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There is room within these processes to invest in public lands, take bold action on climate, reform outdated oil and gas leasing processes, and create new pathways for Americans to be employed on public lands.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. 

What Biden's Appointees mean for Climbers

The Biden Administration has been busy appointing cabinet positions over the past month, and outdoor advocates, climbers, and recreationists anxiously awaited the announcement of the key players who will be leading the environmental agenda during Biden’s presidency. With only under two weeks left in 2020, cabinet appointees were announced and answers provided. Before appointees can formally assume their leadership roles, the Senate must pass a majority vote during the appointment process starting as early as today, Inauguration Day. While we wait for this to happen, we wanted to share a profile of the appointees, and outline what they bring to the public lands and climate conversation. 

Before diving into profiles, it’s important to acknowledge some critical facts about these individuals. Each appointee on this list has years of proven experience working in government and advancing momentum around the issues that their role will cover. They all have shown a commitment to allowing science and data to inform the policies that they write and represent. Each appointee has committed their careers to standing up for the rights, health, and access of the American people and stand for a clear shift from the energy dominance agenda of the Trump era Administration. Last but not least, we applaud the Biden-Harris administration for selecting a cabinet that represents the American people and celebrates the diversity of our nation. At the American Alpine Club, we believe these are the critical features that make an effective leader when it comes to managing the agencies that are so deeply connected to the health and well-being of public lands, the American people, and the climate. 

Secretary of the Interior–Rep. Deb Haaland

The appointment of Rep. Haaland to Secretary of the Interior is making history. If confirmed, Haaland, a member of Pueblo of Laguna, will be the first Native American to serve as Secretary of the Interior. This is important for many reasons, but one in particular is the critical role in stewarding the federal government's relationship with America’s 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations. The agency’s history of aiding in the disenfranchisement of  Native American peoples cannot be ignored. With Haaland at the helm, the department will be better positioned to address this unjust history, and will work to both repair relationships and better fight for justice for Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities. 

For years, Haaland has been an outspoken advocate for Native Americans, their rights as sovereign nations, and their ownership of the land. In this role, she will be empowered to re-envision a new path for the Interior’s role in working with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities around the country. We believe this offers an opportunity for the Interior to reimagine conservation through a tribal sovereignty lens, and right the countless wrongs the department has made throughout history and continues to perpetuate today. 

Additionally, Haaland will utilize her background as a fierce climate advocate to manage over 480 million acres of America's public lands. We expect to see a stark transition from the Trump Administration's “energy dominance” agenda to focus on managing public lands as a means for climate mitigation. This could mean more opportunities for renewable energy development and conservation of large swaths of land, especially in the west. 

As a testament to this, earlier this year Haaland along with her co-sponsors, introduced a resolution to the House that aims to protect 30% of America’s public lands and waters by 2030. Among other goals, the 30 x 30 vision aims to address climate change through broad conservation goals. We expect Haaland to bring this agenda to her role as DOI Secretary, and hope that her conservation mindset will in turn elevate the experience of climbing and outdoor recreation.

White House Council on Environmental Quality, Chairwoman–Brenda Mallory 

The AAC celebrates the selection of Brenda Mallory to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Mallory is highly qualified for this position, having served as CEQ general counsel under President Obama, and brings to the CEQ more than three decades of work on environmental law and advocacy issues. In her current role as the Director of Regulatory Policy at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), she works at the state and federal level to coordinate the development and implementation of SELC’s regulatory policy agenda. Mallory has a proven 35 year history of putting people and communities first and is deeply concerned with issues of environmental justice, climate change, and public health. She will be a key player in bringing environmental justice to the forefront of the conversation at the CEQ. 

The AAC is a fierce advocate for the National Environmental Policy act (NEPA), a bedrock environmental law that is implemented through regulations crafted by the CEQ. Currently, the AAC is in litigation to restore NEPA back to its original state, following regulatory rollbacks made by the Trump Administration which erode the spirit of the law. These rollbacks result in the fast-tracking of development projects, the subduing of the public’s voice, and the omission of cumulative impacts, such as climate change, in federal agency decision making. In parallel litigation to our own, SELC is also representing a group of stakeholders concerned by these NEPA rollbacks. As a lifelong advocate for NEPA, we believe Mallory is primed and ready to repair and restore NEPA, making her a critical ally in our efforts. 

Environmental Protection Agency, Chief–Michael Regan

You may not have heard of Michael Regan before this critical appointment, but he is an exceptional pick for the job. Currently serving as the head of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Regan would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A proven advocate for climate, public health, and environmental justice, Regan began his career working on air quality issues at the EPA during the Clinton administration. After working with the EPA under Clinton, Regan spent almost a decade leading the Environmental Defense Fund’s efforts to grow clean energy and bring new and often neglected stakeholders into the conversation.  

He will certainly have his work cut out for him as the Trump administration has significantly downsized the agency over the past four years, and the agency is responsible for reversing dozens of key environmental regulations. Not only will Regan have to consider new environmental hazards and create rules to address them, he will also be in charge of remedying the damage done during Trump’s presidency. 

Regan’s nomination, along with Mallory’s and Haaland’s, are part of building a proposed environmental leadership team that would be the most diverse in our nation’s history. This is a critical change in cabinet make up, and indicates to the American public that their voices are being heard. Issues of environmental justice are high on the Biden-Harris administration’s priority list. It is clear that addressing the systemic racism that exists in the formation and execution of environmental policy and regulations in the past is an important first step to addressing our broken system. We hope the new cabinet feels empowered to create new opportunities to more intentionally consider the environmental justice implications of rules and regulations moving forward. Having cabinet leadership that better represents the American people is a step in the right direction.  

Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change–John Kerry

John Kerry, well known for his 30+ year commitment in Washington to advancing the pro-climate agenda, has a new position created especially for him. As the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change sitting on the National Security Council, he will not need to be confirmed by the Senate, and will be largely charged with re-establishing the country’s credibility in the climate space among world leaders. Luckily for the American people, Kerry has been doing this diplomatic and legislative climate work on various levels of government throughout his career. 

Kerry has already announced his intention to rejoin the Paris accord as his first step. However, he is hoping to spend 2021 working toward an international climate summit in November, which will take a lot of relationship rebuilding with the major climate accord players. Unfortunately, the United States broke the trust of its climate accord counterparts, and Kerry will need to have hard conversations with various world leaders regarding why he believes that there will not be a possibility of the US dropping out again in four years. Much of his work globally will be happening in tandem with domestic climate efforts, and the two will rely on one another to convince the nation, and the world, that the United States is committed to combating climate change and righting our Nation’s wrongs of the past four years.  

Climate Czar–Gina McCarthy

As former head of the Environmental Protection Agency and current CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Gina McCarthy is the perfect person to appoint to oversee domestic climate policy in the Biden-Harris administration. Unlike several of the cabinet positions mentioned above, McCarthy will not have to undergo a Senate confirmation process. Beginning on January 21, she will be charged to ensure that Biden is being held accountable in his commitment to climate action, and that there is a whole government approach being taken on matters of climate change. Part of this will be ensuring that Biden is able to follow through on his pledge to help the US reach net-zero emissions by 2050, an impressive and critical goal in maintaining the health and well being of the global populace. 

Having been a key figure in the creation of Obama’s climate policies like the Clean Power Plan, and playing an instrumental role in orchestrating the Paris Climate Accord, we believe that McCarthy will be a steadfast advocate for clean energy, just transitions, and taking a more aggressive stance on climate action in various levels of government. We look forward to seeing McCarthy and Kerry hit the ground running on January 21st. 

Secretary of Agriculture–Tom Vilsack  

Though there are a lot of exciting nominations, there are also some picks that feel a bit more status quo than many expected. Tom Vilsack has been nominated to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for managing wildly different things. From supporting farmers and ranchers to influencing food assistance programs, but in terms of public lands, this department manages almost 200 million acres of America’s national forests and grasslands. Managing national forests and grasslands is no easy task, and only continues to become more challenging as climate change continues to negatively impact public lands across the country. Vilsack served in this same capacity during both terms of Obama’s presidency, and it is relatively unheard of for cabinet members to be asked to serve in the same role by subsequent administrations. One positive aspect of this, is he understands how government works and the importance of putting the right people in the right roles. He will be responsible for naming the next Chief of the Forest Service, and we hope to see him nominate someone who trusts in science and data, represents the needs of all Americans, and sees the benefit of conservation efforts.   

Currently, Vilsack serves as the chief executive of the US Dairy Export Council, an organization that is backed by the dairy industry, and may appear to some, an issue of conflict of interest for his acceptance of this role. There have also been claims, especially from groups who are critical of corporate agriculture and advocate for increased biodiversity, that Vilsack is not the best pick for the moment. Groups like Center for Biological Diversity indicate that working with Vilsack in order to move away from unsustainable logging practices and pesticide use was “an uphill climb”. 

In his previous term, Vilsack did address climate change as a factor that must be addressed, and worked to legitimize the Forest Service’s work on wildfire management. Both of these conversations would be an improvement from the current management approach through Sonny Perdue’s leadership during the Trump administration. 

When reading about the history and experience of Tom Vilsack one thing is abundantly clear, the requirements necessary to lead this department well are vast. It is hard to imagine one person who encompasses meaningful experience in agriculture, nutrition programs, food safety, international trade, forestry, fire management, and conservation. We will be interested to see who Vilsack selects to lead the US Forest Service, and whether or not he will encourage putting conservation first. We hope to see the USFS immediately work to protect and place value upon critical ecosystems such as the Tongass National Forest and Minnesota’s Boundary waters in order to manage land in a way that simultaneously mitigates climate change.

Ask Your Senators to Vote ‘Yes’ to Confirm These Leaders Today

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.

Stand up for the National Environmental Policy Act!

WHAT IS NEPA?

For 50 years, the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) has provided important guardrails that protect the environment, cultural resources, and public health, but the current administration is attempting to overhaul the law in a way that will provide benefits to big polluters by severely limiting environmental reviews, curtailing public comment, and allowing industry to conduct their own impact statements - introducing bias into federal decision making. Perhaps most concerning is the removal of the indirect and cumulative effects analysis which requires the federal government to account for their impact on climate change.

NEPA is a bedrock environmental law that was built to provide government oversight in a system that otherwise affords the government ample discretion. It’s important we oppose revisions to NEPA and fight to maintain science and public comment in federal decision making.

ACT NOW TO PROTECT NEPA

Great American Outdoors Act Passes in the Senate!

Today, the Senate took its final vote on the Great American Outdoors Act and passed the bill 73 to 25. The outdoor community has been instrumental in getting the bill passed and should celebrate this victory! The AAC is extremely grateful to everyone who took action to support the Great American Outdoors Act.

“Fair and equitable access to community parks, green spaces, and public lands should be afforded to all, and those outdoor spaces need to be well resourced and protected. The GAOA is a big step in the right direction for public land conservation.” Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

The Great American Outdoors Act means billions of dollars in funding for trails, parks, and public lands and waters across the country. It includes permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and funding for the maintenance backlog on National Parks, National Forest, and other public lands. In total, the bill means as much as $2.8 billion a year will be made available to spend on public lands, outdoor recreation, maintenance and restoration, and new green spaces.

ask your representatives in the house to support the gaoa today with the tool below

While this is a big win, our work is not done. The bill will now travel to the House, where lawmakers need to pass an identical version before it goes on to the President’s desk for approval.

Please send a message to your Representatives to vote YES.

It is also important to hold our lawmakers accountable.
The following Senators voted “NO” on this historic public lands package:

Kennedy (R-LA)
Lankford (R-OK)
Lee (R-UT)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Romney (R-UT)
Rounds (R-SD)
Sasse (R-NE)
Scott (R-FL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Toomey (R-PA)

Barrasso (R-WY)
Blackburn (R-TN)
Braun (R-IN)
Cassidy (R-LA)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Hawley (R-MO)
Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnson (R-WI)

Use the tool below to send a quick thank you note to your Senators if they voted yes (it will automatically update to express disappointment if they voted no)

Climbers Act: Support the Great American Outdoors Act Today!

What is the Great American Outdoors Act?

Remember this past spring when President Trump tweeted in support of a conservation based bill and that Bill made the headlines? That Bill, The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) is back and hitting the senate floor next week. Below we provide a few important facts about what this historic, bi-partisan public lands bill includes, followed by an opportunity to ACT Now!

If the COVID-19 crisis has taught climbers, public lands employees, and local governments anything, it’s that now, more than ever, millions of Americans are looking for opportunities to get outside. For many, the outdoors offer an escape from their daily lives, and deem their recreation time as critical to supporting mental and physical health.

Additionally, as National Parks begin their phased reopening, and local governments consider it safe to once again seek-out outdoor recreation pursuits, it’s important to remember that public lands serve as a major economic stimulus for the country. As we collectively recover from the economic downturn caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, the GAOA has the potential to assist us by providing opportunities for new jobs and diversified streams of income, by addressing the need for recreation resource development and infrastructure repairs.

Click this image to write your representatives!

While this bill has garnered bi-partisan support in the Senate, it’s still not guaranteed to become law. After its Senate vote, the bill will travel to the House floor for a vote. We need climbers to come together and raise their voices in support of the Great American Outdoors Act. Tell your Senators to vote YES for this Bill, and follow up with your representatives in the House to support the legislation. Will you act with us today?

Speak up by March 10 to protect The National Environmental Policy Act

Recently, the Trump Administration announced a plan to rewrite the rules for how a bedrock environmental law called the National Environmental Policy Act is implemented. The rule changes would restrict public engagement in federal projects and limit the scope of environmental review for development projects on public lands and waters. More importantly, the rule changes would eliminate what is known as the cumulative impacts analysis, which has historically required the government to consider the effects of their decisions on the climate.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) held a public hearing in Denver at the EPA Region 8 headquarters where the 100 or so speaking slots filled in under four minutes! AAC Policy Manager Taylor Luneau provided testimony on behalf of the human-powered recreation community, saying:

“At its core, NEPA mandates informed decision making, based on sound science and requires that, to the fullest extent possible, all agencies of the federal government take a hard look at environmental consequences prior to issuing a decision. NEPA declares a broad commitment to protecting and promoting environmental quality and the CEQ rules are influential in shaping agency implementation of the statute.”

NEPA is an essential pathway for the outdoor recreation community to engage in public land management and these changes will limit our ability to do just that. The CEQ will be accepting public comment on their revisions to NEPA until March 10. Please take a moment to let the CEQ know that we oppose these changes in the brief action alert below.

Policy Manager Taylor Luneau providing his testimony on the proposed changes to the CEQ implementation of NEPA at the EPA Region 8 Headquarters in Denver, CO.

Climbers for Climate: Following up on the Climate Strike

While the American Alpine Club visited Washington DC for this year’s Climb the Hill event, many participants were able to end their time at our Nation’s Capital participating in the Global Climate Strike. The streets were filled with local youth, teachers, parents and grandparents, industry leaders like Patagonia, and advocacy groups ranging from Citizens Climate Lobby, to Young Evangelicals for Climate Action. The march made it clear that people from every generation, walk of life, and industry are coming together to fight for the future of a healthy planet.

Likely the “largest mass protest for action on global warming in history,” Vox reports that activists estimate there were four million people striking across the globe. Here are some highlights of the week of Global Climate Strike (Sept. 20-27) from 350 a non-profit identifying as an “international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all”: 

• 1.5 million protestors in Italy

• 1.4 million protestors in Germany

• Over 500,000 protestors in the United States

• 20,000 protestors in Brazil

• 13,000 protestors in Mexico

• 13,000 protestors in India

• 10,000 protestors in Pakistan

• Over 7.6 million protestors worldwide

• More than 6,100 events were held in 185 countries with the support of 73 Trade Unions, 820 civil society organizations, 3,000 companies and 8,500 websites  

While striking to bring awareness to issues can be a powerful means of collective activism, it is important to remember that having the ability to take time off of work to attend events of this nature is a privilege, and not everyone is able to participate. Because of this, it’s important to follow up with legislators to voice the why behind the protest, to speak out for those who may not have been in attendance, and to request direct action. 

Whether you marched alongside your fellow community members, followed along online for work, or were unable to participate this year, here are a few steps you can take to make sure our legislators hear us. 

1. Contact your Representatives: Utilize this helpful tool located near the bottom of the AAC Climbers for Climate page. Enter your address and immediately find who your representatives are. Give their office a call, or shoot them an email and explain to them why you as a constituent care about taking responsible action on climate change. 

2. Support Local Organizations in your area. Patagonia Action Works created a network of nonprofits and advocacy organizations that are working on grassroots projects in your area. You can easily tap into the network by entering your address and the issues you are interested in getting involved with.

3. Stay educated on the issues. Keep following along here by reading updates from the AAC Policy Team, and expand your network into other areas of climate science and action. Check out our partners over at Protect our Winters or the Outdoor Alliance to find more information about Climate Change news, tools, and science. Have you seen Protect our Winters Canada’s latest tool: Fact Avalanche? If not, check that out here.

4. VOTE. Are you registered yet? One of the most impactful ways to make change is voting for representatives who share the same values as you do and who believe that climate change is real.

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.

Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act: The bill that Could protect 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado

You can find more interactive mapping options here in the GMUG National Forests Planning Revision GIS database created by the Outdoor Alliance GIS Lab.

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act, H.R. 823 was recently introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO-02). The CORE Act “protects approximately 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado, establishing new wilderness areas and safeguarding existing outdoor recreation opportunities to boost the economy for future generations. Of the land protected, about 73,000 acres are new wilderness areas, and nearly 80,000 acres are new recreation and conservation management areas that preserve existing outdoor uses such as hiking and mountain biking” [1]

This legislative package was created by Coloradans though over a decade of collaborative effort and a rigorous process of compromise. As such, the bill has broad support from the outdoor recreation community, conservation groups and local businesses. For instance, the Access Fund has been involved in the vetting of the bills components over the past decade. The CORE Act also tactfully designates Wilderness while using other designations where more appropriate. Louis Geltman, Policy Director at the Outdoor Alliance points out the uniqueness of the strategy stating, “This approach is essential…” and, “should be considered a model for other protective designation efforts around the country.”

 The AAC strongly supports the protections embodied in the CORE Act. The Bill conserves outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities, safeguards water resources, preserves key public lands and complements the values associated with our state lands. This legislation places a high value on recreation and conservation, and supports the $28.0 Billion outdoor recreation economy in Colorado and the 229,000 jobs associated with it. Coloradan’s largely agree too. According to the 9th annual Conservation in the West Poll, 73% of Coloradans say “the ability to live near, recreate on, and enjoy public lands like national forests, parks, or trails was a significant reason they live in the West.”[2] The proximity to amazing cragging, big alpine objectives and steep backcountry ski terrain was certainly a driving factor in my fiancé and I’s relocation to Colorado last October. Public lands are the infrastructure for Colorado outdoor recreation and are a critical component to the state’s economic well-being. The CORE Act will only enhance those recreational resources which Coloradan’s value.

Over the past year, the AAC advocated alongside our partners at the Outdoor Alliance, for the passage of the Public Lands Package, which was recently signed into law. Of the 2.5 million acres of public lands across the country that received lasting protections in that bill, only a few hundred acres were in Colorado. The CORE Act gives Congress a second chance to take care of those overlooked opportunities.

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The CORE Act unites and improves four previously introduced bills:

1.     Continental Divide Recreation, Wilderness, and Camp Hale Legacy Act

• Designates 100,000 acres of wilderness, recreation, and conservation in the White River National Forest along the Colorado Continental Divide.

• Designates the first ever National Historic Landscape around Camp Hale to preserve and promote the Army’s 10th mountain division’s legacy. 

2.     San Juan Wilderness Act

• Provides protections for nearly 61,000 acres of land in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in Southwest, CO including Mount Sneffels and Wilson Peak.

• The bill designates 31,000 acres of Wilderness, 21,000+ acres of special management and 6,500+ acres of mineral withdrawal.

3.     Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act

• Withdraws approximately 200,000 acres from future oil and gas development.

• Creates a program to lease excess methane from nearby coal mines to address climate change.

4.     Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary Establishment Act

• Establishes the boundary for the Curecanti National Recreation Area.

• Improves coordination among land management agencies.

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Climbing and Skiing resources that would be protected:

A preliminary analysis conducted by the Outdoor Alliance GIS lab has identified over 200 climbing routes spanning terrain from the crags at Camp Hale to alpine rock routes in the 10 Mile Range. In the San Juans, the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area conserves backcountry ski terrain near Lizard Head Pass while the “Liberty Bell and Whitehouse Wilderness additions protect world class hiking and climbing opportunities in the iconic Mt. Sneffels range.”[3] In the Continental Divide bill, the Tenmile Wilderness and Recreation Management Areas provide opportunities for long ridgeline technical traverses and challenging backcountry ski terrain. Check out the interactive website below to explore the crags and mountains that would be protected by this legislation:

Click on image above to access and interactive map prepared by the Outdoor Alliance GIS Lab. 2017.

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How We Can Help Move The CORE Act Forward:

1.     Cultivate Bipartisan Support for the Bill

While the CORE Act has received support from Colorado Democrats, opposition was expressed by some Republican members at a recent US House Natural Resources Committee hearing. Concern was raised that some Coloradans, “such as the Garfield County’s commissioners, who oppose the permanent withdrawal of oil and gas leasing in the Thompson Divide area west of Carbondale – were not being heard.”[4] A number of other groups raised opposition to the bill “due to limits it posed on certain recreational and work activities, such as motorized vehicle use.”[5] Because wilderness designations require an act of Congress to create, it is critical to build bi-partisan support for this legislation if it is to go anywhere. 

2.     Participate in the GMUG Forest Planning Process 

Chris French, Acting Deputy Chief of The US Forest Service provided testimony during the hearing and pointed out that the USFS supports the bill where it is consistent with the applicable Forest Plans and have broad based local support. This is a relatively expected response as the Forest Plan, which acts similarly to zoning for the forest, partially governs the decision making within the unit. So, where wilderness is proposed by the Forest Plan and aligns with the CORE Act designations, the Forest Service will support the proposal. This is an important reminder to participate in the GMUG Forest planning process and to let your local land managers hear your opinion about wilderness designations in Colorado.  The GMUG is currently being update and your opinion is needed!

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A Closer Look At The CORE Act Designations:

National Historic Landscape: 28,700 acres

• Camp Hale was the former base of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division and would receive the first national historic landscape designation in the country. The Camp was dedicated to training military climbers, skiers and mountaineers for combat during WWII and had a massive impact on shaping the climbing and skiing community. This designation would instruct the responsible agency to manage the area for its historical purposes including performing restoration and enhancement of its resources.

 Special Management Area: 50,200 acres

• Special management areas are “federal public lands designated by Congress for a specific use or uses. Typically, special management legislation is contained in individual wilderness acts and directs the responsible agency to manage the area in accordance with the congressionally designated purposes. Included among the special management areas are backcountry areas, reserves, conservation areas, wildlife areas, fish management areas and national recreation areas.” [6]

 National Recreation Area: 43,000 acres

• This designation generally includes areas that have outstanding combinations of outdoor recreation opportunities, aesthetic attractions, and proximity to potential users. While not as restrictive as wilderness, it is considerably less resource-exploitive than traditional multiple-use designations and requires the agency to manage the land to serve its recreational use.[7]

 Mineral Withdrawal: 206,600 acres

• A mineral withdrawal refers to a statute, executive order, or administrative order that changes the designation of a parcel of federal land from “available” to “unavailable” for location, settlement, selection, filing, entry or disposal, under the mineral or non-mineral public-land laws.[8] This designation closes an area to new mining claims and requires existing claims to be demonstrated as valid before beginning mining activities.

 Wilderness: 73,000 acres

• An area of Wilderness is defined as “an area of undeveloped federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habituation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions…”[9] This is the most stringent preservation mechanism on Federal public lands.

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Citations:

[1] Geltman, Louis. Outdoor Alliance Testimony Re: Legislative hearing on H.R. 823, the “Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act.” April 2, 2019. Available here.

[2] Dutta, Deepan. “Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act gets day in Congress, supporters and opponents testify about act’s merits” Post Independent. April 6, 2019. Available here.

[3] Dutta, 2019.

[4] 8 Pub. Land L. Rev. 61 (1987)

[5] Coggins et. al. “Federal Public Land and Resources Law.” 7th edition. Foundation Press. 2014.

[6] Coggins et. al.

[7] The Wilderness Act. Pub.L. 88-577. 1964.

[8] CORE Act summary. Available here.

[9] State of the Rockies Project. “Conservation in the West Poll.” January 31, 2019.

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

House Passes Historic Lands Package

Celebratory dance on the Petit Grepon, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: Mickey Hardt.

The American Alpine Club is psyched to share that the Natural Resource Management Act (S.47) just passed the House in a landslide vote of 363 to 62! The historic lands package passed the Senate on February 12 by a margin of 92 to 8 and is now headed to the Presidents desk where it can be signed into law. This major victory for the climbing and outdoor recreation community includes legislation like the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, an important conservation funding mechanism that supports climbing areas accross the country. The bipartisan package also includes important lands bills such as:

•  The Emery County Public Lands Management Act

• Methow Valley Mineral Withdrawal

• Emigrant Crevice Withdrawal – Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act

• Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area Act

• Oregon Wildlands Act

• Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation

• The California Desert Protection and Recreation Act

• Every Kid Outdoors

• 21st Century Service Corps Act

This is a major win for the outdoor recreation community, which has invested significant time and energy into advocating the package’s support with lawmakers. The American Alpine Club is proud to have played a supporting role in getting the bill through Congress. None of this would have been possible without your support! Hundreds of you took the time to let your Representatives and Senators know that this package of bills is important, and your voice was heard.

We’ll share more in the coming weeks as the package makes its way over to the final stop, the President’s desk. In the meantime, it would mean a lot if you let your lawmakers know you’re psyched about the decisions they made and shared a little stoke for their effort. We’ve made it easy for you to share a thank you and encourage Congress to keep supporting public lands in future efforts. Please take a minute to thank Congress for their support of the Natural Resource Management Act!

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

Bears Ears National Monument Postcard Writing Toolkit

Postcard by AAC Content Coordinator Emma Longcope

The official public comment period on Bears Ears started May 12 and has been extended. It now closes on July 10. 

The Department of the Interior is, for the first time ever, asking the public to officially weigh in on the national monuments under review, per President Trump's April 26, 2017 Executive Order. We only have until July 10 to provide input during this public comment period.

Now more than ever we need your voice to help protect Bears Ears National Monument. Find out more about the Bears Ears issue here and read AAC member John Climaco's opinion piece about it here. You can also learn more by reading about our recent trip to D.C. to Climb the Hill. 

Why a postcard? 

The Department of the Interior accepts comments both online and by mail. Adding your name to a petition or online comment chain is important. A unique and tangible note, however, carries extra weight with elected officials. 

Click on the button below to use our pre-addressed postcard template that you can print out and send to the Department of Interior. (Tip: print double-sided with card stock paper.)

Writing Tips:

Make it personal: Share your story about why you love Bears Ears National Monument.

Provide a call to action: Ask the Department of Interior to protect Bears Ears National Monument.

Use some of the suggested messages below or craft your own. Feel free to edit these messages and add your voice.

-The Bears Ears region in southeastern Utah is one of the greatest climbing destinations in the U.S. I love to climb in the Bears Ears area because.... 

-I support the Bears Ears National Monument because it protects climbing and significant Native American cultural sites.

-The Antiquities Act is a valuable tool for protecting America's heritage.

-Do not rescind or reduce Bears Ears National Monument.

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Our template includes the Department of the Interior's address, but if you're making your own, address it to: 

Monument Review, MS-1530
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 S Street NW
Washington, DC 20240

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Time is running out! No time for a postcard?

You can:

• Use the climbers’ letter writing tool.

• Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2017-0002” in the Search bar and clicking “Search.”

• Call the Department of the Interior with any questions: Randal Bowman, 202-208-1906.

• Tweet at Secretary Ryan Zinke: @SecretaryZinke.

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Thank you for helping to preserve this wonderful place! We're stronger together.

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Artwork: AAC staff member Emma Longcope

Standing Up for Indian Creek

John Climaco Climbing in Southeast Utah in the 1980s.

By AAC member John Climaco

Canyonlands first captured me in the spring of 1984 as a skinny, 16-year-old Ohio boy. Years earlier I’d stumbled across a 1966 issue of National Geographic covering the first ascent of the Titan. Entranced by this wild adventure, I stole the only copy from our school library just to have it to myself. I devoured every story of the hard-living desert climbing pioneers I could, but nothing I’d read prepared me for the descent into Indian Creek and the desert of my dreams on my first time. No words could possibly capture the quiet, and the freedom.

In those days, you could have Indian Creek all to yourself on a spring weekend. The Anasazi art and the even more ancient sandstone towers were your silent and only companions. It was a place where you were free to create your own adventures and be the outlaw of your youthful imaginings. Looking back, it recently dawned on me that the very thing which seduced me about the desert may be precisely what imperils it. As the vast emptiness of the desert begets a feeling of endless freedom, it is easy to lapse into a comforting sense of the timelessness of the landscape. It is too easy to let that freedom lull us into assuming that what was here yesterday to be enjoyed today will still be there for us tomorrow.

The fact is that while we see these lands as our birthright, others see them as a vast piggy bank. Whether it was silver to fund a booming new nation, uranium to fuel the cold war or petroleum to fill our tanks, these lands have always held the promise of riches far more bankable than the ephemeral wealth we build there. Only a tiny portion of our public lands are entirely secured from those who wish to tap, mine or drill for personal profit. Would anyone seeking those rewards see our climbing community as a legitimate constituency to be respected and accounted for in use planning and public lands access? Maybe not a generation ago, but things are changing.

Like the echoes of pitons being driven into sandstone, the outlaw era of climbing is gone. Today, climbing is a mainstream sport. The power of our collective voice has grown and so has our capacity to give back to the lands that have given us so much. In speaking together, we have made a significant difference in communicating the value of these lands. The recent Bears Ears National Monument proclamation was the first ever presidential proclamation to list rock climbing as an acceptable and appropriate activity. We spoke up together and we were heard.

Unfortunately, efforts are already underway to dismantle Bears Ears National Monument. The Utah legislature recently passed a resolution, HCR 11, asking the Trump administration to rescind Bears Ears National Monument. Undoing the monument would be unprecedented and would put our other national treasures at risk.

A call to your congressman today will take less time than racking up for tomorrow’s adventures. Thousands of such calls, mainly by hunters and fishermen, recently led Representative Chaffetz (R – UT) to withdraw his disastrous bill which would have allowed a massive transfer of public lands into corporate ownership. If each of us made a single call to protect Indian Creek and the surrounding Bear’s Ears National Monument, could we secure it forever? I’d like to think so.

A few years ago, on yet another climbing and exploring trip from my home in Northern Utah, I saw a sight so incongruous with my sense of the desert landscape I had to stop the car and stare: a drilling rig tapping away yards from the entrance to Canyonlands National Park. I gawked at its gravel containment platform and wondered what law could ever permit this eyesore? Who will clean it up? Was anyone out there who cared enough to do something about it? 

Finally, it struck me: I was.

John Climaco today with his children

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Here's How You Can Take Action:

It is imperative that we communicate our stance on public land policy to our elected representatives. Contact of your federal representatives by calling the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected.

Can’t remember who your representatives are? Look them up here:  

U.S. Senate: https://www.senate.gov/ 

House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/representatives/

And if picking up the phone terrifies you, consider writing an Op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Not sure where to start? Check out this great resource from our partners at Outdoor Alliance.

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For some legal background on the future of Bears Ears, check out AAC Member Taylor Luneau's article Executive Power Over National Monuments

Protect Bears Ears National Monument

Photo: Emma Longcope 

Southeast Utah is one of the most revered climbing destinations in the United States, and climbers have been strong and influential advocates for its protection. Our collective efforts paid off when on December 28, 2016, President Obama declared the region a national monument and listed climbing in the proclamation.

However, efforts are underway to dismantle the newly designated Bears Ears National Monument. In the upcoming weeks, newly appointed Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke (former Montana Congressman) will set his priorities for public lands. He will be in a position to influence President Trump's decision on whether or not to rescind Bears Ears National Monument.

Please help us speak up for Bears Ears! We need as many climbers as possible to urge Zinke to protect the national monument. The easy letter writing tool has content you can use and as always, we love when you add your own voice from a climber's perspective.

TOGETHER WE'RE STRONGER.
 

We joined our partners at Access Fund, Outdoor Alliance, Outdoor Industry Association, Friends of Indian Creek, and Salt Lake Climbers Alliance to ask Secretary-designee Ryan Zinke to protect Bears Ears National Monument and the Antiquities Act as a tool to protect public lands.

Read our letter below:

A New Political Climate: What's Next for Climbers?

As climbers, we have a unique connection to public lands and our environment. Beginning with its early founders, the American Alpine Club has a long history of environmental conservation and ethics, wilderness management and the scientific exploration of mountain regions.

The recent election has brought uncertainty about the future of our public lands and our environment. While our membership is politically diverse, we can agree that as a climbing community we bear a responsibility for protecting the places we climb and for protecting our right to clean air, clean water, healthy forests, rivers and deserts. Our mutual admiration for climbing and climbing landscapes unites us and transcends partisanship. Together we are stronger. And together we can do a lot of good.

Here are some of the ways we can get involved in protecting the places we climb and working toward our vision of healthy climbing landscapes:

• Stay informed: For public lands information, follow our partners at Outdoor Alliance. Learn about the latest environmental science with Yale Climate Connections, Protect Our Winters and NRDC. For updates on what Congress is up to, subscribe to The Hill.

• Learn how to be an advocate: Check out OA's Advocacy 101 series. 

• Act locally: Engage with your local AAC Chapter and organize a trail stewardship day. Apply for an AAC Cornerstone Conservation Grant. Connect with your local land trust, work with your local city council on sustainability initiatives, find ways to volunteer.

• Reduce your carbon footprint: Carpool to the crag. Ride your bike to work, walk or take the bus when possible. Reduce your water usage, reuse and recycle. Support clean energy sources.  

• Learn about AAC’s researchers and the work they’re doing on alpine science. Applications for research grants are open from November 15-January 15.

• Tell us about your local stewardship work so we can help spread the word.

AAC’s second president John Muir once wrote, “The mountains are calling and I must go and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly.” Most people don’t realize that quote doesn’t end with “and I must go.” Muir saw responsibility and purpose as well as pleasure in the mountains. So do we.

The Value of Public Lands - A climber's perspective

 Andrew Forkes-Gudmundson

AAC Conservation and Advocacy Team

As climbers, we have a unique connection to public lands. According to research by Access Fund, more than 70% of climbing in the west happens on publicly owned lands. Can you imagine if the splitter cracks in Indian Creek, the bloodthirsty off-widths of Vedauwoo, or the bold, big walls of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison were suddenly off limits to climbers?

As you read this, all these climbing resources and many more across the west are in danger. Members of Congress, state legislators, and various presidential candidates are promising to transfer these public lands to state governments, sometimes with the express purposes of selling them off. Even worse, last year it went beyond promises: the United States Senate passed a budget amendment that would pave the way for large scale transfers to the states. [1]

What does it mean to transfer public lands to states?

By their very nature, federal lands are owned by the public. We all have a right to be on them and to have a say in how they are managed. The transfer of public lands from the federal government to state governments is being promoted as a way to make land management more local. This narrative is fundamentally incorrect, for a very important reason. Federal lands are held in trust for all the people of America, while state lands are merely a source of revenue for the state that owns them. State lands can be sold by the state to anyone, largely without citizen input. Transferring public lands to the states would actually reduce the amount of say the public has in management of the land. [2] 

People fear the specter of distant bureaucrats controlling the lands in their backyard. The reality is that management of federally owned lands is incredibly decentralized. More than 80% of federal land management staff for the Department of the Interior are already based in local places out west. The AAC works diligently to provide both national policy makers and regional land managers with public input, bringing the voices of climbers to the management discussion.

At the AAC, we believe that public lands, including all the climbing resources located on them, belong to us all, and we are part of a coalition of nonprofits and outdoor businesses who believe the same.[3] Together, we are tracking state legislation and speaking up when damaging public lands bills are introduced.

In the last 18 months, nearly 50 bills in 11 Western states have been introduced in state legislatures demanding transfer or sell off.

We need you to help stop this from happening.

Until people who love to recreate outdoors speak out, policymakers will continue to entertain bills that give away our lands. Our public lands need defending. If you believe that public lands belong to everyone, not a few private interests, please let your legislators know. Sign the petition now. This petition is the first and most important step, and will keep you updated with what is happening in your state. So far, we have 15,000 signatures. Let’s get 15,000 more.

Sources

[1] http://www.outdooralliance.org/blog/2016/2/24/house-bills-threaten-to-sell-off-national-forests

[2] http://www.protectourpublicland.org/news-collection/2015/7/28/7-differences-between-state-lands-and-public-lands

[3] http://www.protectourpublicland.org/#supporters-sectio