Just 48 hours before Earth Day, President Obama designated Fort Ord, California, a national monument. This did not come as a surprise to the citizens of California's central coast, and those who supported preserving the former military base's rich history and lush nature. For months, local and national...

The Arctic recently sent a strong warning that hubris has no place in one of the world's most challenging, high-stakes environments. Shell Oil, which is ready to take a dangerous drilling gamble in the Arctic's icy waters, should take note.

In mid-February, the Spanish company Repsol suffered a blowout...

A powerful Republican chairman in the House of Representatives just shared with his constituents his desire to begin selling our national parks. Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida was caught on video in a local town meeting. Here is what he said:

"I got attacked in a previous town meeting for not...

Half a billion acres. Thirteen bills -- ranging from giving away our great outdoors to mining in the Grand Canyon -- that would attack our nation's lands and waters have been introduced this Congress. Our wilderness is under siege, and it seems as though the House leadership thinks...

Please join me in wishing Betty White a very happy birthday as she hits the incredible milestone of turning 90!

It has been so wonderful getting to know Betty, and I stand with conservationists from coast to coast in a salute of her work...

With fresh attacks on clean air, clean water, and open spaces, Congress seems intent on making a bad situation for America's environment even worse! (We don't know why, so we asked them.) As much as we would like not to believe it, it seems as though the Republican...

Big Oil is a lot like an unwanted guest for the holidays -- taking much more than their share, costing you a fortune, and then leaving without so much as a thank you.

Big Oil has a lot to be thankful for this holiday -- decision makers in Washington...

America's future has been the focus of many conversations in Washington D.C. these days, even in the conservation world. How do we protect the valuable eco-tourism and recreation jobs related to our open spaces? How do we prepare for a growing population? How should we plan for management of our...

Tuesday, November 1, 2011 will go down in history as the day that President Obama designated Virginia's historic Fort Monroe as a National Monument -- our nation's newest area managed by the National Park Service.

Any lover of American cultural, historical and natural legacies should undoubtedly commend...

On our nation's spectacular public lands, there's much more that meets the eye than scenic beauty.

Public lands offer opportunities for low-cost and healthy outdoor recreation that can greatly benefit an American population that seems to be increasingly afflicted by thinner wallets and wider waistlines. Activities such as hiking, biking,...

America's wild places are a wonder to behold, from the stark, jagged peaks of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming to the flame-colored leaves across the rolling slopes of Shenandoah National Park. What they aren't known for is the tremendous economic boost that they give to the American economy each and...

While public attention has been intently focused on the economy and concerns about the federal deficit, members of the House Natural Resources Committee have quietly initiated a sneak attack on America's wild places -- our parks, refuges, forests, historical monuments, and wildlife habitats. For decades, stretching back even before President...

In the midst of one of the most anti-conservation Congresses in the recent memory, a collection of Wilderness designation bills have been introduced by conservation leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. On Monday, Colorado Senators Mark Udall (D-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) reintroduced the

The American people want jobs and economic growth. Investing in clean energy, clean air and clean water will help to make that a reality. But in the back and forth about jobs and environmental protection, that simple fact has gotten lost in the political shuffle. Here are the facts about...

Subsidies for oil and gas companies are so ridiculous, and so unnecessary, that they were a laugh line in the president's State of the Union address. But when it comes to these subsidies, the joke is not on the oil companies, it's on the American people. This tax day, American...

Headlines are blaring about the threat of $5-a-gallon gas, but what those stories don't tell you is that big oil couldn't be happier. Rising gas prices let big oil pull off an amazing sleight of hand -- the industry distracts the public with calls for more domestic oil drilling as...

Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. It was a pitched battle, but it's got nothing on the fight ahead in Congress -- the fight over federal spending that could pollute our air and water, close national parks, decimate our forests and more.

In this coming budget showdown, the biggest hits...

In a few days, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be celebrating 50 years of protection. Tonight in Washington, DC, we are celebrating this momentous occasion with a gala featuring some of the people that have been responsible for keeping the Refuge safe for half a century.

More than 50...

While some in Washington are still trying to catch their breath following the midterm elections, it is heartening to see efforts underway to advance important on-the-ground initiatives during this transition. Some of these efforts include moving toward public lands management that recognizes not only the scenic, scientific and cultural values...

On Saturday September 25, Americans from all walks of life will gather on public lands across the country to celebrate National Public Lands Day. Our public lands -- national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and the lands overseen by the US Bureau of Land Management -- belong...