Podcasts about western priorities

The Wyoming Senate narrowly passed a resolution recently that would ask Congress to turn over nearly all federal land in the state. That's 30 million acres — about half of Wyoming's total area. We hear from Aaron Weiss, the Deputy Director at the Center for Western Priorities, a conservation advocacy group, who says the resolution was is likely to change policy. The first few weeks of Trump's presidency have been a whirlwind. A deluge of executive orders, memos and proclamations aiming to crack down on immigration, slash the federal workforce and control international trade. We talk to Jacksonites to hear what's on the top of their minds. A new exhibition in Jackson shines the spotlight on female photographers and painters in the American West at the turn of the 20th century. Wyoming Public Radio's Hannah Habermann heard about some of these trailblazing artists – and their work – from the women who brought the show to life. After years of anticipation, the federal government recently announced a plan for grizzly bears to remain listed as “threatened” on the endangered species list in the Northern Rockies. The move is the latest in a decades-long battle between the feds, environmentalists and western states over to what extent grizzlies have recovered and how they should be managed.  Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Mondays at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and Fridays and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Support Jackson's only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

It's no secret that Utah Republican leaders take issue with the federal government's ownership of nearly 70% of land in our state. Now, they're making it the U.S. Supreme Court's problem, with a lawsuit to gain control of “unappropriated” public lands. Kate Groetzinger, communications manager for the Center for Western Priorities, joins host Ali Vallarta to give important context for the case and debunk one folksy ad about camping.  Watch Utah's “Stand for our Land” ad. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It's the best way to support our work and help make sure we're around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  The Shop Utah Department of Health and Human Services Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden created a National Monument that butts up to the Utah Border near Kanab.  It's called Baaj nwaavjo means “where Indigenous peoples roam” in the Havasupai language, i'tah kukveni means “our ancestral footprints'' in the Hopi language. The Ancestral Footprints National Monument will be nearly a million acres. It will prevent any future Uranium mining and will protect what some Native Americans view as sacred ancestral sites. Dave and Debbie speak with Kate Groetzinger, Communications Manager for the Center for Western Priorities which is a non-partisan advocacy group that works to protect public lands and works alongside the tribes with these issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Closing the Nature Gap in Southern California 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.

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.

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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.

How can President Biden's vision for addressing climate change can be so at odds with his administration's plans to lease millions of acres to oil and gas companies? The post Biden's oil and gas fire sale w/ Drew Caputo appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

University of Colorado law professor Mark Squillace returns to The Landscape for a look at the future of oil and gas leasing on America's public lands. The post Prof. Mark Squillace on the future of oil and gas leasing appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Jason Swann is a co-founder of Rising Routes, a new organization working at the intersection of social justice, environmental justice, and mental health. He's also a land policy analyst with Western Resource Advocates and works with Outdoor Afro. In this episode of The Landscape, Jason talks about his journey into the outdoors, and why racial […] The post Jason Swann on Social Justice, Environmental Stewardship, and the Power to Heal appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Every year for Earth Day, we check in with writer and photographer Stephen Trimble, author of “Bargaining for Eden: The Fight for the Last Open Spaces in America,” and many other books. Next time on Access Utah, Stephen Trimble joins us along with Terri Martin, Intermountain West Organizer with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance; and Jesse Prentice-Dunn, Policy Director with the Center for Western Priorities.

Pollster Brian Gottlieb returns with a new round of CWP's Winning the West 2020 polling—this time focused on coronavirus and public lands. The post What Western voters want (coronavirus edition) appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

My guest today is Mark Kenyon. Mark is a hunter, author, fellow-podcaster, and dedicated conservationist. He is the first guest of the show who is not a climber! Through rich outdoor experiences growing up, Mark took a dive deep into the world of conservation and public lands history. Now his entrepreneurial experience in conservation is nothing short of exceptional. The combination of hard work with his podcast, Wired to Hunt; his private land conservation efforts on the Back 40 project; and through his book, That Wild Country, his passion for and knowledge for our nation's wild lands runs deep. The main theme of the episode revolves around the notion of “public lands unite us.” We talk extensively about how the conservation and outdoor community, including hunters and climbers, have rallied together at imperative moments to create positive change when threats to our public lands were imminent. These victories we have seen in recent years are due to the effort and passion among all outdoor users joining forces. Mark provides a fresh perspective on the current state of our public lands through the eyes of a hunter, and walks us through where we started, where we have been, and where we are going. 0:31 – Intro 1:31 – Mark Kenyon: Hunter and angler, not a climber 4:02 – Conservation awareness 6:00 – More than just a public lands user 6:55 – Challenging assumptions about public lands and conservation 10:43 – Mark's podcast, Wired to Hunt, and his experience at Google 17:42 – The hunter's paradox 19:50 – Lessons and takeaways from Wired to Hunt 22:50 – The Back 40 26:43 – Transactional vs. participatory relationship with the outdoors 28:32 – “Giving away” the Back 40 29:22 – Mark's book, That Wild Country 33:20 – Starting his book with the Bundys and the standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge 36:07 – Not here just on behalf of the hunting and fishing communities 38:24 – Are hunters the original conservationists? 44:15 – Declining numbers of hunters and anglers 49:22 – Top threats to climbers and hunters 53:10 – Joining forces and the resiliency of the conservation community 1:03:07 – Tools and resources Mark's Instagram: @wiredtohunt Wired to Hunt: http://wiredtohunt.com/ The Back 40 Project: https://www.themeateater.com/watch/series/back-40 Back 40 Mini Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOHFTvDmsbE That Wild Country: https://www.amazon.com/That-Wild-Country-Journey-Americas/dp/1542043042/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= High Country News: https://www.hcn.org/ Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: https://www.trcp.org/ Center for Western Priorities: https://westernpriorities.org/ “Public Lands Unite Us”: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/our-public-lands-can-unite-us

Lt. Governor Mike Cooney joins Whitney Tawney to talk about his MCV-endorsed bid to become Montana's next governor. Jake Brown unpacks the Montana-specific results of the latest “Winning the West” poll. And Aaron Murphy questions Congressman Greg Gianforte's “perfunctory” statement on the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act. LINKS: * Mike Cooney's campaign website: https://www.cooneyformontana.com/ * MCV's statement in response to possible confirmation of the BLM's William Perry Pendley: TBD * Sen. Daines's 2018 Letter asking USDA to open wilderness airstrips: https://bit.ly/2BpgvCx * The Center for Western Priorities' “Winning the West” poll: https://bit.ly/2NL2txM * Associated Press story about how the Green Party was funded by the Montana GOP: https://bit.ly/38e9r7C * Rep. Gianforte's “perfunctory” statement on the Great American Outdoors Act: https://bit.ly/2NMmPq4 * Donate to MCV: https://mtvoters.org/donate

A conversation with Representative Diana DeGette of Colorado about her wilderness protection bill that's headed for the House floor, as well as the challenges of performing congressional oversight in the Trump era. The post Rep. Diana DeGette appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Analysis shows overwhelming opposition to major Interior Department policy changes Under the Trump administration, the Interior Department has suppressed public involvement and input in management decisions impacting public lands, wildlife, and energy development. In nearly every step of the planning process, the public has been cut out, while extractive industries have been welcomed with open […] The post Cutting the Public Out of Public Lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

In this year's final episode of Go West, Young Podcast, a look at how multinational mining companies and clients of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt's former lobbying firm are running roughshod over public lands. The post 2019: The Year in Swamp appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Kim Delfino, California Program Director at Defenders of Wildlife, tells us about the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, which is in the Trump administration's crosshairs even though it debuted to widespread praise just three years ago. The post Trump vs. the California Desert appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Sarah Shimazaki, producer and host of the Outside Voices podcast, takes us through some of her favorite moments from the series, and talks about why it's so important to elevate the stories of groups who often aren't reflected in traditional narratives about the outdoors. The post Outside Voices w/ Sarah Shimazaki appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

We talk to 38-year civil service veteran Steve Ellis about what's happening inside Bureau of Land Management headquarters as the Trump administration sends letters forcing most employees to relocate their families or quit. The post Steve Ellis on the BLM “relocation” appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

We take a deep dive into the Center for Western Priorities' Winning the West poll to find out what Western voters want to hear from candidates in the 2020 election. Download the full poll results or highlights presentation. Guest: Brian Gottlieb, Gottlieb Strategic Research History: USFWS reveals the black-footed ferret, thought to have been extinct, […] The post What Western voters want in 2020 appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico just introduced a bill to protect 30% of America's land and water by 2030. We talk to him about that and his other plans before he leaves the Senate in 2021. News National Park Service drops plan to allow ATVs in Utah Trump admin weakens protections for delta smelt, […] The post Sen. Tom Udall unleashed appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser sits down with Go West, Young Podcast to talk about how he chooses when to take the Trump administration's environmental rollbacks to court, and when to stay on the sidelines. And we get a news update from Nada Culver with the National Audubon Society about a significant sage-grouse ruling reinstating […] The post Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

In this episode of CWP's Go West, Young Podcast, we sit down with John Freemuth, the endowed chair of the Cecil D. Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University. Freemuth had just participated in a panel discussion at the Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Fort Collins, Colorado, along with Acting Bureau of […] The post Professor John Freemuth appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.