American Alpine Club and Winter Wildlands Alliance Celebrate Restoration of Key Components to NEPA

Photo by @ofallnationsmedia

The American Alpine Club (AAC) and Winter Wildlands Alliance (WWA) are pleased to announce that the Biden Administration took an important step towards restoring critical parts of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a bedrock environmental law.

Over the past two years, our #ProtectNEPA campaign has fought to protect wild winter landscapes and climbing areas across the country. Together, we sued the Trump administration for gutting NEPA in 2020 and then petitioned the Biden administration in 2021 to take action to repair the law by restoring critical regulatory requirements that were removed in 2020.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality heard our requests, and began a two phase process to reverse the damaging 2020 changes to the regulations that implement NEPA. This week, the CEQ published a final “Phase 1” rule effectively overturning three parts of the 2020 Rule, restoring key pieces of NEPA and requiring that federal agencies:

• Consider the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of a proposed project, including an analysis of how greenhouse gas emissions from an action may impact climate change;

• No longer prioritize the goals of an applicant over the public interest when developing the Purpose and Need or alternatives of a proposed action;

• Give the public a greater voice in the environmental review process for projects on federal lands;

• Consider the regulations as a “floor” and not a “ceiling” when considering the value of more protective regulations.

The final rule announced on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, will take effect on May 20, 2022, but it only restores some of the provisions from the original 1978 regulations. The AAC and WWA encourage the CEQ to act quickly in tackling Phase 2 of restoring NEPA, where they must consider how to correct the broader procedural changes to the regulations. We urge the CEQ to ensure that the voices of communities most impacted by environmental harm, as well as the commitments of the administration to address the climate crisis, are accurately reflected in their final rule.

Photo by Jeff Deikis

“This Phase 1 Rule is an important first step in restoring NEPA”, said Hilary Eisen, Policy Director with Winter Wildlands Alliance. “We look forward to continuing to work with the CEQ as they move forward into Phase 2, to ensure that NEPA continues to give the public a voice in federal decisions and provide environmental safeguards for generations to come.”   

“Efforts from the previous administration to dismantle NEPA left our public lands, communities and climate vulnerable to ill-informed and biased decision-making processes,” said Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager for the American Alpine Club. “This is a significant win for the outdoor recreation community and an important step towards restoring the strength and potential of NEPA to address our nation's most pressing environmental needs.”

We are grateful to the many thousands of outdoor advocates who took action to #ProtectNEPA and look forward to continuing to partner with the Biden Administration to ensure that the interests of the climbing and backcountry skiing communities remain front of mind in federal decision making.

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Contact for more information:

Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager, American Alpine Club, tluneau@americanalpineclub.org

Hilary Eisen, Policy Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance, heisen@winterwildlands.org

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The New Era of Climbing Management Plans & Regulations

Climbers gazing up at Middle Cathedral from the floor of Yosemite Valley. Yosemite was recently the scene of a new permitting process for big wall climbers. Lands of the Central Sierra Miwok peoples. AAC Member Bryan Meyer

5 minute read

The New Era of Climbing Management Plans & Regulations

Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

Across the country, people are flocking to recreate on our nations’ public lands in record setting numbers. Calico Basin, found within the world famous Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, experienced a 340% increase in visitation over the past decade. Across the West, peak season campsite occupancy rates have risen by an estimated 47% since 2014. The phenomena, which Colorado State University’s Public Land History Center is aptly calling “the Public Landemic” has been widely reported on and our climbing areas are feeling the pressure like everywhere else.

While the pandemic pushed people out of climbing gyms and up to our local crags, the climbing communities’ massive growth can also be attributed to, among other things, the explosion of climbing gyms across the country, the emergence of climbers at the Oscars, and the long awaited appearance of climbing in the Olympics—outcomes that naturally, we would all celebrate. But with growth comes growing pains. The flood of climbers into the outdoors is creating a tipping point for land managers who, due to lack of sustained funding and staff capacity, struggle to mitigate the increased stress on infrastructure caused by overcrowding. In response, the climbing community is experiencing a notable uptick in new regulations such as permit programs, timed entry and fee systems as well as other restrictions to our favorite climbing destinations.

Climbers at a busy crag at Calico Basin in Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area. These popular sport climbing areas outside Las Vegas, NV have seen some of the highest increase in use over the past 10 years. Lands of the Southern Paiute, & Newe peoples. AAC member Jon Glassberg

While I do not openly welcome any limitations on our communities’ access to climbing, I do understand that there are certain limits of unacceptable impacts to ecological and cultural resources as well as the recreational experience itself, that land managers are tasked with monitoring and mitigating. In the best case scenario, agency officials will make management recommendations that are supported by authentic community engagement, grounded in science, and adaptable to new information and recreation trends. Where in some areas a timed entry program may be a useful management tool, in others, that tool may be totally misapplied. This gets to the heart of why the AAC continues to fight for the public process and transparency embodied in the National Environmental Policy Act—the Magna Carta of environmental law and the legal basis that allows the public to comment on the management of our public lands. The land management programs that are being proposed to address overcrowding on our public lands must be tailored to the needs and specifics of the given landscape and its affiliated communities; this public comment process allows this to manifest.

Over the past year I’ve witnessed our community lean into this reality in a big way. Climbers stepped up to engage in difficult discussions on how to establish route development ethics in Ten Sleep (a plan that was recently abandoned due to US Forest Service staffing shortages), they provided critical insights on how our community interacts with wilderness climbing resources in Joshua Tree and Yosemite, they shared feedback on use patterns in Calico Basin, and they offered valuable knowledge on access points to Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park – just to name a few.

Advocacy doesn’t just happen on Capitol Hill. You
can always get involved with a trail maintenance or clean up day at your local climbing area. Here, climbers give back to the crags they love during the Smith Rock Craggin Classic. Lands of the Tenino peoples and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. AAC member Luke Humphrey

At several recent public hearings regarding management plans for climbing areas across the country (such as the Calico Basin RAMP/EA where hundreds of climbers showed up to share their thoughts) I’ve heard comments regarding these rules as stifling the spontaneous nature of climbing and limiting the freedom we’ve experienced as a user group for decades. These are valuable and important concerns that must be communicated to land management agencies. Climbers must actively engage in these regulatory discussions and call attention to when agencies can be doing better. In doing so, we can emphasize a deep understanding of our user groups’ distinct needs, movement patterns, and cultural values. When appropriate, we must hold decision makers accountable, and request they go back to the drawing board to reconsider their plans and evaluate their intentions.

We must also understand that growth in our sport is a great thing. Consider the many wild adventures and profound relationships that you’ve developed through your own climbing experiences. It’s well documented that recreation outdoors supports public health and wellbeing, not to mention endless economic benefits for local communities. As the AAC reflects on our own history, we’re challenging ourselves to be more inclusive and welcoming to a broader, bigger, and more diverse community of climbers. Welcoming a bigger community of climbers to the outdoors will undoubtedly make our advocacy for access challenging and nuanced, but our community will be more vibrant, rich, and dare I say more politically powerful because of it.

The era we live in as climbers is a unique one and represents a significant departure from the past. With management plans popping up across the country, we have an opportunity to ensure that our climbing areas are properly cared for, that access to these spaces is more equitable, that local Tribes have better opportunities to guide the management of their ancestral lands (there is still much room for improvement), and that the character of these important places continues to offer unique experiences for generations of climbers to come. The great thing is that climbers have done this before. We’ve worked hard to educate each other about respecting culturally sensitive sites, we’ve observed and successfully self enforced raptor closures, and we’ve stewarded the trails and local infrastructure at our climbing areas. We need to carry these successes forward.

Right now, a local climbing organization or AAC chapter in your area can undoubtedly use your help, your unique experience and your voice to protect our climbing areas. Many of these local advocacy groups have developed strong relationships with land managers and are currently assisting them with the management of local crags and public lands. I encourage you to seek out these groups, offer your time and professional expertise, join public meetings with land managers to share your insights, submit substantive comments on management plans, and look for action alerts from national organizations like the Access Fund and American Alpine Club. Through your efforts we may see our climbing areas change in positive ways, like newly graded roads, parking lots, bathrooms and more sustainably built trails — not to mention acknowledgement as an important user group and thought partner in the stewardship of our public lands.

The times are changing, but we don’t have to simply accept it for what it is. We can play a critical role in coming up with creative solutions alongside land managers. Your voice matters: get involved.

Colorado Policy Update: Protecting the Thompson Divide

Climbers stand up for the CORE Act, protecting the state’s outdoor heritage

by Lea Linse

*this article originally appeared in the AAC Summit Register, Issue 001

Tucked between the Rocky Mountains to the East and red deserts to the West lie 200,000 acres of quiet land known as the Thompson Divide. With its rolling hills, scrub forests, picturesque cattle pastures, and dusty sagebrush, the Divide lacks the grandeur and snow capped summits that you find in the nearby Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. It also lacks the throngs of summer hikers and incessant busy roads, instead offering meandering trails, trickling streams, and only a few quiet roads. Though it sits within an hour drive of the internationally renowned sport climbing mecca Rifle Mountain Park as well as the granite paradise of Independence Pass, I see why the Thompson Divide isn’t on climbers’ radar. It hosts only one small sport crag (a local favorite however), and the quality boulders, sport crags, and ice climbs around the tiny town of Redstone are just beyond the border of the Divide. While rock climbing isn’t going to put the Thompson Divide on the map, the Thompson Divide remains relevant to all of us.

In the last decade, the Thompson Divide gained notoriety as the centerpiece of a fierce grassroots campaign showcasing the importance of public land resources, and the value of citizen engagement in public land management.

The threat to development on the Thompson Divide has been long contested by Western Slope locals. Land of the Ute peoples. EcoFlight

The vast majority of the Thompson Divide is public land, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Forest Service (USFS) for “multiple uses.” This land supports a wealth of agriculture, tourism, and recreational opportunities like hiking, climbing, biking, and hunting. The Thompson Divide has been at the heart of the Roaring Fork Valley ranching community for more than a century, supporting 30+ successful farms and cattle ranches that graze animals on this rich land.

As a kid growing up in Carbondale, I understood early on that my quality of life was greatly improved by the access we had to the outdoors. This meant building forts, going sledding (the Thompson Divide had the best sledding hill around), and eating cheeseburgers from grass-fed beef raised fifteen minutes up the road in the Thompson Divide. In high school, at a time when I was itching for more independence and an escape from teenage drama, the safe and accessible public lands on the Divide allowed me to satisfy those needs through outdoor recreation. There, I learned to backcountry ski, went on my first no-adults backpacking trip with friends, and led my first sport climb.

In the late 2000s, rumors surfaced that a Houston-based company wanted to drill for natural gas in the Thompson Divide. The company owned several natural gas leases there, but had yet to develop them. When leases are developed the impact is noticeable. Development includes the building of new roads, frequent use of heavy machinery and subsequent truck traffic, and multiple wells with automated pumps. The expansive spider web of infrastructure required to service these leases is evident in nearby towns along the I-70 corridor, where, if driving from the Front Range of Colorado to Utah, you could see numerous natural gas wells and related facilities. This sprawling network is even more visible from the air. This development falls mostly within Garfield County, home to Rifle Mountain Park. This county produced more natural gas than any other county in Colorado—sometimes more than twice as much as other leading counties—from 2007-2014.

Natural gas development in the Divide quickly became the talk of the town in Carbondale. There were new articles in the paper almost daily about the topic, which my mom would clip and save for me to read. I remember reading about the newly formed Thompson Divide Coalition (TDC) in 2007, a group that would become the soul of the grassroots effort to conserve the Divide. TDC is governed by a diverse volunteer board of local stakeholders like ranchers, small business owners, and community leaders who all agree on one thing—the Thompson Divide is a place too special to drill for natural gas. They made clear from the start that they weren’t against natural gas development on the whole, and many of them even cringed at being called “environmentalists.” Rather, they simply wanted what was best for their community.

Around the time that the TDC was formed, natural gas development in Garfield County was exploding as a result of technological advances and federal policies that encouraged rapid development. As natural gas wells became more numerous in rural communities such as Parachute, Silt, and Rifle, public health concerns associated with natural gas development were frequently reported by residents.

For example, in 2010, Garfield County released a Health Impact Assessment specific to a drilling plan in the nearby community of Battlement Mesa finding that, “[this] development plan is likely to change air quality and produce undesirable health impacts in residents living in close proximity throughout the community...”. Additionally, in 2011, the nonprofit Global Community Monitor found elevated levels of “22 toxic chemicals,” including hydrogen sulfide in the air near natural gas drilling sites (and rural homes) in Silt. And in 2013, there was a notable benzene leak confirmed in Parachute Creek, near several residential water wells.

Thompson Divide Coalition members speak with a Forest Service representative to encourage the preservation of the Divide. Land of the Ute peoples.

With this backdrop of contamination reports and health complaints, residents near the Thompson Divide were extremely concerned about the impacts of drilling near their homes. Still, research on the topic remained scarce and sometimes conflicting, such as in a 2017 study conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment that claimed “the risk of harmful health effects (was) low for residents living near oil and gas operations” but called for further research on exposure risks. We know now, however, following the updated report in 2019 by ICF, that emissions near drilling and hydraulic fracturing sites can cause serious negative health impacts.

In addition to health and pollution concerns, one of the strongest arguments for protecting the divide were the economic benefits. Benefits the community argued, relied on the land remaining undeveloped.

An economic impact analysis completed in 2013 found that recreation, agriculture, and tourism—activities that locals argued would be most negatively impacted by natural gas development—collectively contribute nearly 300 jobs and $30 million to the local economy each year. In a town of only 6,500 people in 2013—those numbers make a big difference. These uses of the Divide are also sustainable. They’ve provided for the community for generations and would continue to, so long as the Divide was left free of development. This was an argument that helped to rally a broad base of supporters, well beyond those whose health or property might be affected.

There are many other benefits to not allowing oil and gas in the Divide. Extracting carbon rich fuels and leaching methane into the air is counterproductive to combating climate change. Leaving fossil fuels in the ground is truly a form of climate action. In addition, several of the areas up for lease at the time were federally designated roadless areas. By cutting roads into these pristine areas, natural gas development would disrupt wildlife like deer and elk, pushing them out of critical winter ranges and disrupting their migration and calving grounds.

Five years after the Thompson Divide Coalition formed, the area was as threatened as ever. I knew I had to add my voice to the fight so I started a student led initiative aimed at engaging young people in this local issue. I spoke at a town hall meeting in front of nearly 300 people and later helped organize a student delegation to deliver 1,152 letters from concerned citizens to the BLM headquarters in Silt, CO, asking them to let the leases expire.

These experiences opened my eyes to the challenges of grassroots activism, and the importance of local land managers and government officials. In the case of mineral leasing, almost all of the key decisions that we were concerned about were being made right down the road, in local BLM offices, at county commission meetings, and in town halls by people who lived in our communities, not politicians in far away places. Because of the proximity of decision makers, and our efforts to engage them, I feel we made a significant difference, not only in our community, but in the trajectory of the Thompson Divide debate.

What would be a key decider for the fate of several leases on the Thompson Divide would be the environmental impact analysis the BLM was forced to conduct in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. As it turned out, the BLM’s first analysis was improperly conducted resulting in their issuing of the leases illegally.

When the BLM released the updated draft EIS in November 2015, they received over 50,000 comments—most in support of protecting the Divide and doing away with the illegal leases. For reference, the population of Carbondale and Glenwood Springs combined amounted to less than 20,000 people in 2016, demonstrating the widespread nature of support from all surrounding communities and businesses. On top of that, the BLM hosted 3 public meetings for citizens to raise concerns. One meeting in Carbondale turned out a whopping 240 people on a Wednesday night!

With the consistent outcry from the public, and the updated environmental analysis, the BLM decided to cancel 25 undeveloped leases in the heart of the Thompson Divide—a reality that would not have emerged without the NEPA process.

Though several of the leases in the Thompson Divide have been cancelled, the area has yet to be removed from future leasing. The hope of permanent protection was introduced in a bill sponsored by Senator Bennett in 2017 called the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act, which has since been lumped into a larger package called the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE) Act.

The CORE Act could have economic and ecological benefits for regions in CO beyond the Thompson Divide.

The CORE Act, recognizes the economic and ecological benefits provided by public lands like the Thompson Divide, and would permanently withdraw the Divide from new leasing. The Act also introduces protections for recreational opportunities in other locations across Colorado—designating wilderness in the San Juans, protecting climbing areas in the 10 Mile Range and preserving climbing history by establishing a first-of-its-kind National Historic Landscape to honor Colorado’s military legacy at Camp Hale.

The CORE Act, however, has met significant political resistance from certain actors. Representative Tipton, for instance, introduced a similar bill of his own, the REC Act, which is nearly identical to the CORE Act except that it doesn’t include protection for the Thompson Divide. Reportedly, this omission was due to concerns from some of Tipton’s constituents, mainly the Garfield County Commissioners, who have consistently opposed protections for the Divide and sided with oil and gas companies. The Thompson Divide Coalition has implored residents of Garfield County to write to their commissioners and tell them to support protections for the Divide, but with seemingly little result.

It is frustrating to see this resistance continue to perpetuate from Garfield County to higher levels of the government. For example, citing Tipton’s concerns (which drew on Garfield County’s concerns), Senator Cory Gardner is now mounting resistance to the CORE Act in the Senate.

I believe the outpouring of community support, and especially its sincerity, is what distinguishes the Thompson Divide and earns it a place in federal legislation. Not only did residents take every opportunity to provide comments, attend community meetings, speak to their local government face-to-face, and write letters of support; they did so with a unique non-partisan sincerity that is difficult to ignore.

Supporting the protection of the Divide didn’t mean you were against oil and gas development in other areas where the impacts to the community and the local environment were less demonstrable. Nor did it mean you were an “environmentalist.” Supporting the Divide meant you cared deeply about the land, the wildlife, and the well-being of a healthy ecosystem, and that even development of essential mineral resources had to be sensitive to local and environmental needs. As one rancher famously quipped in an interview, “I ain’t no granola-crunching hippy,” but he shared the community belief that the Thompson Divide was too special of a place to drill.

While the Thompson Divide may not be home to one of our nations’ classic climbing areas, the protections afforded by the CORE Act preserve world class recreation all across Colorado. It preserves our climate by keeping carbon in the ground, safeguards public health and protects critical wildlife habitat by maintaining unfragmented forests. Land management challenges like that of the Thompson Divide are not unique, although the landscape is. Agency officials all over the country are making decisions about the future of our public lands and the energy development that occurs on them. Without the continued support of citizens like you, and the leadership of elected officials who share our concern for these places, they won’t receive the protections they rightfully deserve. There’s no time to be a silent bystander, we need to use our voice, go vote and spark the change we want to see.

Reflections on the Bears Ears Restoration

A week ago today, the Biden-Harris Administration made the profoundly important decision to honor the voices of Indigenous communities, climbers, and conservationists by restoring protections to three national monuments including Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments. The American Alpine Club is thrilled about this action and grateful to our partners who led the charge to protect these important landscapes. We are particularly proud of our friends at the Access Fund, who on behalf of climbers, joined a lawsuit protesting the illegal reduction of Bears Ears and have feverishly lobbied Congress to restore protections to this important landscape. We are also grateful to the Bears-Ears Intertribal Coalition, who have invested innumerable hours of effort defending traditional values, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is incorporated into future management decisions and ultimately protecting a sacred site significant to many Tribes such as the Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and Ute Tribe.

We join our partners today to celebrate their hard work and commend the administration’s commitment to conserving this unique ecological and cultural heritage.

As the first national monument designated at the request of the Tribes, this action is truly about honoring First Nations who have called this landscape home for time immemorial. “This monument designation, under the first Indigenous Secretary of Interior, signals the role that Tribes will play in the future management of federal public lands,” said AAC Board member and founder of Natives Outdoors Len Necefer. “It’s imperative that the climbing community take steps to build a productive relationship with Tribes to ensure that the collaboration between these communities that occurred on Bears Ears becomes the norm.”

PC: Taylor Luneau

Reflecting on his experience witnessing President Biden sign the Presidential Proclamation, Chris Winters, Executive Director of the Access Fund said, “We are absolutely elated that President Biden stood up to protect Bears Ears National Monument and conserve this national treasure. This is a huge win for Indigenous people in the greater fight for America’s public lands. This proclamation not only protects climbing and the vast cultural and scientific resources at Bears Ears, but it also helps to uphold the integrity of the Antiquities Act and protects all national monuments around the country. It also recognizes the importance of outdoor recreation in these places.”

Like so many of you, the staff here at the AAC share a deep connection to Indian Creek and the desert landscape of Southeastern Utah. Previously, our current Policy Manager - then graduate student - penned an article highlighting the illegal use of presidential authority to rescind protections for 85% of the original monument designation at Bears Ears. “It is truly a historic achievement for Tribes and climbers alike” said AAC Policy Manager, Taylor Luneau, in light of the restoration. “Not only are the vast climbing resources of Bears Ears once again protected, but the action contributes to broader conservation goals laid out in the America the Beautiful plan, which strives to conserve 30 percent of our land and water by 2030—an effort that is crucial to combatting the climate crisis and ensuring close to home nature for all Americans.” 

Much like completing a new route, a milestone of this nature is never reached alone. “This success points to the importance of civic engagement, partnerships, and the value of advocating for our shared landscapes,”  emphasized AAC CEO Mitsu Iwasaki. “Thousands of people activated to write letters and call their elected officials, to attend protests and rallies, and to document and share their unique experiences in places like Indian Creek. Now we see the true impact our collective actions can have.” 

PC: Taylor Luneau

“The Biden administration’s recently restored protections for one of America’s most iconic, wild, adventurous, antiquities rich, awe inspiring, and home to Indian Creek, ecosystems - Bears Ears, should be a day of celebration, relief, joy and vigilance,” said AAC Board member Peter Metcalf. “With time, Bears Ears will become as famous and cherished as Yellowstone or Bryce Canyon National parks. We at the AAC should be both most appreciative and proud. Though we have substantial reasons to be appreciative of the administration's brave restoration and proud of our work, we must all now be aware that without committed, focused vigilance, it could be lost again to the banal financial benefit of a few.” 

The AAC remains committed to advocating for the protection and stewardship of Bears Ears and all of our public lands. As a community of climbers, we must continue to steward this important landscape, educate ourselves on low impact recreation and maintain our vigilance during future management decisions for the world class rock climbing of Indian Creek and beyond. Importantly, we must continue to support Tribal leaders and center the voices of Indigenous communities who call this place home.

A Big Opportunity to Invest in Climate Action + Public Lands!

AAC is Excited about the Reconciliation+Infrastructure Package: Here is Why

Over the past several months, Congress has been making big moves in order to address the climate crisis through both the infrastructure package and the budget reconciliation process. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our Representatives to allocate serious funding to address the climate crisis and protect public lands. 

There is room within these processes to invest in public lands, take bold action on climate, reform outdated oil and gas leasing processes, and create new pathways for Americans to be employed on public lands. In order to ensure we hold our Lawmakers accountable, we must demand that our elected officials go big on climate. 

Why must we use the budget reconciliation process to go big on climate?

The Senate can pass reconciliation bills with a simple majority vote rather than a filibuster-proof vote. This means that the bill could pass on the grounds of a one-vote majority rather than needing a 3/5ths majority vote which equates to a 60 vote minimum. Given the current 50-50 Democrat-Republican split in the Senate, the budget reconciliation process could allow for an easier path to a whole-of-government approach to taking bold action on climate.

Where are we in the process?

Legislative priorities of the committees who are engaged in the reconciliation process were due to the Senate on September 15. Once all of the individual pieces of legislation are consolidated, the Senate will then vote on the entire package, as will the House. If at that point the House and Senate adopt different reconciliation bills, they must then come together in a conference committee (a committee composed of select senators and house members) to work out the differences between the two. 

Once the budget reconciliation bill is passed by both chambers, the House will then need to vote on the infrastructure package. If the House decides to make changes to the bill, which is likely to happen, the two chambers will once again need to reconcile the differences in committee. Due to these factors, it is hard to predict when the process will reach completion. This is why it is more important than ever to share your thoughts on this process with your Lawmakers.

Amendments AAC is Advocating For:

There are many different things that you as a constituent can advocate to your Representatives for in this process. We have outlined several of the amendments we are most excited about below. At the end of this blog, there is an action alert you can utilize to write your Lawmakers. While sending an email to encourage bold action on climate is great, it is even more powerful to include the things you care about most in the text. Please copy + paste various bullet points that stand out to you as important in the points below. 

1. Support the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC): 

   1. The CCC would be an investment in both people and public lands and is a critical piece of the climate change mitigation puzzle. We must prioritize climate action on public lands as we rebuild our economy. Congress should use budget reconciliation to fund the CCC to work to restore critical ecosystems, address deferred maintenance needs, and advance energy retrofitting on public lands. The CCC has the opportunity to support rural and frontline communities through improving public lands access, mitigating climate risks, and creating new jobs. 

   2. In order for the CCC to reach its full potential, there must be a federal public lands funding component. Congress needs to provide funding to the land management agencies that are explicitly dedicated to the implementation of the CCC projects. If there is no dedicated funding for individual projects, there may not be the budget required to see public lands projects to fruition. We are urging Congress and the House Natural Resources Committee to add a specific budgetary line item to fund these projects in order for the CCC to have its biggest impact. 

   3. Lastly, Congress must ensure that the budget for the CCC accounts for a living wage for Corps members. 

2. Protections for Critical and Sacred Landscapes: Oak Flat + Arctic National Wildlife Refuge!

   1. Please support the investment in shielding Oak Flat, a sacred site of the Apache people in Arizona from the Resolution Copper mine. 

   2. Please support the repeal of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program as well as the cancellation of all leases that were sold as a result of the previous administration’s lease sale. 

3. Investment in Public Land Climate Resiliency 

   1. Please support the funds being allocated to the individual public lands agencies in order to support the protection, restoration, and resiliency of public lands and resources. Investing in these protections is critical for the economic viability of gateway communities outside of public lands, thousands of jobs, and the support of outfitters + guides who operate their businesses on public lands. 

4. Support Mineral Leasing Act Reform

   1. It is reassuring to see thoughtful amendments to the Mineral Leasing Act included in reconciliation. There must be a fair price, and economic return, established for leasing minerals on public lands, and the price has historically been too low. Please support the proposed increased cost of acreage and the requirement that once every 4 years the dollar amounts pertaining to mineral leasing on public lands are assessed for inflation and market needs. Additionally, the effort to shorten the mineral leasing terms is a good step in the right direction, please support these amendments.     

5. Protect NEPA!

   1. Please support the funds being allocated to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Environmental Policy Act. In order for NEPA to be most effective and ensure that projects are subject to thorough environmental review, there is a need to add capacity via additional funding and personnel. 

6. Bonding Reform and Orphaned Wells Clean up: Create New Jobs! 

   1. We are glad to see $4.7 billion for orphan wells clean up in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. This funding represents a great start toward addressing a massive, country-wide clean-up need. 

   2. We must also address the system that creates these wells in the first place, so we are not faced with the same situation down the road, continuing to leave taxpayers with the cleanup responsibility for the industry’s mess. 

   3. It is crucial to pass the landmark updates to the federal oil and gas bonding requirements, to help better cover the cost of clean-up. This will save the federal government and taxpayers money, and act to prevent future orphaned wells while protecting communities, creating jobs, and combating climate change. 

   4. The BLM does have the authority to raise federal bond amounts, but the agency has failed to do so. Congress must act to ensure that bond updates are in statute, and not dependent on an agency that has failed to address this issue for decades. 

   5. A 2019 GAO report found that current federal bonding requirements for oil and gas operators are inadequate and outdated. These must be updated. Bond amounts have not been updated since the 1950s and 1960s, and have never been adjusted for inflation, nor advances in technology that increase reclamation costs.

7. Carbon Pricing 

   1. We support the inclusion of an adjusted carbon pricing system within budget reconciliation. Starting with a low price (~$20/ton) and increasing after five years will incentivize clean energy production and consumption. As well as a border adjustment tax that will put the United States at a global advantage as we see a shift towards carbon taxation and climate action overseas.

   2. The use of carbon tax funds to pay for other climate policies. This will offset the total cost of climate action. 

   3. Full investment in an updated electric grid to decrease carbon in power production and increase disaster resilience. 

   4. Invest in financially and physically accessible electric vehicles and charging stations through tax rebates and infrastructure investments. 

Anti-public lands advocate nominated to lead BLM —Tell Congress you disapprove

Trump nominates anti-public lands advocate to lead blm

On Tuesday, William Perry Pendley was officially nominated by Donald Trump to be the first permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during Trump’s presidency. Yes, you read that correctly. For the last four years, the Trump administration has skirted the political system of checks and balances by allowing “acting directors” to run several public land agencies. Pendley, one of those acting directors selected by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, was tasked with managing 245 million acres of public lands. This official nomination from the White House is three and a half years too late and is still the wrong candidate.  

What should have happened?

When Trump was elected president, he had the responsibility of nominating people to  leadership roles across all government agencies. Once someone is nominated for a role, the Senate is tasked to assess whether or not the individual is the right fit for leading an agency by voting to confirm the individual. Two-thirds, or 67 members of the Senate must agree to confirm Pendley to the role of BLM Director.

Who is Pendley?

Like many other public land officials involved in this administration, Pendley has a long history of staunchly supporting the sale of public lands. In addition to this, he’s also considered by many to be more of a fringe voice in the public lands conversation, emphasizing the need for less government control of land and claiming that “The Founding Fathers intended all lands owned by the federal government to be sold,” (National Review, 2016). 

What can we do to stop this?

Many senators in key re-election races throughout the west, and across the country, rely on public lands voters. This puts those senators in a tricky position knowing that they will let those voters down if they confirm Pendley right before the November election. We can act now to put pressure on our senators, and let them know that we see Pendley as unfit to lead the BLM.

Policy updates in the era of COVID

COVID19 is inundating the national news cycle—and it should be. During this global pandemic, people want the latest information about the virus and how to best protect themselves and those around them. It can be hard to consider attacks on the environment when many are working at the front lines of the epidemic, have lost jobs or income, or are experiencing the sudden responsibility of caring for family members.

While we adapt to this new “normal”, the government is still chugging along making decisions that affect our public lands and waters. 

Recently, we’ve witnessed some issues that gave us pause for concern. During a time of media overload, government officials are working without the same level of public scrutiny, and some appear to be exploiting this opportunity.

In a time of national crisis, the government should press pause on all non-essential activities, just like the rest of us. But over the past few weeks we’ve observed government officials loosening regulations on polluters, pushing anti-environmental rule makings without sufficient public engagement, making final decisions on land use plans, and even hosting lease sales of oil, gas, and coal on public lands.

All government efforts should be focused on the current crisis and ensuring that every American is supported throughout. 

While many members of Congress have called for a halt to actions such as the proposed changes to the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, the administration seems to be pushing their “energy dominance” agenda forward. This may have to do with fast approaching deadlines imposed by the Congressional Review Act, a law that could allow the next administration to erase any rule or regulation implemented later this year. 

The American Alpine Club has put our outdoor endeavors on hold temporarily, but we’re still keeping an eye on what’s happening behind the scenes. We want to distill some of what we’ve seen to catch you up to speed.

ISSUES TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR

Suspect candidates continue being placed in high-ranking land management positions

Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt—a former lobbyist for oil, gas, and agricultural industries–is in charge of managing 700 million acres of American public lands. Among his many responsibilities are to oversee public land managers at agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) where in January, he extended the tenure of Director to a person who expressed anti-public lands ideology in the past and was not formally confirmed by the typical process in the Senate. Most recently, Bernhardt appointed Edward Keable, a longtime associate of Bernhardt’s, to oversee Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) as Superintendent. Keable’s lack of formal experience within the National Park Service (NPS) is concerning at a time when the GCNP faces continued threats of uranium mining and a controversial development project on the Park’s iconic South Rim—a project that Bernhardt’s old lobbying firm strongly supports. Not only does this appointment take the opportunity away from qualified NPS career employees, but it yet again demonstrates the current administration's lack of commitment to protecting public lands by undermining leadership positions at land management agencies.

National Park Fees were waived before more than half of Parks close their gates

While many National Parks and other public lands have since decided to shut their gates in order to maintain social distancing orders, protect their staff, and reduce crowding—a responsible move that should be commended—Secretary Bernhardt’s initial response to the COVID pandemic was to waive all national parks fees and leave the parks open. Similar to the government shutdown of 2019, National Parks were inundated with visitors ready to explore the nation’s public lands. Typically, these visitation numbers and new visitor groups would be celebrated. However, risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus amongst park employees and gateway communities led many towns and counties to request the closure of their nearby public lands. At this point more than half of the 62 National Parks have closed their gates to the public.

The EPA is loosening its hold on critical environmental standards

The EPA decided to suspend enforcement on various environmental laws allowing companies to not satisfy important health and environmental standards during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the policy change is temporary, and the “EPA will assess the continued need for and scope of this temporary policy on a regular basis”, there is no end date in sight as the pandemic presses on. Vague language encouraging entities to “make every effort to comply with environmental compliance obligations” amounts essentially to a massive hall pass for dirty corporations who are no longer required by the EPA to monitor their pollution. Without clear understanding on when the COVID pandemic will end, it is highly irresponsible for the EPA to allow industry to utilize the pandemic as a free pass.

Agency rulemaking charges forward amidst calls from Congress to stop

New research from the Center for Western Priorities found that the Interior Department executed 57 separate policy actions unrelated to COVID-19, occurring after President Trump signed the first emergency Coronavirus bill on March 6th. Many of these decisions resulted in the expansion of oil and gas leases, removal of protections for wildlife, or increased mining operations across the country. Despite numerous requests from members of Congress and State officials for Secretary Bernhardt to suspend rulemakings during the pandemic, it appears the Interior has opted to push through policy with limited public input. Americans should not be required to find and comment on rulemakings when they are experiencing such upheaval in their daily lives. 

CEQ and USFS continue to chip away at NEPA

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), widely regarded as the “Magna Carta” of environmental law, has been under relentless attack over the past year. You may recall this past summer the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) was considering sweeping changes to how it implements NEPA that would drastically limit engagement on up to 93% of USFS projects. More recently, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is attempting to rewrite the rules that implement NEPA. The proposed rule would drastically restrict public engagement in future environmental analysis, limit the scope of environmental reviews, and cut out important tools for combating climate change. Both the USFS and CEQ are working through their revisions now, and the AAC and our partners are keeping a close eye on their progress. It’s important to stay vigilant at times when the Federal government seems to be limiting important checks and balances.

SOME GOOD NEWS

Okay, that was heavy and we get there’s no absence of stress inducing news right now. So, to leave things on a high-note, here are a couple golden nuggets to celebrate.

The Great American Outdoors Act gets a look

You may recall back in early March (what feels like a lifetime ago) when the President called on Congress to fund public lands, kicking off a bi-partisan package called The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The bill includes all sorts of good things that we, and out partners at the Outdoor Alliance, have been advocating for. Things like permanent funding for the LWCF and addressing maintenance backlogs on public lands through the Restore our Parks Act. Congress is rightly focused on addressing the coronavirus response but at some point in the future, they’ll turn their attention to infrastructure bills like GAOA to help the country rebuild. In the meantime, you can learn more about GAOA and write your lawmakers in support of the package. Expect to hear more from us on this package soon.

The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day is around the corner

While the typical celebrations and rallies for Earth Day won't be happening in person this year, many organizations are bringing their efforts online. Check out the Digital Earth Day events happening all over the globe! The first earth day in 1970 was propagated due to poor air and water quality across the country (not to mention that some rivers were literally on fire!). Due to the incredible advocacy of people at all levels of government, our nation has made incredible strides in environmental conservation. Take a moment to celebrate our progress as environmental advocates on April 22.

Photo Credit: Amelia Howe

Action Alert: Keep the Climbing Community's Voice in Public Land Management

The Forest Service is Proposing Changes to NEPA: Please Sign Our Action Alert to Ask Them to Stop!

Signed into law January 1, 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was the first major environmental law in the United States and is often referred to as the “Magna Carta” of environmental laws. While it created the Council on Environmental Quality, NEPA is most well-known for requiring the federal government to analyze the environmental impact of its decisions. Which decisions you ask?

NEPA requires that actions by “all agencies of the Federal Government” which are deemed to be “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment” must be accompanied by “a detailed statement by the responsible official on the environmental impact of the proposed action.” By requiring this environmental review process, agencies like the National Forest Service must “…use all practicable means, consistent with other essential considerations of national policy’ to avoid environmental degradation, preserve ‘historic, cultural and natural’ resources and promote ‘the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without…undesirable and unintended consequences.”

Whether through an Environmental Assessment (EA), or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the review process provides an opportunity for the public to weigh in on Federal decision making and offer thoughts on agency analysis as well as to propose alternatives to chosen actions. These public comment periods are critical to the work we do at the American Alpine Club, alongside the members of the Outdoor Alliance, on such important public land management issues as Forest Plan Revisions or Forest Service Projects.

Currently, the U.S. Forest Service is considering sweeping changes to how it implements NEPA that would drastically limit public engagement on up to 93% of USFS projects, allowing actions like logging and road building to proceed without environmental review or public comment. This would be accomplished by the addition of several new Categorical Exclusions (CE’s), which require limited environmental analysis and public involvement. If a project is granted a CE, extended amount of environmental review, either through and EA or more extensive EIS, is not required. For climbers these changes would be detrimental considering that, according to the Access Fund, there are over 10,000 climbing areas located on USFS lands across the country. These proposed changes could cut the climbing community out of the planning process and a risk degradation to our cherished climbing environment.

Supporters of this “fast-tracking” of agency actions claim the Forest Service is simply increasing the efficiency of its review process. While there may be legitimate reasons to increase the efficiency of agency reviews, they should not come at the cost of public involvement or at the quality of our clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and recreation access on federal lands.

The Forest Service is accepting public comments on this proposed rule change until this coming Monday, August 26th. At the AAC, we want our public land managers to provide proper opportunities for public comment and the evaluation of agency impacts to the environment. The proposed changes by the Forest Service do not provide the necessary transparency, community engagement or agency accountability that we expect of our land managers.

Please take a moment to let the US Forest Service know that you disagree with their changes to NEPA.

AAC Board Member Len Necefer testifies before Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee to discuss H.R. 3225

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The West and East Mitten in Monument Valley, Arizona at sunset. Photo Credit: Dana Buchholz

“The provisions in H.R. 3225 are a necessary first step to improving transparency, protecting natural and cultural resources, protecting land owners, and slowing down the rush to lease in the name of “energy dominance.” This is how AAC board member Len Necefer Ph.D. concluded his powerful testimony to the Committee on Natural Resources on behalf of H.R. 3225, the Restoring Community Input and Public Protections in Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2019. During the past few years, public lands are being sold off to developers with minimal to no say from the public. Typically these leases are happening quickly and at a very low price point, even for as little as $2 an acre. This has detrimental impacts on not only the public’s ability to recreate on our public lands, it also impacts those who rely on the land itself, not to mention the impact that energy development on federal lands has on climate change.

Len wears many hats. He serves on the AAC Board, is the founder of Colorado based apparel company Natives Outdoors, is an assistant professor with joint appointments with the American Indian Studies program and the Udall Center for Public Policy, and is an avid skier, climber, and conservationist. He was brought in as an expert witness to speak about the current policies of the Trump administration’s leasing process and how it impacts indigenous tribes in the United States with a specific focus on Bears Ears and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. You can read the entirety of his powerful testimony here. This bill would make a big difference when it comes to the protection of public lands and those relying on them by amending the Mineral Leasing Act and creating new requirements of the BLM prior to allowing the leasing of the proposed land to developers. One of these proposed changes would be to uphold the public process that is required of the BLM before making decisions that impact public land.

In our current administration, the leasing process has been altered in favor of irresponsible development. As Len pointed out in his testimony, “poor government oversight, loose regulations, and a far too cozy relationship between regulators and industry,” are all negatively impacting native communities as well as the conservation of public lands. The administration has shortened timelines for public comment allowing leases to often be signed, sealed, and delivered to developers before the media catches wind of the proposal. Unless you are checking the federal register every morning as you sip your first cup of coffee, it is likely that there are proposals that you are missing. A ten day time limit for public comment only reiterates that this current administration is speeding through the process to prioritize development and essentially eliminate the public engagement process. Federal lands are required by law to maintain a proper balance of use, and while mineral extraction is a valid use according to the law, economics prove that the outdoor recreation economy makes up 2% of the GDP, making it a greater economic driver than the oil and gas industry. These numbers suggest that prioritizing recreation on federal lands is a more profitable economic driver than oil and gas. The bill would require longer, more adequate, comment periods that would allow time for folks to identify potential conflicts and allow public land owners (the general public) to have their say.

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Joe Neguse Meets the Climbing Community: Public Lands & Climate Change Focus of Conversation

April 20, 2019. Estes Park, CO.

Leading up to Earth Day, Congressman Joe Neguse made the trek to Estes Park to participate in a stewardship event at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Neguse represents Colorado's second congressional district which includes famous climbing destinations like the RMNP, Eldorado Canyon State Park and Boulder Canyon, to name a few. It's no wonder then that the climbing community makes up a significant portion of the Congressman’s constituency. Of the 23,000 Outdoor Alliance members that live in Colorado, 8,000 of them live within the District 2 boundaries alone. Suffice to say, Congressman Neguse, or Joe as he told me to call him, represents a lot of us climbers, paddlers, mountain bikers and skiers here in the Front Range

Neguse is in his freshman year in Congress and he's already introduced 10 pieces of legislation, most of it bipartisan, which is more than any other first year congressman or congresswoman. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act in particular is something that the climbing community can get behind. If passed, it would protect 400,000 acres of land throughout Colorado and hundreds of climbing routes, mountaineering objectives and ski descents state wide. So, when Neguse was planning to do a stewardship project and town hall address, the climbing community jumped on the opportunity to catch up with him. A team from the AAC and the Access Fund spent the morning seeding and mulching in the Park and then got time with Neguse afterwards, to speak about the climbing and outdoors community. The human-powered representatives were:

• Me, Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager, American Alpine Club

• Jamie Logan, American Alpine Club Board member and first ascensionist

• Tom Hornbein and his wife, Kathy, First ascent of the West Ridge of Everest

• Chris Schulte, Pro Climber

• Quinn Brett, NPS Climbing Ranger and public speaker

• Hilary Harris, Evo rock climbing gym owner

• Aaron Clark, Policy Director, International Mountain Bike Association

• Dustin Dyer, Kent Mountain Adventure Company, Owner

• Chris Winter, Executive Director, Access Fund

• Erik Murdock, Policy Director, Access Fund

The conversation focused on public lands, the outdoor recreation economy, recreation access and infrastructure, conservation funding, and climate change. When prompted about the CORE Act, Neguse replied, "we feel like the wind is at our back and we've got a real shot at getting this bill through the House of Representatives and, hopefully, put the pressure on the folks in the upper chamber to get this thing done, and that's exciting." Neguse pointed out how important it was to hear from the climbing community, which gives he and his staff a more complete understanding of the impact of the bill. When asked how the climbing community can advocate for the CORE Act, Neguse pointed to three things:

Keep up the groundswell of grassroots momentum around the CORE Act.
Writing letters to the editor for example, provide the public and their elected leaders salient points on how legislation of this sort is good for the next generation of climbers.

Share your ideas!
There are lots of opportunities that the legislature could pursue and they want to hear from you on which to prioritize. Write or call your elected leaders.

Keep up the activism.
The work of the outdoor community is part of the solution to forestalling attacks to nationally iconic places like our monuments, forests and parks. Keep at it!

Jamie Logan prepping the soils in RMNP for seeding and mulching

Neguse speaks with RMNP Administrators

Climbers meeting with Neguse over snacks in Estes Park, CO

Myself with Congressman Neguse

I was especially encouraged by Neguse’s willingness to listen; his engagement and openness with the climbing community and his receptivity to our suggestions. Neguse even offered to come climbing with us soon! Neguse pointed out the important role that the outdoor community plays in advocating for environmental legislation and in tackling the major issues of our era such as climate change. Neguse didn’t need to be prompted on the issue stating, “our work on climate change will be the defining work that we do in the coming years.”

Hearing all of this, Tom Hornbein notably stated "you're facing your own Everest right now - so go for it!"

We will Tom.

Taylor Luneau,
AAC Policy Manager

A big thanks is owed to Erik Murdoch of Access Fund for his leadership in pulling together this lunch meeting, engaging the Congressman’s office and getting all of these awesome climbers at the table. Thanks Erik!

US Senate holds Committee Hearing to improve Outdoor Recreation - AAC Wants Your Suggestions

The US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources recently held a hearing to “Examine Opportunities to Improve Access, Infrastructure, and Permitting for Outdoor Recreation."

Led by Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-WV), lawmakers interviewed a panel of witnesses to identify particular challenges facing outdoor recreation. Among the many topics discussed were:

- Outfitter / Guide permitting issues

- Competing land designations (motorized vs. non-)

- Transitioning from extractive economies to ones based on outdoor recreation

- Access to Public Lands

- Conservation Funding

- Science driven, adaptive management

You can find the archived video of the hearing webcast here (note: video doesn’t start until min 12)

Thomas O'Keefe of American Whitewater, an AAC partner organization at the Outdoor Alliance, was a key witness in the hearing. O'keefe tactfully drew attention to, among other things, outfitter and guide permitting issues, posing one anecdote that it was easier for a paddling guide to bring clients to Costa Rica than the Mt. Hood National Forest in his own backyard. The AAC submitted testimony to Senate ENR - read it here.

The American Alpine Club would really value hearing your stories and opinions on these subjects. Do you have a story to share about a challenging permitting system? Do you know about infrastructure issues in your local National Park or federal public land that have gone unattended? Are there landlocked federal lands that you would like to climb or ski on but can't due to private lands surrounding the property? Or are there other private land issues that you think states or the federal government should address? Please follow the link below and share your story with us!

Thank you again for your time and for sharing your insight!

Taylor Luneau
AAC, Policy Manager

The Senate Just Passed the Public Lands Package!!

Great news for climbers! The senate just passed the public lands package, aka the Natural Resources Management Act (S.47) with a landslide vote of 92 to 8. The package of bills includes important legislation for the climbing community such as the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Emery County Public Lands Management Act, Every Kid Outdoors Act and the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Act. This is a major step forward after the Package was denied back in December of 2018. But, this is a new Congress and they need to hear your opinion on this important legislation! Please let your lawmakers know that we want the Natural Resource Management Act (S.47) passed! We’ve made it super easy for you to do so with our Action Alert below! Thank you for sharing your opinion!

Taylor Luneau

AAC, Policy Manager

Let Congress Hear It - Climbers Want The Public Lands Package!

Moon Rising over Zion National Park, UT. Photo Credit: Taylor Luneau.

Back in November, I went to Washington D.C. to represent the American Alpine Club (AAC) as their Policy Manager in the U.S. Congress. Together with member organizations of the Outdoor Alliance, including the Conservation Alliance, we visited congressional offices and lobbied for a variety of bills supporting human-powered outdoor recreation. Importantly, on our agenda was the “Public Lands Package” (S.47), which many of you may be very familiar with by now. If you’re not, you can take a look at the Outdoor Alliance’s webpage to get caught up.

As for that particulars, the Package includes a variety of important bills for people who love outdoor recreation, including reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and protecting places like the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area, the Methow Valley, Emery County, and Oregon Wildlands. You can read the comment letter that the AAC co-signed to Sen. McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Schumer (D-NY) voicing our support for the Public Lands Package below. The Package was set to pass with bipartisan support back in December, but fell short due to an objection from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) regarding the Antiquities Act. 

The 116th Congress is finally up and running (following the longest government shutdown in the history of the U.S.!) we are hopeful that the Package will finally get approved. Sen. Murkowski (R-AK) has already re-introduced the Package in the Senate and we hope to see a vote on it in the coming week. If the Senate approves the Package, it will be a huge step towards protecting valuable public land assets well into the future.

Now is a critical time to make your voice heard on this issue. Please take a moment to write your lawmakers and let them know that climbers want the Public Lands Package passed. Fill out the form below to take action.

Taylor Luneau

AAC, Policy Manager

The Shutdown is Squeezing Mountain Town Economies

The Shutdown is Squeezing Mountain Town Economies

By Phil Powers and Mark Butler - American Alpine Club | January 10, 2019

OPINION: Recently featured in Adventure Journal

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The American Alpine Club was founded in 1902 to advocate for all things climbing. Their mission is simple: “To support our shared passion for climbing and respect for the places we climb.” They provide education, grant funding, policy outreach, help with research projects, you name it. If it benefits climbing, they’re involved. 

Phil Powers, the CEO of AAC, and Mark Butler, the Policy Commission Chair, have grown concerned in recent days over the protracted government shutdown’s effects on climbing. An op-ed from the two is below.

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With the federal budget impasse and the partial government shutdown now in its third week, the adverse impacts to America’s public lands are mounting far beyond the thousands of government workers on furlough and the well-publicized public resource degradation of our parks.

For more than a century, the American Alpine Club has been the voice of a community, currently numbering over 23,000, that regularly climbs and adventures in national parks and on public lands across the United States. The direct loss of income for government workers and the mounting resource damage to our most beloved parks is abhorrent, but many more are quietly facing hardship. Suffering in the shadows of this shutdown are tourism-based economies and small businesses that provide guided access and interpretation to our public lands.

Recognizing the livelihood of small businesses that rely on access to public lands is an issue both Republicans and Democrats can undoubtedly support. The National Park System sees an estimated half a million visitors per day in winter months. According to the Senate Appropriations Committee Minority Staff, these visitors spend approximately $19 million daily at nearby restaurants, shops, lodges, and local outfitters. What Washington may consider the off-season for our parks is in actuality economic lifeblood for thousands of non-governmental workers. For small guide services, climbing schools, and others that provide guided experiences, the economic impact of the shutdown is an unexpected loss of revenue that won’t be reimbursed when this shutdown ends.

It is estimated by The Access Fund that 60 percent of all climbing areas exist on public land. Without predictable access to those lands, visitors and students are canceling reservations. Professional climbing instruction and guiding is a labor of love with slim margins and meager profits; a situation that makes guides especially vulnerable when our politicians are attempting to score political points.

Despite Washington’s impasse, the climbing community has stepped up our volunteerism to do what we can. The Friends of Joshua Tree (a local climbing organization) for example, has been stocking bathrooms with toilet paper, emptying trash bins, reminding visitors of fire bans and other park rules. Yosemite Facelift, a joint project of Yosemite National Park and the Yosemite Climbing Association, is loaning out litter sticks and other supplies to anyone who would like to clean during the shutdown and has already hosted two informal cleanups. Yosemite Facelift writes, “We don’t feel this is a political issue, but more of a human one… Even a small group of folks cleaning up trash sends a strong message to visitors and may be more effective.”

Being a climber means many things, but it is our love for America’s wild landscapes that unites us as a community. We want our public lands to remain healthy, culturally significant, biologically diverse, and open and accessible for recreation and enjoyment. For the sake of hundreds of small businesses and the broader outdoor recreation economy that are dependent on access to and conservation of America’s public lands, we need our elected officials to pass a budget which adequately funds our public land management agencies, and ends this shutdown as soon as possible.

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Phil Powers is the Chief Executive Officer at the American Alpine Club. He is also the co-owner of Jackson Hole Mountain Guides.

Mark Butler is the American Alpine Club Policy Committee Chair. He is a 38-year veteran of the National Park Service.

Public Land Recreational Opportunities Improvement Act Introduced

Introduced October 2018, The Public Land Recreational Opportunities Improvement Act (PLROIA) is a big step in attempting to fix the recreation permitting system. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)'s bipartisan legislation improves the permitting systems to help more Americans gain access to the outdoors through facilitated recreation experiences. This legislation was developed and advocated for by the Coalition for Outdoor Access, of which the AAC is a member organization.

We’re all for PLORIA, and hope the bill will move by the end of the year. Learn more by reading the full press release.

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LWCF Passes Out of House Natural Resources Committee

Last week, the House Natural Resources Committee passed an important conservation bill that, with your help, the AAC supported. This is a huge testament to what we can accomplish together! Thank you to everyone who responded to our action alerts and made your voices heard.

This bill is a crucial step to permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund (H.R. 502), a conservation program set to expire at the end of the month. You can learn more about LWCF and climbing here.

As Outdoor Alliance writes, “[The passing of this bill] is proof that repeated, insistent public outreach does make a difference. We can get good bills across the line eventually, and after years of having outdoor enthusiasts reach out to [representatives] about outdoor recreation issues, we have started to see real results.”

We still have work to do to permanently reauthorize LWCF, so let’s keep this momentum going. The current LWCF expiration date is still 17 days away— take action by telling your member of congress to continue to prioritize the reauthorization.

United we climb, and united we stand for our public lands!

AAC's Peter Metcalf on Senator Mike Lee's Anti-Public Lands Ideology

Read AAC's policy committee member Peter Metcalf's opinion piece in the Salt Lake Tribune.

"Ours is not a story of moneyed elites demanding rural oppression. It is the opposite. It is all of us coming together to protect access, enjoy, and profit off our shared lands and their natural features and resources. This is Utah’s story."

AAC Takes Action on National Monument Reductions

After the December 4th, 2017 announcement by President Donald Trump to reduce and modify the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, our climbing community responded forcefully and quickly to oppose the decision.  Climbers joined Native American groups, conservation organizations, and many others to ensure that these treasured landscapes remain protected.  President Trump’s unprecedented actions constituted the largest reversal of federal land protection in the nation's history.

A variety of lawsuits have been filed to halt the changes to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. Two of these lawsuits were filed by environmental and conservation groups to oppose the reduction and modification of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, designated by President Bill Clinton in 1996. The remaining three lawsuits are focused on preventing the reduction and modification of Bears Ears National Monument into two smaller units with different proclamation language. One of these lawsuits was filed by the five Native American tribes representing the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, and another was filed by an array of environmental and conservation groups, including our partners at the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society. Our partners at the Access Fund have also filed, joining a lawsuit by Patagonia, Utah Dine Bikeyah, and others.

The AAC supports the Access Fund and other plaintiff organizations as they legally challenge the reduction and modification of both monuments, particularly Bears Ears, where the proclamation explicitly acknowledged the region’s outstanding recreational values, including “world class” rock climbing as a basis for designation. As the monument litigation proceeds, the AAC will submit an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief to make clear our opposition of the reduction and modification of the monuments. We also oppose any action by the administration aimed at weakening the efficacy of Antiquities Act as a means to conserve mountain environments and to protect opportunities for climbing.

Photo: Jay Dash

The AAC is actively engaged with appropriate congressional representatives and administration officials to respond to the broader legislative attacks on the national monuments that, if passed, could be even more detrimental to Utah’s desert and mountain environments and the interests of climbers than the December 4th proclamations. Presently, these threats are in the form of two bills introduced in the House of Representatives shortly after the December 4th proclamations: the Shash Jaa National Monument and Indian Creek National Monument Act, and the Grand Staircase Escalante Enhancement Act. If passed, these bills would legislatively affirm the proclamations that reduced and modified Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, effectively ending any lawsuits over these reductions because it is generally acknowledged that Congress has full authority to reduce or eliminate national monuments.

The Shash Jaa National Monument and Indian Creek National Monument Act proposes to designate the two new smaller monuments Shash Jaa and Indian Creek. Unlike the original proclamation of Bears Ears National Monument, which explicitly recognized the importance of preserving rock climbing opportunities within the area, this bill makes no reference to climbing and only minimal reference to recreation in general. By legislatively affirming a new, smaller monument containing parts of what climbers know as Indian Creek, the bill would ensure the removal of national monument protections from roughly 40% of the climbing areas within Bears Ears. Furthermore, the Shash Jaa National Monument and Indian Creek National Monument Act, like the December 4th proclamation, ignores the will of millions of Americans who spoke out in favor of protecting the original Bears Ears National Monument. This legislation undoubtedly poses a greater, more permanent threat to this area than President Trump’s December 4th reduction and modification. Therefore, the AAC is working with partners and policy makers to oppose this bill.

A similar bill has been introduced in the House regarding the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The Grand Staircase-Escalante Enhancement Act proposes to transform the three smaller units created by the December 4th proclamation into three national monuments, and create a national park and preserve within one of those units. Any land of the former Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument outside the boundaries of these new monuments and park, however, would be declared open to sale, disposal, mineral and geothermal leasing, and mining. These acts pose a significant threat to our public lands and to this incredible region in particular. Consequently, the AAC and many other conservation groups oppose this bill.

These legislative attacks would prevent the re-establishment of both the original Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, should any of the lawsuits against the President’s actions succeed. This is because the arguments of these lawsuits center on the limits of executive authority, and if they succeed, only Congress would then have the power to establish these new, smaller monuments. The AAC is working to oppose these bills and to push for new legislation to restore protections for these incredible areas and to ensure the integrity of our climbing landscapes.

The AAC is committed to working in collaboration with our partners to address critical public policy issues facing America’s mountain environments, the interests of climbers, and outdoor recreation. We advocate nationally for keeping public lands pristine, wild, and open to human-powered recreation. All of us at the AAC find a deep meaning in climbing, and we are committed to advocating for climbers and working to ensure our nation’s laws provide for thriving outdoor communities, sustained by healthy mountain environments and vibrant climbing landscapes for generations to come.

Your contributions and membership to the Club help us continue the fight for our national monuments and climbing areas. Stay tuned for more updates from your policy team.

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AAC Board Member Stacy Bare on Defending Public Lands

"Why do we love our public lands so much? Because so many of us have felt first hand the incredible benefits of spending time in the country we fought to defend. Time outdoors for many of us, regardless of the wounds we did or did not receive, and regardless when we served, has given us a pathway to a healthier and more fulfilling life."

Read Stacy Bare's commentary in the Salt Lake Tribune here.