in the city of Alameda. The Safer Alameda Act (Measure L) would open up new funding to prepare for flooding, earthquakes, and aging infrastructure. If approved, this $300 million local bond measure would provide a dedicated funding source to address critical infrastructure needs. These bond dollars would address identified infrastructure needs, including preventing flooding on city streets, addressing sea level rise, and supporting public safety response for emergencies.

Why It Matters

When it comes to protecting people and places,  prevention is the best strategy. That’s why we must fund climate resilience now while we still have time to adapt.

Vote YES on Measure L for a safer and more climate-resilient Alameda!

The post Vote Yes on Measure L To Better Prepare Alameda for Earthquakes, Floods, and Aging Infrastructure appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

If you are a voter in Walnut Creek, vote YES on Measure U, which proposes updating zoning in Downtown Walnut Creek to allow for more than 200 high-quality senior homes on a transit-oriented site near the Walnut Creek BART station. The rezoning would create an opportunity to address the city’s growing need for senior housing while allowing residents to remain close to family, friends, healthcare, shopping, and other community services as they age.

Learn more about the Measure U campaign here.

The initiative would also support a mixed-use approach with community-serving retail and food-oriented businesses, creating a more vibrant and walkable downtown while supporting local businesses. By directing new housing to an area already served by BART, the initiative advances smart, sustainable growth and makes it easier for seniors to maintain mobility and independence without relying solely on a car. Greenbelt Alliance is joined by East Bay YIMBY and Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California in endorsing YES on the measure.

Why It Matters

As an organization whose mission is to educate, advocate, and collaborate to ensure the Bay Area’s lands and communities are resilient to a changing climate, we know that infill development is critical to achieving this vision. Measure U advances the kind of sustainable, transit-oriented development that makes the Bay Area livable for everyone. Supporting senior housing in downtown Walnut Creek means a more vibrant community and a healthier environment.

Vote YES on Measure U to create a more vibrant and walkable downtown while creating more housing options for seniors in Walnut Creek!

The post Vote Yes on Measure U For Sensible Rezoning That Brings More Homes to Walnut Creek appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

Follow the disappearing climate money Deepa Sivarajan Mon, 09/28/2026 - 12:50 pm

GOLDEN—The Trump administration has scouted sites inside Grand Teton National Park for a Major League Baseball ballpark, the Washington Post reported Saturday, after MLB asked about staging a regular-season game in a national park. National Park Service Deputy Director Frank Lands toured three potential locations, including one the Post described as “already disturbed land.” WyoFile, reporting from the park Sunday, noted that while a baseball field can cover about four acres, a stadium can take 25 and a full complex with parking hundreds more, and that the park’s recently disturbed sagebrush amounts to roughly 10 acres bulldozed for a trailhead parking expansion. Visitors WyoFile spoke with greeted the news with disbelief, and neither Interior nor MLB responded to requests for comment.

The Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Executive Director Aaron Weiss:

“Doug Burgum’s field of nightmares would drop a 20,000-seat stadium into one of America’s most-visited national parks while his department blocks hundreds of grants to the partner organizations that keep parks running. It’s another swing and a miss from the Interior secretary, who has already diverted millions of dollars from park entrance fees to the president’s botched vanity projects. We can’t afford to let Grand Teton become his single-use sandlot. A ballpark there would be bad news for the park’s bears… and every other animal.”

“America’s national parks are already in a league of their own. We have a responsibility to care for them, not turn them into a TV spectacle.”

The post STATEMENT: The National Park Service’s hare-brained plan to put a MLB ballpark in Grand Teton National Park appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

The company proposing a data center and natural gas plant on federal land near Henderson, Nevada has withdrawn its proposal. The 1,000-megawatt data center could have been one of the state’s most energy-intensive, using enough energy to power between 700,000 and 1 million homes, according to NV Energy.

In a statement, the developer said it consulted with the city of Henderson and the Bureau of Land Management and decided to withdraw its application “due to the city planned urban development efforts in same area.” According to the application, the developer estimated that the construction would cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, saying “additional environmental impacts are expected to be minimal.”

“Americans just don’t want data centers on public lands,” said Christian Solomon, the Sierra Club’s political director. “We’re trying to be mindful of scaled growth and ensuring that these data centers are being developed with the highest environmental standards in mind, as well as our neighbors’ peace of mind.”

Quick hits Developer pulls out of proposed data center, natural gas plant on Nevada BLM land

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Trump administration considers building baseball field in Grand Teton National Park

Washington Post | The Hill

‘Chronic stress:’ Federal workers who quit under Trump tell all

SFGATE

Archaeological site damaged by border wall construction much older than originally thought

Arizona Public Media

Arizona parks lose $25 million as Interior blocks funding deals

KVOA

Hualapai protest walk targets mines on Arizona Tribal lands

Arizona Republic

Federal government issues order defying Colorado’s plans to shut down coal power plant

CBS News

Opinion: Dropping Roadless Rule means disaster for public lands

Asheville Citizen Times

Quote of the day

They were purposefully decimating the workforce and no one knew what was coming next. If those amateurs thought they were running the Park Service like a business, they were terrible businessmen.”

—Kevin Heatley, former superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, SFGATE

Picture This

@nationalparkservice

Well, I waddle outta bed, and I’m ready for some fishin’
Score myself some salmon nutrition
Chomp and chew and live the fat bear life.

Dip in the water and the salmon start jumpin’
Out on the bank, my belly starts plumpin’
With bears like me at the falls from 9 to 5!

Fishin’ 9 to 5, what a way to prep for winter!
Bearly breakin’ sweat, they don’t need to be a sprinter.
They just stand and eat, but the fish deserve some credit,
Salmon pack the calories, and the bears are here to get it.

Fishin’ 9 to 5, these bears are on a mission,
All the way downstream for a FAT BEAR WEEK promotion.
Hardly take a break, just eat and eat some more,
While humans vote for the ones that they adore.

At Katmai, a bear’s day is less about climbing the corporate ladder and more about climbing Brooks Falls to fish for salmon. From morning til dusk, the bears spend their days fishing, eating, napping, eating, and putting on as much weight as possible before winter arrives.

No meetings. No emails. No performance reviews. Just working 9 to 5, for service and devotion…to fish. All in hopes of a FAT promotion.

Don’t worry bears, your fish will come in.

NPS Photo/C. Loberg
Words inspired by “9 to 5,” by Dolly Parton.
#9to5Day

Featured image: Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada. Source: Ken Lund, Wikimedia

The post Developer withdraws proposal for data center & natural gas plant on BLM land appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

For Immediate Release:

September 28, 2026

Contact:
Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org

SACRAMENTO —  Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed SB 872, a key water protection bill that would have dedicated funding to address two major threats to California’s water supply: aging levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and sinking canals in the State Water Project (SWP). The bill passed the Legislature unanimously. 

SB 872 was supported by more than 60 organizations and brought together Northern and Southern California legislators, environmental groups including Restore the Delta, and water interests around the need to protect critical water infrastructure and the state’s primary water source. 

In his veto message, Governor Newsom cited budget constraints and called the legislation “unnecessary”. The veto comes as the state considers other major, and significantly more expensive, water investments including the Fair Ranch deal, a voluntary agreement supported by Newsom that is expected to cost approximately $1 billion. 

Delta advocates are criticizing the veto, arguing that the decision leaves critical infrastructure vulnerable and fails to adequately prepare California’s water system for future challenges. They are also questioning the Governor’s priorities in water planning. 

“Not only did Governor Newsom veto a much needed bill to bring Delta levees to the necessary standards to deal with climate change, he vetoed funding for fixing existing conveyance for the State Water Project. Why? His never-ending quest for the Delta Conveyance Project. It is his white whale. And he has set California water infrastructure on a course for complete failure as a result of his wrongful quest,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director at Restore the Delta.

###

This November, Napa residents have the opportunity to make the county a safer and more resilient community for all using their ballots! 

Measure B, the Napa County Wildfire Preparedness, Watershed Protection and Open Space Preservation Act of 2026, will provide a dedicated source of locally controlled funding to support actions to reduce wildfire risk, protect drinking water and local watersheds, and preserve open space for generations to come.

Measure B would establish a one-half of one percent (½% or 0.005) sales tax on the sale and use of tangible personal property within Napa County (groceries, medicine, diapers, and feminine hygiene products will be exempt), which would raise an estimated $23 million annually. 100% of the funds generated from Measure B are required by state law to stay in Napa County, meaning that ALL funds will go to improving the lives and safety of all Napans, and are earmarked to be used for wildfire preparedness, watershed protection, and open space preservation. 

Why It Matters

As extreme weather events are increasingly impacting lives in our region, and state and federal funds continue to shift, it is more important than ever for Napa County to establish locally controlled funding to protect the things that residents care about: protecting communities from fire, increasing access to safe drinking water, and preserving open space. Measure B would specifically support the development of fire-safe evacuation routes, preserve watersheds and reservoirs, protect native species, and ensure long-term access to parks. 

Vote YES on Measure B to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, protect drinking water, and preserve Napa’s open spaces and parks.

The post Vote Yes on Measure B To Fund Wildfire Preparedness in Napa appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

This November, Sonoma County voters have the opportunity to secure funding for our local and regional parks for generations to come. Greenbelt Alliance proudly endorses YES on Measure H, Parks for All.

Measure H would maintain the 1/8th cent (0.125¢) sales tax passed in 2018 and change the funding structure to ensure that funding continues until ended by voters. This revenue provides stable, long-term funding without raising the current tax rate. Funds from this measure would generate $15.5 million annually, with two-thirds going to regional parks and one-third going to neighborhood parks. 

Learn more about the campaign here.

 

 

  Why It Matters

Local and regional parks are essential to the health of our community and environment. This measure would provide funds that enhance, protect, and expand the outdoor spaces where our community goes to play, exercise, relax, and connect with nature. Parks are also essential to climate resilience, contributing to healthy ecosystems and helping us to withstand extreme weather and environmental changes. This much-needed funding would go to the stewardship and protection of our open spaces, while also providing essential maintenance and expanding access for all residents. 

Beyond that, Measure H would enhance wildfire resilience across the county by supporting fuel reduction and vegetation management, as well as other actions that protect communities from rising wildfire risk.

Funds from Measure H will go to projects that promote the health of our land, water, and community. To continue funding our parks and Sonoma County’s climate resilience, vote YES on Measure H, Parks for All.

The post Vote Yes on Measure H for Parks for All in Sonoma County appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 28, 2026

In Less Than a Month, Mining Claims Filed in Bear Ears Already Triple the Total Number Filed During Previous Trump Reduction Within a day, industry clamoring to exploit landscape

Contacts:
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org
Keri Gilliland, The Wilderness Society, (KGilliland@tws.org)
Chaitna Sinha, Conservation Codirector and Staff Attorney, Grand Canyon Trust; (970) 399-9565 (csinha@grandcanyontrust.org)
Amy Dominguez, Sierra Club, amy.dominguez@sierraclub.org, (385) 355-4631
Andrew Scibetta, NRDC, (202) 289-2421, ascibetta@nrdc.org
Daniel Hernandez, National Parks Conservation Association, dhernandez@npca.org, (202) 573-2201

SAN JUAN COUNTY, UT – From 2018-2021 (during the previous, illegal reduction) there were a total of 20 mining claims filed in the lands cut from Bears Ears National Monument. As of Monday, Sept. 28 (two weeks after the mineral withdrawal was lifted during the second illegal reduction), more than triple that number – 72 claims – have been filed. 

Mining claims have been filed by Land Survey Advisors LLC (36), Kimmerle Mining (33), and George W. Schultz (3). A map of all claims can be found here. The claims are in the following areas on both Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service land: Seven Sisters Butte, Fry Canyon, the headwaters of Dark Canyon Wilderness, just north of Natural Bridges National Monument, Lockhart Basin, & near the Easy Peasy Mine (the mine has been re-buried; two of Kimmerle Mining Claims are adjustments to Easy Peasy claims). These lands became subject to mining claims on Friday, September 11 – 60 days after President Trump decimated Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante by shrinking these national monuments by over 90%. Additional information appears below, along with quotes from Tribal leaders and conservation groups. 

“The pace of new mining claims in Bears Ears National Monument is alarming and reinforces the need for vigilance while we work to undo Trump’s illegal actions and restore both Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments,” said Hanna Larsen, Staff Attorney at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). “These claims are located in some of the region’s most remarkable places, including the headwaters of the Dark Canyon Wilderness and just outside Natural Bridges National Monument. As evidenced by the Easy Peasy Mine, claims like these often lead to real and long-lasting damage to the very qualities that make these monuments so special.”

“The sheer volume of mining claims filed so far in the land cut from Bears Ears National Monument should dispel any lingering illusion about the administration’s true aim,” said Charlie Luke, Utah state director for The Wilderness Society. “The president and the Utah delegation, led by Senator. Lee, would sacrifice irreplaceable cultural resources, wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and our freedom to experience this magnificent place for the short-term profit of a few. We owe future generations a Bears Ears that remains healthy, intact and conserved.”

“The speed with which the mining industry has moved to stake dozens of claims following the dismantling of the Bears Ears National Monument demonstrates the real-world consequences of stripping protections from some of America’s most important landscapes,” said Bobby McEnaney, Senior Lands Analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “This sequence of events underscores exactly why Bears Ears was originally established and why this landscape deserves lasting protection. These mining claims amount to a virtual giveaway of public lands.”

 “In the two weeks since the administration opened 90% of Bears Ears National Monument to mining, at least 72 new mining claims have been filed. New mines would leave devastating scars on one of America’s most important cultural landscapes and destroy a place that Utahns cherish and want protected,” said Chaitna Sinha, Staff Attorney and Conservation Codirector for the Grand Canyon Trust . “That is why, in a recent poll, Utah voters ranked conservation and protecting Native American places as the most important factors to be considered regarding Bears Ears, while oil/gas and mining ranked lowest. Utah’s congressional delegation needs to listen to Utah voters and take action to protect Bears Ears.”

“Corporations are already salivating at the prospect of destroying the lands we love in order to turn a quick buck,” said Director of the Sierra Club in Utah, Franque Bains. “The fact that nearly triple the number of mining claims have been filed since the first illegal reduction of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante underscores the depravity of an administration that prioritizes development over the people who cherish these landscapes. These treasured places require defending, and we’re committed to continue to restore their protections.”

“With 72 mining claims staked on lands withdrawn from Bears Ears over the last three weeks alone, the threat of a modern-day mineral rush has arrived at one of our nation’s most treasured landscapes,” said Sara Cawley, Energy Director at the National Parks Conservation Association. “The newest claims are located to the north and west of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah’s first National Park unit and the world’s first International Dark Sky Park, that protects three amazing natural bridge formations and numerous archaeological sites. Even worse, mining companies won’t pay a cent in royalties for the minerals they extract or any fee to clean up the mess they may leave behind.“

Background Information on other Mining claims: 

Under President Trump’s proclamations decimating Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante by over 90%, mining claims could not be staked until 60 days after the date of the proclamation: Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Despite this, on July 14, 2026, Kimmerle Mining filed 7 mining claims (see map) with the San Juan County (Utah) Recorder’s Office. Kimmerle Mining previously filed mining claims after Trump’s 2017 reduction of Bears Ears and excavated a partially reclaimed mine shaft on one of the claims – the so-called Easy Peasy claim (this mine has been re-buried); Kyle Kimmerle (a Managing Member of Kimmerle Mining) was also a plaintiff in one of the cases filed in the District of Utah challenging President Biden’s 2021 restoration of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.  

Two mining claims were also filed in Grand Staircase-Escalante, less than one month after Trump’s attack. On August 6, 2026, Craig Rosequist filed two mining claims (see map) with the Kane County (Utah) Recorder’s Office in areas cut out of the monument by the Trump proclamations. According to public records, Rosequist previously located several mining claims in neighboring Washington County, Utah. The Bureau of Land Management should reject claims filed in both national monuments prior to Sept. 11. 

• Map of 2026 claims in Bear Ears, showing the 2021 and 2026 Monument Boundaries and noting the location of the Easy Peasy Mine, created by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA)
• Map of 2026 Claims in Grand Staircase-Escalante, created by SUWA
• Photo and video assets of Kimmerle’s Easy Peasy Mine and surrounding claims, please credit Tim Peterson. 
  • Gallery & Gdrive 
  • Video b-roll

Background information about the national monument reductions:

• Statements from Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal coalitions
• SUWA Statement on Trump’s Illegal Reductions of Grand Staircase-Escalante & Bears Ears National Monuments
• Full Statement and Quotes Tracking
• Maps of the reductions
• Reporter Background Memo on National Monuments

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards a world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post In Less Than a Month, Mining Claims Filed in Bears Ears Already Triple the Total Number Filed During Previous Trump Reduction appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.