President Obama acted on the urging of several Native American tribes and their supporters by designating national monuments in Nevada and Utah. This action followed years of public demand for better protections and the growing threats from looting, vandalism and theft.

The Bureau of Land Management published its final mitigation handbook on December 23, setting industry-wide standards for both avoiding and offsetting damage caused to public lands from development.

For the first time, the federal government is implementing a set of comprehensive plans to improve the protection of land, water and wildlife that might be impacted by energy development and other projects on public lands.

BLM policies open the door for better outcomes for conservation and responsible development

Last week the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released final decisions for the TransWest Express and Gateway South transmission lines, giving the green light to a new 725-mile line stretching from southern Wyoming to southern Nevada (TransWest Express) and a new 400-mile line from southern Wyomi

“With this action, President Obama is protecting the extraordinary Arctic Ocean ecosystem while preventing an oil industry free-for-all in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.

The president is using a decades-old law to protect large stretches of the extraordinary Arctic Ocean ecosystem and underscore the nation’s commitment to fighting climate change.