Fixed Anchors in Wilderness 101

YOUR TOPO TO THE MOST IMPORTANT CLIMBING POLICY ISSUES HEADING INTO 2024

Paul and Marni Robertson on “Moonlight Buttress” (5.12d), Zion National Park, Utah. Photo by AAC member Jeremiah Watt.

We know climbing policy can be complicated. That’s why we’re giving you the bite-sized answers you need about the key policy topic right now: fixed anchors in Wilderness. Dive in to get a concise understanding of the lay of the land: What is the PARC Act? What does the National Park Service and Forest Service have to say about fixed anchors and climbing? How does it relate to each other? What can climbers do to share their perspective on Wilderness climbing? We break it down and give you an opportunity to share your thoughts on fixed anchors in Wilderness Areas.

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Click and scroll to explore…

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The AAC and Nina Williams have been advocating for climbers in DC!

Hear from Nina Williams about what it was like to advocate for the climbing community, and what motivates her to take action and use her passion for climbing to make a difference.

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Take Action!

Share Your Voice on the Proposed Wilderness Fixed Anchor Guidelines

Photo by AAC member Andrew Burr. Scott Willson on the “East Buttress” (5.10b) of El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California.

Durango Climbers Join Forces

A Cornerstone Conservation Grant Story

By Luke Mehall, Publisher of The Climbing Zine

& Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

This article originally appeared in Summit Register 005.

Grant Perdue feeling the water below on Close to the Edge, 5.11+ at Cascade Canyon. AAC member Will McKay

The Durango Climbers Coalition (DCC) started with a single issue: we wanted to secure a local beloved sport and ice climbing crag called Cascade Canyon. We had learned that the land—which contains challenging limestone sport climbing, our only local ice climbing, and a beautiful waterfall—was located on private property.

Cascade Canyon is home to one of the most aesthetic climbs in Southwestern Colorado: Close to the Edge. Climbers drop into the deep canyon before traversing under a wide collection of technical roof climbs until eventually reaching Cascade Creek, where the pumpy 11c emerges from the water. In the winter, climbers cross the frozen creek to a small but challenging group of ice pillars and mixed climbs. On the best days, you can lace up your ice boots for a few pitches of ice before crossing the river once more to round out your day with a couple rock routes, basking in the Coloradan sun. Few climbing areas offer such a bounty for the climbing community—no matter the season.

How could we secure this land for public use forever? This question led us down a rabbit hole of climbing activism.

Since then, we’ve realized that the Durango climbing community has several issues that need to be addressed, ranging from trail work needs to organizing cleanups of graffiti and trash. But for local climbing organizations like the DCC to successfully manage these kinds of concerns, they need ample resources. Enter our application for the American Alpine Club Cornerstone Conservation Grant.

As much as Cascade Canyon needs protection, some of our other local climbing areas need some love. Animas Mountain, which contains several different climbing zones, and is a mere five minutes from downtown Durango, is at the top of the list. Bouldering is the main attraction with hundreds of blocks scattered in a zone climbers call Sailing Hawks. On the opposite side of the mountain rests X-Rock, containing an assortment of introductory routes and home to Durango’s local sandstone tower, perched high above the Animas River Valley. Excellent running and mountain biking trails provide access to the mountain’s summit and some of the city’s most aesthetic viewpoints.

Anika Bach enjoying her climb up X-Rock in Durango, CO. Land of the Diné Bikéyah, Pueblos, and Ute peoples. Grumpyhighlander photography

Last year, X-Rock was vandalized with several hundred square feet of graffiti, which led to a mobilization of the climbing community to clean it up. We’d previously teamed up with the City of Durango to clean up graffiti at Sailing Hawks, so we had a little bit of experience. This incident sparked action and built community, and the DCC led the way. After eight hours of effort, we restored the sweeping red walls of this scenic climbing area with the help of 18 local climbers, city and county officials, and a Colorado Springs based non-profit, Keeping Colorado Beautiful.

The problems with X-Rock were not over after the cleanup. Irresponsible public lands users have been trashing the area, leaving behind used needles, other forms of trash, and in one case, a gun.

The need for the grant was clear. Trail work and signage would be crucial as we fight to keep this public land safe and sustainable for climbers and other nature lovers. The 5k grant from the AAC will significantly assist with this endeavor. We will formalize the area with a climbers’ kiosk, reinforce eroded approach trails, and direct new climbers to their day’s objective with additional tail signage. This effort would not be achievable without the AAC’s support, along with the City of Durango and La Plata County.

We’ve had some progress on assisting with securing future access to Cascade Canyon. At the same time, we’ve realized the need for the Durango Climbers Coalition as an organization. This need will outlast any current member, and we are here to do the good work, with a lot of help from our friends at the American Alpine Club!

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The Seed of a Story: A Conversation with Nina Williams

By Nina Williams, Professional Rock Climber and AAC Board Member

& Hannah Provost, AAC Content Manager

This article originally appeared in Summit Register 005.

Nina Williams enjoying Lizzard the Gizzard, 5.11d in the Cayman Islands. Land of the Taino people. AAC member Andrew Burr

Communication is key. It’s a trite saying in climbing, let alone most other realms of life. We’ve heard countless retellings of accidents that would have been avoided if a belay partner had been paying better attention or everyone had been on the same page about the intricacies of a descent. While the complexity of communicating about policies and advocacy initiatives is a little different than yelling “Off Belay,” the lessons we’ve learned about the importance of communication in climbing carry over to communicating as a climbing advocate.

Nina Williams, professional rock climber and AAC Board Member, believes that effective communication skills are the groundwork for all of our other advocacy skills.

In this issue of the Summit Register, we’ll introduce you to our Climbers Advocacy Network (CAN) volunteers and offer a look at the curriculum and skill sets our volunteers are learning in the CAN EDU program. These include skills such as becoming fluent in the value of outdoor recreation, identifying key partners for a campaign, building strong coalitions, and keeping advocacy sustainable. But throughout the articles that follow, there is an underlying thread: the power of transparent and meaningful communication.

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Beginnings

Nina’s personal experiences as a young climber set the stage for how important communication would become in her career as an athlete and advocate.

During her early years it was rare for Nina to see other women or people of color at the crag. As a biracial Chinese-American, she did not see herself or her story represented in the climbing community. Nina felt compelled to prove that she belonged. This mindset, while motivating in some ways, was also isolating and lonely.

Author Nina Williams, dancing on Flying
the Colors 5.11c, Sector Sea Horse, The Northeast Point, Cayman Brac, The Cayman Islands. Land of the Taino people. AAC member Andrew Burr

“As a young person, I was usually one of the only girls in the gym. It was always about keeping up with the boys. But as an adult, I started to see other women and hear the stories of other climbers of color and started to realize that I was not alone in this–there are people like me that are experiencing the same things. It created a sense of lightness. I didn’t feel so alone.”

The realization that came from the power of exposure and deeper feelings of community led Nina to believe that there is immense power in storytelling and making space for others’ stories. Ultimately, this experience guided her into the path of advocacy.

Nina was emphatic: “We need to speak up for those who feel they do not have a voice or a presence in the spaces where we climb.” And that includes the land and natural resources we are trying to protect and the surrounding communities that are likewise impacted by climate change and inequitable access.

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Communication as Space

Nina’s personal experiences with the transformative possibility of storytelling pulled her to pursue a degree in Communication. This background informs the powerful strategies she uses in advocacy settings to ensure that advocating doesn’t just become yelling into the void.

Nina explains that the traditional understanding of how we communicate is transactional: you say something with an intended message. Ideally the other person understands your intended message, processes it, and responds with their own message in kind. With this traditional understanding, the literal message being conveyed—the words themselves—is the only element under consideration when making meaning. This model views communication as a back-and-forth transmission of information. However, if you broaden your view of communication just slightly, you are much more likely to get your message across.

Bouldering at Rumbling Bald,
NC. Land of the Catawba, Eastern Cherokee, and Yuchi peoples. AAC member Forest Woodward

Nina argues that, by looking at communication with a wider lens, we can see the expansive and colorful spaces that exist within each person. These spaces are our life experiences, joys, biases, personal traumas, and more. One person’s space (i.e. everything they have lived through) is separate and unique from yours. This creates subtle differences in each individual’s communication styles. Communication is the process of navigating both the similarities and differences in each person’s space. Our spaces influence the way we speak, our body language, and how we communicate with others. Ignoring our own experiences, or the experiences of those we are speaking with, oversimplifies the many elements of our lives that infuse our ability to hear another’s message or to be compelled by it.

With this model of communication in mind, Nina recommends the following tips for communication that respects and acknowledges the complexities that each person brings to any given encounter.

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Nina’s Top 3 Tips for Effective Conversation

1. Acknowledge and Recognize Someone’s Life Experience (someone’s space):

+ You don’t have to agree with them, but once someone feels they are seen, they are more likely to relax their initial defensive barrier.

2. Validate and Affirm:

+ Find a common thread and validate the commonness between you. You can always find something that you share, and affirming this connection aligns you and the person you are speaking with.

3. Genuine Active Listening

+ Let someone tell their story and create their space for you. Listen without giving advice or offering your own opinion. Let go of your agenda for a moment and really hear what they care about and how their story gives insight into what motivates them.

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Build Your Personal Narrative

"Climbers are powerful storytellers just purely based on how powerful climbing is as a sport and as a community! There are so many parallels between the way we approach climbing and the ways we approach life," Nina says. Climbing is a part of your communication "space," but it is not a part of everyone's. Bridging that gap is imperative for articulating why you are motivated to advocate and why these issues matter.

When identifying storytelling opportunities that connect to climbing, Nina encourages people to look past the individual moves or grades and think about how the act of climbing is impacting their everyday life or their way of being.

"If I am describing how small the holds are, or how many pull-ups I am doing in the gym, or how I put a rope down to practice the top out, nonclimbers may not really get it."

Instead, Nina suggests we communicate how climbing is a vehicle for experiences and values that many of us share.

"For example, I might touch on the beauty of the landscape and how the process of climbing pushes me to learn more about things outside of climbing like human anatomy, new ways to calm the mind through meditation, or the Indigenous connection to a place."

These are more universal concepts that people, climbers and nonclimbers alike, can take away from the story and implement into their own life. In Nina's eyes, that is the key to storytelling, figuring out how to relate your experiences and what you learned throughout the experience to someone else.

"When storytelling, I like to think about the gift or the thing that is embedded within my story that someone else will take away and utilize in their own life. That is how you spread the seed of a story and give others the tools they need to build out their own story."

Stories that resonate can be the tipping point for action or inspiration for another climber to join with us in advocacy. They can open the way for an inclusive community and persuade lawmakers that these issues matters. So dig in—what's the seed of your story?

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Voter turnout sets records: Biden-Harris Administration turning their attention to climate and NEPA

As the AAC wraps up our landmark get out the vote campaign, Send it to the Polls, we’re feeling inspired and motivated by the climbing community. In the midst of a global pandemic, you committed to vote, educated others about how to vote, and importantly, you showed up to make your voice heard.

COVID-19 changed the way many Americans participate in the democratic process but against all the odds there was a record setting voter turnout! According to the non-partisan United States Elections Project, 160 million people voted, and there was a turnout rate of 66.9%. Turnout has not been this high since 1900 — 120 years ago. Investments were made across the country to increase voter accessibility like online and same day registration, mail-in ballots and earlier than normal voting. All measures the AAC supports carrying forward into future election cycles in order to continue breaking down voting barriers.

With the 2020 election in the books, we’ve been asked what a Biden-Harris Administration means for the climate and for fixing important environmental regulations like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The efficacy of a Biden-Harris environmental agenda partially depended on who controls the Senate - an outcome that was recently decided by two run-off elections in Georgia. With two Democrats winning Senate seats in Georgia, there will be an even split in power in the Senate with Vice President elect Harris acting as the tie breaker. This could mean big things for the conservation lands designations that we advocated for during the previous congress and for the composition of important committees like the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Check out the Summit Register issue #1 for an article about climate change impacts on the climbing community in Georgia.

With a shift in power in Congress, we’re hopeful to see the Biden Administration’s extensive legislative agenda realized. President Elect Biden’s website lists climate as a top four priority, and many of the policies highlighted to change in the first 100 days relate to repairing the countless rollbacks we witnessed over the past four years. In fact, the same day that President Trump announced changes to the Council on Environmental Qualities regulations that implement NEPA, then presidential hopeful Joe Biden “outlined an environmental policy that would roll back President Trump’s environmental reforms, invest trillions in clean energy and transportation, and set aggressive emissions goals, including emissions-free power by 2035.”

While we’re hopeful that the incoming Administration will correct these environmental rollbacks, it’s important that they hear from you to prioritize this goal.

The American Alpine Club alongside our partners at the Winter Wildlands Alliance, Western Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice, will continue to fight the previous administration’s NEPA rollback in court and expect to see challenges from intervening parties with a vested interest in a poorly functioning NEPA process. We’ll need your help to keep them at bay.

The National Environmental Policy Act ensures federal decision making is transparent, scientifically informed, and that the public has an opportunity to share their expertise and concerns. It's a bedrock environmental law that requires Federal agencies to engage in a project review process to identify the environmental, cultural, economic, and health impacts of a project, as well as offering alternatives to the plan before a decision is made.

NEPA is also a fantastic tool to help federal agencies consider and account for cumulative impacts like climate change but it needs to be restored to its original form.

Alongside correcting NEPA, President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris have committed to re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement, and ensuring a just transition to renewable energy. With climate policy receiving a potential spotlight in the coming year - we look forward to advocating for public land management as a solution to the climate crisis. Policy objectives like the 30 x 30 resolution to protect 30% of public lands and waters by 2030 are a fantastic opportunity for conservation and recreation groups to conserve critical ecosystems, combat climate change and promote human powered outdoor recreation.

There’s a lot more work to be done, and we’ll need your help pushing the incoming Administration to stand up for the outdoor recreation communities needs, but we’re hopeful about the opportunities on the horizon.

BREAKING NEWS: William Perry pendley’s nomination to lead bureau of land management is withdrawn!

William Perry Pendley is Unfit to Lead the Bureau of Land Management—Thank you for telling your representatives!

Remember this name: William Perry Pendley? A few weeks ago we asked climbers to write to their representatives to let them know that the outdoor community sees Pendley as unfit to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Hundreds of you took action to write your senators in opposition, and your voices were heard. Over the weekend news broke that the Trump administration withdrew its nomination of Pendley, to lead the Bureau of Land Management.

In a letter to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Outdoor Alliance summed up our community’s beliefs surrounding the nomination stating:

“Pendley’s longstanding advocacy for the sell-off of public lands; history of disparaging comments directed against BIPOC, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities; his denial of the urgent threat of climate change; and his long history of advocacy against environmental protection and core conservation laws collectively make him manifestly unsuited to stewarding our country’s public lands.”

Photo by Julia Clark-Riddell of Anna Hazelnutt climbing the “Sad Boulders” of Payahuunadü

What now?

Unfortunately, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, intends to keep Pendley in his “acting director” role, even though he clearly would have been unable to move forward in the role if it came to a confirmation vote in the senate. We believe this is unacceptable and we believe Pendley should be forced to resign. There are several active lawsuits  opposing his role as acting director that claim the Trump administration has kept him installed as acting director of the BLM far longer than what's legal under federal law. As this story progresses we will keep you up-to-date.

Thank you—the fight continues!

It is clear that the climbing and outdoor community overwhelmingly believe that Pendley is not the right person for the job. We asked our representatives to oppose the Trump administration’s nomination of Pendley to be the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and our voices were heard. Now we must demand his resignation and push for a leader who embodies the mission of the BLM. Thank you for taking action! The AAC celebrates our community’s willingness to act under pressure and take the time to impact change when public lands, members of our communities, or climbing resources are under threat.

AAC SUES THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO KEEP THE “PUBLIC” IN PUBLIC LANDS

Photo by Dawn Kish

GOLDEN, CO—Today, the American Alpine Club joined forces with Winter Wildlands Alliance and 20 other conservation and environmental justice organizations to sue the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and stop its evisceration of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

For the past 50 years, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has ensured that climbers and skiers have a voice in how the federal government managers our public lands. Whether considering issues like climbing regulations in forest planning, balancing recreation with cultural preservation in national monuments, or accounting for impacts to the climate from energy development on public lands—NEPA ensures that the federal government incorporates science and public opinion in the decision-making process. NEPA assures that the federal government operates with transparency and is held accountable for the decisions made on public lands. Having transparent decision making and accountability is particularly important to the climbing community as many of our cherished climbing areas are located on federal public lands across the country.

“Mountain regions are warming at roughly twice the pace of the global average, and climbers and skiers are experiencing these changes every time we go into the mountains. Now, the administration has decided that federal agencies no longer need to consider how their decisions will affect the climate. We’re suing the administration to force the government to continue accounting for climate impacts before approving development projects.” says Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager at the American Alpine Club. Luneau wrote about the changes to NEPA in detail in the AAC’s Summit Register: The Policy Zine for Climbers.

The policy changes announced by President Trump on July 15, 2020, mark a significant departure from how the government has previously interpreted NEPA. The new regulations limit public participation, restrict the scope of environmental analyses, and intend to fast-track approval for development and infrastructure projects. These policy changes raise significant concerns not only for the protection of public lands and outdoor recreation, but for the health and well-being of communities across the country who rely on clean air, water, and a healthy climate. 

“The National Environmental Policy Act gives every American a voice in how public lands are managed. If you’ve ever sent a letter to the Forest Service, Park Service, or Bureau of Land Management, weighing in on a project, you were able to do so because of NEPA,” says Hilary Eisen, Policy Director at Winter Wildlands Alliance. “These policy changes dramatically re-interpret the law to sideline the public and prioritize corporate interests over environmental protection,” Eisen added.

To learn more, join Taylor Luneau and Hilary Eisen, along with Susan Jane Brown, staff attorney at Western Environmental Law Center, for a webinar at 6 p.m. Mountain Time on August 11. 

Register online at: https://bit.ly/NEPALawsuitWebinar

To learn more about the importance of NEPA for climbers, read our latest blog post and check out the AAC’s newest publication Summit Register.

AAC is suing the Administration over change in NEPA, the peoples environmental law

When the government proposes a project that could impact the health of your community and environment, one federal law keeps you in the loop and allows your voice to be heard—but last week the Trump Administration pulled it apart. As a result, the AAC is joining forces with Winter Wildlands Alliance and 20 other conservation and environmental justice organizations to sue the Council on Environmental Quality and the Trump Administration.  

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ensures federal decision making is transparent, scientifically informed and that the public has an opportunity to share their expertise and concerns. It’s a bedrock environmental law that requires Federal agencies to engage in a project review process to identify the environmental, cultural, economic, and health impacts of a project, as well as offering alternatives to the plan before a decision is made.

Sounds pretty reasonable right?

Well, after years of environmental deregulation under the guise of “efficiency” and “job creation,” the Trump Administration finalized its biggest rollback yet. On July 15, the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality released the final text of their updates to the rules that implement NEPA. 

These rule changes raise major concerns not only for the protection of public lands and outdoor recreation, but for the health and well-being of communities across the country who rely on clean air, water and a healthy climate. The destruction of NEPA is not only an environmental issue, but a social justice issue as well.

“This rule change is a massive step backward not only for public lands and the climbing community but for all Americans. NEPA ensures meaningful community participation and representation, it considers public health data and other important scientific research to make informed decisions, and it considers the composition of the affected area to determine and address disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority communities. These changes fly in the face of every American’s right to a healthy environment - especially now in the midst of a public health crisis.”

— Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

WHAT IS CEQ

Essentially, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), is the keeper of the nation’s environmental goals. Created by NEPA, the CEQ is meant to advise the Executive branch on how best to protect the quality of the nation’s environment. Importantly, it’s tasked with overseeing how NEPA is implemented by federal agencies such as the National Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. As you can imagine, the CEQ plays a major role in how our natural resources are managed, and that role can change dramatically from administration to administration. 

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

The CEQ’s new regulations limit the scope of environmental review and remove meaningful science and data from decision making. Importantly, it no longer requires agencies to consider certain long-term effects of a project due to eliminating what are known as “cumulative and indirect impacts” from environmental analysis. These are the effects of a project that result from incremental actions, or impacts that are reasonably foreseeable in the future. These impacts may be minor individually, but collectively result in significant impacts over time. 

For example:

Say there’s a new logging proposal on Mt. Hood which will cut a road directly through the approach trail to your favorite climb! In the previous NEPA process, the Forest Service would need to create an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) where they consider the immediate impacts of the logging proposal on things like wildlife, recreation, and the watershed. In addition, the EIS would also analyze the indirect effects, such as the long-term decline of a species due to habitat fragmentation, as well the cumulative impacts, like the impact on the climate due to removing a carbon rich forest.

In the updated NEPA process, the Forest Service is now only responsible for considering immediate and direct effects of the proposal and can ignore those indirect and cumulative impacts, of which there are many.

Removing the requirement to consider long-term project effects opens the door for extractive industries looking for fewer environmental constraints. This favors the interests of industry over the health of our communities and impedes our important work to address climate change.

PUBLIC PROCESS

Discussions surrounding NEPA cannot be had without acknowledging the systems of environmental racism that have been in place in this country since its inception. Disruptive federal projects like the interstate system or power plants, have historically landed in the communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The history of racial injustice caused by these federal projects was part of the impetus behind NEPA’s creation. The law provided the chance for community members and allies to have a say in projects being proposed in their own backyards. Trump’s rollback sidelines the public and gives corporate polluters the ability to cut corners and complete their own analysis without listening to opinions of constituents. Industry does not deserve to have the final say on the future of our communities and public lands. 

“The elimination of public comment periods silences citizens while giving a megaphone to corporations who profit from the destruction of public lands and pollute neighborhoods across the country.”

— Amelia Howe, AAC National Campaign Coordinator

HOW CAN WE INTERVENE?

Congress must take action to hold the Administration accountable and defend the National Environmental Policy Act, an act that once was celebrated for its overwhelming bi-partisan support. Our elected officials must understand that public process and the need for thorough environmental analysis are not partisan issues. We must elect officials who will stand up for laws that aim to protect our environment and vulnerable communities. 

The AAC is committed to fighting for the National Environmental Policy Act at all costs which is why we are suing the Trump Administration. There is a long fight ahead, but together we can protect our climbing landscapes and communities.

Anti-public lands advocate nominated to lead BLM —Tell Congress you disapprove

Trump nominates anti-public lands advocate to lead blm

On Tuesday, William Perry Pendley was officially nominated by Donald Trump to be the first permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during Trump’s presidency. Yes, you read that correctly. For the last four years, the Trump administration has skirted the political system of checks and balances by allowing “acting directors” to run several public land agencies. Pendley, one of those acting directors selected by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, was tasked with managing 245 million acres of public lands. This official nomination from the White House is three and a half years too late and is still the wrong candidate.  

What should have happened?

When Trump was elected president, he had the responsibility of nominating people to  leadership roles across all government agencies. Once someone is nominated for a role, the Senate is tasked to assess whether or not the individual is the right fit for leading an agency by voting to confirm the individual. Two-thirds, or 67 members of the Senate must agree to confirm Pendley to the role of BLM Director.

Who is Pendley?

Like many other public land officials involved in this administration, Pendley has a long history of staunchly supporting the sale of public lands. In addition to this, he’s also considered by many to be more of a fringe voice in the public lands conversation, emphasizing the need for less government control of land and claiming that “The Founding Fathers intended all lands owned by the federal government to be sold,” (National Review, 2016). 

What can we do to stop this?

Many senators in key re-election races throughout the west, and across the country, rely on public lands voters. This puts those senators in a tricky position knowing that they will let those voters down if they confirm Pendley right before the November election. We can act now to put pressure on our senators, and let them know that we see Pendley as unfit to lead the BLM.

Stand up for the National Environmental Policy Act!

WHAT IS NEPA?

For 50 years, the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) has provided important guardrails that protect the environment, cultural resources, and public health, but the current administration is attempting to overhaul the law in a way that will provide benefits to big polluters by severely limiting environmental reviews, curtailing public comment, and allowing industry to conduct their own impact statements - introducing bias into federal decision making. Perhaps most concerning is the removal of the indirect and cumulative effects analysis which requires the federal government to account for their impact on climate change.

NEPA is a bedrock environmental law that was built to provide government oversight in a system that otherwise affords the government ample discretion. It’s important we oppose revisions to NEPA and fight to maintain science and public comment in federal decision making.

ACT NOW TO PROTECT NEPA

Great American Outdoors Act Passes in the Senate!

Today, the Senate took its final vote on the Great American Outdoors Act and passed the bill 73 to 25. The outdoor community has been instrumental in getting the bill passed and should celebrate this victory! The AAC is extremely grateful to everyone who took action to support the Great American Outdoors Act.

“Fair and equitable access to community parks, green spaces, and public lands should be afforded to all, and those outdoor spaces need to be well resourced and protected. The GAOA is a big step in the right direction for public land conservation.” Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

The Great American Outdoors Act means billions of dollars in funding for trails, parks, and public lands and waters across the country. It includes permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and funding for the maintenance backlog on National Parks, National Forest, and other public lands. In total, the bill means as much as $2.8 billion a year will be made available to spend on public lands, outdoor recreation, maintenance and restoration, and new green spaces.

ask your representatives in the house to support the gaoa today with the tool below

While this is a big win, our work is not done. The bill will now travel to the House, where lawmakers need to pass an identical version before it goes on to the President’s desk for approval.

Please send a message to your Representatives to vote YES.

It is also important to hold our lawmakers accountable.
The following Senators voted “NO” on this historic public lands package:

Kennedy (R-LA)
Lankford (R-OK)
Lee (R-UT)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Romney (R-UT)
Rounds (R-SD)
Sasse (R-NE)
Scott (R-FL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Toomey (R-PA)

Barrasso (R-WY)
Blackburn (R-TN)
Braun (R-IN)
Cassidy (R-LA)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Hawley (R-MO)
Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnson (R-WI)

Use the tool below to send a quick thank you note to your Senators if they voted yes (it will automatically update to express disappointment if they voted no)

Climbers Act: Support the Great American Outdoors Act Today!

What is the Great American Outdoors Act?

Remember this past spring when President Trump tweeted in support of a conservation based bill and that Bill made the headlines? That Bill, The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) is back and hitting the senate floor next week. Below we provide a few important facts about what this historic, bi-partisan public lands bill includes, followed by an opportunity to ACT Now!

If the COVID-19 crisis has taught climbers, public lands employees, and local governments anything, it’s that now, more than ever, millions of Americans are looking for opportunities to get outside. For many, the outdoors offer an escape from their daily lives, and deem their recreation time as critical to supporting mental and physical health.

Additionally, as National Parks begin their phased reopening, and local governments consider it safe to once again seek-out outdoor recreation pursuits, it’s important to remember that public lands serve as a major economic stimulus for the country. As we collectively recover from the economic downturn caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, the GAOA has the potential to assist us by providing opportunities for new jobs and diversified streams of income, by addressing the need for recreation resource development and infrastructure repairs.

Click this image to write your representatives!

While this bill has garnered bi-partisan support in the Senate, it’s still not guaranteed to become law. After its Senate vote, the bill will travel to the House floor for a vote. We need climbers to come together and raise their voices in support of the Great American Outdoors Act. Tell your Senators to vote YES for this Bill, and follow up with your representatives in the House to support the legislation. Will you act with us today?

THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB CELEBRATES A YEAR OF CLIMATE ADVOCACY

Policy Manager Taylor Luneau Leads out of the ice cave on Mindbender at Lake Willoughby while belayed by IFMGA mountain guide Kel Rossiter. Photo Credit: Alden Pellet

THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB CELEBRATES A YEAR OF CLIMATE ADVOCACY

The American Alpine Club is swiftly approaching its one year anniversary of the Climbers for Climate campaign. After sifting through over 5,000 survey results in 2019, it became clear - climbers care deeply about the issue of climate change. Survey responses indicated that our community is concerned about the impact of climate change on our climbing landscapes, communities, and the outdoor recreation economy. We, as an organization, decided that it was time to take action. We heard you.

On June 1st, 2019, we released AAC’s first official policy position statement on climate change. Using responses derived from member surveys, scientific research, and AAC mission as a guide, we created a comprehensive document that outlines AAC’s climate action items on an internal, national, and global level. 

What have we accomplished?

• Created a Climate Change Task Force consisting of leading researchers who provide AAC with evidence-based guidance for how the policy team decides where to focus our advocacy work.

• Advocated for legislation and policies that mitigate climate change. During Climb the Hill we asked representatives to regulate and reduce carbon pollution and to support a plan to regulate carbon pollution that reduces burdens on low-income communities while mitigating the effects on climate change. 

  • Bills we advocated for: Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2019 (HR 2711), The Climate Action Now Act (HR 9), and The Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act (HR1146).

• Launched research projects focused on measuring the impact of climate change on the winter climbing environments and the outdoor recreation economy.

• Created meaningful partnerships with organizations working to push the needle on climate, like Protect our Winters, Winter Wildlands Alliance, and Outdoor Alliance.

Climbers are deeply connected to the outdoors and are credible witnesses to the effect climate change has on climbing landscapes and communities around the world. 

Thank you for standing up as a community to

demand climate action. 

Your support gave us the strength to start our work on climate. And, in the coming year, we’ll use your feedback and what we’ve learned over the past year as a lens to push forward on our commitments, further develop policy campaigns, and develop an updated strategic plan for the AAC Policy department.

We heard you then, and we hear you now. Let’s continue to push for action on climate!

POLICY UPDATES IN THE ERA OF COVID

COVID19 is inundating the national news cycle—and it should be. During this global pandemic, people want the latest information about the virus and how to best protect themselves and those around them. It can be hard to consider attacks on the environment when many are working at the front lines of the epidemic, have lost jobs or income, or are experiencing the sudden responsibility of caring for family members.

While we adapt to this new “normal”, the government is still chugging along making decisions that affect our public lands and waters. 

Recently, we’ve witnessed some issues that gave us pause for concern. During a time of media overload, government officials are working without the same level of public scrutiny, and some appear to be exploiting this opportunity.

In a time of national crisis, the government should press pause on all non-essential activities, just like the rest of us. But over the past few weeks we’ve observed government officials loosening regulations on polluters, pushing anti-environmental rule makings without sufficient public engagement, making final decisions on land use plans, and even hosting lease sales of oil, gas, and coal on public lands.

Read the full article to find out about the issues to have on your radar.

AAC Advocates for LWCF in 2019

 The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is our nation's premier conservation funding source for enhancing access to public lands, safeguarding watersheds and forests and supporting local outdoor recreation economies. Across the country, every county in every state benefits from LWCF. The climbing community is no different. LWCF supports climbing areas on federal lands--from Denali to Acadia National Park--as well as on state lands, from Hueco Tanks to Custer State Park. Unfortunately, LWCF expired on September 30, 2018 and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition estimates that our National Parks have lost over $236 million dollars in conservation funding since the LWCF expired.[1] That means places like Rocky Mountain, Yosemite, and other National Parks and National Forests need to find funding elsewhere or put their conservation goals on hold.  

The American Alpine Club (AAC) values this conservation tool for the American people and passionately advocates for the permanent reauthorization and full funding of the LWCF. While we made great strides in 2018, the LWCF was not reauthorized due to Congress’s failed attempt to pass a public lands package which included the Emery County Public Lands Management Act, LWCF, and other important legislation. We are optimistic, however, that our active lobbying in D.C., our members’ participation in action alerts, and the hard work from the conservation community-especially the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition- will result in reauthorization of LWCF in 2019 with the 116th Congress.

What is the LWCF and How Does it Work?

Congress enacted the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (LWCF) in 1965 to help conserve, develop and ensure access to outdoor recreation facilities for the health and welfare of US citizens. The law sought to accomplish this goal by:

1. Providing money for land acquisition for outdoor recreation by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Forest Service

2. Matching funding for states on recreation planning, acquisition of recreational lands and waters and developing outdoor recreation facilities 

3. And funding other federal government conservation programs, like the Forest Legacy program of the Forest Service.

Congress authorized the LWCF for two 25-year periods and one 3-year period (starting in 2015) and approved the Fund to accrue up to $900 million annually.[2] The primary source of funding is derived from oil and gas leasing royalties on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Unfortunately, less than half  ($18.4 billion) of the approved $40.0 billion in total revenues have been appropriated to the Conservation Fund since the Act was passed.[3] Those lost dollars go into the general fund and are allocated however Congress sees fit, instead of supporting the climbing areas we love. It is critical that we, as a conservation-minded community, demand the full funding of the LWCF annually in order to direct the greatest amount of financial backing towards outdoor recreation areas. 

The School Room Glacier on the Teton Crest Trail, Grand Teton National Park, WY. Photo Credit: Taylor Luneau

 Where Does the Funding Go?

Of the money that has been appropriated to LWCF since the program began, 61% went to federal land acquisition, 25% to state grant programs, and the remaining 14% to other purposes (Figure 1).[4] Federal land acquisitions are particularly important to the climbing community as 60% or more of climbing areas reside on federal public lands.[5] Frog Rock on Bozeman Pass in the Gallatin National Forest, MT was one such beneficiary of these resources. With a $2.6 million contribution from LWCF, funding from the Gallatin County Open Space Program, and a land donation, the Trust for Public Land protected over 2,000 acres of land to provide clear access to Frog Rock.[6] Before this, climbers’ only option was to illegally park on I-90 and bush-whack up to the crag. 

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Figure 1: Land and Water Conservation Fund appropriations in Billions of dollars to Federal, State and other sources for the Fiscal Years of 1965 to 2018.

Other public lands will be supported by LWCF as well. Currently, 9.52 million acres of Western public lands sit entirely landlocked with no legal public entry.[7] These isolated parcels contain unique recreation resources and, if fully reauthorized, the LWCF will provide the necessary financial resources to unlock portions of these public lands. With the permanent reauthorization of the Conservation Fund, state and federal government officials can rely on the much-needed revenue for future projects. 

Political Support for the LWCF:

The return on these public land investments to local economies are well worth congress’ efforts. The Trust for Public Land found that for every $1 invested in federal land acquisition through LWCF, there is a $4 return in economic value.[8] That’s partially because the outdoor recreation economy, which generates $887 billion annually in consumer spending and 7.6 million American jobs, benefits directly from the conservation of these open spaces and outdoor recreation areas.[9] Elected officials have taken notice of this trend. Political leaders like Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Governor Jared Polis (D-CO) leveraged their support of  public land protection and outdoor recreation in their election bids.[10] Following his election victory, Sen. Tester joined Sens. Steve Daines (R. MT) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) in supporting the reauthorization of LWCF at a press conference at our nation's capital. Sen. Tester said that “reauthorizing the LWCF should be Congress’s top priority.”[11]

With other issues plaguing the end of the 2018 legislative agenda, public lands and their main conservation funding source fell by the wayside. We expect that our voices will be heard and LWCF will be prioritized in the next legislative session. Communities across the country will prosper from this decision for generations to come. As climbers, we can celebrate that our climbing landscapes will profit from this financial resource through the acquisition of new public lands, the securing of access to crags, and the conservation and development of important recreational resources. The AAC will continue to work with our elected officials and advocate for this critical conservation tool.

Data extrapolated from: Center for Western Priorities. “Funding America’s Conservation Future.” August, 2018. http://westernpriorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/LWCFReport_Aug_2018_final.pdf

[1]Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition. “#SAVELWCF” Accessed Jan. 2019. https://www.lwcfcoalition.com

[2]Congressional Research Service. “Land and Water Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and Issues.” August 17, 2018. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL33531.html

[3]Congressional Research Service. “Land and Water Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and Issues.” 

[4]Id.

[5]Access Fund. “This Land Is Our Land: Climbing on Public Lands” Vertical Times. Spring 2016. Vol. 105. https://www.accessfund.org/uploads/1645_AF_VT_Spring_vWebFinal2.pdf

[6]Outdoor Industry Association. “#ICanSeeLWCF From Montana.” Accessed December, 2018. https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/LWCF-Exemplary-Projects-Montana-v3.pdf

[7]Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “Off Limits, But Within Reach. Unlocking the West’s Inaccessible Public Lands.” Accessed December, 2018. http://www.trcp.org/unlocking-public-lands/#!

[8]The Trust For Public Land. “Return On The Investment From The Land & Water Conservation Fund.” November, 2010. https://www.tpl.org/sites/default/files/cloud.tpl.org/pubs/benefits-LWCF-ROI%20Report-11-2010.pdf

[9]Outdoor Industry Association. “The Outdoor Recreation Economy.” 2017. https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/OIA_RecEconomy_FINAL_Single.pdf

[10]  Aaron Weiss. “Winning Western candidates turned to pro-conservation messages in campaign ads.” Westwise. Nov. 19, 2018. https://medium.com/westwise/video-winning-western-candidates-turned-to-pro-conservation-messages-in-campaign-ads-8c241a6d6562?mc_cid=2542f31a80&mc_eid=702f6902aa

[11]Edward O’Brien & Nicky Ouellet. “Montana Lawmakers Push To Reauthorize LWCF Before Year’s End.” Montana Public Radio. Nov. 29, 2018. http://www.mtpr.org/post/montana-lawmakers-push-reauthorize-lwcf-years-end