Welcome to the start of fall, at least the post-Labor Day fall. Cool fronts are starting to pass across the continent, Congress is back in session, and all manner of things are in motion. But before we get going, take a moment to take action:

This week’s digest is going to start off by framing several items through the lens of integrity, touch on a few things coming up, and end with a quick explanation of that action item for you—yes you!—to take if you didn’t already.

What happened

1. At some point we’re going to need to decide when the administration’s contempt of renewable energy is actually just avarice and corruption in plain sight. I suspect if we look around, that line is behind us. Consider the continuing attacks on wind projects, such as stopping nearly complete projects like Revolution Wind off Connecticut, and the news this morning of remanding permits for New England Wind. As noted previously, the administration is using all sorts of justifications—they suddenly love whales or birds? Nah, it’s a smokescreen—to carry out the attacks. Heatmap characterizes it as a “blitz” or “war” on wind. 

Through it all, the lack of integrity is glaring. And when you then see projects moving ahead because a governor has agreed to move ahead with gas pipelines like Empire Wind in New York it just reeks of corruption—”dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people” (M-W). 

The Secretary is well-known for being cozy with oil and gas; Tyler Hassen, a former oil executive is (was, see below) the head of the Department’s Policy, Management, and Budget office. There’s plenty of reason folks like House Natural Resources ranking member Rep. Huffman are digging into ethics and financial issues with Tyler. I keep thinking about what the late, great Molly Ivins said: they’re gonna dance with the one who brung ‘em.

(Side note: As I was writing this newsletter, I saw that there’s a new Secretary’s Order and Tyler Hassen is no longer listed as part of political leadership; he may now be gone. But the SO opens other questions, like why is the administration’s nominee for the head of the USDA Forest Service now in the “acting” role that Tyler held? It seems odd and I haven’t found anyone who has an answer. Worth noting that Mr. Boren has trouble understanding and following the laws related to the agency he’s tapped to run.)

2. This week, a group of 85 climate experts published their analysis of the Department of Energy’s climate document—I’m not going to call it a report, which might connote some semblance of respectability—and submitted it as a comment. You will not be surprised to learn that DOE’s document is riddled with lies, misleading statements, and errors; the authors and purveyors of DOE’s climate document lack integrity. The experts’ report is over 400 pages long, well documented, and thorough; it is a demonstration of integrity. I would recommend everyone grab a copy to keep handy, if not read in full. Looking for something shorter? Be sure to check out this resource from Carbon Brief that provided a rapid response to DOE’s document. As I’ve discussed elsewhere, this is the Merchants of Doubt strategy.

And not to be left out of compromised integrity and climate, House Republicans, led by Rep. Comer, are now seeking to intimidate the National Academies of Sciences by “investigating” the Academies’ rapid assessment of the DOE document and implications for agencies like EPA and its Endangerment Finding. Seriously folks, how do they think it ends by pretending physics don’t exist? 

Other news:

• Tribal and Indigenous topics
  • Two House Natural Resources subcommittees had hearings yesterday; I was able to listen to much of the first (there was lots of the normal ridiculousness) but couldn’t make the second. I will be watching the second in particular because of the bill on dams, to hear the testimony of Nez Perce Tribal Chairman Shannon F. Wheeler, speaking about the harms of dams to salmon and the Tribes. 
  • My former team at the Center for Conservation Innovation worked with Michael Waasegiizhig Price, a Traditional Ecological Knowledge Specialist with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, on a report on braiding TEK and endangered species conservation, which includes a lot of work from Interior and others. 
  • The Indigenous Environmental Network and the Western Mining Action Network are offering small grants to communities impacted by mining, so share with folks as appropriate.
• Resources
  • While the Times has some problems these days, they are covering the impacts of cuts on our national parks.
  • Deep sea miners want to just steamroll the people of American Samoa.
  • Water in the Colorado River is and will continue to be a huge challenge for Interior, the tribes and states, people and nature that depend on it.
  • More examples of the damage from AI, of which society and Interior will bear significant costs, particularly damage to knowledge of history.
• Interesting science to note:
  • NPS staff perspectives on how climate change affects visitor use
  • Federally recognized tribes in Michigan generated an estimated $1.2 billion in economic impact in 2024 
  • The value of prebunking to combat mis/disinformation
  • A global accounting of established non-native fish species
    • Sidenote: Good news story on invasive species!
  • “Bonus” (and by bonus I mean it’s not a good bonus): How distrust of experts is being used by the administration
• Personnel:
  • More collective bargaining agreements have been axed by the Trump administration, with the impacts including the Bureau of Reclamation at Interior. See also NPR.
  • Not Interior-specific, but I shared some feedback on reconstruction over at Off Message, where a guest author (former OMB General Counsel Sam Bagenstos) posted about the hard process of institution building in order to deliver what the government provides to people. His article is worth a read.

What’s coming up

There’s a lot going on up at Capitol Hill since Congress is back. A few notes:

• House Natural Resources is doing a field hearing in Moose, WY on national parks and the deferred maintenance backlog, on Friday, 05 September at 10:00am Mountain / 12:00pm Eastern. It may be webcast.
• HNR hearing, The State of Our Nation’s Federal Forests, on 09 September at 10:15am Eastern in the Longworth Office Building.
  • Presumably this will cover forests on Interior’s lands, but may be focused on the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. Remember that action item!
• Things are regularly shifting, so it’s probably best if you keep an eye on key committee pages that are related to Interior:
  • House Natural Resources
  • House Appropriations - Interior and Related
  • Senate
    • Energy and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Public Works
    • Indian Affairs
• I’m going to be surprised if there’s not a government shutdown in a few weeks. I’m hearing folks in Interior are taking steps for that (as they need to do).

Action Opportunity: Defend the Roadless Rule

This action item is part standing in solidarity, part self interest for Interior. 

As noted back in July when I was at the Western Governors’ Association meeting in Santa Fe, the US Department of Agriculture intends to rescind the Roadless Rule…and they just kicked off that process. The first of what should be several public comment periods closes on September 19, 2025.

In solidarity, this is a time to step up for all our public lands, including those managed by the Forest Service. It’s all-hands-on-deck.

The self-interest angle is because we’re in this together: Interior has to manage its resources at landscape scales, and that includes Forest Service lands. Wildlife don’t care which side of a boundary they’re on; they move back-and-forth. Adaptation to climate change means being able to change across landscapes. Water, fire…the list goes on. If the Forest Service loses its roadless areas—which are associated with lower wildfire rates, better water quality, better results for wildlife, and more benefits—then losing the benefits will spill over to Interior’s lands, waters, and responsibilities.

So help us take action!

Parting Shot