G2. Local Greens

We are facing unprecedented challenges with the new administration. But there are also some interesting opportunities in the Midwest.

The post Important Message As We Head Into 2025 first appeared on Environmental Law & Policy Center.

Biden Administration’s Dept. of Energy analysis of Liquified Natural Gas exports shows Americans are negatively impacted, especially communities of color.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Biden Administration’s Department of Energy today released a long-awaited and potentially explosive analysis of the impacts of liquified natural gas (LNG) exports. The report’s findings provide a crystal clear picture of the vast negative impacts that LNG has on the climate, economy, national security, and public health. Earlier this year, President Biden took bold, historic action to pause LNG export license approvals so DOE could properly evaluate the impacts of new LNG exports. That policy created the opportunity to disrupt fossil-fuel polluters’ “business as usual.” 

DOE is now expected to open a public comment period on the draft analysis. Chesapeake Climate Action Network plans to use that public comment period to ensure the analysis is used comprehensively to justify the rejection of all pending and future LNG export projects. 

Quentin Scott, Federal Director for CCAN Action Fund: 

“The long-awaited Department of Energy Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export analysis proves what climate justice and frontline leaders have been saying for years. The US government can no longer pretend to build out LNG export facilities in the public interest. LNG exports pollute communities, raise consumer and business costs, and increase greenhouse gas emissions, especially impacting communities of color in the Gulf. There is no spin the fossil fuel industry can put on the hard facts. Continuing to build these facilities after this report would be willful ignorance. We call on the Biden Administration to listen to their own report and reject pending LNG export licenses.” 

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

The post Long-awaited DOE Report Makes Crystal Clear LNG Exports are NOT in Public Interest appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Date: 12/17/2024 
Contact: Anja Semanco | anja@alaskawild.org | 724-967-2777 

Alaska Wilderness League Applauds Rep. Jared Huffman’s Selection as Ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee 

Washington, D.C. (Date) – Alaska Wilderness League welcomes the unanimous decision by the House Democratic Caucus to appoint Congressman Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) as the new top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee with the following statement: 

“Representative Huffman has consistently demonstrated unwavering leadership in protecting our nation’s wildest places, especially Alaska’s vast and irreplaceable public lands—a stance that will be greatly needed during this next administration,” said Alex Cohen, Government Affairs Director at Alaska Wilderness League. “We look forward to supporting Rep. Huffman in the continued fight for policies that prioritize climate action, protect wildlife, and honor Indigenous leadership and stewardship.” 

The post Alaska Wilderness League Applauds Rep. Jared Huffman’s Selection as Ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee  appeared first on Alaska Wilderness League.

Lock the Gate Alliance is calling on the Albanese Government to reject a new high pressure polluting gas pipeline APA Group wants to build that would connect to a yet to be built, publicly-funded $300 million gas fired power plant. 

The Arctic is on fire—literally. As the planet warms, the once-frozen tundra is transforming into something unrecognizable. This year alone, wildfires across the Arctic Circle released 207 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere—the equivalent of emissions from 200 coal power plants. For the first time in thousands of years, the Arctic tundra isn’t absorbing carbon. It’s emitting it. 

For a long time, the Arctic functioned as one of our planet’s most important carbon sinks, acting like a giant freezer that locked away carbon in its frozen soils, permafrost, and wetlands. For thousands of years, this icy ecosystem has stored massive amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere and helping regulate our climate.  

But now, the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth. Thawing permafrost is releasing carbon dioxide and methane—supercharged greenhouse gases—into our atmosphere, speeding up climate change.  

Protecting the Arctic means protecting this vital carbon storage system, and with it, the stability of our planet’s climate. 

A Grim Milestone: From Sink to Source 

This isn’t just an alarming fact—it’s a wake-up call. The 2024 Arctic Report Card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) spells it out: Melting permafrost, raging wildfires, and shrinking sea ice are rewriting the rules of the Arctic.  

And let’s be real—what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. 

The Arctic’s ability to regulate our planet’s temperature is breaking down. As the tundra thaws, ancient organic matter decomposes, releasing carbon dioxide and methane—two of the most potent greenhouse gases. This vicious cycle is speeding up, and we’re running out of time to stop it. 

2024: The Hottest Year on Record 

It’s official: 2024 is the hottest year in recorded history. Data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) shows global temperatures blowing past the 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels. While this doesn’t mean we’ve broken the Paris Agreement’s limit—1.5°C refers to long-term averages, not single years—it’s a flashing red light. We’re skating on dangerously thin ice. 

To keep warming under control, we need to cut fossil fuel emissions by at least 45% by 2030. But instead, global CO2 emissions are set to hit an all-time high this year. The math doesn’t add up. Promises of net-zero emissions are meaningless without immediate, bold action. 

The Arctic Ecosystem: On the Brink 

The Arctic has long been the “canary in the coal mine” for climate change. And the canaries have stopped singing. This year saw the sixth-lowest sea ice levels ever recorded. Without its reflective white cover, the Arctic Ocean absorbs more heat, further accelerating ice melt. Rain replaced snow in what became the Arctic’s rainiest summer on record, eroding permafrost and reshaping the landscape. 

The fallout is devastating. Warming tundra is fueling shrub growth, choking out lichens that migratory caribou rely on. Rain creates thick layers of ice, blocking caribou from grazing. Between this and the many other challenges they already face, we’ve seen a 65% decline in caribou populations—a blow to Indigenous communities who depend on them for food, culture, and identity. 

Then there’s the ticking carbon time bomb beneath the tundra. Permafrost, the permanently frozen layer of soil and ice, holds twice the carbon currently in our atmosphere and three times what’s in all the world’s forests combined. As the ground thaws under ever-increasing temperatures, that carbon is released, amplifying the climate crisis at an unfathomable scale. 

A Misguided Auction: The Threat to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 

As if the Arctic weren’t under enough pressure, its most pristine landscapes are now up for grabs. Thanks to the 2017 Tax Act, the Biden administration is legally required to hold another oil and gas lease sale in the Coastal Plain region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this January. Four hundred thousand acres of wilderness—home to polar bears, migratory caribou, and countless other species—are on the chopping block, starting at just $30 an acre. 

At a time when we should be fighting to protect every inch of this fragile region, we’re auctioning it off to the highest bidder. The first lease sale in the Refuge was a colossal failure, generating less than 1% of the promised revenue. Yet, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) is signaling it will bid again, ignoring overwhelming opposition from Indigenous groups, environmental advocates, and many Americans. 

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is an outlier in U.S. conservation. It’s the only wildlife refuge with oil and gas development as a stated purpose (thanks to Trump’s 2017 Tax Act)—a glaring contradiction to its mission of preservation. For decades, Americans have stood with the Gwich’in Nation, Iñupiat allies, and conservationists to protect this sanctuary. It’s time to double down on that commitment. 

The Path Forward: Act Now 

The Arctic is telling us something, loud and clear: Act now, or face the consequences. We can’t undo the damage already done, but we can stop it from getting worse. Cutting emissions, investing in renewables, and protecting fragile ecosystems aren’t optional—they’re essential. 

The Arctic Report Card arrives at a critical moment, as agencies like NOAA face the threat of downsizing under Project 2025. This misguided initiative would privatize NOAA’s weather forecasting and gut its climate research, jeopardizing our ability to confront the climate crisis head-on. 

We don’t have time for complacency. This is a call to action—for you, for us, for everyone who cares about the future of this planet. Hold leaders accountable. Demand bold climate policies.  

The science is clear, the solutions are here, and the clock is ticking. 

Let’s rise to the challenge. The Arctic may feel far away for many of us, but its fate is tied to ours. Protecting it means protecting our future. 

sign the petition

The post The Arctic’s Alarming Shift: From Climate Regulator to Carbon Source  appeared first on Alaska Wilderness League.

The Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California voted on Tuesday to spend $141.6 million for planning the proposed Delta Tunnel, despite significant opposition from local Delta residents, Tribes, and advocates. 

As a Los Angeles Times piece points out, dozens of opponents of the tunnel, including Restore the Delta, argued that the Tunnel is an egregious water grab that would cause significant harm to Delta communities, Tribes, and the environment. 

Restore the Delta’s Assistant Policy Analyst, Cintia Cortez, appeared on ABC 10 and asserted, “This truly is a move that furthers an unjust water grab for California’s Delta communities. It is also not consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act.”

Other coverage of the decision emphasizes the widespread opposition due to the exorbitant price tag and resulting financial impacts of the project. Krystal Moreno, Traditional Ecological Knowledge Program Manager for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, aptly stated, “This project is being sold on fear and lies. Fear that without it, there won’t be enough water for Southern California’s economy. Lies that there is not an affordable alternative.”

Additionally, an article in the Stocktonia News highlights the funding uncertainties behind the project, including questions over whether the Kern County Water Agency will commit to paying its share of costs for this phase of the project. 

In the midst of these harmful decisions by MWD, concerns about the fairness and objectivity of the investigation into General Manager Adel Hagekhalil have been further intensified following an anti-Arab slur uttered by MWD Board Member John Morris. 

See below for a comprehensive list of coverage of the vote: 

• California water agency votes to spend $141 million on Delta tunnel project – Los Angeles Times 
• Funding approved for next steps of controversial Delta Conveyance Project – ABC 10 
• Southern California water agency votes to keep funding state tunnel plans – AP News
• Southern California water agency votes to keep funding ambitious underground tunnel project – NBC Los Angeles 
• Racism, Reckless Waste On Delta Tunnel Show Rot At Water Agency – City Watch LA 
• DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Metropolitan board approves $142 million in additional funding for remaining planning of Delta Conveyance Project; Restore the Delta and State Water Contractors respond – Maven’s Notebook
• Giant Southern California water district OKs spending $141 million for Delta tunnel project – Stocktonia News 
• Delta Tunnel critics urge Metropolitan Water District to vote no on $141.6 million for project – Daily Kos 
• Metropolitan Water District Board Approves $141.6 Million in Additional Funding for Delta Tunnel – Daily Kos 
• Delta Tunnel backed by SoCal water agency – San Joaquin Valley Sun
• Major Southern California water supplier approves spending $141.6 million on Delta tunnel project – CBS Sacramento 

The health of the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary and Delta communities remains our top priority for 2025. 
Your tax-deductible gift will help us achieve our goals for next year and beyond. 
Support our organization today or mail a check to 2616 Pacific Ave #4296, Stockton, CA 95204.

(New Orleans, LA – December 13, 2024) – Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry recently issued a response letter to the Deepwater Horizon federal trustees and other state and federal agency representatives regarding the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project. Using the river to restore Louisiana’s disappearing coast has long been one of Restore the Mississippi River Delta’s primary goals. The coalition of national and local conservation organizations comprised of the National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society and Pontchartrain Conservancy released the ...

Read The Full Story

The post Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition Responds to Governor’s Letter on Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Our take on the recent oral arguments in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County

The post The U.S. Supreme Court & NEPA first appeared on Environmental Law & Policy Center.

DENVER—Today the Center for Western Priorities released a new report assessing state-level conservation policies in the West. The 2024 Western State Conservation Scorecard evaluates eight Western states—Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—on benchmarks in three categories: land protection and access; responsible energy development; and land use and planning for growth. The 2024 scorecard updates and builds upon CWP’s previous state conservation scorecard, released in 2017.

While no state achieved a perfect score, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico emerged as clear conservation leaders, with well-funded conservation programs and a demonstrated commitment to public land protections. Montana and Wyoming show that Western states can make progress on conservation in ways that work for them, though both states have room to improve in regulating oil and gas development. Arizona, Idaho, and Utah have the opportunity to significantly improve their scores in multiple categories. These states generally score well on protecting public land access for outdoor recreation, but need to back that up with support for public land conservation and better stewardship of natural resources in the face of accelerating growth.

The Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Policy Director Rachael Hamby:

“Public lands are central to what makes the West such an attractive place to live and visit, and states have an important role to play in conserving the West’s iconic landscapes, outdoor recreation opportunities, and the high quality of life that comes with living near protected public lands. Western states clearly demonstrate that it is possible to prioritize conservation while growing a state’s economy and developing its natural resources responsibly.”

LEARN MORE:

• 2024 Western States Legislative Wrap-up
• Conservation Gridlock: 2024 Update
• 2017 Western States Conservation Scorecard

Featured image: A view of the Snake Wild and Scenic River in Idaho, Bob Wick/BLM via Flickr

The post REPORT: Which Western states are leading and lagging on conservation policy? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Hands up everyone who misses screwing in tiny fragile incandescent lightbulbs while hanging off a ladder in sub zero temperatures. Or busily hunting for which dead bulb is causing the entire string of 100 lights to short out. What, no one? The reason we no longer have these tasks on our busy holiday plates is

The post Help us shine a light on green energy appeared first on Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, a case challenging the approval of the Uinta Basin Railway. The proposed 88-mile railway would enable as many as 350,000 barrels of oil per day from Utah’s largest oil field to be shipped through Colorado. Part of the proposed route for the railway runs through a narrow canyon along the Colorado River, where a derailment or spill would be catastrophic.

The railway proposal was approved in 2021 by the federal Surface Transportation Board. Eagle County, Colorado, and a coalition of environmental groups challenged the approval, arguing that the environmental analysis failed to account for the full impacts of the railway, including the increased oil production in Utah that would be enabled by the railway, the increased risk of accidents along the railway, and the impacts of refining the oil once it reaches refineries in the southeastern U.S. Arguing on behalf of Eagle County, attorney William Jay pointed out that since the railway’s sole purpose is to transport oil from Utah to Gulf Coast refineries, these impacts fall well within the ‘reasonably foreseeable’ test for inclusion in an environmental review.

While the railway’s proponents had hoped that the Supreme Court would use the case to limit future environmental reviews, the justices seemed hesitant to endorse a complete overhaul of environmental review standards. Moreover, Paul Clement, an attorney arguing on behalf of the railway proponents, failed to offer a convincing alternative to the ‘reasonably foreseeable’ test. “By the courts taking an overly aggressive role, it’s in turn created an incentive for the agencies to do 3,000-page environmental impact statements,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh commented at one point. Chief Justice John Roberts seemed to agree, remarking, “I have trouble seeing how this is going to work out as a practical matter.” A decision in the case is expected at the end of the Supreme Court’s current term, in June 2025.

Quick hits Tribes want Biden to save the Owyhee Canyonlands

ICT

Utah’s public lands lawsuit is ‘an existential threat’ to the Ute Indian Tribe, lawyers contend

Salt Lake Tribune

Arizona AG sues Saudi firm over ‘excessive’ groundwater pumping, saying it’s a public nuisance

Associated Press

Research challenges benefits, highlights pitfalls of mowing and spraying sagebrush

WyoFile

NM grants ‘outstanding waters’ protections to over 250 miles of rivers and streams

Source New Mexico

Monarch butterflies proposed for listing as a threatened species

Associated Press | E&E News | Washington Post | New York Times

EPA offers glide path for state authority over wetlands

E&E News

Arctic tundra has long helped cool Earth. Now, it’s fueling warming

New York Times | Inside Climate News | Grist

Quote of the day

Sometimes it doesn’t seem so concrete for people to think about carbon dioxide and methane. But these are very concrete and real changes that have been happening over the past decades. People are impacted and dealing with these changes every day of their life.”

—Susan Natali, Woodwell Climate Research Center, Grist

Picture This @usinterior

Majestic and timeless, mountains have a way of captivating our imagination. They inspire us to explore, learn, connect with nature and seek a peaceful refuge.

From the towering heights of Denali, North America’s tallest peak at @denalinps, to the rugged majesty of @rockynps, and the rolling beauty of the Appalachian Mountains along @blueridgenps, Interior preserves some of the nation’s most scenic mountainous landscapes and interprets the human stories contained within them.

Photo at Rocky Mountain National Park by Jeremy Janus

 

Featured image: A train travels along the Colorado River in western Colorado. The Library of Congress, Carol M. Highsmith Archive

The post What’s next for the Utah oil train? appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Buy a Grassy Narrows T-shirt! We have 5 different shirts available for purchase! 

Click here to purchase the River Run 2024 shirt 

Click here for the Water is Sacred T-shirt 

Click Here to purchase – We Are Here to Protect Water

Click Here to purchase Justice for Grassy Narrows 

Click Here to purchase No Mining On Anishaanbe Territory 

Stockton, Calif. — On February 18, 2025 the State Water Resources Control Board (the Board) will be holding a public hearing to determine action on the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) petitions to change water rights permits related to the Delta Conveyance Project.

Why this is important
There are significant procedural and legal concerns regarding DWR’s petitions to change water rights. This includes the fact that DWR’s permits expired over 15 years ago and the Board should not proceed without resolving these expired permits or confirming that these rights even exist. 

In addition, there is a clear lack of due process and a number of significant uncertainties that further warrants a pause in these proceedings, including a completed Bay-Delta Plan. 

What we’ve done
The Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC) which includes the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, and Restore the Delta along with our partners at the San Francisco Baykeeper, California Indian Environmental Alliance, and Golden State Salmon Association have filed our pre-hearing conference statement in response to DWR’s petitions.

We are doing all we can to argue that these proceedings should not move forward until there is clarity and proper procedure to ensure a fair and lawful process. Moving forward with these proceedings without knowing what, if any, water rights DWR currently has and in the absence of a completed Bay-Delta plan is a waste of resources and not in the best interest of Californians. 

How to make comments
The administrative hearing officer allows individuals to deliver oral policy statements regarding the project during the public hearing on February 18th. If you’re not already a party to the proceeding but wish to make your position known, you must file a Notice of Intent (NOI) with the administrative hearing office as soon as possible.

You can download the NOI form [here] and email your completed form to info@restorethedelta.org. Our team will assist with submitting it to the service list. Note that you are not required to submit your policy statement at this time—only the completed NOI.

In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed by the Trump administration included a highly controversial provision: it mandated two oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The first sale, held on January 6, 2021, during the final days of the Trump presidency, was a bust. Now, the second lease sale is scheduled for January 9, 2025 – a sale no smart company would show up to. 

While there’s a critical opportunity to incorporate stringent environmental protections in the Refuge, it’s clear that Arctic drilling is financially unviable and an all-around bad idea.  

One of The World’s Most Expensive Places to Drill 

The Arctic isn’t just remote; it’s one of the most difficult environments on Earth. Extracting oil here requires specialized equipment, infrastructure to handle frozen landscapes, and significant risk mitigation for extreme weather. These challenges make Arctic drilling the costliest venture in the industry. 

Take it from the investors themselves, like Goldman Sachs commodity expert Michele Della Vigna who told CNBC in 2017 that, “We think there is almost no rationale for Arctic exploration. Immensely complex, expensive projects like the Arctic we think can move too high on the cost curve to be economically doable.” 

For companies to even break even, oil prices need to hover between $63-$84 per barrel. But as the global shift toward renewables accelerates, oil prices are unlikely to cooperate with that narrow margin, making Arctic drilling a bad long-term investment. 

Risky and Unpredictable Returns 

Drilling in the Arctic is a gamble. The Trump administration’s first lease sale raised a mere $12 million—less than 1% of the projected returns. Many bidders later backed out, leaving the sale as both a financial and environmental embarrassment. Even BP, one of the largest oil giants, exited Alaska altogether, signaling the region’s diminishing prospects. 

In fact, the only company that stuck around was the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) whose leases were revoked under the Biden administration – a group with an outstanding track record of failed investments and wasted taxpayer money. 

U.S. oil industry growth has slowed, with Alaska’s production plummeting from 25% of national output in 1988 to just 6th place today. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline now operates at only 25% capacity, reflecting the state’s waning significance as an oil powerhouse. 

Domestic Drilling Won’t Solve Economic Problems 

Despite claims to the contrary, more drilling in the Arctic won’t lower gas prices or solve economic hardships. Why? Because U.S. oil is sold on the global market to the highest bidder. Domestic production has little impact on local gas prices, which are driven by international supply chains, geopolitical instability, and global demand—not by how much we drill at home. 

Moreover, investing in Arctic oil locks us into a volatile and unstable market. It doesn’t provide the economic security Americans need; it simply pads the profits of fossil fuel companies while leaving consumers to face unpredictable energy costs. 

The True Cost of Inaction on Climate 

Arctic drilling isn’t just financially reckless—it’s environmentally catastrophic. Fossil fuel operations on public lands account for nearly 25% of U.S. carbon emissions. More drilling accelerates climate change, with devastating economic consequences: 

• $16 million per hour is lost globally to climate-driven disasters. 

• $150 billion annually is spent in the U.S. alone to recover from extreme weather fueled by climate change. 

• By 2050, the global cost of climate damage will reach $3.1 trillion annually, a staggering burden we’re handing to future generations. 

A Choice for Our Future 

The world is moving away from oil. As renewables grow and climate impacts worsen, fossil fuel investments are becoming stranded assets. Drilling in the Arctic is a bet on climate failure—and we can’t afford to lose. 

The Arctic Refuge is more than a patch of frozen tundra; it’s a priceless ecosystem, a symbol of wild America, and a critical resource for subsistence communities. Short-term profits for oil companies should never outweigh the long-term health of our economy, environment, and society. 

Let’s make the right choice: protect the Arctic Refuge, prioritize renewable energy, and build a future that works for everyone—not just for fossil fuel executives. 

Sign our petition and tell oil companies: Don’t bid on Refuge leases!  

Sign the petition

Photo Credit: Florian Schulz / Protect The Arctic

The post Drilling in the Arctic Refuge: A Financial Disaster and a Threat to Our Future  appeared first on Alaska Wilderness League.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2024

MEDIA CONTACTS: 
Alexandra Nagy, alexandra@sunstonestrategies.org 

Statement by Restore the Delta

Los Angeles, Calif – Today, the Metropolitan Water District Board approved $141 million to continue planning the Delta Tunnel project—a move that furthers an unjust water grab from California’s Delta communities. Secretary Wade Crowfoot misled the Board, falsely claiming collaboration with Delta residents, despite having no meetings with these communities since 2019.

The Delta Tunnel, built on flawed voluntary agreements, seeks to divert vital river water into a costly tunnel funded by MWD ratepayers. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom aims to expand the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural economy at the expense of the Delta’s environment, communities, and Southern California ratepayers. This project fails to address real climate-resilient water solutions or deliver affordable outcomes for Californians.

While today’s decision moves the project forward, it faces numerous permitting and legal hurdles. Restore the Delta remains steadfast in opposing this harmful plan and will continue fighting to protect the Delta, its people, and its ecosystems.

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On Tuesday the U.S. House passed bipartisan ‘Good Samaritan’ abandoned mine cleanup legislation by voice vote. The bill passed the U.S. Senate unanimously in July, and President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law. The bill’s approval by Congress is the culmination of decades of effort by advocates and by current and former lawmakers, beginning with former U.S. Senator Max Baucus of Montana in the 1990s, and including former U.S. Senator Mark Udall of Colorado and current U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, both of whom championed versions of the bill over the years with bipartisan support from Western members of Congress.

Across the West there are as many as 500,000 abandoned mines—some dating back to the 1800s, with no party legally responsible for cleanup—that contaminate water and soil with a variety of metals and other toxic pollutants. ‘Good Samaritan’ organizations that were interested in taking on cleanup of these sites were usually hesitant to do so because they were concerned about taking on liability for the sites and the contamination caused. If signed into law, the legislation passed Tuesday will create a 15-project pilot program that will allow a nonprofit, state agency, or industry group to take on a cleanup project with liability protections from the Clean Water Act and the Superfund law. A Good Samaritan must have no previous connection to the cleanup site.

“For more than 25 years, Good Samaritans have tried to clean up abandoned mines but have faced significant hurdles and liability rules that hold them responsible for all the pre-existing pollution from a mine — despite having no involvement with the mines before their cleanup efforts,” Heinrich said in a statement. “With today’s passage, we’ve now cleared one of the final hurdles preventing these groups from helping to protect the land, water, fish, and wildlife our communities rely on.”

Quick hits Congress passes ‘Good Samaritan’ abandoned mine clean-up bill

Politico | Las Vegas Review-Journal | Santa Fe New Mexican | CPR News | E&E News

Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Utah oil train case

Colorado Newsline | CPR News | E&E News | Associated Press | NBC News

Opinion: Protecting the Owyhee Canyonlands is up to Biden

Oregon Capital Chronicle

Sen. Heinrich and Santa Fe County, NM, urge national monument status for Caja del Rio

Santa Fe New Mexican | KUNM

WY governor signs deal to sell Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park for $100 million

WyoFile

Western governors eye public lands for housing development

Summit Daily

‘Zero progress’: Western states at impasse in talks on Colorado River water shortages

Los Angeles Times

Opinion: Implementing Project 2025 would harm Colorado’s climate and economy

Colorado Sun

Quote of the day

We must protect the ancient paradigm of living with the land—protection and reverence for tradition and the livelihood of its people. Now is the opportunity to preserve the Caja del Rio for future generations as part of our American landscape.”

—Santa Fe County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante, Santa Fe New Mexican

Picture This @glaciernps

What’s green and sings?

Elvis Parsley!

And, anthropomorphized lichen. Well… that could also be orange and singing, or brown and singing, or a sort of chartreuse and singing… you get the point lichen are colorful, and possibly (though not probably) musically talented.

Lichens are composed of two different life forms, a fungus and an algae, which coexist in an odd symbiosis, forming an entirely new organism called a lichen. The fungus provides structure and mineral-gathering capability, and the algae provides photosynthesis to make food for both. Which fungus combining with which algae determines which species of lichen.

NPS Photo of orange, white, and green lichen on rock.

Lichen what you’re hearing? Head over to nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/lichens.htm for more.

 

Featured image: An abandoned mine in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, D&RG Railfan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

The post ‘Good Sam’ mine cleanup bill headed to Biden’s desk appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Lock the Gate Alliance has launched the first legal challenge to fracking under the water trigger in Australia’s national environment laws. 

In a surprising yet significant turn, rural electric cooperatives are urging Republican lawmakers to preserve crucial components of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that support clean energy projects. This position, voiced by Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), highlights a pragmatic shift in how rural electric utilities are navigating the clean energy landscape.

Matheson emphasized a “nuanced approach” to repealing the IRA, advocating for the retention of provisions that empower rural communities to invest in renewable energy, emission mitigation, and energy storage. He noted that these investments align with the interests of member-owned cooperatives, which operate democratically to reflect the values and needs of their communities.

This call to action is especially notable given that rural electric cooperatives predominantly serve Republican-leaning areas. Historically, these cooperatives have resisted some federal climate initiatives, including lawsuits against the EPA’s greenhouse gas regulations. However, the IRA’s transformative “direct pay” provisions have provided a pathway for nonprofit cooperatives to access renewable energy tax credits—benefits previously exclusive to for-profit companies.

Direct pay is more than a financial mechanism; it levels the playing field for rural utilities, enabling them to invest in renewable energy and lucrative programs like 45Q, that ultimately benefit rural cooperatives and the communities they serve. As Matheson aptly put it, “If there’s going to be a federal commitment to encouraging energy technologies, we want to access that.”

The New ERA of Rural Energy Transformation

The IRA’s Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program has already announced $8.3 billion in public financing, allowing cooperatives to modernize their energy systems and reduce reliance on coal. These funds have led to tangible benefits:

• Basin Electric Cooperative secured funding, and with it, will procure both additional renewable energy generation and enhance existing cooperative-owned renewable assets. These are expected to total over 1,400 megawatts across Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. This will reduce greenhouse gas pollution by an estimated 2.2 million tons annually.
• Tri-State Generation and Transmission received $2.5 billion to build renewables, implement energy storage, and pay down costs associated with coal plants in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.
• Dairyland Power Cooperative was awarded $2.1 billion to develop eight wind and solar projects in Wisconsin.
• Hoosier Energy and Wolverine Power Cooperative secured $1.3 billion to bring an idled Michigan nuclear plant back online.

These investments demonstrate the demand and potential for clean energy in rural America. Notably, the program has even created common ground between cooperatives and environmental advocates, who have long pushed for a transition away from coal-heavy power systems that tend to cost cooperatives and their member-owners more than cleaner alternatives.

A Balancing Act for the Future

Despite these successes, the future of these programs are uncertain. With political shifts on the horizon, Matheson and the NRECA are racing against time to finalize as many funding agreements as possible. Their plea to lawmakers is clear: dismantling these clean energy initiatives would not only hinder rural progress but also overlook the overwhelming demand from cooperatives eager to participate in the clean energy transition.

What This Means for North Dakota

For organizations like Dakota Resource Council (DRC), this shift in rural cooperative priorities represents an opportunity to amplify local voices. Many rural communities in North Dakota are facing critical decisions about energy investments, and preserving programs like New ERA can provide a pathway toward cleaner, more sustainable energy systems.

At DRC, we believe in empowering rural communities to advocate for policies that reflect their needs and values. The growing alignment between cooperatives and environmental goals highlights the power of grassroots advocacy to create meaningful change.

Get Involved

As rural America stands at an energy crossroads, it’s more important than ever to make your voice heard. Join DRC in urging decision-makers to preserve the components of the IRA that enable our rural communities to thrive. Together, we can ensure that the future of energy is equitable, cost effective, sustainable, and community-driven.

For more information on how you can get involved, contact DRC Organizer Ishauna Jacobberger at ishauna@drcinfo.com or call (701) 224-8587. Let’s work together to protect the progress we’ve made and build a brighter future for rural North Dakota.

The post Preserving Clean Energy Progress in Rural America: A Call for a Nuanced Approach appeared first on Dakota Resource Council.

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