Forests next to Colorado’s iconic West Elk Wilderness Area provide habitat for the threatened lynx, support the Sunset Trail, a backcountry hiking and horseback trail, and provides a valuable linkage between the West Elk Wilderness Area and lowland forests along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. For years, conservation groups have battled an exemption…

Emergency Injunction

The injunction prevents Mountain Coal from further destruction of the roadless forest in the West Elk Mountains until a challenge from conservation groups is resolved

Will the Forest Service’s legacy be to protect our public lands to be enjoyed by all? Or to sacrifice them for long-term climate costs and a single coal company's short-term profits?

Arch Coal seeks to expand West Elk’s coal mine leases into 1,700 acres of roadless wildlands

Forest Service pushes to mine next to West Elk Wilderness, giving Arch Coal access to more than 17 million tons of coal

In a move that will undercut America’s clean energy industries, U.S. Forest Service opens 20,000 acres of national forest in Colorado to bulldozing roads for coal mining

U.S. Forest Service issues final environmental impact statement on plan to open 20,000 acres of national forest in Colorado to bulldozing roads for coal mining; move has huge climate costs, but benefits only one mine

Photos by the Forest Service—obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request—give graphic evidence of underground coal mining’s impacts on Colorado landscapes that provide a home for black bear and elk, beaver and the elusive lynx.

The Obama administration needs to step up and keep coal in the ground on federal lands where mining coal has huge known impacts.

Subsidies to Arch Coal slammed; renewable energy groups join wildlife, climate advocates in opposition

Proposed loophole could cause millions of tons of carbon pollution, undermine Obama administration climate goals, and degrade wildlife habitat

RE: Coal Mine Exception to Colorado Roadless Rule, and North Fork Gunnison Coal

Bulldozing roads for coal mining would damage wildlife, increase climate change emissions

Proposed loophole could cause half a billion tons of carbon pollution while undermining Obama administration climate goals

The lack of an appeal finalizes a victory judgment for conservation groups

Autumn’s beauty was on full display in Colorado’s aspen forests late last month. So was the Obama administration’s schizophrenic approach to climate and public lands policy.