In the News
Sen. Schiff leads probe into Freedom250, the America birthday group offering access to Trump for donations
by Isabella Murray
Sen. Adam Schiff of California and a group of fellow Democrats are launching a probe into Freedom 250, a new non-profit group closely aligned with President Donald Trump that is raising private funding for high-profile events surrounding America's 250th birthday this summer. Freedom 250 -- a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Park Foundation, the congressionally chartered fundraising arm of the National Park Service -- was announced by the White House X account in December 2025, as an … Continue Reading
February 12, 2026
Scoop: Dems eye protests at Trump's State of the Union
by Andrew Solender
Some House Democrats say they plan to defy instructions from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) not to protest President Trump during his State of the Union address on Feb. 24. Why it matters: Even some top progressives and lawmakers who participated in demonstrations at Trump's speech last year acknowledge it wasn't their shining moment. "Last year didn't really work as envisioned," Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told … Continue Reading
February 12, 2026
Panel OKs mineral, grazing and national park bills
by Michael Doyle
The nation's critical minerals would land on a new kind of list under legislation approved by the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. The committee approved by voice vote an amended version of H.R. 755, the "Critical Mineral Consistency Act," from Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), designed to align the U.S. Geological Survey's list of critical minerals with a separate list maintained by the Department of Energy. During the Biden administration, the USGS critical mineral list did … Continue Reading
February 11, 2026
NPS to visitors: English is ‘official language,’ even on Spanish websites
by Heather Richards
The National Park Service has long provided park websites in other languages — like Spanish, Russian or French — in a nod to the millions of visitors of diverse background who descend on parks each year. But now those websites also include one sentence in English. NPS this week added a disclaimer to emphasize that English is the “official language and authoritative version of all federal information.” At least 11 alternative language sites — including for California’s Joshua Tree National … Continue Reading
February 11, 2026
Trump history purge sparks combative House hearing
by Heather Richards
A House Natural Resources hearing intended to showcase plans for the nation's semiquincentennial devolved into a forum on the Trump administration’s recent efforts to purge national parks of negative history. Democrats dominated Tuesday's nearly three-hour Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing convened by Chair Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) with warnings that the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary is being overshadowed by the Trump administration’s removals of U.S. history and … Continue Reading
February 10, 2026
Potential conflicts over celebrating America’s 250th anniversary spill out in congressional hearing
by Gary Fields, Sean Murphy
Congressional Democrats on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of trying to hijack plans to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and using the nonprofit National Park Foundation to solicit money from private donors for some of the president’s pet projects, including the massive arch he wants to build in the nation’s capital. During a hearing on the 250th anniversary commemoration, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman said President Donald Trump and his allies are attempting to use the celebration to … Continue Reading
February 09, 2026
‘Little death bombs’: Illegal cannabis farms poison California’s forests. Who’s cleaning them up?
by Rachel Becker
Law enforcement raided the illegal cannabis operation in Shasta-Trinity National Forest months before, but rotting potatoes still sat on the growers’ makeshift kitchen worktop, waiting to be cooked. Ecologist Greta Wengert stared down the pockmarked hillside at a pile of pesticide sprayers left behind, long after the raid. Wild animals had gnawed through the pressurized canisters, releasing the chemicals inside. “They’re just these little death bombs, waiting for any wildlife that is going … Continue Reading
February 07, 2026
Marin Co.: County Receives Federal Funding For Housing, Childcare Safety
by Bay City News Service
Marin County will receive $3.1 million in federal funding for workforce housing and child safety improvements under a sweeping appropriations package signed into law this week. The funding is included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which is part of a broader package of appropriations measures that together fund more than 95% of the federal government through Sept. 30. Three Marin County projects are slated to benefit from the … Continue Reading
February 05, 2026
California Congress member’s barefoot Bob Weir tribute draws decorum reminder
by Aidin Vaziri
A California Congress member set aside House tradition this week — literally — when he delivered a floor speech barefoot to honor Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir. The gesture briefly drew a reminder about decorum from the presiding officer. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, took to the House floor on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to pay tribute to Weir, the legendary guitarist who died Jan. 10 at 78, and highlight the musician’s deep ties to Marin County and the North Bay. At the close of his … Continue Reading
February 02, 2026
Hill Democrats probing Trump’s mineral megadeals
by Hannah Northey
Top House and Senate Democrats are investigating the Trump administration's unprecedented move to directly invest or take equity stakes in more than a half-dozen mining and mineral companies. Senate Energy and Natural Resources ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), House Natural Resources ranking member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and House Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) are demanding documents and a briefing from the secretaries of Energy, Defense, Commerce and … Continue Reading
January 29, 2026
Bay Area’s giant 550-mile trail could earn same status as Pacific Crest Trail
by Gregory Thomas
A 550-mile hiking-and-biking trail encircling the Bay Area might soon gain a prized federal recognition that would put it in the same class as the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail. New legislation introduced Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives would designate the Bay Area Ridge Trail — a mostly complete hiking route that weaves a giant loop through the nine-county region — as a National Scenic Trail. There are only 11 such trails in the country, including several … Continue Reading
January 29, 2026
GAO: Trump workforce cuts slow tribal cooperation agreements
by Scott Streater
The Trump administration’s cuts to the federal workforce are hampering the ability of the Interior Department and other federal agencies to develop and finalize co-stewardship agreements with Native American tribes, a federal watchdog agency finds in a new report. The Government Accountability Office report released Wednesday recommends, among other things, that the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service take steps to assess whether they have the “staff capacity related to … Continue Reading
January 27, 2026
NOAA speeds up process to grant deep-sea mining permits
by David Jordan
The Trump administration, with the support of many congressional Republicans, is looking to boost deep-sea mining as a way to counter Chinese dominance of critical minerals supply chains. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced a final rule on Jan. 21 that would speed up the process companies must go through to receive exploration licenses and commercial recovery permit applications under a 1980 law. The move has drawn skepticism over concerns about largely unproven … Continue Reading
January 23, 2026
Trump administration removes slavery exhibit, historical displays from parks, museums
by Julia Marshall
Since President Donald Trump returned to office, his administration has been removing or altering displays at museums and parks across the country. The effort traces back to last year, when Trump signed an executive order aimed at “restoring truth and sanity to American history.” Since then, the president has ordered the National Portrait Gallery to alter and repost information about his two impeachments. Now, The Washington Post reports that National Park Service staff took down an exhibit … Continue Reading
January 22, 2026
Huffman: ‘Madman in the White House’ threatens outdoor law
by Heather Richards
A House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing intended to showcase the first-year of a bipartisan public lands law instead became a forum for Democrats to hammer their conservative colleagues over the Trump administration’s efforts to cut the federal workforce. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands met Wednesday to celebrate one year of the EXPLORE Act — the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act — which boosted internet connectivity on public lands and streamlined permitting … Continue Reading
January 20, 2026
Lawmakers to debate Trump deep-sea mining plan
by Hannah Northey
The Trump administration's contentious plan to unleash deep-sea mining in U.S. waters is teed up for debate in the House this week. The Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is scheduled to examine regulatory barriers to offshore mining Thursday, a debate that’s likely to spark partisan fighting over the government’s fast-paced moves to advance leasing off the shores of Virginia, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
FWS chief briefs lawmakers on hunting, fishing at wildlife refuges
by Michael Doyle
Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik appeared on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to trumpet the Trump administration’s plans to expand hunting and fishing on the nation’s wildlife refuges, with lawmakers responding with bipartisan support for shoring up those public lands. Nesvik testified before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, using his appearance to showcase a new Interior Department-wide directive to “identify and remove unnecessary regulatory … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Trump administration accused of 'slow-walking' help to Pacific island veterans
by David Brunnstrom
The Trump administration was accused on Wednesday of dragging its feet in delivering congressionally agreed benefits to Pacific island nations being courted by China to try to woo them away from the U.S. strategic orbit. The ambassadors of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia as well as Democratic lawmakers told a congressional hearing that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had yet to implement extended benefits to veterans from the … Continue Reading
January 13, 2026
Highway 37 bridge project in Novato gets $25 million influx
by Adrian Rodriguez
A plan to raise a bridge in a flood-prone area of Highway 37 in Marin County is in line for a $25 million funding boost. The Transportation Authority of Marin is set to transfer the funds to the California Department of Transportation for the Novato Creek Bridge replacement project. The funds are part of the county’s share of Regional Measure 3 bridge toll revenue administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “What’s exciting about the new Novato Creek Bridge is that it’s going … Continue Reading
January 09, 2026
Energy, enviro spending bills ready for Senate action
by Andres Picon
The House passed a three-bill spending package Thursday, an important step toward funding the Department of Energy, the Interior Department, EPA and other agencies after months of tumultuous negotiations. Lawmakers cleared the compromise appropriations bills on a 397-28 vote, sending them over to the Senate, where outstanding disagreements over earmarks and a beleaguered Colorado climate lab could still complicate final passage. The House’s approval of the three bills — … Continue Reading