Natural resources
A lightning-sparked wildfire destroyed nearly a century-old lodge and dozens of historic cabins at Grand Canyon National Park, prompting an investigation and widespread criticism of the National Park Service's handling of the blaze. The Park Service initially claimed the fire was being managed under a "confine and
Natural resources
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has highlighted the critical importance of groundwater management in Texas, a state where over half of the water supply is provided by this invisible yet essential resource. According to Vanessa Puig-Williams, senior director of EDF's Texas Water Program, current Texas law does not
Natural resources
The Joint Chiefs Reauthorization Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.), alongside U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), and Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), to reauthorize the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Joint Chiefs' Landscape Restoration Partnership
Natural resources
President Trump has signed an Executive Order establishing the "Make America Beautiful Again" Commission, a new body tasked with promoting the expansion of public land access and critical wildlife conservation efforts. Chaired by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the Commission aims to advise the President
Natural resources
The Palisades Fire, a devastating blaze that swept through the Los Angeles area in 2024, has led to a massive class action lawsuit filed against six government entities. The lawsuit, which is seeking over $10 billion in damages, alleges negligence and mismanagement of public lands and utilities that led to
Natural resources
The Sierra Club has strongly opposed the Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2025, a bill that could reverse decades of population recovery in grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Introduced by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), the bill would strip grizzly bears of protections under the Endangered Species Act
Natural resources
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is advocating for the passage of H.R. 1676, the "Making SWAPs Efficient Act," which seeks to streamline the approval process for state-developed, peer-reviewed State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs). The FWC, led by Executive Director Roger Young, believes that this
Natural resources
Tyson Bertone-Riggs, Managing Director and co-founder of the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience, testified before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands on June 26, 2025, emphasizing the need for a centralized approach to wildfire technology. Bertone-Riggs highlighted the importance of modernizing the science, data, and technology used to support
Natural resources
The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which was established in 1950, has been a model for conservation funding in the United States. The fund, which is fueled by an excise tax on sportfishing equipment, has invested over $12 billion in fish and wildlife conservation, supporting programs such as
Natural resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has implemented a summer closure of the Chesapeake Bay striped bass fishery, prohibiting recreational angling from July 16 through July 31, to protect the resident stock of striped bass and decrease overall mortality in the bay. This measure, now in its sixth season,
Natural resources
United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore) has written a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, demanding answers following misleading statements made during a Senate committee hearing about Trump's proposed Forest Service budget. Wyden's letter comes after Schultz implied there had been no reduction
Natural resources
Governor Mike Kehoe has signed two significant Senate Bills, 79 and 82, aimed at protecting Missouri's farmers and strengthening rural communities. The legislation addresses healthcare accessibility and water preservation, showcasing the administration's commitment to supporting the state's agricultural backbone. By expanding healthcare access and
