ConservAmerica General Counsel Brent Fewell released the statement below following the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the plaintiff in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

“In today’s ruling, the Supreme Court unanimously agreed the federal government had overreached in asserting jurisdiction over the Sackett’s property. Although divided on their rationale, the Justices’ ruling is a victory for the rule of law and provides greater clarity to landowners, industry, and farmers who have had to deal with regulatory overreach and uncertainty for the last several decades.

The derailment of a freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, was a stark reminder that, while essential to our economy, moving hazardous materials across the country comes with risks. 

Most Americans would agree that Congress has a responsibility to exercise its oversight responsibility and look into how the accident happened and take steps to reduce not only the likelihood of future derailments but also the environmental impact of accidents when they do happen.

On Wednesday, May 17, ConservAmerica hosted a webinar on the 2023 Farm Bill. Titled Improving Conservation Outcomes on the Nation’s Working Lands: Reauthorizing the Farm Bill’s Conservation Title, the webinar featured policy experts Josh Maxwell, Dave White, and Alex Echols, and was moderated by ConservAmerica General Counsel Brent Fewell.

Click through to watch the webinar replay.

ConservAmerica joined with other like-minded organizations in sending a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee and the House Natural Resource Committee urging the need for a solution to the Cottonwood decision, which hampers the ability of federal forest managers to protect and restore our forest ecosystems.

Click through to read the full letter from ConservAmerica, The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), C3 Solutions, American Conservation Coalition Action, and The Western Way.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee conducted a hearing on opportunities for Congress to reform the permitting process for energy and mineral projects.  We commend the committee for its work on this crucial issue. In conjunction with the hearing, ConservAmerica sent a letter to Chairman Joe Manchin and Ranking Member John Barrasso in support of meaningful legislation to reform and modernize our nation’s permitting process.

The letter, which was also copied to Chairman Tom Carper and Ranking Member Shelly Moore Capito, of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, states, in part: As it stands now, the inefficiencies and uncertainties embedded within the permitting process are thwarting economic development, limiting our ability to make environmental and infrastructure improvements, and creating unacceptable risks to public health and safety.

In Case You Missed It, Sen. Mike Braun, Sen. Michael Bennet, and Sen. Roger Marshall, all members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, introduced legislation to address the shortage of Technical Service Providers (TSPs) who help producers access USDA conservation programs through one-on-one assistance. This bill expands on the framework first envisioned in the 2018 Farm Bill. Sen. Braun is a long-time member of the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus. 

ConservAmerica participated in the development of the legislation and supports its passage.

ConservAmerica has joined close to 70 stakeholders from across the country, political spectrum, and technological landscape to send a letter to Congressional Appropriations Committee leaders advocating for continued investments in energy innovation as part of FY24 appropriations.

Click through to read an excerpt from the letter.