Western Leaders Voices - Op-Eds

Below are letters and editorials authored by local officials in Western Leaders Network. Meet these leaders and read their profiles here.

If you would like to write an editorial or letter on a conservation issue for the media and need guidance, contact Program Coordinator Jessica Pace at jess@westernleaders.org.

Western Leaders Voices
Editorials and Letters by Year

2024

La Plata County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton: Pollution and air quality regulations should be standardized, The Durango Herald, Dec. 22, 2024

Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman and Missoula County Commissioners Josh Slotnick, Dave Strohmaier and Juanita Vero: Support officials and volunteers who facilitate electoral process, Missoulian, Sept. 19, 2024

Albany County Commissioner Pete Gosar and Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval: New pipeline safety rules must be enacted for the health of current and future generations, City & State Pennsylvania, Aug. 7, 2024

Albany County Commissioner Pete Gosar and Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval: Pipeline safety rule will cut methane, protect communities, Casper Star-Tribune, Aug. 3, 2024

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver: “County clerks are key to a secure general election,” Santa Fe New Mexican, Aug. 2, 2024

La Plata County Clerk-Recorder Tiffany Lee and Weld County Clerk-Recorder Carly Koppes: “There are no ‘smoke and mirrors’ around the electoral process,” The Durango Herald, July 21, 2024

La Plata County Clerk-Recorder Tiffany Lee and Weld County Clerk-Recorder Carly Koppes: “Colorado is an example of safe, secure and efficient elections,” The Greeley Tribune, July 19, 2024

Western Leaders Network Executive Director Gwen Lachelt and Senior Counsel for The Brennan Center for Justice’s Voting Rights Program Alice Clapman: “This November, we must protect election officials,” Denver Post, July 12, 2024

Defiance County Board of Elections Director Tonya Wichman: “‘I felt ready to throw in the towel.’ Election officials are being chased from jobs.” Columbus Dispatch, July 9, 2024

Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva: Protecting democracy starts locally, Arizona Daily Star, March 3, 2024

2023

Nevada Assemblyman Howard Watts and Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero: Don’t derail progress of so many western communities, Las Vegas Sun, Nov. 12, 2023

Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero and Nevada Assemblyman Howard Watts: Funds could increase jobs, Missoulian, Nov. 9, 2023

Fort Laramie Mayor Joyce Evans: New rules would improve quality of life in oil, gas country, Casper Star-Tribune, Oct. 14, 2023

Pittsburgh City Councilor Erika Strassburger and former Bayfield Mayor/La Plata County Commissioner Josh Joswick: “Vigorous standards” needed to govern pipelines, Durango Herald, Aug. 28, 2023

Pittsburgh City Councilor Erika Strassburger and former Bayfield Mayor/La Plata County Commissioner Josh Joswick: Better oversight of U.S. Pipelines Needed, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Aug. 16, 2023

Western Leaders Network Executive Director Gwen Lachelt discusses White House Methane Task Force with KUNC, July 31, 2023. Click here and here to listen.

White House tackles methane emissions, The Journal, July 26, 2023

Ridgway Mayor John Clark: Regulation 7 ensures Colorado on track to meet climate targets, Durango Herald, July 26, 2023

Northglenn City Councilor Katherine Goff: Easing methane rules a bad idea for climate, Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, May 11, 2023

Adams County Commissioner Emma Pinter: Clearing the air about methane emissions and climate change, Westword, April 23, 2023

Former Navajo Nation Shiprock Chapter President Chili Yazzie: Interior Department should strengthen methane rule, Santa Fe New Mexican, April 15, 2023

Rio Arriba County Commission Chairman Alex Naranjo: Oil and Gas Act overdue for climate, health update, Albuquerque Journal, March 4, 2023

Western Leaders Network Executive Director Gwen Lachelt: Capturing methane leaks protects all of us, The Durango Herald, Jan. 22, 2023

2022

Fort Mojave Tribal Chairman Timothy Williams: New national monument a win for all Americans, Las Vegas Sun, Dec. 11, 2022

Pitkin County Commissioner Greg Poschman and Eagle County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry: Make Camp Hale a monument now, Aspen Times, Oct. 5, 2022

Former Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Chair Shelly Fyant, Walker River Paiute Tribal Chair Amber Torres: Importance of prioritizing indigenous communities, Missoulian, Sept. 16, 2022

Former Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Chair Shelly Fyant, Walker River Paiute Tribal Chair Amber Torres: Tribal communities stand to gain from infrastructure, inflation legislation, Reno Gazette Journal, Sept. 15, 2022

West Wendover Mayor Daniel Corona: Reform of hard rock mining industry regulations overdue, Reno Gazette Journal, May 19, 2022

Former Aztec Mayor Victor Snover: Senate must tackle pollution, “Build Back Better” has blueprint, Albuquerque Journal, March 14, 2022

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Daniel Tso: Cleaning up after abandoned wells is essential, Santa Fe New Mexican, Feb. 24, 2022

Hualapai Tribal Chairman Damon Clarke: General Mining Law in desperate need of updating, Arizona Daily Sun, Feb. 24, 2022

2021

Western Leaders Network Executive Director Gwen Lachelt: Confirmation of Chuck Sams is perfect for Native American Heritage Month, Billings Gazette, Nov. 21, 2021

Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero: Support Build Back Better, Missoulian, Nov. 8, 2021

Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández and Aztec Mayor Victor Snover: Cutting methane first step in tackling the climate crisis, Albuquerque Journal, Nov. 4, 2021

Adams County Commissioner Eva Henry: Polis must prioritize air quality, Denver Post, Nov. 3, 2021

Western Leaders Network Executive Director Gwen Lachelt: Bureau of Land Management Belongs in Washington, DC, Denver Post, Sept. 28, 2021

Coconino Board Supervisor Lena Fowler and Pima County Board Supervisor Sharon Bronson: Need full funding to “Build Back Better,” Arizona Daily Sun, Sept. 20, 2021

San Miguel County Commissioner Hilary Cooper, Pitkin County Commissioner Greg Poschman, Gunnison County Commissioner Jonathan Houck and Ouray County Commissioner Ben Tisdel: Colorado’s leadership on methane control is reducing greenhouse gases — and increasing jobs, Colorado Sun, Sept. 10, 2021

Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy supports Biden’s 30x30 climate plan, Arizona Daily Sun, Aug. 31, 2021

Western Leaders Network Indigenous Leaders Organizer Rudy Soto: Call for unity to breach Snake River dams and restore salmon to preserve our heritage, Idaho Statesman, July 27, 2021

Acoma Pueblo Governor Brian Vallo: New Mexico can still strengthen methane rule, Santa Fe New Mexican, July 17, 2021

Aztec Mayor Pro Tem Rosalyn Fry: Use leasing pause on public lands to rethink energy future, Santa Fe New Mexican, April 16, 2021

Routt County Commissioner Tim Corrigan: Coloradans need a reformed federal oil and gas leasing system, The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, March 7, 2021

2020

Boulder County Commissioner Deb Gardner: Polis must take a bolder stance on climate to stem wildfires, Colorado Sun, Dec. 15, 2020

West Wendover Mayor Daniel Corona: West needs strong policies, swift action on climate change, Reno Gazette Journal, Dec. 10, 2020

Aztec Mayor Victor Snover: Swift action necessary to protect the West, Santa Fe New Mexican, Dec. 10, 2020

Broomfield City Councilor Heidi Henkel: Colorado needs statewide rules to reduce oil and gas emissions, Colorado Sun, Aug. 20, 2020

Navajo Nation, Torreon Star Lake Chapter Community Services Organizer Wally Toledo: New Mexico must correct deficiencies in draft methane rules, Santa Fe New Mexican, Aug. 5, 2020

Grand County Councilor Mary McGann: Utah deserves fair value for oil and gas leases, Salt Lake Tribune, July 31, 2020

Santa Fe County Commissioner Anna Hansen: Now is the time to affirm climate change policy, Albuquerque Journal, April 26, 2020

Aurora Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Johnston: Colorado can take a big step to reduce risk to the people and environment posed by oil and gas, Colorado Sun, March 22, 2020

Missoula County Commission: Urge Congress to approve hard rock mining legislation, Missoulian, March 8, 2020

Las Cruces Mayor Pro Tem Gill Sorg: New Mexicans deserve fair return on oil and gas leases, Las Cruces Sun News, March 4, 2020

Aztec Mayor Victor Snover: Aztec Mayor calls for methane emission reductions, The Farmington Daily Times, Jan. 8, 2020

2019

Adams County Commissioner Eva Henry and La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt: Stronger methane rules will benefit the Front Range and West Slope Alike, Colorado Sun, Dec. 8, 2019

San Miguel County Commissioner Lance Waring: Air Quality commission right to cut methane, Durango Herald, Nov. 10, 2019

San Miguel County Commissioner Lance Waring: Colorado still has a pollution problem, Telluride Daily Planet, Nov. 6, 2019

Routt County Commissioner Tim Corrigan: Oil and gas companies have been paying the same federal royalty rate since 1920. It’s time that changed, Colorado Sun, Nov. 3, 2019

West Wendover Mayor Daniel Corona: Mining royalty needed to cover cost of cleanups, Elko Daily Free Press, Oct. 19, 2019

Coconino County Board Supervisor Lena Fowler: State must take action to protect against climate change, Arizona Daily Sun, Sept. 12, 2019

Taos Town Councilor Nathaniel Evans: Capture methane, generate funds for New Mexico students, Taos News, Aug. 22, 2019

Albany County Commissioner Pete Gosar: Grouse plan changes would imperil wildlife and Wyoming, Wyofile, Aug. 6, 2019

Aztec Mayor Victor Snover, Durango Mayor Melissa Youssef: This methane monster can’t see state borders, Durango Herald, Aug. 4, 2019