The Wilderness Blog

The latest updates, insights and stories from across the country. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Comment and let us know what you think.

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Controversy over Antiquities Act and National Monuments makes little sense

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Recently, some members of Congress have attempted to create controversy with an anonymous leak of an “Internal Draft — NOT FOR RELEASE” memo within the Department of Interior. The leaked memo contained a list of 14 areas in nine states that might be worthy of being designated as national monuments under the Antiquities Act. The memo clearly stated, “further evaluations should be completed prior to any final decision, including an assessment of public and Congressional support.” more

Natural Gas: Not as clean as you think

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Much ink has been spilled regarding the clean properties of natural gas, such as this recent ad by America’s Natural Gas Alliance. Advocates of increased natural gas development love to say that it is cleaner than coal, abundant, and a so-called “bridge fuel” in the transition to renewable energy. more

Safe for now: Drilling reprieve for Otero Mesa

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As the snow was piling on Denver streets this week, Wilderness Society Senior Counsel Nada Culver got the news she had been anticipating for months. more

Victory for Wild Southern Utah!

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Even if you haven’t been there, you probably know that the federal public lands in south-central Utah contain some of the most spectacular red rock canyons, scenic vistas, and opportunities for solitude in the nation. This region is home to such famous wild landmarks as the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM), Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, and other wild places. more

Gov report shows problems from unmanaged Off-Road Vehicles

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A new government report released July 30 found that dirtbikes, ATVs, and other off-road vehicles are damaging our national forests and other western public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and that increased enforcement is desperately needed. more

Oregon’s Ancient Forests Win! Logging plans withdrawn at last

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As I sat down at my computer yesterday morning and looked at my overflowing email inbox, a new unread email subject line caught my eye: “Secretary Salazar to Announce Decision on Pacific Northwest Forest Management.” The day had come! The Obama Administration would finally decide the fate of Oregon’s ancient forests, which have been under serious threat from a Bush-era plan that proposed to more than double the amount of logging on some 2.6 million acres of Bureau of Land Management forests. more

Will solar energy prove a win-win for wildlands?

Unlike conventional energy production, we don't have to raze mountaintops or drill into our national wildlife refuges to access energy provided by the sun. Huge swaths of the Southwest receive enough sun to power utility-scale solar energy projects. Not only does solar energy not run out: it also runs wide. In fact, in the Southwestern United States alone, the sun provides enough energy to power our country 6 times over! more

Laying a strong foundation for renewable energy

You've no doubt heard about the progress Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has made in reversing bad Bush administration public lands policy. more