73 western groups to Senate leadership: No deal with devil on permit reform

Apr 16, 2026 | News Release

Contact: Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, Western Environmental Law Center, 575-751-0351, eriksg@westernlaw.org Today, 73 western community, conservation, faith, and Indigenous groups representing...

Environmental orgs file protest against Green Chile Pipeline in southern New Mexico 

Apr 15, 2026 | News Release

Today, the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, Center for Biological Diversity, and Food & Water Watch filed a protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) challenging the Transwestern Pipeline Company’s attempt to fast-track the proposed Green Chile...

Career Opportunity: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Attorney (Portland, Eugene)

Apr 13, 2026 | Careers

Job Opening Announcement: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Attorney Reports to: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Director Location: Portland or Eugene, OR, preferred. Other WELC office locations, including remote, may be considered for the right candidate in the right...

New Mexico communities win stronger air protections as environment board approves historic fee update

Apr 13, 2026 | News Release

Today, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)’s Environmental Improvement Board approved a landmark update to its air quality permit fee structure that increases essential funding for inspections, monitoring, and enforcement. These changes will help deliver...

Media advisory: Oil and gas industry takes another swing at convincing Water Quality Control Commission to allow risky wastewater discharge to NM waters

Apr 8, 2026 | News Release

Next week, on April 14, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) will consider a motion from an industry-backed group to start yet another rulemaking to allow the discharge of “treated” toxic oil and gas wastewater to state waters. In November 2025, the...

New Mexico Indigenous, community, conservation groups cry foul at 7-day Easter scoping comment period for Chaco oil, gas buffer analysis

Apr 7, 2026 | News Release

A coalition of New Mexico Indigenous, community, and conservation groups submitted scoping comments today opposing the Trump administration’s process to re-evaluate a 10-mile buffer surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park where new oil and gas and other...

New Mexico regulators near final rules strengthening oil and gas bonding and cleanup

Apr 6, 2026 | News Release

Parties in the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission (OCC) case to modernize oil and gas clean up and bonding rules filed their final post-hearing briefs on Friday, March 20, a key step as the OCC prepares to decide whether to update decades-old financial safeguards...

Historic funding for wildlife passes Oregon Legislature, heads to Gov. Kotek for signature

Mar 4, 2026 | News Release

Moments ago, the Oregon Senate passed HB 4134, also known as “1.25% for Wildlife,” marking its bipartisan passage in both chambers of the Oregon Legislature. This landmark bill now heads to Gov. Kotek’s desk to be signed into law. A broad coalition of conservation,...

Lawsuit challenges Montana’s Bull Mountains Coal Mine expansion, Trump’s sham energy emergency 

Mar 3, 2026 | News Release

Conservation groups sued the Trump administration today over its approval of a major expansion of the Bull Mountains Coal Mine in Montana. The U.S. Office of Surface Mining approved the expansion last June without releasing a draft environmental impact statement to...

Conservation groups: Stibnite gold mine permit violates Clean Water Act, would harm Salmon River, threatened bull trout

Mar 2, 2026 | News Release

Last Friday, conservation groups filed a petition for review with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) challenging a permit the agency issued early this year to Perpetua Resources for the Stibnite Gold Project, a proposed mine 12 miles east of Yellow...