Today, Western Values Project launched Money Trails, a new website that tracks the connections between special interest groups, public officials, and anti-public lands legislation in the West. At launch, the Money Trails website contains information on 15 anti-public lands groups operating in four Western states –Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. Money Trails also provides important context for these groups’ activities, profiling 46 federal and state officials involved in lands policy, and examining more than 35 legislative proposals that have potential impacts on public lands.

“Every day, America’s public lands and national monuments are put at risk by special interests and industry groups,” said Chris Saeger, Executive Director of Western Values Project. “Money Trails will be used in the fight to protect our public lands to empower citizens by informing them about the anti-public lands efforts taking place in their states.”

The website will be a tool to bring much-needed information to the debate about public lands policy, showing how anti-public lands actors shape legislation and influence elected officials. Going forward, Money Trails will continue tracking anti-public lands efforts and special interest groups across the West. Tips on anti-public lands and special interest groups, public officials and legislation can be submitted via the website.

Some of the anti-public lands actors highlighted on Money Trails include:

• The Arizona Cattlemen’s Association, which supported legislation that demanded that all federally owned public lands in Arizona be transferred to the state immediately.
• Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development (CRED), an oil and gas public relations group started by Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy to loosen standards for drilling on public lands.
• Protect Colorado, a political committee created by CRED that receives significant funding from the oil and gas industry, opposes any citizen-led efforts that could limit oil and gas profits, and has even been linked to bullying and harassment of advocacy groups.
• United Property Owners of Montana (UPOM), a campaign “hatched” by the public relations and political consulting firm the Montana Group to oppose hunting permit limits established by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department. UPOM supports restricting stream access to make it harder for Montana hunters to access public lands.
• The Montana Petroleum Association, an industry trade association that lobbied for legislation to open wilderness study areas in Montana to oil and gas exploration.
• Dan Perry, a wealthy ranch owner who supported the passage of legislation in New Mexico that prevents public access to streams and rivers that run through private property. Perry later formed the New Mexico Habitat Conservation Initiative to protect the law.