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But we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be blinded by the headlines, because hidden behind national politics, conservation forces at the local level kicked fat fanny.Don’t feel bad if you missed the story. Nearly everyone else has, too. Nationwide on Election Day, Americans voted to tax themselves an unprecedented $2 billion for conservation.

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The Bureau of Land Management has chosen 31 renewable energy and transmission projects, including one in Oregon, for expedited permitting in order to make them eligible for stimulus funding.

"They represent the first generation of large-scale renewable energy projects to be carefully sited on public lands over the next several years," said BLM Director Bob Abbey.