Latest news with #BLM
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Revised Senate bill includes updated Lee language to sell public lands
The 940-page bill Senate Republican leaders unveiled Friday night to implement President Trump's agenda includes a section pushed by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) to sell public lands, although a smaller amount of land than was in a provision rejected earlier in the week by Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. The updated language in the bill directs the secretary of the Interior Department to select for sale not less than 0.25 percent and not more than 0.50 percent of the Bureau of Land Management's land with certain restrictions. The Interior secretary would be directed to 'dispose' of land that has the 'highest value,' is nominated for sale by state and local governments, is adjacent to existing developed areas, has access to existing infrastructure and is suitable for residential housing. Any land sold by the Interior Department must be used solely for the development of housing or to build infrastructure to support housing. Federally protected land including national monuments, national recreation areas, components of national wilderness and components of national wild and scenic rivers would be excluded from sale. Interior would not be allowed to sell public lands located more than five miles from the border of a population center of at least 1,000 people. The revised language reduces the amount of land the Interior Department would be allowed to sell compared to legislation Lee unveiled earlier this month. The earlier text directed the Interior secretary to select between 0.5 percent and 0.75 percent of Bureau of Land Management land for sale. The Senate parliamentarian on Monday ruled that the original language mandating the sale of millions of acres of public land from both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service violated the Byrd Rule. The Byrd Rule determines what legislation is eligible to be protected from a filibuster and allowed to pass the Senate with a simple-majority vote. Provisions must be primarily budgetary in nature to comply with the Byrd Rule. The provisions would apply to public lands in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The issue is controversial, even among Republicans. Five House Republicans this week said they would vote against the bill if the provision remained in it when it came back to the lower chamber. Senate Republicans are racing to pass the Trump agenda megabill this weekend despite a number of uncertainties. Leadership had hoped to hold a vote Saturday but the timing remains fluid. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
New Mexico's Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks reopens with renewed focus and access
About 40 miles west of Santa Fe, in the high desert of north-central New Mexico, the landscape transforms into a dreamscape of pale, cone-shaped spires. Known as Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, this surreal cluster of hoodoos — some reaching 90 feet high — was carved by ancient volcanic eruptions that layered the terrain with ash, pumice and meaning 'white cliffs' in the Keresan language of the Cochiti Pueblo people, is a geological wonder and a sacred site of cultural significance. Shuttered since March 2020, first due to COVID-19, then to address over-visitation, the monument reopened to the public in February after a seasonal closure in December, with new measures in place to safeguard this landscape for future generations. Sacred Land, Renewed Access Before the 2020 closure, Tent Rocks saw more than 110,000 annual visitors — double what the site could reasonably manage. Crowding became a serious problem, adversely affecting not just the fragile rock formation but the Cochiti Pueblo community at reopening ushers new in era, with the monument now managed through a co-stewardship agreement between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Cochiti Pueblo people, reflecting a larger federal effort to enhance Indigenous-led stewardship of public lands.'This model strengthens conservation efforts, honoring the living cultures tied to these special places, while encouraging a shared responsibility to protect them,' says Jey Bernal, tribal tourism development officer for the New Mexico Tourism daily visitor numbers are capped, and entry now requires two separate passes:• A $5 timed-entry reservation (first pilot vehicle leaves at 8:00 am, last one at 1:00 pm) available on with entry windows limited each day. Kids under 15 are free, and the America the Beautiful pass waives the fee.• A Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Access Pass, available online via or at the Cochiti Pueblo Visitor Center. Adults pay $20; children 2–15 are $2; under 2 are the day of your visit, visitors check in at the Cochiti visitor center, then follow a pilot vehicle to the monument. 'Through implementing a reservation system, we have the opportunity to customize our visitation flow,' says Jamie Garcia, public affairs specialist for the BLM's Albuquerque District Office. 'This has improved the visitor experience by reducing vehicle wait time at the gate, overcrowding on the trails and trail erosion.' Deeper Connections Beyond hoodoos, narrow slot canyons, and sweeping mesa-top views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez and Sandia mountains, visitors can connect with the region's deeper heritage, including stewardship practices that honor the significance of Kasha-Katuwe.'The broader public and visitors at large can now gain a richer, more accurate understanding of the land's significance,' Bernal adds. 'This goes beyond standard narratives to include Indigenous perspectives and storytelling, leading to more meaningful visitor experiences.' A New Model for Public Lands The new co-management approach is part of a growing shift in how public lands are cared for and shared — one that emphasizes closer collaboration with tribal nations. Visitors can explore natural landscapes and cultural sites jointly stewarded by Pueblos, Tribes and Nations working alongside state and federal Mexico is at the forefront of this movement. At the Jemez Historic Site, a partnership with Jemez Pueblo, invites visitors to explore Giusewa Pueblo and a 17th century Spanish mission. Meanwhile, BLM works with Navajo Tours USA to offer guided experiences at Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. 'These collaborations reflect a vital shift toward centering Native voices in how public land are managed and experienced,' Bernal more public lands embrace co-stewardship models, places like Kasha-Katuwe offer a glimpse into a more thoughtful future — one where conservation, cultural respect and deeper visitor understanding and connection go hand in hand.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Several wildfires in western Colorado shut down westbound Interstate 70; Pre-evacuations in Garfield County
Wildfires across western Colorado are causing significant impacts to travel along Interstate 70. Those fires were reported in Garfield, Eagle, and Moffat Counties, and pre-evacuation orders are in place in Garfield County. The westbound lanes of I-70 are closed at the 140 westbound exit in Gypsum and Motorists are being detoured onto Highway 6, according to the Eagle County Sheriff's Office. The eastbound lanes were open as of 3:45 p.m. There were also numerous fires with heavy smoke visible near Dotsero. The fire in Garfield County, which is being called the Hilltop Fire, was reported just after 3:30 p.m. and the Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority said a pre-evacuation order was sent to residences more than 1 mile and within 2 miles of the intersection of County Road 320 and County Road 309. "All evacuated residents EAST of the fire should evacuate to the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle. All evacuated residents WEST of the fire should evacuate to the Cottonwood Park/Parachute Fairgrounds," the prder said. And just before 2 p.m., a fire was reported on Highway 40 near milepost 25 in Moffat County near the town of Dinosaur, just east of the Colorado-Utah state line. Aretesia Fire, Moffat County Sheriff's Office, and the Bureau of Land Management were responding to that fire. People are being asked to avoid the areas of all these fires and should expect a large police and fire rescue presence.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Zinke says he's a ‘no' on Senate megabill amid public land sales push
Montana Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke said on Thursday he'll vote against the Senate's version of the GOP megabill over a provision that would mandate the sale of up to 1.2 million acres of public lands. The Republican's internal disagreements on the public land sales measure poses yet another complication in negotiations over a bill on which House Republicans can only afford to lose three votes. 'I agree with my colleagues that the federal government has mismanaged federal lands for decades. But I don't agree with their solution,' said Zinke, who was Interior Secretary during Trump's first term, in a post on the social media platform X. 'The solution is not to sell public lands,' he added. 'I remain a no on the senate reconciliation bill.' In a separate interview with CNN that Zinke also posted on social media Thursday, he pushed back on land sale supporters' argument that the land can be used for affordable housing. 'Affordable housing is tens of acres, not millions of acres,' he said. He's not the only GOP lawmaker to come out against the provision. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) issued a statement dissing the bill on Wednesday. 'I do support and encourage sale or exchange of parcels of federal land when there is a clear economic or social demand for such disposition, and when that disposition follows appropriate procedure and is generally supported by those affected,' he said in a written statement. 'I do not support a mandated disposition of millions of acres of federal land, the amount of which was arbitrarily established, the primary goal not being to respond to demand, but instead being the removal of land from federal ownership,' he added. It's not clear whether he'd also vote against the bill over the disagreements. An original proposal — from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) — would have required the sales of between 2.2 and 3.3 million acres of land owned by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). After that proposal was rejected by the Senate parliamentarian, Lee drafted a new version that would require the sale of up to 1.2 million acres of BLM land. It's not entirely clear if the parliamentarian will approve the new version. The intraparty discord on the matter adds further complications to already difficult internal negotiations over Medicaid cuts, federal tax deductions in areas with high local taxes and the phaseout of incentives for low-carbon energy. Meanwhile, the White House insists it would like to see a deal reached by next Friday.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Petrifying rockfall almost lands on tourists in Utah waterfall in heart stopping video
Two tourists narrowly escaped with their lives after massive rocks plunged from almost 130 feet above them as they were swimming in a Utah national park. The individuals were cooling off in Lower Calf Creek Falls at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, near Salt Lake City, when gigantic rocks plummeted from the ledge of the waterfall landing mere inches away from them. Dramatic video showed what appeared to be two children splashing around and submerging themselves under the water. Seconds later huge chunks of rock cascaded from the waterfall above, just missing them. Neither person was injured, but the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is warning visitors to pay close attention to the world above them while visiting the falls. 'Be aware, don't linger,' a video said. 'This is not a backyard swimming pool, but rather a remote and natural place,' National Monument Manager Ade Nelson said in a statement. 'Lower Calf Creek Falls is a world-famous destination, and we want to make sure everyone understands the risks when they visit.' It comes after an 11-year-old girl had to be airlifted out of the park in June 2024 after she was seriously injured. The girl had been sitting 25 to 30 feet away from the cliff above when a natural rockfall occurred, striking her in the leg, according to St. George News. Family members and other tourists were able to create a tourniquet for the girl's leg until rescue crews arrived around 70 minutes later. 'Anyone swimming or recreating on the beach should remain alert,' BLM said. Nelson said the agency is, 'assessing the situation' to try and figure out a way to 'reduce the risk' of injury from rockfall. The site will also be evaluated for a safety assessment, alongside the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. 'The safety of our visitors is our top priority,' Nelson said. The 126-foot falls are accessible by a six-mile hike which can be moderately difficult to traverse due to sandy parts. The swimming basin at the base of the 126-foot falls is often densely packed in the summertime and weekends The swimming basin at the base of the falls is often densely packed in the summertime and weekends and can, 'resemble a waterpark with families jam-packed into the small space,' Visit Utah said. Visitors typically cool off there after the hike with families often seen enjoying picnics and snacks nearby.
