Go West, Young Podcast

Kate and Aaron are joined by clean energy consultant Rob Gramlich, founder and president of Grid Strategies LLC, to talk about the need to ramp up renewable transmission capacity in the U.S. Gramlich tells us what the Inflation Reduction Act did and didn't do when it comes to transmission, as well as how Congress can […] The post What's really holding up renewable energy transmission construction appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kate and Aaron are joined by the co-chairs of the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, a new group that came together to ensure conservation benefits marginalized and overly burdened communities. Nse Witherspoon, executive director of the Children's Environmental Health Network, and Mark Magaña, founder and CEO of GreenLatinos, talk about their coalition's 2023 policy agenda […] The post Making conservation more inclusive appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

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.

Aaron and Kate are joined by author and professor Natalie Koch, whose new book—Arid Empire: The Entangled Fates of Arizona and Arabia—explores the ways in which Arizona and Saudi Arabia have worked together to promote desert agriculture, and how that work is connected to a global obsession with engineering our way out of ecosystem collapse. Koch […] The post The tangled fates of Arizona and Arabia appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

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.

Kate and Aaron are joined by water scientist Brad Udall to talk about the current state of the Colorado River. Water levels are dropping and something has to give or the river's main reservoirs—Lake Powell and Lake Mead— are going to run dry. But states aren't anywhere close to an agreement on how much each […] The post What's going on with the Colorado River? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Aaron and Kate are joined by two mining reform experts to talk about the need to update our century-old mining laws and regulations in order to protect vulnerable communities and public lands as interest in mining grows thanks to electric vehicles and renewable energy needs. Roger Flynn is the director and managing attorney at Western […] The post Why we need mining reform on public lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Mining expert Ian Lange joins Kate and Aaron to talk about critical minerals and mining in the West. Lange directs the mineral and energy economics program at the Colorado School of Mines and is an expert in mining economics. He discusses what's going on in the world of critical minerals—specifically those used in electric vehicle […] The post Are we about to see a mining boom for EV minerals in the West? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

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.

CWP Executive Director Jennifer Rokala and Colorado-based political consultant Curtis Hubbard join Aaron to break down the 2022 election results and what they mean for public lands across the West. Producer: Aaron WeissMusic: Purple PlanetFeatured image: @POTUS The post What the 2022 election means for public lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

This week on The Landscape, Aaron and Kate talk to forest scientists Megan Cattau and Nayani Ilangakoon to find out what's up in the world of wildfire risk reduction and forest recovery. Specifically, they ask about the U.S. Forest Service's plan to plant a billion trees over the next decade, as well as how climate […] The post What the science says about national forest management appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

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 […] The post What makes national monuments special? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

University of Utah law professor Jamie Pleune joins Kate and Aaron on the Landscape to talk about the National Environmental Policy Act and permitting reform. Pleune and her colleagues analyzed over 40,000 Forest Service NEPA decisions to determine the mean and median time it takes to complete reviews, as well as what causes the majority of delays […] The post An evidence-based look at permitting reform appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Just in time for National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 24, a conversation with Janessa Goldbeck, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. VVF is one of the groups sponsoring a hike and rally for the proposed Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument on Saturday. News Manchin's permitting bill sets up clash over government funding National Park […] The post Is Camp Hale our next national monument? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

The proposed Western Riverside National Wildlife Refuge would protect around 340,000 acres southeast of Los Angeles in southern California, helping preserve habitat for around 150 native species—over 30 of which are endangered—as well as green space for the county's largely Latino population. Riverside County is currently one of the fastest growing regions in the country, […] The post BONUS: Closing the Nature Gap in Southern California (en español) appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

The proposed Western Riverside National Wildlife Refuge would protect around 340,000 acres southeast of Los Angeles in southern California, helping preserve habitat for around 150 native species—over 30 of which are endangered—as well as green space for the county's largely Latino population.  Riverside County is currently one of the fastest growing regions in the country, […] The post Closing the Nature Gap in Southern California appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Collin O'Mara joins Aaron and Kate to talk all things Inflation Reduction Act, including: what's in it, how the bill came together behind the scenes, how his group and others got Senator Joe Manchin on board with some of the bolder provisions in the bill, whether it's ultimately a good or bad thing, how it […] The post National Wildlife Federation president Collin O'Mara on the IRA appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Author Nate Schweber joins Kate to talk about his new book This America of Ours, which chronicles the lives of forgotten 20th century conservation heroes Avis and Bernard DeVoto. The literary couple thwarted a plot to privatize millions of acres of public land, then successfully fought off an attempt to dam the Green River inside […] The post This America of Ours: The story of public land champions Avis and Bernard DeVoto appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kate and Aaron run down the surprise climate legislation unveiled last night and talk about what it means for public lands, as well as whether or not the package can actually make it to President Biden's desk. Then, Evergreen Action‘s chief of staff Lena Moffitt joins Kate and Aaron to talk about what President Biden […] The post Manchin came to the table on climate. Now what? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

On this episode of The Landscape, Leah Sottile joins Kate and Aaron to talk about the connections between the Bundy family standoffs and the January 6th insurrection, as well as her new book, “When the Moon Turns to Blood,” a wild and tragic case of two murdered children and religious extremism out of Idaho. Sottile […] The post Leah Sottile on the Bundy-January 6 connection and her new book appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Pollster Lindsay Vermeyen joins Aaron and Kate to talk about CWP's new Winning the West poll numbers. The poll, which was conducted in Western swing states in May 2022, found that Western voters still care a lot about conservation, despite everything else going on in the world right now. Notably, it found that Westerners are […] The post What it takes to win the West appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Grassroots Wildland Firefighters vice president Lucas Mayfield and advocate Michelle Hart come on The Landscape to talk about what it's like to be a wildland firefighter and what the federal government can do to attract new people to the profession. The post Wildland firefighters just got a raise… but is it enough? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Scientist and conservationist Ed Grumbine joins Kate and Aaron to talk about what's missing from President Biden's America the Beautiful plan—and what the administration can do to get the ball rolling on 30x30. The post What's missing in Biden's America the Beautiful plan appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Former Center for Western Priorities' policy and design associate Tyler McIntosh and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance wildlands attorney Judi Brawer join Kate and Aaron to discuss the increasing pressures outdoor recreation is putting on our public lands—just in time for Memorial Day Weekend and summer camping season!  The post Are we loving our lands to death? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

The Gila Wilderness was the first wilderness area designated in the country, and it's coming up on its 100 year anniversary in 2024. Hear from USFWS biologist Leanna Torres and Apache backcountry guide Joe Saenz about what makes the Gila special, as well as the threats it's facing today, from military flyovers to attempts to dam the Gila River. The post First & Wildest: The Gila Wilderness at 100 appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Researcher and author Laura J. Martin joins the Landscape to talk about the history of ecological restoration in the United States and how it led to today's booming off-site environmental mitigation and carbon offset industries. The post The history of ecological restoration appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

John Leshy literally wrote the book on America's public lands.

What's really going on with gas prices? Dive into the data with us.

Rosie Thunderchief joins Kate and Aaron to discuss how land acknowledgements can create space for healing and to provide guidance for doing land acknowledgements of your own.

Rosie Thunderchief joins Kate and Aaron to discuss how land acknowledgements can create space for healing and to provide guidance for doing land acknowledgements of your own.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Colorado River Compact, an agreement between seven western states that determines how the river's water is shared. To celebrate, we talked to reporter Luke Runyon, who covered the Colorado River extensively as a reporter for KUNC, a public radio station based in Greeley, Colorado.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Colorado River Compact, an agreement between seven western states that determines how the river's water is shared. To celebrate, we talked to reporter Luke Runyon, who covered the Colorado River extensively as a reporter for KUNC, a public radio station based in Greeley, Colorado.

Award-winning investigative journalist Katie Worth joins Aaron and Kate to talk about her new book, Miseducation: How Climate Change is Taught in America. 

Award-winning investigative journalist Katie Worth joins Aaron and Kate to talk about her new book, Miseducation: How Climate Change is Taught in America. 

The folks behind Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico come on The Landscape to talk about how the first urban wildlife refuge in the Southwest came to be.

The folks behind Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico come on The Landscape to talk about how the first urban wildlife refuge in the Southwest came to be.

What's going on with gas prices, and is the Biden administration to blame? Aaron, Kate, and Jesse are joined by Brad Handler of the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines.

What's going on with gas prices, and is the Biden administration to blame? Aaron, Kate, and Jesse are joined by Brad Handler of the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines.

Join us behind the scenes of CWP's ​new Road to 30: Postcards multimedia series

Join us behind the scenes of CWP's "Road to 30: Postcards" multimedia series

CWP's Aaron Weiss and Lauren Bogard sat down with Colorado rancher Jay Fetcher, a finalist for the 2021 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award. Jay's father and uncle founded Fetcher Ranch in 1949, and Jay was instrumental in the creation of the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust, which protects working agricultural land while conserving natural resources.

Colorado rancher and conservationist Jay Fetcher discusses the future of family ranching, and how conservation easements can ensure nature and ranching co-exist, keeping development at bay.

CWP's Tyler McIntosh walks us through his new research, The Camping Crunch, which looks at the increase in popularity of camping on nationala public lands, especially protected areas.

This episode of The Landscape features CWP Conservation Policy and Research Manager Tyler McIntosh, whose new report, The Camping Crunch, looks at the increase in popularity of camping on national public lands, especially protected areas.

Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury joins the Landscape to talk about running on a climate platform, centering climate in the reconciliation process, and the challenges facing New Mexico. 

Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury joins the Landscape to talk about running on a climate platform, centering climate in the reconciliation process, and the challenges facing New Mexico. 

Author and journalist Jonathan Thompson joins Aaron and Kate to talk about his new book, Sagebrush Empire, from Torrey House Press. 

Author and journalist Jonathan Thompson joins Aaron and Kate to talk about his new book, Sagebrush Empire, from Torrey House Press.