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January 15, 2021 by

Trump Approves Sacred Land Swap for Foreign-Owned Mining Corporation – Silences Indigenous Voices

HELENA, MT – Today, the lame-duck Trump administration approved a controversial public land swap for foreign mining corporation Rio Tinto Ltd., paving the way for the corporation to move forward […]

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News Releases

January 13, 2021 by

Former Oil Lobbyist-Turned Interior Secretary to Ignore Judge’s Ruling on Sage-Grouse Rollbacks

Bernhardt Continues to Prioritize Big Oil and Gas Special Interests Despite Pandemic and Calls for Invoking the 25th Amendment  HELENA, MT – Earlier this week, Trump’s Interior Department and Bureau […]

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News Releases

January 11, 2021 by

Bad Acting Big Oil Corporations Stockpiling Permits Before Trump Goes

HELENA, MT – A recent story in the Associated Press shows dozens of oil and gas corporations rushing to secure drilling permits before the Biden administration begins. Research from Western […]

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News Releases

January 5, 2021 by

Bird in Gulf Oil Spill

Trump Finalizes Industry Requested Rollbacks To Migratory Bird Treaty Act 

Today, the Trump administration published its final rule to gut protections for migratory birds. The move finalizes major rollbacks to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 before the Biden administration comes into office. In response, Western Values Project Director Jayson O’Neill issued the following statement: 

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News Releases

December 22, 2020 by

Trump Admin Exploits Pandemic in Order to Fast-Track Damaging Projects 

A recent New York Times story found that the Trump administration is rushing to approve several controversial special interest projects, despite opposition from local and Indigenous communities. New research conducted by Western Values Project shows how the Trump administration is using the coronavirus pandemic in order to fast-track long-desired special interest projects, some with direct ties to officials within the administration. 

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News Releases

December 17, 2020 by

Biden’s New Interior Department Nominee Poised to Clean Up Trump Administration’s Toxic Legacy  

U.S. Representative Deb Haaland has been nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to be the 54th secretary of the Interior. New Mexico Congresswoman Haaland is an historic pick who is extremely qualified to lead the Interior Department with a diverse coalition of support backing her nomination. She would be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department and to serve in a presidential Cabinet if confirmed by the Senate.

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News Releases

December 16, 2020 by

Arctic Grayling

Revealed: New Endangered Species Habitat Definition Crafted By Conflicted Trump Official

This new narrow definition of habitat was crafted by one of Trump’s most conflicted political appointees Karen Budd-Falen, the original darling of the anti-public lands Sagebrush Rebellion movement. Budd-Falen’s clear conflicts of interest raise serious ethical questions about her stated involvement in this process.

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News Releases

November 30, 2020 by

sage grouse chicks

Trump Weakens Migratory Bird Treaty Act for Special Interests 

Late last week, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration published its final analysis of a rule to gut protections for migratory birds. The move paves the way for major rollbacks to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 before the Biden administration comes into office. The effort to gut the act has been fueled by Big Oil special interests tied to former oil lobbyist-turned Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt and Trump’s political appointees. In four short years, this administration has weakened or rolled back more than 125 environmental protections, with dozens more still in progress.  

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News Releases

November 30, 2020 by

Zion National Park

Trump to Ease Sage Grouse Protections on Western Lands 

The Associated Press recently reported President Trump’s plans to roll back essential protections for sage grouse. The plans are set to ease drilling and mining rules in greater sage grouse habitat and across several states of pristine public lands. Following Trump’s lame duck attack on public lands, Western Values Project director Jayson O’Neill issued the following statement: 

“Anti-public lands members of Congress seem to only be worried about pushing through harmful legislation during the lame duck session, instead of battling the pandemic. Meanwhile, Trump and his corrupt associates at Interior are trying to ram through as many special interests favors as they can before they leave office. The detrimental impacts of these favors are bound to harm our wildlife and public lands in the West for years to come.” 

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News Releases

November 16, 2020 by

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Trump’s Controversial Anti-Public Lands Federal Reserve Pick to be Approved by Senate Tomorrow 

Tomorrow, the lame-duck Senate will likely vote to confirm Trump’s controversial Federal Reserve nominee Judy Shelton. The move is seen as another desperate attempt by the Trump administration to shape the makeup of the board before leaving office. Shelton’s views on economic policy so are outdated, controversial, and extreme that her nomination had been viewed as all but dead until Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski inexplicably flipped her position despite Shelton’s suggestion that America’s public assets, including our public lands, be sold off to pay down the national debt.  

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