In this episode, I welcome Wes Siler back to the program to discuss the ongoing legislative challenges surrounding public lands in Washington D.C. We discuss the implications of potential land sell-offs which could total more than 1/2 million acres in Utah and Nevada, the motives behind political actions by figures like Ryan Zinke, and the efficiency of public land management agencies. We highlight and critique key components of the House Natural Resources reconciliation bill text, touching on issues from oil and gas development to timber harvesting, Alaska, and weakening of the National Environmental Policy Act.

https://wessiler.substack.com/

https://www.outsideonline.com/byline/wes-siler/

00:16 Public Lands Sell-Off Concerns

00:37 Ryan Zinke and the 'Public Lands in Public Hands Act'

02:05 Economic Impact of Public Lands

04:46 Legislative Processes and Reconciliation

07:37 Environmental and Economic Implications

15:26 Boundary Waters

16:43 Alaska Extraction Issues

19:22 The Challenges of Arctic Oil Drilling

19:41 Impact on Wildlife and Environment

20:18 Renewable Energy and Public Lands

21:09 Timber Harvest and Forest Management

28:56 Legislative Actions and Budget Implications