Chaco Canyon Protections Waiver, ESA Definition of "Harm" Rescinded, and What the BWCA Fires Tell Us About Fire Management - Public Lands News (July 18 - 27) - Outdoor Minimalist

In this week's public lands news briefing, we cover three stories:

1. Fires in Northern Minnesota continue to burn, including in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ft. Aaron Kania, retired Forest Service Ranger in the Kiwishiwi District

2. The 10-mile buffer zone around the Chaco Canyon National Historical Park could be revoked, and the comment period ends on July 29th ft. Keegan King, founder of the Native Lands Institute

How to comment: https://nmwild.org/get-involved/sign-a-petition/protect-chaco-canyon/

Comment by July 29: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=D949F582-402D-F111-8341-001DD804183B

3. On July 10 and 17, the Trump administration made major changes to the Endangered Species Act, including the definition of "harm" and how threatened species are categorized ft. Ramona McGee, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center

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Episode Resources:

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/07/24/walz-says-possible-special-session-should-include-bwca-fire-aid

https://paddleandportage.com/2025/03/14/judges-determine-forest-service-staff-fired-by-trump-administration-will-get-rehired/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395452386_Guardians_and_gardeners_Managing_wilderness_for_the_twenty-first_century/link/68c473e84eef4b024b8b3deb/download

https://wildernesswatch.org/fernberg-corridor-project-decision-shields-the-boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness-from-human-meddling/

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/07/21/bwca-wildfires-outfitters-plan-for-long-financial-hit

https://wtip.org/former-forest-service-ranger-aaron-kania-announces-run-for-minnesota-house-district-3a/

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/newsroom/releases/limited-access-boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness

https://www.native-lands.org/who-we-are/

https://apcg.org/chaco/

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/14/2026-14195/rescinding-the-definition-of-harm-under-the-endangered-species-act