Press Release: Build Back Better Act and Nature-Based Infrastructure Could Protect, Restore, and Rebuild Arizona’s Natural Landscapes

Contact: Amy Dominguez, Communications Coordinator, Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO); 801-928-9157, amy@hechoonline.org

Flagstaff — In Arizona, where unprecedented weather events, such as devastating wildfires, drought, record heatwaves and flashfloods dominated headlines in 2021, nature-based infrastructure solutions in President Biden’s Build Back Better Act present an opportunity to keep communities and natural landscapes safe from the climate-driven impacts that are sweeping the nation today.

Statement: HECHO Celebrates Restoration of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments

Today, President Biden restored Bears Ears and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, carrying out a campaign promise to protect more than 2 million acres of national public lands, and making good on his America the Beautiful initiative.

For time immemorial, Bears Ears National Monument has been stewarded by the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe, and Pueblo of Zuni, who have been advocating for the protection of this culturally and archeologically significant landscape. Together, they are the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, and they recently published a letter to the White House urging protection for the sacred site where religious ceremonies continue to take place. President Biden’s announcement comes on the eve of Indigenous People’s Day and evokes the importance of prioritizing Indigenous perspectives in the management of our public lands.

Statement: DOI’s Expansion of Outdoor Recreation Opportunities for Hunting and Fishing Opportunity to Foster Legacy of Stewardship

WASHINGTON – Today the Department of the Interior announced the largest expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities in recent history by allocating 2.1 million acres of public lands for hunting, sport fishing, and other outdoor recreation opportunities such as nature watching and environmental education.

The expansion aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative to restore and conserve 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030.

Statement: Bill to Clean Up Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells Would Create Jobs and Reduce Pollution

May 27, 2021 -- Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández’s Orphaned Well Cleanup and Jobs Act of 2021 is a dynamic bill that would stimulate rural economies, create jobs, and cut down on pollution. The bill would help clean up state, private, public, and Tribal lands while also combatting the climate crisis. Passing out of the House Natural Resources Committee this week, it now heads to the House floor.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasGuest UserMay 27, 2021Statement, Public Lands, Oil and Gas, Leasing ReformComment

Statement: Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Plan Opportunity to Unite Stakeholders in Protecting Public Lands and Waters

Today the Biden-Harris administration introduced the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Plan, outlining a 10-year goal to restore and conserve America’s lands, waters, and wildlife in a collaborative approach that includes locally led, nationwide efforts with various stakeholders such as Tribal communities, ranchers, anglers, and farmers.

Joint Press Release: Rep. Susie Lee Introduces Bicameral Bill to Promote Appropriate Land-Use Management and Protect Nevada's Public Lands from Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing

This piece originally appeared as a press statement on May 4, 2021 via susieLee.house.gov

By Zoe Shepherd | 05/04/2021

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representative Susie Lee (NV-03) introduced the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act. This bill, which was introduced in the Senate by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), would promote more appropriate land-use management by prohibiting oil and gas leasing on public lands that are determined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to have little to no potential for energy development. The bill would also reprioritize the BLM’s administration of these lands for more appropriate purposes, such as wildlife habitat preservation, outdoor recreation, mining, grazing, and renewable energy development.

Statement: Increased Sabinoso Wilderness Designation Would Make History

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) is proud to support the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to expand the Sabinoso Wilderness in New Mexico. If accepted, the addition of the 9,855-acre parcel would be the largest donation ever added to a designated wilderness in U.S. history.

The designation has the support of various stakeholders including local residents, recreation groups, and sportspeople, who agree that the expansion would support economic opportunity including tourism and travel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and in neighboring communities.

Press Releases/Statements, URGGuest UserMay 1, 2021Statement, Public Lands, New Mexico, Sabinoso Wilderness AreaComment

Statement: Accountability for George Floyd

Today we have seen accountability prevail in the case of George Floyd, and we applaud the jury’s verdict that ex-officer Derek Chauvin is guilty of murder and manslaughter on all counts. For too long, our justice system has failed the Black community, and though the verdict will not bring George Floyd back, we hope that it offers the Floyd family an opportunity to heal.

Press Releases/StatementsGuest UserApril 20, 2021StatementComment

Statement: Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act Elevates Restoration and Conservation

April 20, 2021 -- This week, Senator Michael Bennet (D. Colo.) introduced the Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act that prioritizes forest restoration, watershed conservation, and would support jobs in the outdoors.

The Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act would create a $60 billion outdoor restoration fund, from which two major programs would emerge, the Restoration and Resilience grant program, and the Restoration and Resilience Partnership.

Press Releases/StatementsGuest UserApril 20, 2021Press Release, Outdoor Restoration Partnership ActComment

Statement: Cerro de la Olla Designation, an Opportunity to Cultivate Legacy of Stewardship

Last week, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández introduced the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act to the House of Representatives that would designate 13,103 acres within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico as Cerro De La Olla Wilderness.

Statement: Secretarial Orders prioritize public input, and establishes Climate Task Force

April 16, 2021 — The Department of the Interior has been deeply entrenched in a review process to weed out orders that are not in line with the Biden Administration’s priorities, and this week passed Secretarial Order 3399, and Secretarial Order 3398, committing to building an equitable and just energy future, and prioritizing public input from impacted communities that have historically been underrepresented in the environmental review process.

Press Releases/StatementsGuest UserApril 16, 2021Statement, Deb Haaland, Department of Interior (DOI)Comment

Statement: 28 Western State and Local Elected Officials Support Biden Administration’s Oil and Gas Leasing Pause, Urge Reform

This week, 28 state and local elected officials -- representing thousands of constituents across the southwestern United States -- sent a letter to the Interior Department and Secretary Deb Haaland in support of their pause and review of the federal oil and gas leasing program. The letter, organized by Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hiking, and the Outdoors (HECHO), comes as the first opportunity for public feedback to the administration closes and the Department prepares its report on the future of the leasing program. Western voters, particularly Latinos, overwhelmingly want oil and gas development on federal public lands to be stopped or strictly limited, not expanded.

Joint Press Release: Comments Signed by 115k+ People Submitted to Interior Department Urging Reforms to Federal Oil and Gas Leasing to Protect Public Lands, Oceans, Taxpayers, and Wildlife

This piece originally appeared as a press statement on April 15, 2021.

By Nolan Bush | 04/15/2021

Western, ocean, and conservation groups emphasize important opportunity to modernize the federal government’s antiquated leasing program Today, 28 leading conservation, ocean, and western advocacy organizations announced that they have shared more than 115,000 combined signatures with the Department of the Interior in support of their pause and review of the federal oil and gas leasing program. These signatures were collected in just a few weeks, during this first opportunity to provide feedback to the administration on how they can fix the broken federal leasing system so it works for everyone.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasadminApril 15, 2021Joint Press Release, Oil and Gas, Public LandsComment

Statement: “We’re the ones we’ve been waiting on,” a recap of our Clean Economy and Justice Roundtable

Thursday, March 25, 2021 – Leaders from across the nation joined Thursday evening’s Clean Energy Economy and Justice Roundtable, calling for policy changes that would center the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities, while holding the administration accountable to implement these changes.

Statement: In Solidarity with Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander Community Members

As the COVID-19 pandemic surges in the United States, so has racist rhetoric against Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander community members. According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes have surged by 149% from 2019 to 2020.

Press Releases/StatementsGuest UserMarch 16, 2021StatementComment

Statement: Senator Cortez Masto 2021 Bill Would End Speculative Leasing on Our Public Lands

Today Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sponsored the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2021 that would prevent oil and gas speculators from leasing public lands that offer little to no potential for energy development.

Our nation’s public lands, and the people and wildlife who rely on them, face unprecedented challenges. Among them is the threat of speculative leasing, a destructive practice that allows oil and gas companies to tie up public lands with little to no potential for development in long-term leases. Speculative leasing not only wastes important government resources, but it also puts critical wildlife habitat in harm’s way, and hinders public access to the great outdoors, threatening important opportunities to connect with the landscape that is home to valuable cultural landmarks. Thankfully, it is not too late to stop this.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasGuest UserMarch 4, 2021Statement, Oil and Gas, Leasing Reform, Public LandsComment

Statement: Inauguration Day 2021 Breaks Barriers

History was made today as we watched the inauguration of President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris, our nation’s first woman, and woman of color to take office as VP.

In 2021, Americans turned out in record numbers despite a global pandemic, high unemployment, and social unrest to cast their ballots in support of President Biden and Vice President Harris, marking a new opportunity to unite our country in a fair and equitable manner.

Press Releases/StatementsadminJanuary 20, 2021StatementComment

Statement: Insurrection at U.S. Capitol

Washington D.C. -- Last week, we witnessed the consequences of the dissemination of misinformation, and the perpetuation of white supremacy in the violence enacted at the U.S. Capitol.

Like many of you, we were shocked and saddened as we watched insurrection ensue, our nation’s Capitol breached by white nationalist groups and others who were emboldened by the leader of our country to undermine our fair and honest elections. To see the mob fight their way into the Capitol, and to learn that our country’s leaders were evacuated for their safety, was surreal. It was absolutely jarring and unacceptable.

Press Releases/StatementsCamilla SimonJanuary 15, 2021StatementComment

Press Release: Practicing cultural traditions on public lands safely should be right for all vs. privilege for few

Albuquerque, New Mexico (December 27, 2020) -- Following the holiday at Petroglyph National Monument, a Navajo and Oneida man named Darrell House was repeatedly tased by a National Park Service ranger for stepping off-trail to maintain social distancing protocols when he noticed a crowd walking in his direction.

The site plays an important role for Indigenous people, and was designated after Native American activists sought to protect the stone carvings from vandalism and land development. House visited the national monument to pray before the petroglyphs, and to collect earth for ceremonies.

Statement: A Record Year for Voter Registration and Turnout, HECHO Congratulates President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris

HECHO is proud of the work that took place across the country to encourage communities to vote in what was a landmark year for voter turnout. We congratulate President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris, and look forward to advancing opportunities to build connection to our nation’s precious landscapes, advocating for access to public lands, climate change solutions, environmental justice, and more.

Press Releases/StatementsCamilla SimonNovember 13, 2020Statement, Latino VoteComment

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