Sugar land dental group

State officials and conservationists want action delayed on at least some of the new federal oil and gas leases proposed in Colorado, citing potential impacts on deer, elk, greater sage grouse and a bird being considered for the endangered species list. The Colorado Bureau of Land Management is looking at offering leases on a total of 78,691 acres covering 83 parcels in eight different counties. The BLM is taking public comments until 4 p.m. Wednesday on the leases, set to be offered in a September sale. Many of the parcels that could be put up for bid were deferred from an earlier sale while the Interior Department rewrote an Obama-era plan intended to conserve greater sage grouse. The problem, conservationists say, is that some of the land targeted for leasing overlaps with wildlife migration corridors and critical winter range, areas that former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke singled out for conserving in a 2018 order. Other land that could be opened to drilling is … [Read more...] about State to ask Colorado BLM to defer action on some oil, gas leases proposed in wildlife habitat

Rep. Deb Haaland Deb Haaland Haaland courts moderates during tense Senate confirmation hearing OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Haaland courts moderates during tense confirmation hearing | GOP's Westerman looks to take on Democrats on climate change | White House urges passage of House public lands package Schumer urges Democrats to stick together on .9T bill MORE (D-N.M.) faces what could be a contentious hearing on Tuesday as she seeks to convince lawmakers to confirm her to lead the Interior Department. Haaland would be the first Native American woman to lead the department and her nomination has prompted excitement for its historic nature. She also has huge support from progressives, as Haaland has backed the Green New Deal and has opposed a controversial method of oil and gas extraction called fracking. But those positions will cost her support from Republicans and perhaps conservative Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) Manchin Hoyer: House will … [Read more...] about Haaland faces contentious confirmation fight

VAIL — Gov. Jared Polis says he did not speak with Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Monday about relocating the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado, but he continues to favor its move to Grand Junction or Denver. “We’ve been working, obviously, with Grand Junction,” Polis said. “From an economic development perspective for our state, Grand Junction would be a site that would make a bigger contribution to our state, but we support anywhere in Colorado that wants to move forward.” The governor and Interior secretary – a native of Rifle – were in attendance Monday at the Western Governors’ Association’s annual meeting at a Vail resort. So, too, were 10 other governors, at least two of whom represent states that also want the BLM headquarters. In Colorado, competition between Denver and Grand Junction for the future headquarters has set off a small scramble to lure the agency. Polis compared the competition to a similar debate over whether U.S. Space … [Read more...] about Polis: Grand Junction would be best for BLM headquarters, but Denver works, too

Sen. Bob Menendez Robert (Bob) Menendez Senate confirms Thomas-Greenfield as UN ambassador The Memo: Biden bets big on immigration Biden pushes expanded pathways to citizenship as immigration bill lands in Congress MORE (D-N.J.) on Tuesday reintroduced legislation that would require public companies to disclose the racial, ethnic, gender and veteran composition of their corporate boards and senior management. The bill, the Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act, aims to address shortcomings in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) diversity disclosure rule. “For too long corporate America has fallen short in racial, ethnic and gender diversity. Without greater diversity in top corporate positions, the U.S. will fail to compete with other leading economies and stall our nation’s progress towards full inclusivity,” said Menendez, the highest-ranking Latino in Congress. ADVERTISEMENT The House passed the legislation in 2019, … [Read more...] about Menendez reintroduces corporate diversity bill

The conservative movement is keeping its mask off. Photo: Tom Brenner/REUTERS Less than two months after inciting an insurrection against the U.S. Congress, Donald Trump will reportedly declare himself the Republican Party’s “ presumptive 2024 nominee ” at this weekend’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). And he won’t be wrong. Losing an election is typically enough to sour a party’s voters on its defeated standard-bearer. Fumbling a half-assed coup attempt is, in most countries, enough to get an ex-president imprisoned or even killed. But red America’s consummate “winner” has emerged from electoral and insurrectionary defeat with his grip on the GOP faithful intact. Last week, a Politico-Morning Consult poll found that 59 percent of Republican voters would like Trump to “play a major role” in their party going forward — up 18 points since January 7, the day after the Capitol Hill riot. The survey also found that a large plurality of GOP voters … [Read more...] about Trump’s Reconquest of the GOP May Have an Upside for Democracy