Colton Lochhead

From ski resorts to popular trails, see the public land Mike Lee proposes selling across the West Mike Lee, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, released updates to his public land sell-off bill over the weekend.

Mike Lee, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, released updates to his public land sell-off bill over the weekend.

A battle is brewing in the American West: A thirst for cheap power on one side and a prehistoric fish on the other Under Biden last year, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation finalized a decision to allow releases of water to bypass Glen Canyon Dam’s hydropower infrastructure to curb invasive fish populations.

Under Biden last year, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation finalized a decision to allow releases of water to bypass Glen Canyon Dam’s hydropower infrastructure to curb invasive fish populations.

I grew things. I don’t know what these are - I just sprinkled whatever seeds the wife had laying around in her garden box - but still, I grew things. 🌱

Commentary: Seeking solace, and finding hard truths, on California's Highway 395 Reflections from a road trip to Mono Lake and the Owens Valley, the northernmost reaches of Southern California.

Seeking solace, and finding hard truths, on California’s Highway 395

"Here’s the truth: There’s not enough water in Mono or Owens lake. It’s hotter than it used to be." — Insightful essay by @sammyroth.bsky.social reflecting on a trip to the Eastern Sierra: www.latimes.com/environment/...

House Republicans strike Maloy’s move to sell Utah’s public lands from Trump budget bill Maloy previously said that selling public land could help build affordable housing and address water infrastructure concerns in her district.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives struck down a move to sell off thousands of acres of public land across Utah and Nevada Wednesday night after immense pushback from conservationists, sportsmen and other groups who opposed the measure.

Great Salt Lake dust isn’t being measured accurately. Here’s what the state is doing about it. The state is trying to bridge the gap in its monitoring network, a state environmental scientist said, but it is "exceedingly difficult" to set up new stations.

The state is trying to bridge the gap in its monitoring network, a state environmental scientist said, but it is "exceedingly difficult" to set up new stations.

Don’t look up.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/c...

The Trump Administration Issues Its Next Assault on the Nation’s Public Forests - Inside Climate News The Department of Agriculture issued an “Emergency Situation Determination” that environmental groups say will speed the cutting of old-growth trees.

“Trump is saying, in a nutshell: Any regulations or protections that get in the way of timber production, get them out of the way.”

@georginagustin.bsky.social with the details on the Trump administration’s assault on national forests.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0404202...

A badly needed upgrade for the Walker River Paiute Tribe's water system is now in jeopardy after the Trump administration paused a $20 million federal grant as part of its efforts targeting environmental justice initiatives.

Read about it here: thenevadaindependent.com/article/trum...

New summer outlook just dropped. 🔥🔥🔥

As Americans Protest Attacks on Public Lands, Trump Signals National Monuments May be Shrunk or Eliminated - Inside Climate News Years of advocacy led to the creation of Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands national monuments in California early this year, but they may soon be dismantled.

While atop a mountain Saturday at Chiricahua National Monument, I heard the news the Trump administration was finally doing what many public land advocates feared: targeting recently created national monuments for elimination.

My story:

insideclimatenews.org/news/1803202...

Utah’s largest environmental grant ever is on hold amid confusion over Trump’s funding freeze The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is not spending hundreds of millions of federal dollars, not because those funds are frozen, but because of uncertainty over Trump's federal funding freeze.

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is not spending hundreds of millions of federal dollars, not because those funds are frozen, but because of uncertainty over Trump's federal funding freeze.

A $110 million grant to clean up Salt Lake City’s air is on hold amid confusion over Trump’s funding freeze The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is not spending hundreds of millions of federal dollars, not because those funds are frozen, but because of uncertainty over Trump's federal funding freeze...

Utah received its largest environmental grant *ever* last year to clean up SLC’s dirty air. But the state says it is holding off on spending any of that money due to questions about President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Water officials knew that opening dams to meet Trump's wishes was ill-advised. Here's why it happened anyway A memo from an Army Corps of Engineers officer shows water managers and lawmakers pushed back against the Trump administration's plan to dump water from two California dams.

“Depraved and mind-blowing”: Water officials knew that opening dams to meet Trump’s wishes was ill-advised. Here’s why it happened anyway:
www.latimes.com/environment/... #CAwater

They used to run Utah’s national parks. Trump’s mass firings are ‘a really big deal,’ they say. Three former superintendents of Utah’s "Mighty 5" national parks say the Trump administration’s firings of park staff will degrade not only visitors’ experiences, but also the lands and history the pa...

"People should expect long lines, and restrooms aren’t going to be clean."

What visitors can expect at Utah's national parks amid federal layoffs and delays to seasonal hires, via @hufh4m.bsky.social

www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

They used to run Utah’s national parks. Trump’s mass firings are ‘a really big deal,’ they say. Three former superintendents of Utah’s "Mighty 5" national parks say the Trump administration’s firings of park staff will degrade not only visitors’ experiences, but also the lands and history the pa...

We talked to three former superintendents of Utah national parks about the impact of the Trump/Musk firings.

Here's what they had to say: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Long lines and dirty bathrooms: How Trump’s firings will affect Utah’s national parks Three former superintendents of Utah’s "Mighty 5" national parks say the Trump administration’s firings of park staff will degrade not only visitors’ experiences, but also the lands and history the parks preserve.

Three former superintendents of Utah’s "Mighty 5" national parks say the Trump administration’s firings of park staff will degrade not only visitors’ experiences, but also the lands and history the parks preserve.

DOGE is cancelling office leases across Utah. Here’s where. The newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, reports it has terminated office space leases used by federal agencies in Utah.

DOGE is cancelling offices leases across Utah for the National Park Service, USGS and other agencies, via @hufh4m.bsky.social www.sltrib.com/news/politic...

Trump administration dramatically cuts staff at water agency in California The Trump administration is firing employees at the Bureau of Reclamation, drawing concerns from California water agencies that depend on it to deliver supplies.

The Trump administration has ordered firings and buyouts at the federal agency that operates water infrastructure in California. Managers of water agencies in the Central Valley warn this could jeopardize the agency’s ability to manage dams and deliver water.
www.latimes.com/environment/...

The Trump Administration Keeps Citing an Untrue Stat as It Targets Federal Workers A “survey of our niche audience for our niche audience” was the source for the claim that only 6% of federal employees are working full time in their offices. The number isn’t true. Why do administration and elected officials keep relying on it?

NEW: A “survey of our niche audience for our niche audience” was the source for the claim that only 6% of federal employees are working full time in their offices. The number isn’t true. Why do administration and elected officials keep relying on it?

They landed their ‘dream’ jobs in Utah. Then the Trump admin fired them. These two Utah workers were among thousands of federal employees fired recently to purge what the Trump administration considers a bloated bureaucracy.

“I know people are really worried that they’re next, and I hate to be grim, but they are,” a worker laid off from the USGS in Utah told me.

There are thousands of stories like these from fired federal workers across the country. Hard to fathom.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

They landed their ‘dream’ jobs in Utah. Then the Trump admin fired them. These two Utah workers were among thousands of federal employees fired recently to purge what the Trump administration considers a bloated bureaucracy.

These two Utah workers were among thousands of federal employees fired recently to purge what the Trump administration considers a bloated bureaucracy.

Trump’s mass layoffs hit Utah national parks Utah’s national park sites brought $3 billion to the state’s economy in 2023, according to a National Park Service report released in September, bringing in 15.7 million visitors and supporting over 2...

I've been able to confirm at least 17 national park employees fired in Utah due to the mass Trump layoffs, but a source tells me that number might be closer to 30.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Utah public unions banned from collective bargaining after Gov. Cox signs controversial bill Public unions in Utah are banned from collective bargaining after Gov. Spencer Cox signs controversial legislation.

BREAKING: Public unions in Utah are now banned from collective bargaining after Gov. Spencer Cox signs controversial legislation.

How Las Vegas feels getting it's first 0.01" of rain in over half a year

"The most important role that the federal government has always played is this role of creating the organizing diplomatic structure by which the states can work out their disagreements.

What happens when we no longer have a reliable federal government?"

Great stuff here from Daniel & John Fleck:

Utah bill to end collective bargaining for public workers heads to Cox A bill banning collective bargaining for Utah’s public employees is now headed to Gov. Spencer Cox for his signature.

BREAKING: The Utah Legislature has passed a bill to strip public sector union workers like teachers, firefighters and police of their right to collectively bargain.

The bill now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk.

Acting on Trump's order, federal officials opened up two California dams The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just opened up two California dams. A spokesperson says the flows are 'controlled' and being coordinated with local officials.

"This is going to hurt farmers. This takes water out of their summer irrigation portfolio," Dan Vink told my colleague @jessicagarrison.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/... #CAwater @latimes.com

Anne Castle steps down as the federal representative to the Upper Colorado River Commission Worth sharing in full: January 282, 2025 Re: Resignation as U.S. Commissioner to Upper Colorado River Commission Dear (addressee redacted) As requested, I am submitting my resignation as U.S. Commi…

Anne Castle's letter of resignation as US Commissioner on the Upper #ColoradoRiver Commission is worth a read: www.inkstain.net/2025/01/anne...

Went on @pablo.show to discuss the TikTok ban and my general discomfort with the reality that so much of news—and how society feels about many things!—is determined not by facts, but an algorithm.

Full pod: t.co/XuahklfkIt